Sunday, July 29, 2012

WORD TRACKS

I love word tracks.  Catchy sayings that help you remember things.  In all my years of working I have relied on word tracks.

In Sales: (Empathy-Overcome-Benefit-Close)
In Teaching: (Life Happens in Small Groups)
In Coaching: (Enjoy Your Shot)

Now there are certainly more than just those few examples, but you get the idea.  Over time you are going to be exposed to many coaching word tracks I use everyday in teaching the game.  Any number of them could have been used for the title of this blog - however after much thought and retrospection, I decided on the 3 simple words - "Enjoy Your Shot."  The rational behind this phrase is very simple....it works on so many important levels, and can be applied in so many different situations in life.

1) In Basketball: Where the phrase began - whether instructing grade school players or the elite college athlete, this phrase is a constant mainstay in my skill instruction.  I firmly believe balance is so important in shooting and it is critical to have great form, posture and balance after the ball releases your hand.  It is a thing of beauty when a player has shot the ball, and is standing there erect, perfectly balanced, holding their follow through, watching the ball pass through the hoop.  The example I have used for years in Michael Jordan - when he hit the game winning shot to beat the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals in 1998.

Click here to see the shot!! (With apologies to Karl Malone, John Stockton and Utah Jazz fans)

What a thing of beauty.  To have an NBA Championship on the line, and to have the poise, and confidence in that shot, in that moment - there was no doubt the ball was going to find the basket.  "Enjoy Your Shot" every time you shoot the ball.  Every shot, every game, every day - the more you get commit to enjoying your shot, the more you are going to enjoy this game.  We will definitely get into more details about shooting the basketball - so stay tuned!!!

2) In Your Daily Life: Thanks to Robin Williams in 1989, which coincidentally was the year I graduated from Great Falls High School, the latin phrase "carpe diem" (seize the day) became a rallying cry all over the united states as people attempted to "live in the moment" with everything they did. Click here to see what he did!!  "Enjoy Your Shot" conveys a very similar meaning when applied away from the basketball court. Whatever you are doing in your day to day life - inevitably great opportunities come up.  Career changing, Life changing opportunities.  Far too often we shy away from these opportunities because they mean change to the way we live our life.  We are so comfortable in our own little existence, yet we long for  a better existence.  When those potential career / life changing moments present themselves to you - relax - open your mind to the possibility presented and "Enjoy Your Shot!"

3) On your 21st birthday, or any appropriate time thereafter:  (I will let you have fun thinking of your own examples.  I certainly don't need to bore you with my stories!)

So we shall begin this journey together today - and we will see where this takes us.  I have been so fortunate to learn from so many great minds, and I have been compiling notebooks upon notebooks of information that I have used to develop some very talented players.  It is my goal to share as much as I can with you, and hopefully learn from you as well.  I had the chance to speak at "A STEP UP" in Dallas this spring and it was such a powerful experience.  I went their to share a story and learned so much instead.  It was from that experience that the decision was made to try my hand at blogging so a big thank you to Felicia Hall-Allen and Johnny Allen for their belief in me!  I hope this journey is long lasting; filled with many laughs, stories and learning experiences and at the end of it all - we will all have been put in the position to "ENJOY OUR SHOT!"


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