things you don’t want to know about sports (but they happen to be true anyway) rick albrecht,...
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Things You Don’t Want to Know About Sports
(but they happen to be true anyway)
Rick Albrecht, Ph.D.Grand Valley State University
Rick Albrecht (age 6)Rick Albrecht (age 6)
Watertown Cubs (1959)
http://faculty.gvsu.edu/albrechr/recentpresentations.html
These Slide Are Available On My Website...
Things You Don’t Want to Know About Sports
(but they happen to be true anyway)
You May Feel Uncomfortable
You May Disagree
You May Think I’m Crazy
I’ll Probably Be Making Some Points That May Be New To You...
“Repetition does not transform a
lie into a truth.”--Franklin D. Roosevelt
Please Try To Keep One Thing In Mind...
Parents and Coaches…It is not YOUR team
It Never Was Your Team!It Is Not Now Your Team!
It Never Will Be Your Team!
Here’s the First Thing You Don’t Want to Know...
Go Back and Locate The Original Documents That Established The Team, League, or Organization
Don’t Take My Word For It…Check It Out For Yourself
Do you think it will say that the team exists so we parents have a place to go and yell?
Do you think it will say that the team exists so we coaches
have a place to coach?
Don’t Take My Word For It…Check It Out For Yourself
For The Kids’ “Physical, Emotional, and Social Development”
For The Kids’ “Moral and Character Development”
You’ll Probably Find That The Team Exists Solely FOR THE KIDS!
And perhaps most importantly...
For The Kids’
“Fun and Enjoyment”
You’ll Probably Find That The Team Exists Solely FOR THE KIDS!
YOUR TEAM hasn’t existed for 10, 20, maybe even 30 years.
THIS TEAM belongs to these athletes
YOUR JOB is to make sure the kids have a positive experience
Parents and Coaches: Here’s The Painful Truth...
What if our kids pressured us the way we What if our kids pressured us the way we pressure them?pressure them?
Again, what if our kids pressured us the Again, what if our kids pressured us the way we pressure them?way we pressure them?
One final time, what if our kids pressured One final time, what if our kids pressured us the way we pressure them?us the way we pressure them?
If it’s wrong here, what makes it right in If it’s wrong here, what makes it right in sports?sports?
Again, if it’s wrong here, what makes it Again, if it’s wrong here, what makes it right in sports?right in sports?
One final time, if it’s wrong here, what One final time, if it’s wrong here, what makes it right in sports?makes it right in sports?
Winning and Losing is Not Really As Important As You Might Think
Here’s Another Thing You Don’t Want to Know...
We probably wouldn’t worry nearly as much about what others thought of us…if we recognized how seldom they did.
Here’s An Interesting Way To Think About It...
Wins Losses Ties
1966: 0 8 0
1967: 1 3 3
1968: 0 8 0
1969 3 5 0
Football: The Four Years I Attended Sandusky High School...
6 Touchdowns were scored in the 2005 Superbowl (6 months ago). Who scored them?
We Don’t Even Remember the Most Important Events in All of Sport
L.J. Smith (Eagles)
David Givins (Patriots)
Mike Vrabel (Patriots)
Brian Westbrook (Eagles)
Cory Dillen (Patriots)
Greg Lewis (Eagles)
The 6 Touchdowns in the 2005 Superbowl Were Scored By...
MEN WOMEN
North Carolina Baylor
Illinois M.S.U.
M.S.U. Tennessee
Louisville L.S.U.
Who Were The Teams That Made It To The (2005) NCAA Basketball
“Final Four” (Men and Women)?
Roman Sebrle (Czech Republic)
2004 Olympics (Athens):Who Won The Gold Medal in The
DECATHLON -- Often Thought To Indicate The “World’s Best Athlete”
Who won the 100m (Men):
Justin Gatlin
Who won the 200m (Men):
Shawn Crawford
2004 Olympics (Athens):Okay, Maybe You Only Think It
Counts If “WE” (Americans) Win.
People Won’t Usually Remember Whether You’ve Won Or Lost -- But They Will Remember “How
You Played The Game.”
Always Remember...
Let Me Tell You Tell You a Couple Things I Remember From Playing “Little League” Baseball Here in Sandusky -- Over 40 Years Ago...
A Personal Example...
Two of the best teams were:
V.F.W.
S.E. Michigan Gas Company
What I Don’t Remember -- Who Won Those Games
What I Do Remember Are The Adults -- Coaches and Parents
Sandusky Little League: 1964
Long after an official’s ‘bad call’ is forgotten…
People (especially your kids) will remember our reaction to it
As Adults We Have To Remember...
Question:
Would you rather play regularly on a losing team or “sit on the bench” of a championship team?
What Our Kids Say About Winning...
Between 78-90% of kids say they would rather play regularly on a poor team than “sit the bench” on a championship team.
Be Honest, Wouldn’t You?
What Our Kids Say About Winning...
Since You’re The Only One Who Will Actually Remember...
You Have To Be Proud Of Your Performance
Always Remember...
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.
Your character is what you really are, your reputation is merely what others think you are.
-Coach John Wooden
Honor, Character and Sportsmanship Are What Are Truly Important
Story of the “Red Shirt” Band of Lakota (Sioux Nation) Warriors
Honor, Character, and Sportsmanship Are What Count
I Can Tell You That Research Says We Should Not Focus On Winning
But You Shouldn’t Believe Me…
Here’s What Some of The Winningest Coaches Have To Say...
De La Salle High School(Concord, California)
151 Consecutive WinsAn Overall Record of 287-14-1More Perfect Seasons (17) than
losses (14)ESPN’s #1 High School Team in
the Country 5 of the Last 6 Years
How Do You Win 151Football Games in a Row?
By NOT Setting a Goal to Win!
“Everyone asks me how I’ve won 151 straight games… my answer is always the same… BY NOT CONCENTRATING ON WINNING. If you work hard enough, the wins will come.
-- Bob Ladouceur, Head Coach
John Wooden, Coach ESPN’s “Coach of the Century”
10 NCAA Championships in 12 years
6 Times Voted “College Coach of the Year”
88 Consecutive Victories
38 Consecutive NCAA Tournament Wins
4 Undefeated Seasons
How Do You Becomethe Most Successful
Basketball Coach of All Time?
By NOT Setting a Goal to Win!
“I never mentioned winning or victory to my players. I never referred to beating an opponent. Instead I constantly urged them to strive for the self-satisfaction that comes with knowing you did your best.”
-- John Wooden, Head Coach
How Do You Becomethe Most Successful
Basketball Coach of All Time?
By NOT Setting a Goal to Win!
“Did I win? Did I lose?” Those are the wrong questions. The correct question is: “Did I make my best effort?” That’s what matters. The rest of it just gets in the way”
-- John Wooden, Head Coach
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Bill Parcells’ Favorite Poem “The Man in the Glass”...
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say
Some people may think you're a straight-shootin' chum
And call you a wonderful guy
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye
He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he's with you clear up to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass
Thank You For Having Me Back…
Go Redskins!
Please contact me if you think I might be of assistance in the future:
Rick Albrecht