#Get a Grip Newsletter, #13
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Hello friends,
We have a lot going on in the sports world with the Australian Open, Super Bowl weekend (go Niners!), and the tragic death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, along with their friends and teammates riding with them. As I watch all the tributes and messages around the world, I realize there was a lot to Kobe Bryant that I did not know. Thinking of Kobe, not as superstar athlete, but as a parent going to watch his daughter compete, makes it hit home even more. It is easy to get caught up in what we think is important, and unfortunately, it is tragedies like this that put everything in perspective.
I tend to be one of those people who has a laundry list of things I want to do later in life, when the time is better, when the kids are grown, yadda yadda. We do this as if we are in control of even being here "later", or being healthy enough to do what we want to do. We have all lost a friend or family member too young and get shocked into the reality that any day could be our last day.
My blog article this issue picks up where
the last article left off- with some simple steps to setting goals with your athlete. Let's keep in mind how fragile life is, make some goals for ourselves as well, and have reminders to enjoy today and all the little blessings along the way. Maybe you are like me, and the bucket travel list is ever-growing. 2020 will be a year I check a few off the list!
Hug your kids, let your loved ones know how special they are, just as they are, imperfections and all, and have a spectacular Super Bowl weekend!
Go NINERS!!
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A proper set of goals is a road map to where the athlete wants to go, all the steps they need to reach along the way, and the daily work (blood, sweat, tears, and hopefully a lot of laughs) that it will take to achieve those goals.
It is the athlete's job to "own" their goals, to know the milestone steps needed to reach the goals, and the daily discipline required to get there.
It is the parent's job to help the athlete map out their goals and hold them accountable with good decisions along the way. You will need to encourage and support them through the setbacks (and there will absolutely be bumps in the road) and scale back if you see burnout or injuries. If there are a lot of conflicts, then help the athlete re-evaluate the goals to see if there is an alternative path.
The process isn't always easy, and raising athletes is certainly no picnic, but remember that they are building character and learning a lot of life skills that will be needed later in life.
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Tearful Novak Djokovic pays tribute to Kobe Bryant after Australian Open victory.
"When I needed some advice and some support he was there for me. He was my mentor, my friend. It's heartbreaking to see and hear what has happened to him and his daughter."
Kobe Raised Our Game
With heavy hearts, we remember Kobe Bryant, who worked with Project Play to improve youth sports with as much ferocity as he showed on the court during his lgendy career. He launched our
#DontRetireKid campaign, giving voice to the voiceless. Kobe didn't just want to wake up sports parents to the pressures they are putting on kids to perform. He wanted to punch them in the nose, even if it meant alienating some fans. Now it’s up to us to be as impatient as he was with progress.
Patrick Mahomes didn't stick to one sport, making him a prime example for multisport youths
Last Sunday, like most Sundays, Adam Cook made sure to get in front of a television so he could watch Patrick Mahomes drop magic on the NFL.
Early Specialization in Youth Sports
Dr. Jayanthi joins Dr. Lauer and Coach Johnny to discuss the findings in his research and offer solutions to the challenges around early specialization.
W.N.B.A. Star Maya Moore Is Skipping Another Season to Focus on Criminal Justice Reform
The Minnesota Lynx star said she does not plan to retire yet, but the case of Jonathan Irons, a man she believes was wrongfully convicted, has consumed her.
A Moment To Share Or A Missed Opportunity, You Decide.
It’s rare that we get to see the impact of the mistakes we avoid. Mostly we remain blissfully unaware. But in the best way possible I got to see how close I came to ruining a special moment with my daughter.
Keeping Girls In the Game: Successful Coaches Coach Girls Differently
New data shows girls abandon sports at 1.5 times the rate that boys do. This disproportionate dropout rate shows that we clearly need to better address girls’ challenges and find ways to nurture their love of sport. There’s one person positioned better than just about anyone else to help level the playing field for girls: their coach.
There Are a Lot of Things I’ll Miss, But Not the Teen Angst
I love my life. I love my husband. I love my kid. But here’s the thing—a gal can only take so much teen angst. I hope you’re not expecting one of those Pollyanna posts telling you why you should cherish these years when your teen is screaming at you.
It’s Easy to Judge Until It’s Your Kid, Let’s Try Compassion
We live in a world where it’s never been easier to comment. On news, on appearances, and on human behavior.
NCAA Eligibility Center:
Amateurism Certification Basics TENNIS, Men’s and women’s
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"We always end up at the same places for breakfast or lunch when we are on the road. What is a good meal at option for my athlete?"
It doesn't matter the sport, kids always want to hit Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and Panera. Rain delays... party at Panera! I am always game for a coffee or tea at Starbucks but the food options certainly get old quickly. How many times do you cringe seeing the kids ordering a sugary drink with banana bread or a fried sandwich and French fries before a match?
Here are a couple better options while eating on the road.
Starbucks:
- If available, protein boxes {egg + cheese, cheese + fruit, chicken wrap, smoked turkey} offer an adult lunchable-like option that includes protein, fiber, and maybe even some veggies like carrots or cucumbers
- milk, applesauce pouches, string cheese
- Egg White and Red Pepper Sous Vide Egg Bites
- Ham, Cheddar and Pepper Sous Vide Egg Bites
- Turkey Bacon and Egg White Breakfast Sandwich
- Spinach, Feta, and Egg White Breakfast Wrap
Chick-fil-A
- Grilled Nuggets with Superfood Side
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Cool Wrap with dressing of choice, on the side
- Spicy Southwest or Market Salad with dressing of choice, on the side
- Grilled Nugget Kids Meal with fresh fruit cup and milk
Panera:
- A "You Pick Two" salad with protein like hard boiled eggs, steak, or chicken and a sandwich or non creamy soup of choice.
- Bowls with grains, veggies, and one protein over sandwiches with bread
- Order dressing on the side and use sparingly with the high sodium content
- Pick an apple over chips or extra bread, and have the apple as a snack later.
- Mediterranean Egg White Wrap
- Chipotle Chicken Egg & Avocado Wrap
- Avocado Egg White & Spinach Sandwich
- Steel Cut Oats with Almonds, Quinoa, and Honey
Thank you to Wash U Women's Coach, Kelly Stahlhuth, and Rebecca Miller, registered Dietician Nutritionist at Wash U, for the information. You can find more of Rebecca's information at
Tw
istedNutritionBlog.com
and follow her
@RebeccaMillerRDN
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Coach Pete was kind enough to send me a copy of his book last summer. My pile of books is ever-growing and wish I had more time in the day to read. Now that I have read his book, I can't believe I waited so long to get to it! This book is a must-read for all coaches and parents of athletes.
I have the same philosophy on the mental game of sports, as Pete shares in his book. I am a huge advocate of mental skills training, yet I think many parents misunderstand it. It is not a quick fix. It is not something you can do instead of putting in the work on the court or the field.
Here are some of the points that I want to highlight in the book. These are just a few of the gems, so please order a copy to get more details.
- Respect All: Teammates, Opponents. Coaches, Officials- respect and sportsmanship are the foundation for a good competitor
- Love the Game More than How You Perform- you have to love to be out there. Pete uses a great quote from Boris Becker, "I love the winning, I can take the losing. But most of all, I love to play."
- Never Give Up and Make No Excuses- being aware of excuses is key
- Mental Toughness Isn't Given- It's Developed.
- Adjust- Adapt- Survive- Adapting and adjusting is part of the process
- Improving is a Better Goal than Winning
- Mistakes are Necessary to Improve- Unfortunately, we learn more from losing than winning. Check out Naomi Osaka's interview after her loss in Melbourne.
- And my all-time favorite: Physical Fitness Leads to Mental Toughness. This point was one of the keys to my career. The fitter you are, the harder you work, the more confident you are on the court. There are no short cuts.
- Love the Battle and Solve the Puzzle. Some of the best advice I had from a coach was, "It isn't your job to be perfect. It is your job to fix things." Things don't always go as planned, and you need to be calm and confident to fix them!
- Have a Game Plan and a Purpose for Every Shot. Sounds so basic, yet so many kids just go out and bang balls, not knowing the purpose of each shot.
Amazon's Description
Tennis is one of the most mentally and spiritually rigorous sports on the planet. Even if the talent is there, developing winning mental habits is paramount to having success on the court. This book will help coaches develop those skills in players, using a simple but effective strategy that focuses on three tenets:
Compete-Learn-Honor
Compete: We will give our best effort 100 percent of the time.
Learn: We will be open, curious, humble learners.
Honor: And on and off the court, how we reveal our character with our actions will show respect for and bring credit to ourselves, our families, our teammates, our school, and the game of tennis.
Teaching the mental part of tennis is, without a doubt, the toughest area of the game to make tangible with action steps. This an essential book to help give players and coaches easy-to-understand steps that can help any player have a chance to consistently play at the top of their skill level.
Has anyone else read this book or have a great book to share? I would love your thoughts and suggestions in our
#Get a Grip Facebook Group. Or you can
EMAIL me here.
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This issue's
Meaningful Meals
conversation starter:
"What personality trait has gotten you in the most trouble?"
This issue's
Meaningful Meals
recipe:
Quinoa Bowls
It is January, so that means I am still going with our "Game On Bet" with no white flour. A great substitution for pasta and rice is Quinoa. I have always loved the versatility and ease of quinoa and have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The combinations are endless and the perfect time to "fridge dive" for all the random veggies and leftovers in the refrigerator. By the way, fridge dive dinners are probably my favorite.
To save time, make a large batch of quinoa and save it for multiple uses over the week. It packs well in lunches (keep the dressing separate) and can be used in many different ways for dinner, to suit all the picky needs in the house. Throw an egg and avocado on top to make it a hearty breakfast!
One of my favorites is to make a "bowl" with quinoa as the base, add roasted vegetables, add some meat protein if wanted, greens, and dressing just before serving. For the picky eaters, start with the quinoa base and let them add the toppings.
Burrito Bowl
- Rinse quinoa well before cooking. One cup quinoa to 2 cups water, broth, or combination.
- Layer quinoa, sautéed veggies (think fajitas), chicken or shrimp cooked with taco seasoning, corn, fresh guacamole, salsa, and cotija cheese sprinkled on top
Here are a few options to mix it up:
- Avocado, brussels sprouts, arugula, pepitas, and pesto or tahini dressing
- Roasted vegetables- broccolini, red onion, cauliflower, brussels sprouts
- Medium boiled eggs, pesto, avocado, pine nuts, and sesame seeds
- Kale, edamame, cucumber with green goddess dressing
- Grilled shrimp, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, arugula, and avocado- toss with lime juice, olive oil, and honey dressing
- Teriyaki Chicken with shredded carrots and cucumbers, and scallions
- Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Quinoa Bowl: Half Baked Harvest
- Roasted Veggie and Quinoa Bowl: Two Peas and a Pod website.
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I love meeting my readers. Please email me to ask a question and share your thoughts on #Get a Grip.
Do you have ideas for books, recipes, and organizations that we should share in a future newsletter?
If so, click here to email me!
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Thank you for reading!
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