Nadine Waeghe: Elevate Performance & Physical Therapy

Nadine Waeghe, MPT, ATC, is the owner of Elevate Performance and Physical Therapy located in Redwood City, CA. Elevate Performance offers comprehensive sport science services whether the athlete needs a complete bio-mechanical analysis or rehabilitation of an injury.

Nadine has expertise in bio-mechanics, equipment analysis, manual therapy and therapeutic taping. These specialties have allowed her to vary her work experience across a broad spectrum of clientele. Nadine has provided sports medicine services for athletes at high schools, NCAA Division I,II & III colleges, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Special Olympics and for seven years worked on tour with the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Beyond sports Nadine has outpatient orthopedic clinical and inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation experiences.

SZ: You worked on tour for the WTA for seven plus years helping all levels of professional players. Are there experiences you encountered along the way working with WTA players that make your physical therapy practice unique?

NW: As a health care practitioner working on the WTA tour brought me an opportunity to work with some of the best sport science and medicine professionals in the world. Collaboration with this amazing team of experts really helped me become more comprehensive in my approach to every person that I work with. As a primary health care provider working on the WTA I was responsible for coordinating all aspects of health care for the athlete. WTA players are on the road and can’t just go to one single doctors office. Health care providers on the tour are players primary contact for health services. I helped coordinate all disciplines of care for that athlete from a distance.

Working with various specialists from different areas taught me to be more thorough in my evaluation and to differentiate diagnosis, as well as treatment options available to help the individual. Working in this capacity gave me knowledge as well as confidence in my own skills to really question what is right for the athlete. It also allowed me to kind of push the traditional or current health care system to look at other options to fully service the athlete. In my own practice I think my assessment perspective is a little more broad than other physical therapy practices.

My specialty is bio-mechanics and I didn’t grow up playing tennis. On tour I learned a lot about tennis mechanics which sharpened my skills in all areas of bio-mechanics because tennis is so technical. Combining my bio-mechanics knowledge with current technologies and the ability to do video analysis also allows me to provide a unique service to the clients I serve.

SZ: Describe a Functional Movement Screen (FMS) test and how this tool helps you assess the risk for injury.

NW: The FMS is basically an assessment tool that is used to provide a simple way of quantifying and qualifying fundamental human movement. The human body is specifically designed to do movement and tasks that makes us different from other animals. The FMS is an easy way to help identify imbalances, weaknesses or joint restrictions, anything that is a little off in the body that may effect the efficiency of those basic movements. If those low level movements are inefficient then the ability of an athlete to perform a more complex or higher level movement is diminished and can increase an athletes risk for injury. FMS helps identify those issues and then the athlete is able to address them through a corrective exercise program usually guided by a professional physical therapist, athletic trainer or strength coach.

SZ: Through the years I’ve sprained my ankle several times. I have been told that a weak glute may be involved in these sprains. Personally I think my glutes are just fine but, is this part of a FMS test?

NW: The FMS doesn’t get that specific. It really looks closely at seven fundamental movements for example, like a squat, a lunge, a step, core stability with anterior, posterior movement, or rotational movement. The test is designed to look at how the body performs in these simple movements to evaluate whether the athlete can do these tasks or not. The FMS is not going to identify whether or not you have a weak glute or whatever. That’s where the practitioner interprets the results and identifies your imbalances. For instance I may say to a client, “There are three areas of weakness I found and are probably related to this issue.” Then I would go on to provide a more detailed evaluation of the biomechanical link between the imbalances and the injury, or a past injury that may be affecting full function.

After the FMS, step two, is called the Selective Function Movement Assessment
(SFMA). After an athlete completes the FMS the practitioner figures out where the imbalances or weakness are originating from and performs a few other specific tests which help identify specific joint or muscles that might be contributing to the weakness in the body. From there the imbalance is treated.

SZ: What are some standard errors social/recreational athletes make that are a set up for injury that can be prevented fairly easily?

NW: Three common mistakes that I see happen or hear about happening when people describe to me their routine are and this is in no particular order:

1) Either inappropriate, inadequate or complete lack of a warm down after a work-out, or
competition. After physical activity not stretching or partaking in recovery activities that can help the athlete in their next performance. Therefore the athlete has increased risk of injury going into the next performance.

2) Core postural adjustment and core postural awareness or just lack of focus on posture in general while performing any kind of sport or fitness activity. Athletes can have inefficient movement because their body isn’t in proper position.

3) Inadequate hydration or nutrition which directly affects flexibility, mobility, power and endurance. If an athlete isn’t properly hydrated or fueled he/she risks running out of energy which impedes having the resources to get where they need to during their activity.

SZ: Frequently athletes miss making a connection between nutrition, sport psychology and physical wellness. How do these fit into the bigger picture for you in your view of athletic fitness?

NW: I believe it comes down to sound mind, sound body and looking at three fundamental or innate functions of a human being. Those are breathing, eating and sleeping. We can’t survive without those three things. If any of these are not functioning at an optimal level the whole body is affected. If an athlete is functioning in a suboptimal range, for example, isn’t breathing properly, not getting enough sleep, or has inadequate nutrition, then their body tries to compensate for those deficiencies. This taxes the mind and requires the brain to work harder in an attempt to make up for the suboptimal functioning which can cause the brain to work at a more diminished capacity. When the brain is not functioning at it’s optimal level it can affect physical performance.

I also think it happens in the opposite way. If an athletes mind is not in the right space it can affect their choices to eat, sleep and breathe in a beneficial way. I think it’s all very much linked. When clients come in for an evaluation I ask questions about these three areas. I try to guide them to make sure that they are enhancing their optimal levels of performance by making sure they are getting enough sleep, breathing effectively and have an adequate diet, which helps them have a sounder focused mind.

SZ: Basically you’re describing de-stressing the body.

NW: That’s exactly right. The ability to function at the optimal level requires a sound and focused state of mind. My discussion with clients always starts with, “What are your biggest stresses in your life?” From there looking at how those stressors affect the quality of their sleep, alters their diet or proper breathing. All of which affect performance.

SZ: In your experience when a high school, collegiate or professional athlete incurs a serious injury how important is it for them to receive mental/emotional support? How does this support impact their recovery?

NW: The first thing to remember is that every athlete at any age is a human being first. Any human being when impacted by a serious injury can use some mental/emotional support. A life altering event like a major injury has a profound effect on a person moving into the future. From that day on everything is a little bit different because the person is altering the course they thought they were on. I think it’s really important for an athlete to be able to accept the change in their life that occurs at the time of an injury. For competitive athletes, whether high school, collegiate or professional, many of them identify themselves as being an athlete. They identify with their role on a team, or their position, and when injury removes them from competition or takes them away from their sport involvement it can create a bit of an identity crisis.

Some athletes can begin to have serious doubts or insecurities and may even become panicky about their future, who they are, what their future as an athlete is and can feel very lost. I think that having some mental/emotional support can really help them curb those feelings of hopelessness or frustration which can negatively impact their ability to recover their physical responsiveness. Whether having a friend or professional to support them and tell them it’s okay to have those feelings, that the feelings are normal and part of being a human being, can really help them get through the stages of recovery. It benefits their body as well as their mind and is a key component for complete recovery.

SZ: What are favorite questions you like to hear from your clients regarding injury?

NW: One thing I love to hear is, “What can I do to recover faster?” The emphasis is on the letter “I.” What can “I” do to recover faster. The other is, “What do “I” need to do to prevent another injury from happening in the future?”

SZ: Taking more responsibility for it.

NW: Absolutely.

SZ: Are there any upcoming events at Elevate Performance & Physical Therapy for practitioners or the public?

NW: August, 16 & 17th we are holding a seminar for healthcare professionals presented by Lois Laynee, Ph.D. “Restoring Movement Through Breathing.” Details can be found on Elevate Performance & Physical Therapy Facebook page and restoringbreathing.com.

Sept. 5-7 FMS & SFMA Certification Course, is a course for healthcare professionals presented by Functional Movement Systems. Details can be found on Elevate Performance & Physical Therapy Facebook page and functionalmovement.com.

Sept. 20th,” Amputee Sport and Running Clinic.” This event is intended to give the participant the opportunity to return to or try out new sports and activities, including fitness routines, running etc. Age, experience and ability are not a factor. The clinic is free and open to everyone. Our goal is to promote mobility through sport and fitness. Details can be found on Elevate Performance & Physical Therapy and Prosthetic Solutions Facebook page.

SZ: You’ve seen a lot of people with injuries over the years. Do you have any quotes, tips or stories that keep you motivated as a physical therapist?

NW: What motivates me is that there are always people that need help. There’s always another phone call or e-mail from someone that is looking for help. What I want for clients is for them to really understand the ways in which they can help themselves. My job is to help people discover the motivation and inspiration to help themselves. I can provide them the tools and point them in the right direction. One of my favorite quotes that goes along with my motivation is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”

SZ: Nadine thank you for taking time from your very busy schedule to share your knowledge and thoughts.

*Featured guests are not current or former clients of Susan Zaro
*This article can be read @ Examiner

*Photo was taken by WTA media, photographer unknown (Nadine on court with Venus Williams during a U.S. Open).
*Clinic photo by Mindee Thyrring

Turning down the noise and turning up the focus: help for distracted athletes

What do Kobe Bryant (basketball), Derek Jeter (baseball), Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings (volleyball), Novak Djokovic (tennis), Seattle Seahawks (football) and many other top athletes and sports teams have in common? They all use mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness meditation is utilized by these athletes to maintain high performance during pressure situations, sharpen their mental focus and clarity, and recover from distractions during competition. In the world of sports psychology, traditional interventions such as imagery, self-talk and goal setting have been the standard methods to help athletes manage distracting thoughts and emotions while training and in competition. More recently, there has been a shift in sports psychology away from these traditional methods, because they have been found to actually increase the focus on distracting thoughts and emotions, which interfere with performance. Current research is discovering that, rather than trying to control distractions, it may be more beneficial for athletes to develop skills to notice the distractions in a non-judgmental way and let go of them in the moment. These skills are gained through training in mindfulness meditation.

Both professional and amateur athletes experience emotional distractions such as frustration, anger, anxiety, self-doubt and worry. The brain and body, acting together through the connection of the autonomic nervous system produces emotions. The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system usually work in harmony with each other, but emotional stress cause them to be out of sync, which blocks performance capacities. The following are some examples of the consequences of negative emotional distractions on the athlete:

*Less ability to think clearly
*Less efficiency in decision-making
*Less ability to communicate clearly
*Reduced physical coordination
*Inability to perform at the highest skill level the athlete is capable of

Mindfulness meditation is a practice that helps the athlete access their highest performance level by managing negative emotions in a way that helps the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems stay in sync. Sport psychology professionals can help athletes learn the skills of mindfulness. Even a small amount of meditation training can be useful to reduce distracting thoughts and emotions and help the athlete to be able to focus attention on what matters and only what matters during competition.

To learn more about mindfulness meditation for sport performance, find a sport psychology professional in your area who teaches mindfulness or find a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) class that teaches basic mindfulness skills.

This article may also be read @ Examiner

Bob Carney, Golf Digest

Bob Carney is a Contributing Editor at Golf Digest, writing for the magazine, it’s web site and sister publication Golf World. He’s an avid golfer and single-digit handicap who has earned awards for his writing of the golf industry and recreational golf. He is co-author, with Davis Love Jr. and Bob Toski, of “How to Feel a Real Golf Swing.”

Carney shares his thoughts on golf and the psychology of golf

SZ: What sports did you play growing up?

BC: I took up golf at about fourteen, when I began caddying at a country club near our house.

SZ: What was your first introduction to golf? Did you fall in love with the sport early on or grow to love it?

BC: Caddying was scary at first. There were so many things to remember – where to stand, how to hold the bag, how to tend the pin, etc. With the help of empathetic members of the club, I got to be pretty good at it. The course was so beautiful, so well kept and the game itself so interesting. I immediately wanted to play. They let us play on Mondays at the club. We had to play from in front of the tees, rather than on them, so that we wouldn’t beat them up. (Pretty lame on the club’s part, but I understood). The first time I played I used clubs my uncle had given me, some of which were old wood-like shafts. I sanded the 3-wood he gave me and re-varnished it. It must have looked ridiculous to the members. But we loved playing. I can’t tell you how magical it was to be able to play Dearborn, CC, not a great course, but a good one in perfect shape. One Monday we arrived at six, teed off in the mist, and played four rounds, 72 holes. On days we weren’t able to play at the club my brother and I and a couple of buddies would take out a map, find a golf course icon, and drive to it sight unseen to play. I can still remember eating Twinkies in the car on the way.

SZ: When did you begin writing professionally about golf? Did you have other sport writing jobs prior to your involvement in golf?

BC: I was hired by Golf Digest in 1984 after a temporary stint at Time Magazine as a reporter. I got that because the magazine I’d been working on, TV Cable Week, a Time Inc. start-up folded. Fortunately for me the editor of Golf Digest at the time was an old Time Inc. guy and we hit it off. Otherwise I probably would have taken a job at BusinessWeek, where I had a chance at an entry level position. Prior to TV Cable Week, after attending (not graduating) from Columbia Journalism School, I’d worked for another start-up that folded, Sporting Guide, a kind of TV Guide for sports. In between I worked at a strong suburban daily. The Record, in New Jersey, as a local reporter. It was great training. As far as writing about sports, I began in grade school, writing about school sports for the church paper, and then for the school paper in high school. I covered a variety of sports for the Michigan Daily at the University of Michigan.

SZ: Many sports have altered their playing formats to speed up the sport or try to make the sport more exciting for spectators. I recently read one of your articles for Golf Digest, “Our games obsessions with fast greens is killing us.” In it you describe how fast greens are slowing down the game of golf. Explain the concept of fast greens, and how they effect the game. What are your thoughts on how to speed up the game and does the game need to be sped up?

BC: The greens on which golfers putt can be made very fast or very slow, depending on the grass, cuttings, rolling etc. Good golfers tend to prefer fast greens and clubs and courses try to imitate the courses they see on television, Augusta National being a prime model. The problem is, it’s expensive to do this. It requires more water and chemicals, and more care. These fast greens are also harder for most amateurs to putt, meaning they take more time and more putts. As an industry, golf is faced with some serious issues these days and greens have an impact on all of them: water conservation, enjoyment, and pace of play. Greens of moderate speed are fine for everyday ( as opposed to tournament) play, and can help on all of those issues. It’s another example of how the game is controlled mostly by accomplished players and how it’s having to find news to make itself more attractive to less accomplished ones who don’t want to be “tortured.” There’s lots of research being done on pace of play these days. Individual golfers need to be educated about how to play faster, but the pace begins with course owners. They need to space groups properly, maintain greens at reasonable speeds, eliminate extreme roughs and give everyone a chance to have fun by creating enough tee choices. I of course think caddies help too, but most courses have lost caddies to carts, which you’d think would speed up play but really don’t. Slow play is a huge problem. Consider our leisure activities these days – a movie, a book club, dinner a jog, a workout. None take more than two hours and most are far less. Golf, especially slow golf, eats up five or six hours. So the game needs to offer alternatives. More nine (or fewer) hole events or 18-hole events that move faster. The fifteen inch cup is one experiment that works, though you wouldn’t do it everyday. Smart course owners are creating “time par” for their particular courses, and then enforcing that time. So when a player begins a round he knows how long it’s going to take. Golfers like that. For my own part, golf is still a chance to walk and get some exercise. I want it to move as fast as possible. Three and a half hours if we can and I’ll stay away from places that go a lot longer. Finally, I think we tend to take score far too seriously in this country. We count every shot and worry about what we shoot (though breaking rules, taking mulligans, etc.) and that adds to round time. In Ireland my son and I played in a tournament that used the Stableford scoring system. You earned a point for a bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie. Worse than bogey scored zero so when you messed up a hole, you just picked up. I think kids should learn that way because it’s how they play other sports – score points.

SZ: I think of the mental game of golf as being built around skill confidence and having an uncluttered mindset. What do you feel are the biggest psychological challenges of golf?

BC: The first is distraction. It’s so seductive and so easy to give into thoughts about what your score will be, how you’re swinging, what other people are thinking about how you are playing…when really there is only one thing to think about: How to get this ball in the hold. Period. The second is forgiveness. Golf is a game of mistakes. We tend to think it’s mature and honest and “tough” to criticize ourselves for mistakes…a huge waste of time, energy and focus in golf. Being your own best friend, as Bob Rotella puts it, is the goal. The third is expectation, usually of a particular score, but sometimes of how shots “should” feel when you hit them. Having a scoring goal is fine. Having a plan is ideal But once you start playing, you get what you get.

SZ: Besides practice what are some of the mental preparations you know about that professional player’s utilize to prepare for tournaments?

BC: Player’s work with their caddies to map and chart courses. Michelle Wie said recently she was benefiting from the notes that Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler made on Pinehurst No. 2. Secondly, players create a game plan for a round, what club they’ll hit off a given tee, where they want to land the ball, what side of the green they want to hit, etc. They plan while not in the heat of the moment, and then can concentrate on execution when in it.

SZ: You are preparing to write an article about how golfers improve. What are you learning about the process of player’s improving? When will the article be out?

BC:The article should be out in our October issue, about Sept. 1. It’s been an interesting research project. What I’m learning is that having a goal and seeing everything on the way to that goal as part of the learning process, having the patience to stay in that “learning” mindset, is key. Most golfers can’t do it. They think a certain result or defeat means they’ve failed and they’re done with that goal. In many cases, they’ve just begun. Failure is part of the process, a necessary part.

SZ: Someone can go on-line and there are thousands of tips on the mental game of golf. What’s the best advice you’ve every heard about the mental game of golf?

BC: Enjoy the shot.

SZ: What’s your favorite golf course and why?

BC: Cypress Point Golf Club. It is near the ocean, it is gorgeous, it is a great challenging design, it is walkable, and it’s not perfect. Though it’s 15th and 16th holes are among the most beautiful anywhere, the 18th is just ordinary, so after taking you to heaven, Cypress kind of sets you back on earth in the end. It’s an amazing place.

SZ: Bob thank you for taking time out of your busy work schedule to share your knowledge and thoughts.

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro
*As published on Examiner

Steve Keller PTR

Steve Keller, Director of Education for the Professional Tennis Registry, (PTR) is responsible for the educational direction and content of PTR within the United States and abroad. Keller oversees PTR clinical training, content delivery, design and professional development courses to create opportunities for certified tennis professionals. Keller has been a member of PTR since 1986, and a member of the United State Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) since 2005.  He spent eighteen years with the Dennis Van der Meer organization, prior to joining Tennis Corporation of America (TCA) organization.

Keller is responsible for the educational direction of content of PTR with the U.S. and abroad.

SZ: What are the current development trends influencing the education and credentialing of professional coaches?

SK: This is a terrific question. The tennis teaching industry has come a very long way in the way it now educates and certifies tennis coaches. PTR previously had one general certification from 1976 through 2010, basically a one size fits all education/certification program. In 2011, we made the change to incorporate specified education and certification for coaches working in different areas of the game. For example, the manner or methodology in which you teach an adult how to play the game is vastly different from how you introduce a young child to the game. PTR now offers four distinct educational pathways for coaches with areas of concentration in 10 and under, 11 to 17, Performance, and Adult Development.

SZ: What are the benefits of a consumer working with a certified professional?

SK: Certified professionals have made it a point to reach higher in their commitment to education. In the current marketplace, consumers have become savvy to reach out to credentialed coaches. The consumer mindset has gradually shifted to the thinking of, “If I am willing to invest in a particular coach, I want to have a degree of assurance that this person has gone through an educational program that will best serve my needs.” Additionally, certified professionals are not only licensed but have the ability to be insured. There is a lot to be said for “peace of mind,” knowing that you are walking out on a court with a professional that is licensed and insured.

SZ: This year the PTR & USPTA announced a programmatic alliance in an effort to elevate the standards of tennis teaching professionals. Explain the collaboration between the PTR & USPTA. In what ways will this alliance improve the resources of professional coaching?

SK: This is a very exciting time in the industry. We have several areas of collaboration with the USPTA. A new continuing education requirement for coaches as well as a joint partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and USPTA featuring education for coaches working with players under the age of ten through The Coach Youth Tennis initiative.

Both organizations have realized a need for continuing education for quite some time. We feel it is crucial for professionals to expand their knowledge and stay current with the latest information available. By having both organizations in this together, coaches can see that the industry and teaching organizations take this seriously. The bottom line is simple, we want better qualified coaches in the sport. Quality coaches produce quality results, everyone wins in the  long run. Coaches, students, and parents all gain in the end. One quick note on The Coach Youth Tennis Initiative. PTR has been a leader of 10 and under education for the last several years (in fact we have certified more than 2,500 coaches in 10 and under tennis over the last three years alone. In having the USPTA partnering with PTR and the USTA this will make a huge difference in getting children off to a good start in the sport and hopefully keep the growth of the game healthy for many years to come. Finally, PTR and the USPTA have agreed to collaborate on conferences and professional development opportunities for members. Reciprocity is given to coaches attending either organizations events.

SZ: Does PTR have a Sport Psychology component to their certification? How important is an understanding of Sport Psychology in the overall mix of a teaching professionals development?

SK: We do have components relating to Sport Psychology within our Master of Tennis program. PTR has been very fortunate to have an association with Jim Loehr from the inception of the organization. In fact, Jim Loehr was just inducted into the PTR Hall of Fame this past February. PTR has only three people inducted into the Hall, our founder Dennis Van der Meer, legendary coach Jim Verdieck from the University of Redlands, and now Jim Loehr.

We have annually offered a program in conjunction with our International Symposium with Dr. Loehr’s, Human Performance Institute. His program offers an incredible educational opportunity for coaches working with mental training and performance. The amount of information in this area has grown substantially. We are currently looking at additional opportunities in this area that will have broader outreach to our membership.

SZ: Competitive junior tennis is becoming more and more stressful as parents hope their child secures a college scholarship from tennis. There are many stories of cheating that occur regularly in junior tennis. Is the education and development process helping coaches discuss these issues with junior players and parents? Coaches receive pressure from parents for their children to win, and parents pressure their children to produce.

SK: I am pleased to announce that we do cover this area. When developing content for our new educational pathway, our CEO Dan Santorum insisted on having the areas of sportsmanship and fair play covered in our new curriculums. Dan has a son competing in youth sports and has personally coached many young athletes in a competitive environment. Many coaches have gotten away from educating their players in this area but as you can see we take this matter seriously and will continue to lead the charge with our junior development educational offerings.

SZ: What would you like to see going forward in advancing the standards of professional teaching?

SK: With the evolution of our educational pathway, we have recognized the need for coaches to become well rounded. The more educational opportunities we can provide for our coaches the better for the industry. I would strongly encourage all coaches from the most seasoned veterans to the novice coach just starting out to seek out quality education. PTR has challenged coaches over the years to “Make a World of Difference.” PTR will continue to raise the bar higher and challenge coaches to continue their personal and professional growth

SZ: You’ve been involved in professional tennis education and development for quite a while. Do you have any favorite, quotes, tips or stories that keep you focused on the long game of your career?

SK: My favorite quote is from Francis Bacon, “Knowledge is Power.” Personally, I still make it a point to attend as many educational and professional development events as possible. I LOVE to LEARN, every little gem I can pick up along the journey is precious. The additional education I gain is beneficial to not only myself but also to the coaches I meet along the way. Anytime I can create content or share information I feel tremendously rewarded. I also must add it is an incredible feeling when the wheels are up on my flight out of a city that I have made a difference in the life of someone that will then in turn make a difference in someone else’s life. That is direct impact and extremely powerful.

SZ: Steve thanks so much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to participate in this discussion.

*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro

*As published on Examiner.com

The Riekes Center

 Gary Riekes created the Riekes Center for Human Enhancement to build self-esteem in young people through a strength-and-fitness academy. Along the way the model expanded into a mission statement that includes, “Providing each student with the best possible opportunity to define and accomplish individual goals, build character and learn transferable life skills through Creative Arts, Athletic Fitness and Nature Awareness, in an environment on non-judgment and mutual respect." A nonprofit organization, the Riekes Center offers a large selection of classes, monthly gym memberships and a wide range of customized fitness programs. About a quarter of its participating students receive financial aid or scholarships to participate at the Riekes Center.

SZ: What is your definition of human potential?

GR: I think human potential is the acquirement of your quality of life in terms of the joy and love that you bring to your life and passion in attainment.

SZ: How does a participant at the Riekes Center achieve that?

GR: The idea of the Riekes Center exists for an individual student. Can anyone come - yes. Can anyone join - no. The concept isn’t about a student becoming a part of something, they are already there. They are a human being. It’s hard to describe on energetic terms as opposed to concrete terms. We ask, what does a student want? There are programs offered in creative arts, athletic/fitness and nature. We are not trying to get students to join something, they are not becoming part of a club. To me any person is as important as anyone in the history of the world. Participants here can come whether they can pay or not, we offer scholarships. In terms of what they want to do once they are here, we can create curriculum in whatever is the easiest to learn and provide a mentor for whom they are comfortable to implement it. So a participant should be happy in terms of what they are doing because they can also say, “I don’t want this.”

At the Riekes Center honest communication is one of the things that is mandatory. For example, “I don’t want to learn to play the drums or I do want to learn to play the drums.” Whatever it is they have a goal of something they want to attain. Often in life the process by which you are accomplishing your concrete goal is more enjoyable than actually obtaining it. It’s the way those processes happen, through human relationships and the methodologies and all those lessons that you learn. Navigating that path is one of the keys to what we provide for people here. The ability to navigate their life with quality in terms of those connections, interactions and the methodologies that are used to acquire something are so beautiful and often that’s lost by an outcome.

SZ: It’s the process of setting a goal for themselves and the gift of developing a relationship with a mentor who actively engages in the process with the student.

GR: Yes and I think if I were just interacting with a machine I wouldn’t have fun. I like playing with people. I used to have a pinball machine in my basement and I became bored with that quickly because I found out how to cheat because I had a key. I could set pinball records but it became meaningless. People admired me for having these large pinball records but the win had become more important than the playing. I love the “doing” with other people.

SZ: If you win all the time there’s no learning involved.

GR: There was no quality to the experience. At the Riekes Center we are about helping people accomplish their goals and they have to have specific goals. That’s the premise of the Riekes Center. For example, “I want to be a better tennis player, or musician.” In some areas we have programs that can help someone all the way to the world class level. There’s a smile that comes over someone when they are accomplishing their goals. A smile that they feel inside themselves and that’s what I’ve always loved. That’s the thing that fuels me the most. It’s like a nuclear reaction inside of me. It doesn’t matter the age or whether the student won a contest or whatever. If we didn’t have our mission come to fruition from the smile from the inside of someone else then this wouldn’t affect the quality of my life. But it does all the time.

SZ: Because you see it all around you.

GR: Yeah all the time. I guess it’s maybe caring, but how people accomplish their goals is the standard outcome and that’s wonderful.

SZ: It’s also having people find the achievement within themselves. The Riekes Center provides mentoring around that. You’ve created a network of mentoring.

GR: It’s a different mentoring formula. We have specialized programs and at times we have a world class or highly accredited teacher telling a student what to do because the student needs that information. That’s very expensive and we can scholarship some people but we don’t have world class coaches in all the areas because most people can’t afford it and aren’t that serious that they need that level of instruction all the time. So we can take the curriculum and use someone who’s vibrant and who can relate well, generally someone that’s younger who can teach the information. We create modules so a student learns “A” than “B” but then can teach “A” to someone else. It becomes a peer/mentor formula and it creates a lot of friendships.

SZ: Who have been the major influences, people and or events in your life that helped formulate your ideologies?

GR: I know it’s my mom and dad. My mom and dad were opposites. My mom was a virtuoso musician and attended music school. My dad was a business man and played football at the University of Minnesota with Bronko Nagurski. My mom and dad were totally different people. My dad was a very serious academic. My mom was wild, wooly and a rebel of her age. She was a classical violinist who worked her way through school as a waitress and singer. Her stage name was Valentine Lee. She was a boopity boop singer. They were so supportive and so loving that’s the reason the Riekes Center exists, to provide that same feeling.

Another influential person in my life was football coach Mouse Davis. I worked for him for about ten years. He had a huge impact on my life. Mouse was football coach at Portland State and invented an offensive called the “run and shoot.” I think he’s one of the greatest football coaches of all time. He’s also the toughest man I’ve ever met.

SZ: Toughest mentally, broad vision or expectations?

GR: Tough in terms of everything. Tough in expectations, work ethic, getting the job done, just a very amazing brilliant genius with a huge heart, courageous and really knows how to yell. He’s a larger than life character.

What I learned from Coach Davis is a brilliant way of doing things that allows for things happening on multiple levels. For example, instead of using one quarterback throwing one football to one receiver he used four quarterbacks, four receivers and four balls. I always thought he was a wizard because he would correct mistakes by the receivers and quarterbacks without looking at them. At the time I thought it was impossible and it took me years to understand his offense well enough to see it was in the timing. Things happen at given timings so you can tell by the timing that things happened correctly or incorrectly. It was one of the most brilliant things I’ve seen in my life.

SZ: Through your experience with Coach Davis what did you bring back to the Riekes Center?

GR: What I brought back was infinite. I brought back a perspective that was totally different from what I’ve ever been taught before. The dimension upon which he was actualizing things was totally different. Earlier you said, “You have to be bright enough to learn Coach Davis’s system.” No, not really, but the players had to be rapid enough to learn it. It takes years and players don’t learn it in a day. They have to do the same thing over and over again.

SZ: Eventually the process becomes part of you.

GR: Right, you have to keep doing it until you can do it and it takes time. It’s not immediate gratification. But what people don’t realize is that the experience, the camaraderie, the friendships of the person mentoring them while they are striving to learn it is the beautiful experience. It’s a big life lesson. So that’s what I brought back to the Riekes Center, not just the “run and shoot” which I teach, but that the process is the art.

SZ: The process becomes the ballet of the sport.

GR: Exactly.

SZ: Name a few things that you are proud of that the Riekes Center has achieved in the last five years.

GR: The thing I’m most proud of is that even though the majority of participants at the Riekes Center are youth, we have a huge program for the elderly. So many older people go, “I’m ninety-two years old and can’t do xyz.” The truth is we taught my dad to rap in his eighty’s. There’s so many things older people can do like singing and music. They have time to study and and come to classes. For me when a group of people have preconceived ideas of what someone doing rap looks like and then you put a ninety year old in a class, it’s neat to see the bonding and collaboration between people in the group. The class may be made up of youth just starting out learning to rap, or more advanced put in with some seniors just learning. It’s a nice collaboration. We create a place where everyone can feel welcome and comfortable. There are people of all different abilities and ages. At times we pair people who are tremendous musicians with people who are not very skilled and that’s great. I am most proud that we have been able to accomplish real world diversity and have it work. I am proud that we are trying to not intellectually break stereotypes but in energy/spirit and values. You feel it when you come in here.

SZ: The beauty of the what the Riekes Center strives to create is that a person is asked to create goals for his/herself in terms of what they wish to achieve/learn. That achievement is not tied to worth. A participant is asked to achieve what they want but not say, “But I’m not good enough because my results aren’t as good as someone else’s.” The student is asked to identify the goal for themselves not in comparison to another. If the person wants to win some event for their sense of accomplishment then work harder or acquire the skills to accomplish the goal. That authenticity differentiates your perspective from most human beings.

GR: Well I had a long period of my life when I had a lot of time to think about these things.

SZ: What are the future goals for the Riekes Center?

GR: We currently rent our building and we are working to own it. We are going to do a capital campaign for an urban and rural center. We also have begun Riekes Philosophy and Methodology (RPM), where we train people on how to build a culture. So far we’ve worked with a group of teachers from an academy in Kenya who came here for several trainings. It’s been very interesting.

SZ: Are there any upcoming events at the Riekes Center you would like to mention?

GR: Our “Rally for Riekes” fundraising event will be held on Sept. 20th here at the Riekes Center. Interested individual can check our events calendar on-line to learn more.

SZ: Gary your influence on tens of thousands of people’s lives in the bay area over the years in so many ways is extraordinary. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about the Riekes Center.

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro

*This article is as published on the Examiner

Voices from the bench, part two

“As research has accumulated on coach-athlete interactions, it has become clear that coaches can have either a positive or a negative impact on the lives of athletes at all levels of competition. A positive coach-athlete relationship can enhance athletes’ psychological and social well-being, foster the development of self-efficacy, positive values and coping skills, and promote continued involvement in healthy physical activity. In contrast, negative coach-athlete relationships create distress, foster the development of dysfunctional attitudes towards achievement and competition, create needless interpersonal distress, and contribute to sport competition attrition.” Frank Smoll & Ronald Smith, University of Washington. 

Part one of the interview began with the reflections of an athlete who made the high school soccer team yet hasn’t been called off the bench to play during league games even though he keeps trying to win over the coach and have a chance to prove himself. Part two is the opportunity for his parents to voice their concerns as they've attempted to figure out how to participate in problem solving their child’s high school athletic experience when they see how much participating on the team and being part of a team means to their son. 

This interview is not designed to solve any issues but to give the athlete and his parents a voice as they know they are not the only family that has experienced this type of situation. It’s a reminder for coaches to keep in mind their power and influences on the population of athletes they oversee. High school is a vulnerable developmental time for youth. It’s more than sports. It’s the bigger picture of personal development, inclusion in groups, and learning from adult role modeling.

SZ: How do you make sense of what has been occurring regarding your son being on the high school soccer team and not having an opportunity to participate during games?

Parents: It’s really hard to make sense of it. When you see your child making sacrifices, not missing any practices, has a consistent strong work ethic, and you see that he’s not receiving a reward for all the time he’s put into the game it’s hard to watch him on the bench. As parents we become frustrated. At the same time we didn’t want to make things worse by talking to the coach because rumor was that if we talk to the coach, he would put our child even further on the back burner. So we felt caught. We attend all the games and we volunteer our time to the team. 

We have gone to the coach and asked, “What does he need to do to earn more playing time?” The coach replies, “To keep doing what he’s doing.” That’s the response we received. I consulted with a friend of mine who coaches and asked, “What does that mean when a coach says that?” His reply was, “It’s a way to get you off his back.” 

SZ: As parents talking to the coach has not stimulated conversation that gives you and your son feedback to which he can create a proactive goal.

Parents: As parents what we saw was our son on the bench for a majority of his competitive time on the team this year. At the beginning of the season when he had some playing time he was sitting amongst his teammates. Towards the later part of the season when his playing time decreased he began to sit away from the team. He no longer looked a part of it. I (mom) played sports growing up and my take away is that sports is about team building. That’s my understanding of what high school sports programs are supposed to be about. Creating a team where players root for each other and support one another. I think the coaches ultimate job is to foster that cohesiveness in that environment. 

SZ: Do you think this experience affects your son in terms of developing confidence and learning interpersonal skills with his teammates?

Parents: I think because of the situation he definitely worked harder. But almost too hard saying, “Okay I wasn’t good enough so I’ve got to work even harder.” As parents we hear this and see that he can’t work much harder than he already is. He was practicing six days a week and bumping up his work-outs outside of practice. He was coming home and saying, “I need to do this and this to get faster because coach says I wasn’t fast enough.” As parents we thought he was becoming overly focused on this which we thought wasn’t healthy.

SZ: Like he’s almost obsessed with the idea that he will finally get to a place in his performance to please the coach and have an opportunity to play. “I will deliver the “product” and give him what he wants to earn my chance.”

Parents: Yeah. What about him being able to be who he is? We were lost as to how this was fostered in all of this. Our son has an incredibly strong work ethic. We’re not saying it because he’s our child but because we see it through his actions. He’s the last player off the field at practice. He does the extra stuff regarding being on a team that should be what “product” is and rewarded. He is a team player. We hear from the coach what a great person our son is yet we’re like, “If you think so highly of him why don’t you give him a chance on the field?”

SZ: The coach isn’t acknowledging him by giving him something that would give him satisfaction for his efforts.

Parents: Satisfaction or give him feedback that his extra effort is playing off. Give him recognition for his self-esteem. There was a point in the season his self-esteem was very, very low. He was so frustrated he asked, “Why am I doing this. Maybe I shouldn’t play next year.” We asked him, “Are you playing for the coach or for your teammates, your friends?” We told him he needed to think about it and we stepped back. 

SZ: Do you think the coach has any awareness of the impact of his behavior?

Parents: We don’t think he was truly aware until we went and spoke with him. We had seen our son go from Defensive League Player of the Year to no playing time. When we spoke with the coach we asked how could he have been moved up to Varsity and then demoted? In his Freshman year he made the Varsity team but the coaches told him he would not receive much playing time. They told him they would rather he start off with J.V. and get playing time. We felt this was sound coaching advice. 

SZ: Critical ages for development of sport confidence are 11-15 years old and 16-24 years old. Inner confidence of athletic skill abilities is a key component of mental toughness. Your son is missing this window through the situation at school. Do the school administrators have knowledge of the situation?

Parents: We visited the schools admin and asked, “What is the school’s philosophy on playing time for student athletes?” The response from the school admin was, “It’s entirely up to the coaches.” We were then directed to the athletic director who hires the coaches. We try to approach things with a positive spin and when we attend game after game and our son spends all the time on the bench it doesn’t feel right. This isn’t a professional league. Our belief is that a coaches job is to teach because they have a passion for the sport. Teach these players to be a team and be leaders. We felt this coach was a poor role model for this philosophy. 

SZ: Does your school have funding for a coaches education program such as the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), or other coaching programs that could help the coach develop proactive coaching tools and philosophies that would benefit the development of players?

Parents: Supposedly our coaches at the school were trained through the Positive Coaching Alliance. I am not knowledgeable if this coach attended the training but I would be interested in knowing if he did. 

SZ: You took the PCA training as a parent?

Parents: As parents we were presented with the materials. I really liked the information because it took playing away from winning and losing. The J.V. coach last year was a good example of that training. His team may not of had a winning season but the team was extremely positive after their games. All the players played and had a chance to learn and came away from their season saying, “Our coach taught us so much. We were taught to be graceful in defeat and to pick ourselves up from losses as a team and move onto the next game ready to play harder.” They really improved as a team as the season progressed.

At one game this year the team was four goals behind and there was no way to turn the game around. The coach still didn’t pull any of the kids off the bench. As parents we were sitting there thinking, “Why wouldn’t the coach give the players time on the field in this situation.” Whether the team is so far ahead or so far behind seems a likely time to pull players off the bench that haven’t played.

SZ: You wonder how the coach would react if the subs came into the game and scored a couple of goals. What do you say to your son regarding this situation? What is his motivation to continue to participate on the team and does he have any other sport options?

Parents: He does play another sport and is doing well in it. But he plays soccer because he’s played on teams since the 5th grade. He plays to be with his friends and he loves the game. But he had no idea he would be demoted as far as he was this year. For a time we thought he would quit. As I mentioned earlier we talked with him and said, “Let’s think about why you are doing this sport. Is it for the playing time or to be with this group of friends?” He said, “To participate with my friends and celebrate our wins or console each other when the team loses.” We also emphasize to him that he made a commitment to the team and to these other players. We encouraged him during the season to talk with the coach which he did and ask for the coaching that he needs to have a chance to play. When the coach responded, “Keeping doing what you’re doing.” We encouraged him to go back and ask the coach to be more specific. What does, “Keep doing what you’re doing” mean since he was doing what he was doing but not receiving any results or rewards.

SZ: The feedback didn’t have specific attainable goals attached that he could learn or develop into a specific task or skill.

Parents: The coach was missing concrete examples and goals to target.

SZ: What would you and other parents who have young players spending their time on the bench like to see happen differently?

Parents: We would like the coaches to have an organizational list with them so they know which kids have had playing time and how much. An assistant coach could keep track. If we could see a logical path it would be more acceptable. But game after game seeing the same kids on the bench is disheartening. As much as we hoped our son would get into the game we also hoped the other boys on the bench would also have a chance to play. As parents watching we also felt like we were on the bench. We have to keep a happy face when the team wins even though your child didn’t get to contribute. 

SZ: Anything you would like to add?

Parents: Just to say that going forward it would be useful for a coach to be clear at the beginning of the season. Sports night orientation is a good time to announce, “Your child may make the team but they may not necessarily receive any playing time.” That would be clear cut. 

SZ: It feels like a betrayal in that the coach announced he was taking a smaller team so all the players would receive playing time. Your son isn’t the team clown or been a problem. He’s been a consistent hard worker and team player.

Parents: Yes, a really hard worker. Parents who know him and know about his skills ask, “Why isn’t the coach putting him in?” We feel this season has been a poor example of problem solving and role modeling. At one game the coach was carded by the referee for his behavior in reaction to a call made on the field. To us this isn’t role modeling leadership. It causes us concern.

SZ: In the heat of the moment coaches need to maintain their composure. 

Parents: A coach should maintain his leadership by demonstrating to the boys the ability to stay calm and manage his emotions versus reacting. Through the majority of my sons playing years he has had the good fortune of coaches that model leadership behavior. Our son has always been so eager to play and as a parent our hope is for that energy within him to remain alive. We don’t want it pushed away. 

SZ: Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about your sons experience this year playing high school soccer. (Since this interview the parents have returned to the A.D.’s office to discuss the potential for changes to the program going into next year).

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro

*This article can also be read @ examiner

Voices from the bench, part one

“As research has accumulated on coach-athlete interactions, it has become clear that coaches can have either a positive or a negative impact on the lives of athletes at all levels of competition. A positive coach-athlete relationship can enhance athletes’ psychological and social well-being, foster the development of self-efficacy, positive values and coping skills, and promote continued involvement in healthy physical activity. In contrast, negative coach-athlete relationships create distress, foster the development of dysfunctional attitudes towards achievement and competition, create needless interpersonal distress, and contribute to sport competition attrition.” Frank Smoll & Ronald Smith, University of Washington. 

This is a two part interview that begins with the reflections of an athlete who made the high school soccer team yet hasn’t been called off the bench to play during league games even though he keeps trying to win over the coach and have a chance to prove himself. Part two is the opportunity for his parents to voice their concerns as they attempt to figure out how to participate in problem solving their child’s high school athletic experience when they see how much participating on the team and being part of a team means to their child. 

This interview is not designed to solve any issues but to give the athlete and his parents a voice as they know they are not the only family that has experienced this type of situation. It’s a reminder for coaches to keep in mind their power and influences on the population of athletes they oversee. High school is a vulnerable developmental time for youth. It’s more than sports. It’s the bigger picture of personal development, inclusion in groups, and learning from adult role modeling.

SZ: How long have you participated in competitive soccer, both at school and leagues outside of school?

Athlete: I’m a junior and have been playing in the high school program for three years. I began playing soccer when I has in the fifth grade and played CYSA through middle school into the beginning of high school. The first two years I participated on the junior varsity team. As a junior I’ve made the varsity team roster. 

SZ: So your soccer skills are developed. Were you an active player when you were on the Freshman and Sophomore junior varsity teams?

Athlete: Yes, I actively played my Freshman/Sophomore years. Freshman year I started every game. Sophomore year I was team captain and started every game. I was honored at years end by being given the Defensive Player of the Year Award. When I made the Varsity team, my junior year I wasn’t given much playing time. 

SZ: Was there a different coach?

Athlete: Yes, there was a new coach. 

SZ: Prior to this last year you were experiencing a lot of playing time. The school doesn’t have a no cut policy, you actually made the team.

Athlete: Yes I made the Varsity team by trying out for it.

SZ: Did you have a falling out with the coach?

Athlete: No, he and I actually do well together. We don’t have anything against each other and I’ve never talked back to him or done anything to upset him. 

SZ: How does the coach explain that you were an active participant prior years and this year you are not put into any league games?

Athlete: Our Junior Varsity coaches from last year are the same. I guess the new Varsity coach hasn’t talked to them to learn about how my skills can help the team. I would think that a new coach would talk to past coaches to hear what players are like and get to know them.

SZ: Are there a lot of new players on the team?

Athlete: No, the team is made up of mostly juniors and seniors.

SZ: How often do you practice as a team?

Athlete: We practice Monday through Saturday. Wednesday’s and Fridays are game days.

SZ: So the team practices/plays six days a week. Do you participate in the scrimmages?

Athlete: I did play in scrimmages. Those were mainly in the beginning of the season when we scrimmaged against other teams, so the coach could see us play and decide on how to best use our skills.

SZ: Did you play in whole games during the scrimmages or just parts of the game?

Athlete: Usually I’d play a half then be taken out. I’d be put in from time to time in the second half. 

SZ: How many official games and tournaments are there during the season?

Athlete: We have one tournament in the beginning of the season, four pre-season games then about fourteen team league games.

SZ:  Did you play in some of those?

Athlete: Yes, I was given some playing time but not a lot.

SZ: Do you attend all the team practices?

Athlete: I’ve never missed a practice. I attend each and everyone of them.

SZ: How does your coach explain to you you’re not having an opportunity to play in actual competitive games?

Athlete: He says, “I haven’t seen product from you.” Meaning in the time I am in I haven’t made a goal or an assist. That’s all he care about, “Is a player making daily product for us?”

SZ:  Are other players experiencing the same situation, where they made the team and they aren’t being put into the real games?

Athlete: There are quite a few of us on the bench that are not given playing time.

SZ: The field of youth sport psychology talks a lot about sport as teaching youth life skills. What life skills lessons are you learning from your current athletic experience?

Athlete: This current athletic experience makes me want to drive harder and harder and become better and better because if I am not getting playing time there must be something wrong that I am doing. I mean the coach says, “I just need to put out product.” Well that advice is not really going to help the player on the bench. If the coach needs “product” put me in the game so I can make “product.” But the way it is now leaves me to where I have to do stuff on my own outside of practice and see if that will help me so he notices. Where he notices and thinks, “Oh he’s making product now.”

SZ: Is your situation and relationship with the coach motivational?

Athlete: I guess for an average kid probably not. But I make it where it has to be motivational. I can’t make it bring me down. I just use it to boost me up, but it can be very demotivating. Like okay, I’m just sitting here everyday watching all my buddies play and I’m sitting here. It can be very demotivating.  

SZ: Coaches are highly valued role models. What are you learning from your coaches role modeling?

Athlete: His style is very precise. He’s had a long soccer coaching path. He grew up playing soccer and played in college. He’s very experienced but his coaching style is where it has be precise all the time. Yes, we want to win a championship and everything but with that you have to have a little heart in it too. Like let kids who aren’t very good play. And sometimes even when they are good players the coach doesn’t let them play. The coach just wants “product” all the time. Like, it’s high school Varsity soccer but then again it’s high school soccer where kids are playing to have fun, make friends and be better human beings. 

SZ: From this experience what are you learning about adult behaviors, and attitudes around team and youth player development?

Athlete: There came a time in our season when we were playing an important game. We were down 1-0 in the second half and the team kept fighting and fighting because our fitness was so high compared to everyone else and the coach pushed us to our limits we were able to fight to the end. The team scored to go into over time and ended up winning 2-1. The game can get to a point where you move from being a boy to a man. 

SZ: Fast forward three years. If you were to look back on this athletic experience in three years could you see this as something positive or something that could have been done differently?

Athlete: Something that could have been done differently. Because flashing back, all those memories of the team winning games, then thinking, “Wow I don’t really care about it. I didn’t get to contribute in it so it’s not really a memory for me. Only other people got to play and have that moment.” 

SZ: If you were coaching this team what would you do differently?

Athlete: Know it’s a game and you want to put in the strongest team to win. But in situations where the team is up 2-1, that’s not a great lead but when your team is strong enough defensively to keep the lead, put guys into the game. Have the guys participate for enough time to make “product.” In my current situation the coach puts one of us  from the bench onto the game for like five minutes just to give the others a break. 

SZ: This word “product” is gonging me in the head each time you say it. You’re not a “product.” 

Athlete: I feel like I am harping because when I do play I feel like I’m making “product,” by playing well defensively. I know I am not making goal “product” but I’m hustling to every ball, getting to them and I’m hustling on defense. I know that other guys are making “product” but I’m the one that created those opportunities for them because of my defensive play. I got the ball to other team members which made the “product.”

SZ: It’s team work.

Athlete: Yeah but the coach doesn’t acknowledge or notice the little things. He just wants the big stuff, boom~goal!

SZ: What’s your relationship with your team mates? What do they say to you if anything about the bench sitting situation?

Athlete: My relationship with my team is really good. We are all good friends. I always talk to one of the captains who I am close with. He tells me I just have to work harder and I definitely deserve playing time but that like coach says, “We need product out there.” The coach just looks at the bench like, “Okay, who is going to be my answer.” He’s looking for that type of player. It’s all about whether the player can be the final “product” or what not.

SZ: The word “product” is still gonging me in the ear when you say it.

Athlete: It’s a gong in my head too because he always says it, “product, product, product.”

SZ: So that’s how you would run the team differently. You would allow the players to connect together as a team and give everyone playing time. What does this coach need to know about how it feels to be an active participant on a team, work hard each practice and not have the opportunity to engage in the action? 

Athlete: I would tell him, I wish you could be in our shoes. You were probably a player who received a lot of playing time growing up. I wish you could be on the bench looking at all your buddies play but you’re always on the bench. I wish you could have the feeling of that in your head of being on the bench and realize, that’s a good memory for the guys on the field but I’m not making a lot of shared memories from this experience. That’s what I would want him to know and how we feel. I wish he could be in our shoes.

SZ: Has this experience changed your attitude about sport participation? 

Athlete: It definitely has changed me personally. It makes me want to train harder so I can be a step ahead. It might not get there but I’ve just got to keep on grinding and everything because there’s always going to be that natural born soccer player with natural speed and everything.

SZ: What if this coach is not going to acknowledge your talents, drive and desire even as you work harder and harder.

Athlete: I try not to look at people like that. They have to do something to really get me mad. What would hurt me is if he never noticed me at all. Because at practices he definitely notices me. He doesn’t really acknowledge the other guys that are on the bench during the games. If he didn’t acknowledge me that would make me angry. The fact that he does acknowledge me makes me feel a little bit better. 

SZ: I am impressed with your persistence, attitude and composure. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about your high school soccer experience.

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro
*www.susanzaro.com

*This article can also be read @ Examiner