Landon Donovan Part !

Landon Donovan Part I

This week Landon Donovan was left off the United States World Cup roster for 2014. Many people have spoken out about this truly great player’s perceived snub. But if we look deeper into this, we may find, for the first time in a long time, a National coach setting the precedent that it is truly “play by performance” when it comes to making an elite team and  subsequent playing time no matter what your credentials are up to that point.

Donavon, the MLS all time leading scorer has started to get old. Aren’t we all? But in a game that increasingly has gotten younger, as seen by the deletion of some all time names form the participating nation’s World Cup rosters, a hidden fact is emerging as what we can only hope is a mantra that filters down all the way to high school and post puberty youth sports.

Those who play best play most. And playing the best players means the players who are playing the best at that time, not necessarily the most talented players. This is a fluid situation, not one cemented in stone. It means both a mental and physical commitment to a team. You can only get that, or ask for that, if all who play, get an equal and repeated chance to play and excel, thus lifting the entire team’s performance.

And no that does not mean a 12 year old child has to play one sport year round, miss a family vacation, or miss another activity, just so a youth or high school team can show off its control over their players under the guise of commitment. That full time commitment should only happen when the player turns 16 and has been given repeated chances to play any sport they want, for as long and as little time as they want.

You see Donovan has only one goal so far this year on his club team. He was pulled from a game with the national team. Last year, he took time off, which he deserved to do, if that is what he wanted. And look, there is still time between now and the World Cup, and maybe things will change. Maybe he will get to play and this exercise will be a wakeup call for everyone involved in soccer.

But the simple fact remains that the U.S. squad has not won a world cup with him on the roster. Now I am in no way blaming him for that fact. But if what you are doing is not working out, why would you not change? The U.S. has not won a World Cup or even gotten a medal in the Olympics in soccer.  Why continue to do the same thing over and over and expect different results?

Why not bring in some new players, some very young players, and let them give it a go? Let that “new blood” bring enthusiasm and a different approach to a team. Why not encourage multiple sport athletes and develop the athlete first, and the player second? Let’s see over time what sport they choose, not a single sport chosen for them.

 Inner team competition is the only way to truly get better as a team and as a player. You then take that competition into a game, and see how you stack up versus an opponent.

Playing Time

I had a conversation with a parent about her son. He had made the varsity team and was not playing. Certain things may or may not have been said while he was playing junior varsity, but as I explained, that is in the past.

The parent wanted to know what she should do. I understand that parents want what’s best for their children. I do too. But what a life lesson their son is learning in this environment. He will be faced with adversity in his adult life and this is a good, safe place for him to learn that life is not fair.

He is a good student and the parents run the risk of putting so much emphasis on this that he loses his value of getting great grades.

You see, it really is none of the parents business. I know this is harsh. I could write to you  about all the grey areas involved here but the bottom line for 99% of the children playing youth sports, is that the it is the child’s choice, the child’s life, and any problems he should deal with on his own.

This is not to say I am not sympathetic with the parents’ plight. Their son has shown a acumen to play sports and the parents have spent a lot of money and time with him doing this activity. But it was their choice. And now when they see something they don’t like or may be unfair they react. To their credit, they came to me first.

When a younger player was called up that too irked them. Maybe I said your son could befriend this kid. How cool would that be?

Maybe you could stop going to the games and sitting in the stands. I have seen parents trying not to make a scene, but there body language says they are. They shake their head, fidget in their seats, and secretly hope another child makes a mistake so their son can get in.

It’s really just another form of entitlement. If another parent intervened with their child, although if they were a friend they would be sympathetic, they would see that parent looking to get an edge, and they would not like it. The rules apply to everyone but me.

Now let’s say this boy goes on to play college ball and as a freshman has a chance to play. The coach plays a senior because he’s a senior over their child. Roles reversed. How do you feel then?

I know this is difficult. But your child is going to face these problems later on in life at work and in relationships and isn't this an excellent place, a safe place for him to learn on his own, how to cope with adversity isn't this a great place for him to find his own path? Isn't this a great place for him to figure out how to deal with problems in a group setting?

Sectional Points

It is the time of year where once again the talk around high school sports points to the sectional playoffs in each sport. Along the way, while working with many coaches, athletes, parents, and talking to Athletic Directors I have heard a curious new mantra. “We need to get as many sectional points as possible for seeding purposes.”

Now this in itself is not disturbing or new. A team wanting to get a higher seed in a tournament is part of why we play and coach. But there is a troubling buzz in the background. It is almost like a white noise. These signals, mostly in the background, provide a constant tone that differentiates this desire for sectional points and real life coaching expectations and playing applications.

 Let me explain.

Over the course of the three seasons this year in high school athletics I have met, counseled, spoke, trained, and listened to as many people as possible. I have heard a new mantra emerge.” I will not play teams that can cost me sectional points or a championship.” It is not said directly. It is not even inferred by the participants. When you start to listen and question people I as I have in and around high school athletics, you hear “it is always the other team” that doesn’t want to play us. It is never their team, nor even their choice, but it is a curious coincidence that these scheduling conflicts appear over and over again, with the same teams, the teams that are higher up in the standings.

Now as a coach and player who believes in the mantra: “If you want to be the best, you have to play the best.” I am troubled by this new concept. Not only does it hinder the development of players on a team, by constantly playing and coaching to “win”, but it gives an excuse for entitlement. Coaches can manage the game to win instead of coaching the kids to get better. It is a convenient excuse to not play certain players.

My U-19 travel baseball team was given a choice by the league we were in to ply in the A division, or B division. I explained to the players on our team, which had no one over the age of 17, which I would prefer to play in the A division as that is the only way to get better. The completion would be tough, and there were no guaranteed victories anywhere on the schedule. I asked them privately what division they wanted to play. It was unanimous.

 After the season was over one of the parents came up to me and complained about our record. She was used to winning and this year we did not win many games. But boy, oh boy, the players and teams we played against were awesome. All the kids agreed. Not one kid complained all year when we were struggling. They thrived on the competition.

Conversely my son played on a team where the coach purposely played in much weaker division than they could have played in. When they lost in the first round of the playoffs, the coach and staff blamed the loss on the other team’s ringers.

Read more about it in my book “Stop the Tsunami in Youth Sports.”

Never once did I try, as a coach, to avoid scheduling a certain opponent. On many occasions I have scheduled in youth sports, modified, high school sports, and college the very best opponent every single time that I could. And if I couldn’t get them on the schedule this year, I found a way to play them the next year. I would rather play the best team in our league or the best opponent out there in non league games 5 times during the year rather than to play the worse team once. Playing those teams is how you get better. Not playing those teams is all about ego.

But now I hear it over and over, in many sports, and many levels, it’s all about winning. I hear from one coach that another coach refuses to play them. I hear from other coaches that they have this phenomenal record, yet when I look at their schedule there are an automatic 10-15 wins on their schedule.

 Recently I asked a coach about putting together a division of all the best teams each year on one division. He looked at me like I had three heads. He said no one would ever go for it because everyone wanted to win their division and play for a sectional championship.

Well, playing a tough schedule is how you and your team get better. Letting a lot of kids play so you have great inner team competition is the way to go. Letting them compete, without worrying about who is going to win one particular game, and more about the team getting better is what we have a responsibility to teach our children. This way leads to more championships than any other way I have ever seen.

But once again, it comes back to entitlement. It is just in another form. This time it is a white noise in the background, which will soon be a loud blast to our senses

If we will listen.

A different way to coach

A different way to coach

I was asked, after a talk I gave at a college to a Sport coaching class, by a student from the class I was speaking at, about playing time. He wanted to know if he played well, worked hard, shouldn’t he play all the time.

During the class I had asked him if he would still practice hard on his college team if he didn’t get to play in any of the six games. He said he would. I wouldn’t. I’d be upset. But he hung around after class was over and walked with the teacher and me to the cafeteria.

 I asked him to push against my shoulder for 15 seconds. I then asked him to stop for 15 seconds. I then asked him to start again. He could feel the difference when he pushed the second time.

You see in game, when you play all the time, you start to pace yourself. Sometimes, you get tired and just need a break. Sure your personal stats might suffer, but you and the team will be better for it.

I then asked him when he next played a pickup game to remove himself from the game and ask another player who didn’t get to play much to take his place. Put your arm around him and give him a little encouragement and tell him to go out and have some fun.

Here is what will happen. The new kid will play better. He will try harder and the competition in the game will pick up for everybody. Everybody will start to “pick up” their game and play better.

Since you were the one that started this, other players will look to you as a leader without having to address them directly.

You will come back into the game later and you will feel better, and will play better. The guy who went in for you will now be playing better, and will push others. This will increase inter team completion the, very essence of development and improvement.

He smiled, turned to he is teacher and said:” I really like this guy.” And left.

TJS

TJS

There have been a number of Tommy John Surgeries this season to MLB pitchers. Many outstanding medical people have weighed in with a tremendous amount of thought, reasoning, and data. I am not and will not ever be qualified to speak to the medical reasons for this recent rash of TJ surgeries. Even the eminently qualified medical people do not have an agreed upon reason or solution for the problem.

There is a group that believes, and rightly so, that all the pitching these kids are doing at an early age is a probable cause that shows up later in life. Whether it is throwing to many curve balls, elite travel teams, showcases, or pitch counts, kids today are throwing year round more than ever. There are some that believe the pitchers are throwing harder than ever and this is causing stress on the elbows. Others believe that it is “in” to have TJ surgery as quickly as possible when pain occurs because of the success rate.

What we have done at Frozen Shorts, when I was coaching little league, all the way up to U19 travel baseball, was concentrate on the mental aspect. I even asked my pitcher, when I went out to visit him on the mound with, all the infielders standing around, with the bases loaded in championship game, what he liked on his pizza. I told him I liked everything but anchovies. He looked at me, smiled and relaxed, struck out the last batter to win the game.

 All the way back to when my father was President of the Rochester Red Wings, then the Triple A  minor league franchise for the Baltimore Orioles, I noticed how much better athletes performed when they were relaxed and having fun. They were still very competitive, but the fun seemed to enhance their abilities, not deter them.

I garnered all this information, while continuing to learn and observe while I was a head coach in college hockey for 21 years. Athletes, when they had experienced peace of mind, still had the ability to get excited and perform at a high level. I evoked humor in high pressure situations, even telling a joke in the locker room in a tight playoff game, and asking my players if they were having any fun playing tight. I gave my players every Sunday and Monday off and we never practiced hockey the day after a game.

Now I am not saying that there is a comparison to MLB and all the pressure they have on them each and every game to win, to what I do. But there is a parallel. I believe that each team should have a masseuse on staff. They should also have a yoga instructor on staff and do yoga every day. Players should be given a break during the season. Do something different for a day. The day to day grind adds negative stress.

Now stress, whether it be the good stress, or the bad stress has a cost. Athletes today are bigger stronger and faster than they were even 30 years ago. But in the history of the world, 30 years is a micro second of a nano second in time, so the athletes achieved this superior talent through technology, and technology has a cost.

We are seeing both mental and physical stress and injuries to our young children that mirror what professional athletes are enduring. That should not be. We should embrace the fact that they are children and still growing and learning. We should allow them to have fun in a safe and nurturing environment, not one filled with pretend life lessons of winning and losing, toughness, and fake character building, that will never apply to them later in life.

Our Journey for your journey

  I have been interviewing Doctors, certified athletic trainers, professional athletes, amateur players, coaches, athletic directors, a professional sports agent, and ex players. You can see all our interviews so far, and there are many more to come, at frozenshorts.com. We would like to teach people about the journey through youth sports, high school, and college, and its long term ramifications on both children and adults in its current form.

            Through my research in the areas of science, psychology and the collection of data, I have found a disturbing trend toward one sport year-round participation. Injuries, both physical and mental, are appearing at an alarming rate to the children playing  both one and multiple youth sports year round without proper structured rest. More than 3.5 million children under the age of 14 went to hospitals in 2012 with sports related injuries.

             Proper and adequate rest is essential for long term health.  Of all ten-year old children playing youth sports, 70% quit by the age of thirteen.  Diabetes and obesity are on the rise, and I believe they are connected to youth sports and the mantra of winning. 

             I'm a huge believer in choice, but to make a good choice you have to have as many facts as possible.      

            We believe strongly that children should be able to play youth sports for fun. They need balance in their lives not specialization. They are not mini adults or micro professional athletes. They are children and let’s embrace that natural organic fact and nourish, with a holistic approach, for the children’s long term best interest.

The Frozen Shorts Training method encompasses and embraces human nature and the fundamental ,life skills needed for the children to become healthy, contributing members of society when they reach adulthood. The basic needs of safety, mental and physical health, a sense of community and responsibility, as well as the balance needed to face adversity and feel comfortable taking risks, is an essential part of our training methodology.

S.H.E.L.S.

Frozen Shorts would like to introduce to the general public our new mantra for youth and High School sports. It is called S.H.E.L.S.

 We believe for 99% of the children playing youth and high school sports this  should be the fundamental base of what children and adults should be looking for when they participate in youth and high school sports. Our paradigm can be summed up in this way.

S.H.E.L.S. stands for safety, health, education, and life skills.

Safety should be and will always be to me the #1 concern for children playing sports. Last year alone, $1.25 BILLION was spent on youth and high school sports overuse injuries with Doctor and hospital visits.40% of those injuries happened to children under the age of 14. 60% of those injuries happened to kids at practice. Alarming is just one word that comes to mind.

Health is very simple. Dr. James Andrews, who is one of the top Sports Orthopeadic Surgeons in the country, says that health is the leading indicator for an athlete’s future success form an early age. Let’s be clear here. It isn’t size, strength, speed, weight or what team you play on.

Education. There are 77 times more non athletic scholarships that there are athletic ones. Children need to come out of college with some experience and lack of debt. Now you can argue that the athletic scholarship is a way to go, but I counter with this. The total amount of money you spend on your child’s athletic journey will, for the most part, outweigh any athletic scholarship. Keep them engaged in learning, get good grades, join clubs and stay active. These things will help children the most for  later life.

I believe strongly that we have gotten away from teaching the proper life skills to children. When is the last time you had to run laps at work when you made a mistake?

When is the last time you had to do pushups at work? If sports are a microcosm of life the life skills we teach our children in youth and high school sports have too radically change. Cooperation and sharing should be the norm. Toughness and character development should take the form of honesty and integrity, not winning and exclusion.

Toughness should be when you befriend and embrace a kid in school who is not very important or is being bullied. Character should be about admitting a mistake, without fear of retribution.  Mistakes should not be classified as failure. They should be teaching lessons for the kids.

More and more I hear parents talking about their children “Falling behind” in youth sports. I understand completely their angst and paranoia. They are constantly being bombarded with the mantra that more is better. Bigger is better. The “keep up with the Joneses” mentality is pervasive in youth sports and society.

Parents are trying to keep up in a race that doesn’t exist.

People are looking for something that, for the most part, does not exist. Whether it be the “full ride” Division 1 athletic scholarship, or the dream of the professional contract people are constantly being pushed, prodded and cajoled into believing that the “Holy Grail” is out there for their kid if they just spend enough money, get the right coaching, specialize, and most importantly, partner with their child in their pursuit of the PARENTS dream, not the children’s!

These kids change their minds all the time. They don’t know what they want long term, and they are not supposed to. They are kids, and the balance they need in their lives to be able to cope and learn in this increasingly fast paced and ever changing world is paramount to their long term success.