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Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal
Thursday, April 20, 2006
THE GRUMPY GRANDPA
I think I was accused today of being somewhat of a practice 'Killjoy' by one of the players.
Upon reflection perhaps I have been pretty serious about game preparation matters lately,
especially after we lost to BYU in what I would have to characterize as a lackluster overall
performance. Well, I don't want us to lack luster. Win, lose or draw I want
our character to shine as if buffed by having played the game. I despise a dull finish
in more ways than one.
I also maintain that there are many worse things in lacrosse than losing. Sucking,
for example, is far worse than losing in my opinion. When a team of mine wins a game only
because it has more talent and not also due to the trickle down effect of having been a
more complete team playing a more complete game, well then my post game demeanor will not
ever be discerned as a winner's one, and my past has well documented that reality.
Winning is not enough. It never has been.
PLAYING THROUGH THE PAIN
I was saying to myself (out loud) early in the scrimmage part of today's personal apocalyptic
progression something like, "If we play like this on Saturday, then BLAH, BLAH, BLAH",
and these were not good and healthy Blahs I had on my mind. Then from the 'blue' came
the before mentioned comment which was something like a, "How dare we have fun"
mocking thing, and that put me quickly on my heels, especially when I considered the source.
'He' is someone who doesn't irritate easily. I have always found it important for
me to 'listen' to people like that.
Anyway, I was already well into my stress and worry syndrome of the day about which bad
part of an A scenario + a B part of our game will then add up to some sort of an ugly
C on Saturday and then all in one blink I just stopped. I took a metaphorical deep
breath and I decided to endure, to just let them play, to let them 'groove' and have some
fun playing. I had been so busy making them aware of every situation and what we do
when they happen that maybe I forgot to let them play and have fun once in a while, eh?
Oh well, MY BAD!
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Playing a certain way is in fact what really counts to me. That means living with a commitment
on the field of play that comes from inside the heart. That sounds corny, but
I totally believe in the heart as maybe THE major muscle, the one that is capable of more
and knows the most.
We must attack our opponent smartly, and with no fear and or hesitation about doing the
right thing inside an important game and during a critical moment in time. An instant will
only come along once in a lifetime. No matter how many times a certain kind
of thing may occur, each moment can only happen once. When a team fully lives and
its individuals successfully demonstrate that urgency-to-be-excellent kind of existence,
it can be a beautiful and powerful dynamic.
If you sprinkle on or inspire a little or a lot of extra faith around your team on top
of all that 'no fear' feeling and other stuff, it can and will bolster the overall team
energy and confidence, As the logical result you will always finish the day having played
a game that you can be proud of. If the other guys are better than that (US), then
so be it. If you do in fact live your game life more or less as outlined above, however,
then my theory is that they (opponent) rarely will be (better on the scoreboard), and that
the scoreboard outcome will always indeed reflect the truth of the game itself and the 60-minute
life it lived.
My research on this subject continues, at least for a little while longer. I do know
for certainty that for starters you have to be extremely hungry, and in the long run you
have to always want things more than the other guy does.
HEY, OLD MAN, SHUT UP AND WATCH!
We ended up having one of our longest scrimmages of the entire year today, and I probably
did less meddling than I have in ages. The more I 'let them play' and have fun, the
more this other funny thing happened. Actually it's not funny at all. They started
to play better as a team. Before too much time went by I was beginning to actually
like what I was now witnessing. At the end they were playing a game that had started
to speak volumes, as it showed some character, and some necessary change in style.
In the end it had some of my beloved aesthetics as well.
I did not separate offense from defense today. I did not break everything down.
I simply enjoyed the well doing of any aspect of the game by any part of the team.
I AM NO SIGMUND FREUD, JUNG OR OLD, AND THAT'S FOR SURE
All of a sudden I was no longer the unhappy taskmaster out there analyzing the importance
of everything, but rather just a plain and simple happy camp counselor watching the children
play. It felt okay. I don't think it will kill me.
Actually, I think my total focus for Friday's "Fun" practice might actually be
fun for once. What a novel concept. I'll let me know how it all works out later.
LEMONADE
The old saying is that if the good lord gives you lemons, make lemonade. My hope
is that I am making a sweet kind of juice from this group of fruit samples that I have in
my current basket. I guess there is but the one way to find out………
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