Us not me

Team sports hold a couple of important advantages over individual pursuits.  Key among them is the opportunity to spread the psychological or emotional burden.  Playing by yourself places all the spot light and all the responsibility on you.  Paralysis is common in young sports people, in team and individual sports.  It expresses as the tendency to repeat the same mistakes; to struggle to identify and manage alternative actions and strategies.  It happens when we fixate on ourselves and our actions.  We stop ‘seeing’ other possibilities.  Team sport provides a solution: rather than thinking about your actions, observe and consider others instead.  Trust your skills – it’s not important what level of ability you possess.  Watch the game and your teammates from your position and imagine what you can do to support them.  By placing team function and performance above that of any individual we avoid contracting our point of view, which is the basic problem of paralysis.  When we fixate on the problem, we can’t see the solution.  Our brains are very clever problem solvers and what they usually need is more information – look around you; see what’s happening.  Let your instincts guide you.

Core strengthening 2018, October routine

If you are new to our core strengthening routines, please take a few minutes to read the background information contained with the September routine:

Core Strengthening 2018 September

The October routine concerns another critical state of the core segment, that being a healthy spinal column.  One of the basic functions of core musculature is to protect the spinal column from unhealthy loads but the column must itself have a healthy range of motion to begin with.  Too much sitting and insufficient activity tightens joints and soft tissues.  The routine involves performing a staple of Yoga practice, the sun salutation A-version.  This version introduces simple standing and bridging positions with variations of a neutral, flexed and extended spine.  Controlled, easy breathing is necessary throughout.  Be kind to your body and work within safe limits.
There is a link on the page to an excellent video with coaching pointers.

Core strengthening 2018 October - downloadable PDF

Can there be such a thing as 'professionalism' in childhood?

It's common among coaches I interact with to refer to an absence of professionalism among their child participants. I understand what they're getting at but is it reasonable to expect adult-like behaviour in children? 
Immature behaviour in adult sports people is common place and that says two things for me: 1) stress and pressure destabilises, and 2) maturity is complex and can take decades to grasp.
The expectation of responsible, mindful behaviour in children is appropriate but it needs to be reasonable for each child. It also needs to be seen for what it is: akin to asking them to brush teeth or clean bedrooms. As adults, we need to be patient and endlessly supportive if that's what it takes.