The Wisconsin teachers and their union are putting up quite the fight to protect their rights, their wages, their benefits, or all of the above. Regardless of what side of the issue you fall on, you have to appreciate their right to protest. And they have exercised that right to the fullest!
While it's irrelevant if I believe in their cause or not, I do believe it's relevant to be concerned about the lessons their students learn. "Life Lessons"! The positive lesson here for the kids? I guess it's civil disobedience. IF civil disobedience means protests. Then lesson learned!
But what other lessons did our kids learn?
Not showing up to work (or school) because you don't like what your boss said or did? Or maybe, much more importantly...writing the "fake doctors notes" so that you are marked as "excused" and compensated accordingly. So when that student walks into school and hands you the fake note from their parent...is that "different"? Or is it the lesson that you shout over the opposing view when the opposing view is trying to make a point? My guess is that the student who shouts over the principal's address is removed from the auditorium for being disrespectful. So, what's the difference?
Your day is full of "life lessons". It's not clear yet if the Wisconsin teachers will win or lose. That said, it IS clear that their students have lost.
Remember...it's about the kids.
Keep smiling!
Mark
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Charlie Schulz Philosophy
Sorry everyone! Been out of the blog mode for a little bit. Business and life has been crazy but "I am back and better than ever"!
My wife forwarded me an email this morning and I found it to be very interesting and applicable in sooooo many ways. Home, work, kids, adults, sports, etc. etc. etc. I guess, in short, it's applicable to "LIFE"! The Charles Schulz Philosophy is also applicable to how we view our kids when it comes to sports. All of us (present company included), at some point in our life, get FAR too serious about certain things and we forget the big picture. And when it comes to youth sports programming, coaching or sitting on the sidelines as a fan...here's a reminder to try and always remember the big picture.
Have a very happy holiday season and a safe New Year!
__________________________________________________________
The Charlie Schulz Philosophy
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz , the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions Just ponder on them.
Just read the e-mail straight through , and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is , none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies..
Awards tarnish..
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with..
Easier?
The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials , the most money...or the most awards.
They simply are the ones who care the most.
Pass this on to those people who have either made a difference in your life , or whom you keep close in your heart ,
'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in New Zealand !'
''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"
__________________________________________________________
Keep Smiling!
Mark
My wife forwarded me an email this morning and I found it to be very interesting and applicable in sooooo many ways. Home, work, kids, adults, sports, etc. etc. etc. I guess, in short, it's applicable to "LIFE"! The Charles Schulz Philosophy is also applicable to how we view our kids when it comes to sports. All of us (present company included), at some point in our life, get FAR too serious about certain things and we forget the big picture. And when it comes to youth sports programming, coaching or sitting on the sidelines as a fan...here's a reminder to try and always remember the big picture.
Have a very happy holiday season and a safe New Year!
__________________________________________________________
The Charlie Schulz Philosophy
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz , the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions Just ponder on them.
Just read the e-mail straight through , and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is , none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies..
Awards tarnish..
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with..
The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials , the most money...or the most awards.
They simply are the ones who care the most.
'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in New Zealand !'
''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"
__________________________________________________________
Keep Smiling!
Mark
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Do your programs develop for today?
I always hear about youth programs that develop kids for "tomorrow". i.e. "we develop our kids for the high school program", "we develop our kids for the next level". And while it is important to keep "tomorrow" in mind, does your program develop kids for "today"? Because, let's face it, kids are really only concerned with "today", not "tomorrow". They're motivated by events "today", not "tomorrow".
If we are always developing our kids in youth sports for "tomorrow", who is working with our kids for "today"? If you are only developing athletes for "tomorrow", what about those kids who have no intention to play sports "tomorrow"? If you primarily consider your youth program as a developmental program for the high school level, then what happens to those kids who have no intention of playing at the high school level?
Let's spend more time developing our kids for today...tomorrow will come in due time.
Keep smiling!
Mark
If we are always developing our kids in youth sports for "tomorrow", who is working with our kids for "today"? If you are only developing athletes for "tomorrow", what about those kids who have no intention to play sports "tomorrow"? If you primarily consider your youth program as a developmental program for the high school level, then what happens to those kids who have no intention of playing at the high school level?
Let's spend more time developing our kids for today...tomorrow will come in due time.
Keep smiling!
Mark
Friday, July 9, 2010
Who coaches?
Spoke to a friend of mine the other day. His daughter made a developmental team (always an interesting term for me...aren't all youth teams suppose to be "developmental"?). His daughter made the "B" team (for the record, he agreed that she should have been on the "B" team). But he also observed that his kid got the "B" team coaches.
How does your program assign coaches? Do the "lesser" kids get the "lesser" coaches? Do the "better" kids get the "better" coaches? If so, how do you think your "lesser" kids will develop as compared to your "better" kids? I'll take a stab at that one! My guess is that the "lesser" develops slower than the "better"! But it will have NOTHING to do with the "lesser's" effort or focus.
Have you ever thought about giving your "lesser" kids the "better" coaches? Hopefully you are in a position to give BOTH teams the best coaches but, if you can't, how about giving those lesser kids the better coaches... just once!?!
Child development on the field (court, etc) is no different than parenting and teaching. It's not a coincidence that the best "parented", "taught" or coached kids USUALLY become the "A" team young adults (on the field and off).
Keep smiling.
How does your program assign coaches? Do the "lesser" kids get the "lesser" coaches? Do the "better" kids get the "better" coaches? If so, how do you think your "lesser" kids will develop as compared to your "better" kids? I'll take a stab at that one! My guess is that the "lesser" develops slower than the "better"! But it will have NOTHING to do with the "lesser's" effort or focus.
Have you ever thought about giving your "lesser" kids the "better" coaches? Hopefully you are in a position to give BOTH teams the best coaches but, if you can't, how about giving those lesser kids the better coaches... just once!?!
Child development on the field (court, etc) is no different than parenting and teaching. It's not a coincidence that the best "parented", "taught" or coached kids USUALLY become the "A" team young adults (on the field and off).
Keep smiling.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Harlem Children's Zone...Think Different...Be Different!
Saw an interesting highlight on MSNBC last week. Then took some time to look at the organization's website. The Harlem Children's Zone (http://www.hcz.org/). What a great example of what people can do if they don't accept the status quo! What a great example of how an organization can positively affect a child's life by doing things differently.
Think different. BE different!
Think different. BE different!
Think different...Be different!
A couple of weeks ago I was at a year-end get together for the local high school girls lacrosse team and I was approached by a mom who asked me if I had heard the news. I hadn't. Well, it turns out the local boys lacrosse youth team (5/6th grade) won the year-end league championship tournament. Not necessarily GREAT news to me (I don't understand the point of 5/6 grade league championships) but, the good news was that this wasn't singularly THE news. THE NEWS was the team that won the championship was not an "A" team but instead a team that consisted of "A" AND "B" level players.
You see, it appears that, the adult leadership of this team or program decided to do things differently. They decided to just take the kids that signed up, make them a team and go play the season. And while I am sure they probably took a lot of heat for this decision, they went with it anyway. AND, it all turned out just fine.
I have heard a few people "qualify" the championship by saying the teams were re-seeded at the end of the year and this winning team was seeded in the lower tier of the tournament. But qualify it in any way you want. What I heard was this...all the kids played significantly during the season and in the championship game...the winning goal was scored by a kid who was relocating to CA at the end of the school year (what a great "going away present")...the kids had a ball! Am I missing something or is this what youth ball is ALL about? Or maybe better put...Is this what youth ball SHOULD be all about?
You see, IF what I have been told is accurate (and the story was confirmed by others), what qualification needs to be put on this success? It's not really about the championship. The championship just gave the team confirmation of what it already knew. They played hard, as a TEAM. They worked together, as a TEAM. They got better, as a TEAM. They were all individually required to give their best, for their TEAM. They won, as a TEAM.
The adult leadership on this team decided to THINK different (the rest of the program went the "A and B route"). More importantly, the adult leadership decided to BE different. And everything appears to have worked out just fine. And the kids (all of the kids) are better off for it. A big THANKS to the adult leadership because they realized that It's About the Kids...ALL of the kids.
Keep smiling!
You see, it appears that, the adult leadership of this team or program decided to do things differently. They decided to just take the kids that signed up, make them a team and go play the season. And while I am sure they probably took a lot of heat for this decision, they went with it anyway. AND, it all turned out just fine.
I have heard a few people "qualify" the championship by saying the teams were re-seeded at the end of the year and this winning team was seeded in the lower tier of the tournament. But qualify it in any way you want. What I heard was this...all the kids played significantly during the season and in the championship game...the winning goal was scored by a kid who was relocating to CA at the end of the school year (what a great "going away present")...the kids had a ball! Am I missing something or is this what youth ball is ALL about? Or maybe better put...Is this what youth ball SHOULD be all about?
You see, IF what I have been told is accurate (and the story was confirmed by others), what qualification needs to be put on this success? It's not really about the championship. The championship just gave the team confirmation of what it already knew. They played hard, as a TEAM. They worked together, as a TEAM. They got better, as a TEAM. They were all individually required to give their best, for their TEAM. They won, as a TEAM.
The adult leadership on this team decided to THINK different (the rest of the program went the "A and B route"). More importantly, the adult leadership decided to BE different. And everything appears to have worked out just fine. And the kids (all of the kids) are better off for it. A big THANKS to the adult leadership because they realized that It's About the Kids...ALL of the kids.
Keep smiling!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Time to review your season!
With the Spring youth sports season winding down (or completed), it seems like it might be a great time to take inventory (of your program, not your equipment!). What went right? What went wrong? What things could you change? What things could you get rid of? (yes, sometimes/many times, less is more!).
And while we are all doing our review of the season, let's step back and take a look at our Mission Statement. Match that with what you did this Spring. Ask yourself...Does your Misson Statement match what you did during the season? Did the structure of your season match the goals and expectations of the program (i.e. the Mission Statement)? Did your coaches represent what you wanted them to represent? Your parents? Your kids? Are you checking with your KIDS to see what they thought of the season (many times we send questionnaires to our parents...why not the kids)?
If you answered "no" to any of the questions in the previous paragraph, then it's time to start fixing...or tweaking...your program.
Lastly...if the answers were all "yes"...great! Congratulations. But I ask you to ask yourself one more question...Do your program's actions benefit ALL of the kids in your program? If that answer is "no", then I ask you to go back and take a look at your Mission Statement. Because while I commend you for the execution of your existing Mission Statement, I challenge you to create a new Mission Statement that includes ALL of the kids...not just a chosen handful.
Keep smiling!
Mark
And while we are all doing our review of the season, let's step back and take a look at our Mission Statement. Match that with what you did this Spring. Ask yourself...Does your Misson Statement match what you did during the season? Did the structure of your season match the goals and expectations of the program (i.e. the Mission Statement)? Did your coaches represent what you wanted them to represent? Your parents? Your kids? Are you checking with your KIDS to see what they thought of the season (many times we send questionnaires to our parents...why not the kids)?
If you answered "no" to any of the questions in the previous paragraph, then it's time to start fixing...or tweaking...your program.
Lastly...if the answers were all "yes"...great! Congratulations. But I ask you to ask yourself one more question...Do your program's actions benefit ALL of the kids in your program? If that answer is "no", then I ask you to go back and take a look at your Mission Statement. Because while I commend you for the execution of your existing Mission Statement, I challenge you to create a new Mission Statement that includes ALL of the kids...not just a chosen handful.
Keep smiling!
Mark
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