Rebuilding

First off, let me apologize for not having posted in a couple of weeks. Finishing up graduate school classes, recruiting trips to showcases, trying to finalize student's schedules for the fall, and traveling to New Orleans with my band have put posting on the back burner.

Yes, I did say I play in a band. I play drums in an oldies to classic rock cover band. We play strictly for charity, so it doesn't become a job and it stays a hobby. I think we sound pretty good, and if you're interested you can check out our website at www.theharleys.org.

We did play a gig in New Orleans recently. I lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana for a short time. I interviewed for a position the weekend before Katrina ripped through NOLA. Took the job, moved to (as some of the locals call it) Puddle Chuck, and two weeks later Rita rolled right through the middle of town. Being from the Pacific Northwest, I know practically nothing about natural disasters. Got a taste of tornadoes in Oklahoma, but hurricanes were unfamiliar territory for me. I think the scariest thing about them is that you know well ahead of time that they're coming!

As I crossed the Sabine River into Louisiana and drove along I-10, there were still constant reminders of the storms. Houses still had blue tarps on their roofs. Signage along the freeway were not all repaired. In some parts it looked as if absolutely nothing had been done. The city of New Orleans has come a long way since Katrina. Even went through another monster in Gustav. It would be extremely easy for those folks to just drop everything and call it quits.

I am amazed at the resiliency of the folks in Louisiana! There is so much rich history there. They get devastated by hurricanes which cause floods, evacuations, topple structures, etc. and yet they bounce back... and bounce back with a smile on their face with true southern hospitality. What can we, as coaches, learn from this? My recent visit proved that the people there have it figured out!

We can press on! That's the lesson. No matter how bad it gets in the win/loss column, there is always another day. We can work hard to improve our situation. Even if things are in disrepair, we can have a positive attitude. We can treat others around us with kindness and caring even in the worst of situations. As we do that, the situation won't seem quite as desperate as we originally thought. Others will rally around you and fight for common good.

I look back and read my previous post about the teaching of Les Brown and see that he is really talking about the people of Louisiana. Not one person that I ran into during my trip ever have a negative thing to say. Even though the world around them was still not the same as before, they were still inviting and ever so gracious. Those folks know that it is worth fighting for. If we can instill that kind of commitment into our players, nothing will stop us!

Keep Your Dream Alive!

10 Steps on How to Make It Happen
By Les Brown

1. Be Thankful - Show an "Attitude of Gratitude". Positivity is the key. Quitting is not an option.

2. Be Thoughtful - When set backs occur, look inward. Go on with a clear head. Turn the page and come up with a plan to move forward.

3. Be Active - Begin with small steps. Keep moving forward regardless the circumstances. Action prevents anger or depression.

4. Be Connected - Seek out others for assistance. Most people seclude themselves out of pride in times of trouble. Connecting with others may reveal a solution not thought of previously.

5. Be Patient - In a world full of instant gratification, this is a tough lesson to learn and implement. Don't focus on the process - focus on the outcome.

6. Be Persistent - Stay hungry. This will keep you going through failures. This means you are willing to keep your commitment and keep bouncing back.

7. Be Positive - Opportunity does not come knocking. Expect things to happen and share that with others. Positivity eliminates you form locking in on doubt, worry, and regret.

8. Be Creative - Look for new ways to be effective and win. Just because its the way things have been done, doesn't mean that's the way it has to be done.

9. Be Consumed - Apply an inner filter. Look for useful information and block out the negative. It is unrealistic to hide your head in the sand assuming everything is OK.

10. Be Faithful - Faith and worry cannot coexist. One will dominate the other. Brown states, "Faith is the oil that takes the friction out of living."