The Real Athlete blog

What Do I Want Beyond My Athletic Career?

by Michael Cooper 04-19-2011 06:09 PM Athlete Career Development | Coaching | Human Relations | Motivation

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This is the most powerful, and meaningful question you can ask yourself. You’ve been playing and/or coaching your sport for several years now. You've been living and playing through numerous experiences that ultimately have developed you into the athlete you are today. Are you happy and satisfied with who you have become? Are you happy and satisfied with the direction you are headed? Are you experiencing your game at the exact level desired?

Many athletes go through life experiencing chaos, suffering, and pain. Why? Because they fail to recognize the importance of having a clear purpose, vision, and goals statement written out. This is crucial for the purpose of directing their thoughts, feelings, and actions into the desired results they wish to achieve. They fail to answer the powerful and meaningful question: ”What do I want?”

Sure you may have some physical things in your life... Nice car, Big home, some Money. However, most of your relationships are suffering. Your finances are slowly slipping away. Your mental and emotional health is weak. This is what I mean by chaos, suffering, and pain.

The Miami Heat: Playing with Heart or Ego—which should be used when looking for a job or internship?

by Eileen Wisnewski 04-18-2011 12:29 AM Life After Sports | Athlete Career Development

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I must admit, being a New England fan, I don't necessarily follow the Miami Heat (except when they are playing the Celtics). However, the media does. Every win gets media attention and every loss gets even more. When the early March losing streak unfolded, the media response reminded me of many initial reactions when the news broke about James, Wade and Bosh all playing on one team. Some speculated that this would be the team to beat and they would walk away with the championship. Others wondered if these three superstar players would be able to leave their egos at the door and play together unselfishly as a team.

While the Heat and the "Big Three" were able to survive their first post-season test over the weekend, the question still remains whether they have been able to find the necessary chemistry for success and if they will ultimately silence the critics.

As I look to this topic for inspiration, it does speak to me about the difference between playing with your heart versus your ego. Let’s talk about how this concept can be translated into the job or internship search with three situations that commonly occur.

The NCAA Championship and the National Spotlight

by Wesley Mallette 04-04-2011 02:06 PM Public Relations | Social Media | Crisis Management | Image Branding

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Well, here we are again. On the eve of college basketball’s 2011 NCAA National Championship game, we find ourselves reflecting on yet another fantastic tournament and all it has brought the college basketball universe.

Although March is officially over and we are a few days into April, the madness doesn’t officially end until later tonight for the men and tomorrow for the women. The teams, players, coaches and fans involved in both tournaments have shown us once again why we love March Madness and why this type of tournament is arguably the best in all of sports. For starters, a true champion is crowned - one that actually has to beat its opposition in head-to-head competition, not just run the table and hope a computer ranking system, strength of schedule, conference they play in, and potential number of alumni traveling to their bowl game (among other things) will determine its fate and its ability to have the opportunity to play for a national championship.

Moreover, this tournament has enabled us to enjoy watching "mid-major" schools and coaches like Shaka Smart (VCU) and Brad Stevens (Butler) design game plans that have frustrated basketball's best coaching minds. We just watched Women's coaches Muffet McGraw (Notre Dame) and Gary Blair (Texas A&M) upset dominant UConn and Stanford teams, respectively. We have witnessed young men and women play a brand of basketball that is nothing short of fearless and every bit the result of their desire to make their dream of being a champion a reality. It's time to discard the notion these so called "mid-majors" are pulling off these "shock the world" upsets when they knock off the perennial powerhouses that are expected to waltz into the big dance. Mid-majors can compete - and beat - the best their sport has to offer. They aren't just beating the "little sisters of the poor" (to quote a certain big-time athletic director who mocked TCU and Boise State during the 2010 college football season and ironically, his head football coach has recently been suspended for rules infractions).

Athletes, Find a "Life After Sports" PASSION While You Are Playing

by Joe Jackman 03-29-2011 01:19 AM Lessons for Athletes | Life After Sports | Athlete Services | Coaching

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Should I Stay or Should I GO?
Peter Forsberg, winner of 2 Stanley Cups, 2 Olympic gold medals, and a former NHL MVP, is the latest athlete to try the "comeback". It lasted 2 games. Like Brett Favre and Michael Jordan before him, this is yet another great player to add to a long list that didn’t need the money and had difficulty knowing when the time was right to retire.

Why Do Athletes RETIRE & Then Un-Retire?

For many of today’s stars that have been fiscally responsible individuals, they will never have to worry about their financial status. So why not go out on top? NHL Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee, Henri Richard, had this to say about retirement, “It was a dream, and everything I dreamed came true. Now my dream is finished. That’s a new life for me. Because what I do now, what I keep on doing is something I never dreamed of.”

The REALITY of Retirement

Retirement is a status for which professional players are often ill-prepared for, mentally and emotionally, and a position in life they never dreamt about. Not surprisingly, many world-class athletes mourn the passing of their playing days, the spotlight, locker room camaraderie, a purposeful life, and the structure their work provided.

Tiger Tales

by Steven Yellin 03-27-2011 11:01 PM Training | Sports Psychology

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Like millions of sports fans around the world over the past 15 years, I counted myself as a loyal fan of Tiger Woods. Needless to say, his achievements were remarkable and his charisma magnetic. I thought he was the best athlete to ever grace our planet. Even my mother who finds watching golf on TV about as exciting as watching paint dry, loved to watch golf when Tiger was playing.

We all cringed when the news of his exploits hit the papers. We now know the story of his fall from grace. But like a good old fashioned mulligan, he, like all of us, deserves a second chance. OK Tiger, tee it up again and let's see what you can do. Let's see if you can pull off those spectacular shots that often left Johnny Miller and Nick Faldo speechless in the booth.

Lawrence "Larry" Harris, from NFL Player to Opera Singer

by Adam Steinberg 03-20-2011 11:43 PM Athlete Interviews | Life After Sports

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Lawrence "Larry" Harris performing "Rigoletto". He made his debut in Mexico in November 2009 in the title role of "Rigoletto" at both the Teatro Pablo de Villavicencio and the Teatro Angela Peralta.

In the NFL, there are certain rites of passage that all rookies must go through. Regardless of how high one goes in the Draft or how many millions their rookie signing bonus is, the “Rookie Show” on “Rookie Night” is where all players find themselves on equal footing in an attempt to entertain fellow teammates and impress the veterans, usually while embarrassing themselves in the process. All in good fun, and in an effort to win acceptance, most rookies tend to come up on stage and perform short skits or sing basic songs such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” or “I’m a Little Teapot.”

But occasionally a performance stands out from the rest and shows that the athlete’s talent extends well beyond the confines of the gridiron. In 1976 when Houston Oilers’ rookie offensive tackle Lawrence "Larry" Harris took the stage, he gave one of those unforgettable performances. The 6-foot-5, 317 lb. rookie from Sherman, Texas, who was selected in the 7^th round (197^th overall) out of Oklahoma State University, shocked the audience when he sang one of his favorite Italian songs. On display was the rare juxtaposition of the brawny physique of a lineman and the dramatic voice of an opera singer. Harris recalls one of his teammates telling him, “People’s jaws were on the floor with their forks suspended in midair” when he opened his mouth and belted out lyrics in his powerful and captivating voice.

Fab Five Documentary Brings Up Questions Regarding NCAA "Preexisting Relationship" Exception

by Justin Sievert 03-19-2011 03:31 PM Amateurism | Athlete Career Development | Education | Legal

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Following this year's "Selection Sunday" we were treated to a trip back down memory lane with ESPN's documentary on the "Fab Five." The "Fab Five" was the moniker given to the University of Michigan's 1991 recruiting class which consisted of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwon Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. This group led Michigan to two consecutive NCAA Division I Men's National Championship Basketball games during the group's freshman and sophomore seasons (1992 and 1993) and also had a dramatic impact on American pop culture through their baggy shorts, trash-talking, shaved heads, and black socks. While the majority of the documentary focused on the legacy left by the group both on and off the basketball court, the end of the documentary focused on the circumstances surrounding the sanctions that were handed down on the University of Michigan by the NCAA in 2003.

One of the major issues that arose during the final segment was Jalen Rose's admission that he accepted extra-benefits from Ed Martin. Martin, who had formed relationships with many youth athletes from the Detroit area dating back to the early 1980s, had provided Rose with benefits both before and during Rose's time at Michigan. These benefits would generally be a violation of NCAA rules, as boosters are prohibited from providing any type of preferential treatment, benefit, or service to a current or prospective student-athlete because of the student-athlete's athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a professional athlete. However, the one exception to this rule is if there is a clear preexisting relationship between the booster and the student-athlete. In the documentary, Rose claimed that his relationship with Martin fell under this exception. The question that results is what exactly is a "preexisting relationship" under this exception?

Sports Nutrition Tips: 5 Basic Fueling Strategies

by Cathy D'Orazio 03-14-2011 01:09 AM Nutrition

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This is the first of many articles on sports nutrition topics to be featured on The Real Athlete Blog and we will start with a focus on basic fueling strategies.

We all know that superior athletic ability comes from a combination of genetics and training; however, without good food choices and the correct timing of meals, training and performance will suffer. As an elite athlete you need a fueling plan that includes the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, enough vitamins and minerals, and the correct amount of fluid.

Here are 5 basic food and fluid strategies to help you put a fueling plan together.

Interview with a Sports Professional: Big Ten "Triple Crown" Champion Coach and Penn State Track & Field/Cross Country Director Beth Alford-Sullivan

by Richard Burgunder 03-01-2011 11:38 PM Interview with a Sports Professional | Training | Athlete Career Development

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Beth Alford-Sullivan is one of the most respected coaches in all of collegiate track and field. This is the fifth year Sullivan has served as Director and Head Coach of the Penn State University’s Track and Field/Cross Country program. She has been at the helm of the women’s program since 1999, and in 2006, she also took the reigns of the men’s program. During her tenure in Happy Valley, Sullivan has coached 109 NCAA All-Americans (95 on the women’s side), 62 Big Ten Individual Champions, 4 NCAA Champions, and 2 Olympians. In the 2009-10 season, the women's team finished fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships—the squad's second "Trophy Team" finish in the last three years. In Big Ten competition, they captured team titles in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field to earn the coveted conference "Triple Crown." In her decorated coaching career, which has also included head coaching stints at Stanford University (1995-99) and Mankato State University (1993-95), Sullivan has amassed 24 Coach of the Year Awards, the most prestigious being the 1996 NCAA Coach of the Year. Most impressively, Sullivan’s teams have received numerous academic awards while dominating on the track.

As a testament to her exceptional coaching ability and record of success, Sullivan has represented the United States on the international stage as an Olympic Coach at the 2004 Athens Games and a member of the U.S. coaching staff at the IAFF Continental Cup in Croatia. Sullivan is also in her second year as the Division I President of the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Sullivan, who grew up in Minnesota, was a star distance runner in both high school and college. As a result, she credits her high school and college coaches as being instrumental figures in her life and career. While attending the University of Minnesota, Sullivan further honed her leadership skills and proved to be a great source of motivation as a three-year captain of her cross country team. Sullivan began the transition from athlete to coach at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where she served as assistant coach from 1989-91 while earning a Master of Science degree in Sports Administration.

Recently, Sullivan spoke to Access Athletes about a variety of topics, including her success in building a powerhouse program at Penn State, Olympic coaching experiences, coaching and training philosophies, advice for athletes, and her leadership activities on the track and field/cross country circuit. Her insight is an invaluable resource for any athlete or coach aspiring to compete at the highest level of their sport.

Corey Jackson's One-Way Greyhound Ticket to the NFL

by Kelly Davies 02-23-2011 01:04 AM Athlete Interviews | Athlete Career Development | Human Relations

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With the second month of 2011 coming to a close, you may be finding yourself with a few less gym visits than you had planned. Or you may have let those pesky sweets that you swore off January 1^st make their way into your grocery bag. It’s the weather… It’s hard… It’s the end of football for seven whole months. Whatever the excuse, you are lacking the inspiration.

I’m about to present you with true inspiration. A kind of inspiration that is only found in each other.

Corey Jackson grew up in a town of a few hundred people in rural South Carolina. Corey was a basketball player. In high school, he was highly decorated, averaging twenty plus points per game, and snagging double digit rebounds. He had his eyes set on a division I scholarship, his dream since he was a little boy. Corey’s junior year arrived and he sat down with a guidance counselor. The counselor reviewed his average grades and recommended that he look into learning a trade skill. Corey was floored, devastated by his counselor’s bleak recommendations. At 16, an adult looked him in the face and not only told him he wasn’t good enough academically but that he wasn’t good enough to even pursue his dreams.