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Coaching Kids: Practice Doesn't Always Make Perfect

6/29/2017

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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​There is the age-old adage we have all heard before: “Practice Makes Perfect.” It was thrown at us when we were kids in an attempt to make us work harder and practice more.  As adults we throw it at kids to now get them to work a little bit harder.  The adage suggests that the more you practice the better you get at something. The more you play the piano, the better you will be. The more swings you take at a softball pitch the better hitter you will be.  But this adage is not always true. Practice does not always make perfect.  Practice does not always make you better.
 
This thought was never more prevalent than the other day while I was watching a local travel baseball team practice.  I was at the park with my kids and as they were playing on the slides and swings, I was watching the baseball practice that was going on the field next to the playground.  As a long-time baseball player myself, I am always interested in how coaches work with kids to hone their crafts. On this day, two lines were set up in the infield - one line playing 3rd base and one line playing 2nd base.  Two coaches were standing opposite these lines and were hitting ground ball after ground ball to these two lines.  They were working on fielding the ball and preparing themselves to make a throw across the diamond to first base. The kids were not making the throws (probably an attempt to save their arms from too many throws), but regardless the kids were meant to go through the steps as if they were completing a play on an infield grounder. Ball after ball went rolling hard through the infield quickly. Player after player fielded the ball quickly and got back into the line.
 
As I watched the fielders working through the drill I was amazed at how many ground balls were fielded using poor form. From my professional expertise, I would estimate that less than 25% of the plays were made correctly.  The players’ approaches to the ball as it was rolling towards them lacked precision.  They weren’t focused on getting to the ball in a position where they were prepared to make a strong throw.  Their footwork lacked precision, often leaving them off balance when it came to the throw.  The majority of the players were fielding the ball outside of their feet rather than in the center of their body, as well as catching the ball deep in their stance rather than getting their hands out in front of them.  And yet the coaches said nothing to correct these issues and help the kids to improve.
 
They praised the kids for ‘making a great play’ when they would catch the ball.  This praise was solely based on whether the kid actually caught the ball.  If they didn’t catch the ball, then the coaches would say something generic like: “Keep your head down,” or “Get your glove on the ground,” or “Get behind the ball.” I was shocked at how travel ball coaches (who are supposed to be top coaches since they are charging kids to play on the team) were coaching at such a basic level.  These are the types of things you would hear on a T-Ball field with little kids just learning how to play. But on a travel ball team with middle school aged kids, the coaching wasn’t at the level it needed to be.  The coaches were smiling and excited that they were hitting so many ground balls, so quickly.  These kids were fielding hundreds of ground balls which the coaches were proud of. The drill was more of a check on a long list of things to get done during the practice, a way to show off to parents about how many ground balls were hit and fielded during the practice.   
 
But the problem was that all of those hundreds of ground balls fielded incorrectly were not improving the kids’ skills in anyway.  It was clear to me that in this case, practice was not making perfect.  Practice was not actually helping these kids to build their skills.  As coaches, we often fall into this trap of simply getting things done.  We concentrate on how many ground balls the players fielded, how many swings they took in the cage, and how many pitches they threw. This is because we know the adage that practice makes perfect and we assume that the MORE that we have the kids do, the better they will get.  In reality, it should be about QUALITY rather than QUANTITY.  It should be about fielding 25 ground balls well rather than 100 fielded poorly.  It should be about 15 great swings with time in between each pitch to talk over what the player is doing, rather than ripping through an entire bucket and having half of them end up in the backstop having been missed by the batter.
 
It is often difficult to break these old habits for us as coaches.  It looks better to parents and kids if we can brag about how many swings or grounders they took in a practice.  But as coaches we need to always be thinking about what is best for the player.  We have to be creative in order to do this at times.  We have to be patient to do this at times.  We have to actually coach the kids up.  For it is not just about whether you can catch the ball or not (that is T-Ball stuff), because at some point in their careers these kids are going to have to learn to get around the ground ball and coming through it towards first base as they field the ball.  At some point, the skills will have to improve or they will be left behind.  The same can be said for teachers, parents, and anyone else working with kids in any form or fashion (this isn’t just about sports coaching). The key is in changing the adage of “practice makes perfect” and concentrating more on “quality over quantity.”  When you think about quality and about taking the time to coach them up on the nuances of what they are doing, the impact will be tremendous.

Repeating Skills Leads to Success

2/14/2017

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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Parents, coaches, and teachers are in a constant hunt for ways in which to develop kids’ skills so that they can be successful in life. There is an interest in finding the newest and coolest ways to build skills in academics and athletics. There is fascination with the flashy innovative method that nobody else is doing because that will give the kid the edge over everybody else.

I was one of these parents looking to help my daughter get better at softball.  She was pretty new to the sport, having only played one season, and the new season was about to get started.  Last softball season we had practiced a lot on learning the basics of throwing, catching, and hitting off the tee.  By the end of the season she was one of the few players on her T-Ball team that had graduated from the tee and could hit a ball that the coach pitched to her.  But the season ended and she moved onto a summer filled with so many other things like swimming, riding her bike, and playing with friends.  Winter time hit and softball season was right around the corner. So I did what all parents do at that time - get back on the field and practice.  When we got to the field I started throwing her pitches and she couldn’t hit a single one.  Ball after ball sailed right past her bat for a strike (if only I had that kind of success when I used to pitch in games)! I asked her, “What is going on, last year you were hitting everything?” Her answer was perfect, “I guess I forgot how to hit.”

​I hadn’t really considered that she would ‘forget’ how to hit a pitched ball.  It wasn’t that she mentally forgot, but rather her body and muscles hadn’t built up enough memory of how to hit the ball.  For someone like myself, who has hit hundreds of thousands of baseballs throughout my life, I could pick up a bat and hit without any practice.  But it took years of practice to get to that point.  In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell theorizes that “ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness.”  He argues that it takes that much practice or apprenticeship to really be an expert.  Along the way to those 10,000 hours, our bodies and mind build memory of the skills that we are working on.  We become accustomed to the skill and we learn how to correct when issues arise.

​Now in no way do I as a parent expect by kids to be experts yet at their skills, but the more they can repeat the skills that they need, the more memory they will build up.  This advanced mental and physical memory will lead to success. So while we as parents, coaches, and teachers try to find the best and most innovative method for building kids’ skills, the success boils down simply to how much have they practiced the skills.  A perfect example is the current push in the Common Core Math for more advanced critical thinking and problem solving.  But before we can expect kids to learn these advanced concepts there is a need for the repetition of basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.  Repeating flash card after flash card of the multiplication problems builds the hours needed for success in math skills. The same can be said for coaches on athletic fields.  There is such a push to play games and compete at early ages, but there is an incredible need for practice time where kids take hundreds of shots on goal, batting practice swings, and flip turns in the pool.  The more they can practice a skill, the easier it becomes, and the greater success they will experience.

So with that thought in mind, I put my daughter back on the tee and started repeating the swing over and over again.  A few more sessions over the next few weeks hitting off the tee and she seemed to have the swing ready.  So the tee was set aside and I threw her a pitch.  She ripped the ball right back at me and hit me squarely in the chest (I wasn’t ready because I didn’t think she would hit it). She smiled big, especially because she had hit me, and was ready for the next pitch.  The next dozen or so balls got hit hard and suddenly I realized that the repetition of skills so as to build up the mental and physical memory pays off big time! She yelled out to me, “Now I remember how to hit the ball!”  She was right, her muscle memory had picked up the skill again and she was ready to play.  So as parents, coaches, or teachers, don’t be afraid to skip the innovation and go ‘old school’ with the skill building.  This method sets up to be a home run for kids’ success!

World Series Leadership Lessons

11/2/2016

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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The Cubs vs. Indians World Series has captured the nation.  From ardent baseball fans to casual sports fans, everybody is tuning in to see which city will break their long World Series drought.  The games have been intense and electrifying, filled with incredible plays and great moments.  What may lay hidden to the average viewer are the leadership lessons that can be taken from the World Series games and immediately transferred into any organization. As business or school leaders we are not figuring out whether to steal second, call for a reliever, or bunt a player into scoring position. But nevertheless, the actions taken in the form of leadership in this World Series relate closely to the actions we take on a daily basis in our organizations.  Four particular leadership lessons that business and school leaders can implement in their organizations have shined in this World Series.
 
Know the strengths of your players:
Both managers, Joe Madden (Cubs) and Terry Francona (Indians), are well known for being players’ coaches. This means they are particularly in tune with the strengths and weaknesses of their players. In every situation, both Madden and Francona are not trying to push their own agenda, but are rather working to align the strengths of their players with the situations that arise in games. They concentrate in setting their team up for success by putting the right players in the right places at the right times. For business or school success, leaders must know their employees so that they can align their roles with their strengths.   
 
Charisma makes a difference:
Throughout the games, you see players and coaches getting excited. When great plays happen, they are jumping up and down, high-fiving, fist-bumping, yelling, and having fun. There is an excitement that builds with every great play, and the team environment builds stronger as they get excited. Players are pointing at each other, talking with each other, cheering for each other, all in an attempt to pump each other up to achieve success.  This charismatic leadership has a virus affect as others catch it and everybody gets moving in the direction towards success. In organizations, leaders must be ready to cheer their team on, to provide charismatic speeches, and to get people pumped up for success.
 
Situations constantly change plans:
Even the best laid plans can be wrecked by situations that arise in a game.  Everything can be planned out, but rarely do the plans go perfectly. As can be seen throughout this World Series, situations and contexts can change everything on a moment’s notice.  In these games, many starting pitchers have struggled to pitch their normal 6 innings and so both Francona and Madden have had to bring in relievers at earlier times.  In a normal regular season game, the situations would have been addressed differently and the star closers would have been saved for the 9th inning. But here in the World Series, star relievers are being used as early as the 5th inning and are being asked to pitch multiple innings. In business and school organizations, leaders must be ready to adapt to each and every situation that arises.   
 
Don’t be afraid to make a decision:
Throughout the series, both Francona and Madden have been making huge decisions, such as which players to start, who to have pinch-hit, and when to bring in a relief pitcher.  While playing in Chicago, Francona had to decide whether to play Carlos Santana (his normal DH) in the field or stick with Mike Napoli.  He picked Santana to play, and it paid off as Santana hit a huge home run in their win.  For Madden and the Cubs, they had to decide whether to play Kyle Schwarber, one of their young stars.  Schwarber had been injured the entire season, but suddenly was ready to play only in the World Series.  Madden decided to play him despite missing the whole season and he has been one of the Cubs’ best hitters throughout the series. While these are but two of the big decisions that went right, so many decisions do not go right and so leaders must be ready to face the criticism when it fails. In business and school organizations, leaders must have the conviction to make the hard decisions and then answer to the outcomes, whether they are positive or negative.
 
Each of these four leadership lessons from the Cubs vs. Indians World Series can shed light on the actions, decisions, and approaches of leaders in any organization.  Charisma, decision-making, changing with situations, and knowing your players are all incredibly important to any leader in any organization.  They can provide the boost to any organization that is pushing for success. As Game Seven looms this evening, all of us will have to wait to see which team wins and breaks their drought. As for this avid baseball fan and leadership expert, I know I am going to be paying attention to how the leadership game unfolds as well!  Most likely the team that shows the greatest leadership is probably going to be bringing victory back to their city for the first time in a long while!

Creating a Home-Field Advantage for Kids

10/10/2016

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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As a collegiate baseball player at Harvard University, I relished the opportunity to play games at our home field, O’Donnell Field.  This was a comfortable environment for our team to play in, a place where our team was familiar with our surroundings and were fully supported by our fans.  Our fans, coaches, and teammates provided constant support by cheering for us in our greatest moments and supporting us in our toughest days.  I can still clearly remember a game where I had given up a home run and cost us the game.  I was dejected, crushed, and embarrassed.  When I returned to my dorm room that afternoon, I found a note under my door that read, “Keep your head up, everybody fails at some point, but it is what you do the next time that tells who you really are.  No matter what, we will all support you.”  There was no signature, no affirmation of who had given me this, but instantly it consoled my deepest fear of failure. 
 
We all fear failure, but a home-field advantage can minimize these fears.  Home field advantage is not a myth, but rather a storied aspect of sports at all levels.  The research of Steven Dubner at nfl.com shows that home teams have a higher all-time winning percentage than visiting teams in all five major professional sports: MLS = 69%; NBA = 61%; NFL = 57%; NHL = 56%; MLB = 54%.  
 
As a teacher and coach, I wanted to bring that same home field advantage to my students and athletes as they pushed themselves to excel without the fear of humiliation and failure. To do this, the environment centered on the concept of respect and I expected my kids to respect each other.  It was also about cheering each other on towards accomplishments and supporting each other in our times of sorrow, fear, and struggles.  This meant the environment was a ‘boo-free’ zone where only positives were allowed, and negativity was left at the door.  It meant taking the time out of our busy schedules to sit and talk out our issues and console our teammates who were struggling.  As a teacher and coach, it often meant providing to students a safe haven from the issues they faced at home and in their personal lives.  Home field advantage meant that no matter who we are, where we come from, or what our home life is like, we are all on the same team, working towards the same goal – an inclusive, positive learning environment where we all can succeed.
 
The key to creating a home field advantage in classrooms or on teams is in the precedent that we set from the very beginning that bullying, name-calling, and rooting for someone to fail are not welcome.  As leaders, we must strive to provide opportunities to build up rather than tear down our teammates.  This begins with respect for each other, for our shared vision, and for our path to get to that vision.  As teachers and coaches, we must focus our efforts on not allowing negativity to creep into the classroom, but rather implement positivity in a manner that continues to support growth and learning. The goal should be to constantly inspire, motivate, and cheer on our teammates in the home field.  This home field advantage will make a difference in the lives of our kids, and as they grow more comfortable in their home-field, they will extend this home field advantage into their other endeavors.
 
So the question remains for each of us, what steps are we taking to create a home field advantage in our classrooms and on our teams?

Got Coaching?

8/15/2016

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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Coaches come in many sizes, shapes, and expertise, but what they share in common is the difference they can make in the lives of others.  Coaches help others to be their best, to push past difficult moments, to set goals, and to train or work harder to achieve greatness. Looking back on my own development, I can remember fondly many of the coaches that had a lasting impact on my professional and personal life.  Coaches all the way back to my childhood through high school and college athletics and even now in my professional life help me to continue to progress and grow.  You can probably think back fondly to the many coaches who have made a difference in your life, and probably wish you could talk to them again and get their support and advice. 
 
For each of us, we have our own type of coach that fits best with our needs and personality. Some of us need a hard-nosed coach who is always pushing you and never lets you off the hook, while others need a coach who is personable and shows immense care for you as a person.  A perfect example of this is on the reality TV show ‘The Biggest Loser’ where overweight people are faced with the difficult task of getting healthy and restarting their lives. On the show, there are two to three coaches who work with these individuals as they go through their difficult journey.  It is always interesting to see how each individual tends to favor one coach or another due to the differences in that coach’s personality and techniques. They seek out the coach that will have the greatest impact on their journey.  Regardless of the type of coach we each covet in our lives, we are in constant need of this coaching presence. 
 
Too many times we relegate the need for coaches to the athletic fields and courts, but in reality, don’t we all have coaches that impact us on a regular basis?  Sure, they may not go by the title of ‘Coach,’ but do we not seek out advice and support from people like mentors, therapists, pastors, and friends?  Recently I sat down to breakfast with a friend, a very successful businessman in a completely different field than I work in, and yet he took on the role of coach by helping me to see my current work from a different perspective.  I left the breakfast happy for the time spent with a good friend, but even more so for the readjustment to my current work and the newfound drive to push harder.  While I would never call him Coach, he had taken on this role similar to the way in which so many coaches have done in my life. 
 
There is no doubt that we all are in constant need of coaching, as we constantly seek out those who can provide us support, advice, or the push we need to excel.  While they may not draw up plays on a whiteboard, or break clipboards when we screw up, they are a positive influence on our lives.  As individuals we should continue to seek out coaches in our lives, either formally or informally, so as to continue to develop our ability to make a difference for others. 
 
Want to know what you could do to make an impact in the way of coaching?  Here is the game plan:
 
1.Take some time to think back to the ‘coaches’ who have made an impact on your life and find a way to reach out to them to say thank you for making a difference
2.Think about the people that you have coached along the way and what more you could do to help them. Reach out to them and see how they are doing
3.Think of an area in your life where you could use some advice, support, or a push ahead and then think about someone who could be your coach to move towards success
 
These three steps will help you to reconnect with those you have had an impact in your life, those who you have impacted, and those who could help you in the next step of your life.  This will help us all develop further, push ahead, and make a difference in the world. ​

A Coach's Wisdom on How Passion = Success

4/18/2016

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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“If you want to be the best, you have to be passionate about what you’re doing!”

This was the often used statement from my one of my all-time favorite coaches.  At the time, this coach was trying to motivate a team of high school football players who were lost in a sea of teenage struggles. Coach believed strongly in teaching us to find our passions in life and to make it the focus of our lives. He shared that if we were passionate about what we were doing, then we would find the long hours of hard work enjoyable and thus we would work even harder.  While his focus was on our team winning championships, his motivational words have stuck with me long after my playing days are over.
 
So many of us get buried under our career, lost in a haze of having to do work. We put in long hours and push ourselves into realms of poor health, family issues, and bitterness.  We have no passion for what we do, no passion for success, no passion for life.  For many it is a miserable experience that continues to swirl negatively until we are trapped in a vortex of struggle. 
 
But what if we were to follow the advice of my old high school football coach?  What if we were working in a field, business, or cause that we were truly passionate about?  Would we no longer see our lives as having to do work? Would we awake excited for a new day following our passions and dreams?  Would we find the long hours of hard work worth it because we knew we were making a difference?  Would we be reenergized and willing to push harder?  Would we be healthier?  Would we be successful?  Would we have better relationships with our friends and families?  Ultimately, would we find happiness in our life?
 
If I asked the teenage football player inside of me these questions, the answer would be: “No duh, why would you do something you aren’t passionate about?  Of course we are going to follow our passion. Who the hell would pick the other way?”  What I want to tell that teenage football player inside of me is that you don’t understand how life really works in the real world!”  But I hold myself back from scolding the passionate youth inside of me.  He is right.  Coach is right.  I mean when I look back on that coach, he was the most energetic, fun-loving, enjoyable guy to be around.  His energy and joy were infectious, causing us all to love what we were doing, pushing us to work harder in his weight room and on the football field!
 
Taking coach as a cue, I have to ask myself, “What would I do differently from this moment on to engage again with my passions?”  How can I unbury myself from a career of burden and stress and find myself on the path towards success.  How can I stop worrying about everyone else around me and start following my dreams again?  The truth is that if we are buried in a career with no passion, then our dreams will fizzle away and we will never truly find success in our careers. 
 
So here is to letting my teenage football self and the great coach who shared his wisdom so many years ago take hold of my journey!  Time to find the passion again and to build towards ultimate success!  I know where my path is headed, so now the question is, do you know where you are going?  Do you know your passion?  Are you ready for the happiness?  Are you ready for the overwhelming success? ​

LeBron & Blatt: It's the Leader's Fault

1/25/2016

 
by Dr. John J. Franey, CEO/Founder of Developing Difference Makers
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Everybody knows who LeBron James is:  NBA superstar, King James, NBA champion, league MVP, basketball legend. Now how about David Blatt?  No, you don’t know him, that’s okay because outside of real NBA fans, the name will probably ring empty on most of the public’s ears.  David Blatt is the recently fired head coach of LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Blatt is no slouch as a basketball coach, as he has earned worldwide recognition for a stellar coaching career throughout Europe and in the Olympics.  With David Blatt as the coach of the Cavs and LeBron over the last 1 ½  seasons, the Cavs won 83 games with only 40 losses.  Blatt, LeBron, and the Cavs won the NBA Eastern Conference title last year before losing in the NBA finals to the Golden State Warriors.  At the time of this firing this season, Blatt’s Cavs were 30 – 11 and in 1st place in the conference.  But the Cavs, Blatt, and LeBron could not beat their nemesis, the Warriors, in a couple of games this season.  Despite the great record, Blatt was scapegoated as the problem and fired in the middle of the season.  For the Cavs, and so many organizations in the world, it was the leader’s fault that things weren’t going as well as they wanted.

Leaders are the easy target when struggles occur within an organization and often pay the consequences.  As the face of the organization and in charge of the direction of the organization, leaders are the tip of the spear.  They become the focal point for adversaries and critics.  They become the reason why struggles are happening.  Suddenly everyone forgets about all of the leader’s successes.  They turn a blind eye to the resume behind the leader that got them to where they are.  In the case of Blatt, the Cavs upper management focused all of the blame for not beating the Warriors on Blatt’s shoulders.  It wasn’t management’s fault for not bringing in the right mix of players to match up with the Warriors.  It wasn’t the players’ faults for playing subpar basketball in those games.  And it definitely wasn’t LeBron’s fault, well because you know it can’t be the star’s fault.  So the leader of the team, the head coach, gets chopped.  Easier to replace him and blame him then actually admit there are bigger problems in the organization.

Organizations throughout the world fall into this same trap.  From businesses to schools, and everything in between, they seek a focal point where blame can be placed.  It is a reality of the role of a leader.  They will get a lot of credit when things are going well, but they better be ready for the criticism when issues arise.  Is it fair?  Did Blatt deserve to be fired in this case?  Probably not, for a leader can’t possibly control, know absolutely every component of what is happening in the organization, or watch over every employee to ensure they are productive.  Nevertheless, everyone expects the leader to know and be everything. 

It is the reality of leadership, a reality that many inexperienced leaders are not ready for.  They are not prepared for the criticism.  They are not prepared to be the focal point of the critics.  However, it is a reality that all leaders must come to grips with in order to be effective leaders. Leaders have to be ready for the blame.  Leaders have to be constantly moving forward.  Leaders have to be able to do their work without constantly looking over their shoulder for the next wave of blame.  Easier said than done, but it is absolutely necessary for the possibility of effective leadership. ​​
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