Functional Path Training

It's the System

Despite what the current fad is in terms of exercises and training methodologies it’s the system. The system determines how the exercises and methodologies are applied. It is the system that lends order, which produces measureable results in a systematic manner at the appointed time. If you don’t believe me look around. Systems beat fads and exercises. What is your system?

Timing

The other evening I was watching a piece on public television about comedy. There was a section on Bob Newhart where the commentator talked about Newhart’s strength being timing, a raised eyebrow, a shrug of the shoulders, a frown, a well-timed word or one liner. His sense of timing is what made him funny. I started thinking that as coaches we need to develop our sense and awareness of timing, not to be funny but to be better coaches. There is no doubt that learning what not say and what not to do may be as important as preaching a sermon to our athletes. Sometimes a well-timed look, a pause between words, or a shrug of the shoulders can convey all that needs to be conveyed. We can be better coaches if we are better communicators, if we improve our emotional intelligence so work on your timing, be more like Bob Newhart.

Change

In life change is a constant, you not the same person this instant that you were an instant ago. You can resist change or embrace it and manage it. I am continually amazed at how people resist change. Coaches are change engineers, our mission is to change behavior and help guide, prod, cajole, and lead the athlete toward their goals. I have found that changing physically by changing workouts, putting in a new training system, and adding new exercises is the easy part, the hard part is changing mindsets and in a team environment changing culture.

Changing culture is changing attitudes and habits that are sometimes ingrained and deeply entrenched. In this situation you often here things like “we already do that” or in meetings phrases like, “let me be the devils advocate” when new ideas are discussed. In my experience there is no simple solution for changing culture. From a leadership or management perspective it requires many uncomfortable decisions. Changing culture requires everyone to share common goals, to sacrifice together to use the past to gain perspective to move forward. Certainly disagreement and debate is acceptable if the spirit is to problem solve and achieve a consensus with everyone on the same page moving forward together to achieve a common goal. Turning losers into winners does not happen overnight. I have found that losers, both individuals and teams are comfortable being where they. They have all the excuses and revel in being downtrodden. Change requires dedication, commitment and focus on the goal ahead all the while realizing that it will take time. Many are called but few choose the path toward excellence. It is simply about choices. Make the choice to change or make the choice to stay the same.

Level Of Expectation

I have long believed that you level of expectation determines your level of achievement. Set the bar high and do everything possible to prepare yourself to clear that bar. Prepare to clear it not once, but continually because once you break through you can do it again. Raise the bar and raise the level of expectation. As a coach, don’t coach to the least common denominator; bring everyone up to the standard of your most proficient athletes. Demand that of them and yourself. It so easy to give in and regress towards the mean where everybody average and everybody is comfortable. I don’t know about you but I cannot recall being around anyone who was successful in any walk of life but especially sport who was comfortable. If they got comfortable they stopped getting better, if they stopped getting better the opposition passed them by. Do something today that gets you and your athletes changing, growing, knowing learning, questioning. Find a way to keep clearing the bar and raising it. Live in a culture of high expectation and achieve, get in the peak performance zone and revel in the challenges that exist there. Don't wait, do it now. Strike while the iron is hot, get out there and start making yourself all those around you better. Raise the level of expectation.

Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network (GAIN) Announcement

Be a leader and an innovator! Apply now and join a select group of professionals at the GAIN Apprentorship. Our goal is to define the field of Athletic Development by educating professionals in foundational principles and methodology as applied to coaching, physical education and rehabilitation. This program is not for the faint of heart or dilettantes, it is intense, intellectually challenging and demanding.

GAIN Apprentorship = Apprenticeship + Mentorship

The Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network (GAIN) is a network of professionals who are interested in learning and sharing to improve their abilities and enhance their professional development.

GAIN V will take place June 12 to 17 at Rice University in Houston, Texas. The program is open to sport coaches, conditioning coaches, physical education teachers, athletic trainers, physical therapists, chiropractors and doctors. Complete the application form below and submit your application now, enrollment is limited. Professional tuition is $3,800 and scholastic tuition is $1900 (High school, junior high school, elementary school teachers and coaches are eligible for the scholastic tuition). Tuition includes breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, and room. CEU's from NATA & NSCA. Please call me at 941-378-1778 or email mail me at gstscoach@gmail.com for information or if you have any questions.

We combine theory and practice in a five-day residential coaching school format. This is an opportunity to observe, participate, question, and explore the application of the Gambetta Method - Systematic Sport Development Model of training, teaching and injury rehabilitation.

The day begins at 6:30 AM with an “Active Learning” learn by doing session followed by breakfast. The morning consists of two hours of classroom sessions followed by an hour of learn by doing, then a break for lunch. The afternoon begins with two hours of classroom sessions, followed by a third learn by doing session. After a break for dinner the day is concluded with small group discussions and interaction with the faculty. The schedule is designed to optimize the experience for the all the participants through high-level instruction and hands on learning.

The coaching school represents just a beginning. The graduates of the program can continue to participate via the secure web site, and continue to attend the GAIN coaching school for the duration of their careers if they so choose.

Our faculty is experienced professionals who combine their knowledge, experiences and passion for teaching to help guide you. They are leaders in their respective fields who are in the trenches working in the field of athletic development.

Vern Gambetta – Athletic Development

Jim Radcliffe (University of Oregon) – Strength & Power Development

Dave Ellis (President of Collegiate & Professional Sports Dietitians Association) – Nutrition – Fueling & Supplementation

Kelvin Giles (Movement Dynamics)– LTAD & Physical Competency Assessment

Frans Bosch (Professor of biomechanics and motor learning at Fontys University for Applied Science in The Netherlands) – Biomechanics of Sprinting & Current Concepts in Skill Acquisition

Dean Benton (Performance Director Brumbies Rugby) – Athletic Development and Recovery/Regeneration

Jack Blatherwick PhD (Consultant Washington Capitols) – Testing & Evaluation

Joe Przytula ATC (Elizabeth High School, New Jersey) – Functional Biomechanics & Rehab/Return to Play

Bill Knowles ATC (iSport International, Killington Vermont)– Rehab and Return to Play/Reconditioning

Tracy Fober PT (Iron Maven Physical Health & Performance) – Athletic Development

Ed Thomas Ed.D (Iowa Department of Education)– Physical Education

Ed Ryan ATC (Ferris Industries) – Return to Play

For those who have attended it has been a career changing experience. Take a giant step forward and apply now for GAIN V.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2012 GAIN Apprentorship Application

Enrollment is limited, with priority given to those working with athletes on a daily basis as a coach, athletic trainer (ATC), physical therapist (PT), doctor or chiropractor. This is a highly selective process because the quality of this experience is dependent on the participants; therefore we want to select the best-qualified, highly motivated individuals to help insure a great experience for all involved.

What do you do in the Athletic Development field? (Please be as specific as possible)

 

What is your personal mission statement?

What do want to learn from the GAIN program?

What or how will your attendance contribute to the GAIN Network?

Please attach a professional resume’

 

Please send the application to:

Gambetta Sports Training Systems

GAIN Apprentorship

PO Box 50143

Sarasota, Florida 34232

or

Email to: gstscoach@gmail.com

Discipline

Sport is not isolated from society; it is a microcosm of the society in which we live. So it is naïve to think that the discipline problems that exist in society will not exist on our teams. We can bemoan the lack of discipline or we can do something about it.

For the young athlete to learn discipline demands guidance. We as coaches must provide that guidance. We must set the standards by fair rules that carefully lay out the behavioral expectations involved in being part of the team. These must be written. They must be clear so that there is no room for debate. Essentially as the coach you are providing a structure to begin to improve their abilities and their enjoyment of the sport.

I think many of today’s athletes crave the structure we can give them, even though it may not be part of their everyday life outside of sport. But they have to understand that it’s a two-way street – that they can’t just follow the rules they like, but sometimes they must obey all the rules even the one’s they don’t like. That’s the price they have to pay for the structure the coach provides.

Discipline is a responsibility of coaching. If we do not enforce discipline then we are shirking our duty as coaches. We must understand that we are not coaching a sport; we are coaching young men and women who are competing in a sport. We owe it to them to provide the most positive experience that we can. Through firm and fair discipline we can create a favorable learning environment that will allow them to reach their potential.

How can this be done? Start by getting everyone on our side. You and your coaching staff should decide on the behavioral expectations of your athletes and then set the rules that will define those behaviors. Review them with your administrators. Get them to buy in and support you before any challenges are made. if you feel comfortable doing so, you might want to involve the senior athletes and the parents in the process. If they’re part of the process, it’s easier for them to buy in.

Once the rules are set, schedule a mandatory parents’ meeting to go over the rules and responsibilities for their youngsters to be on the team. This meeting should also educate the parents to practice procedures, nutrition guidelines, and criteria for team selection. Take this opportunity to educate the parents about the sport and your philosophies. Be sure to make it clear that there is no room for debate and that the rules are non-negotiable and apply to everyone on the team.

Both the parent and the child must sign a statement that they will observe the rules. If they do not they will not be allowed to participate. Emphasize that to be an athlete is special. It is a privilege to participate, not a right. There should also be a pledge from the coaches as to the behavioral standards the athletes and parents can expect from the coach. The ultimate goal is to create an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Remember as coaches we have a responsibility to teach our athletes. Very few will compete past the high school level, but they all can have the great growing-up experiences of testing their limits and being part of a team.

 Discipline will help insure a positive experience. It is not outdated, and it never will be.

                                               

Lessons I have learned Earning An Advanced Degree From School of Hard Knocks

The following are some lessons that have learned in my years of coaching. I was going through some files yesterday and I found this list that I wrote in 2005 after two particularly negative professional experiences in the previous year. I thought it would be worth sharing. Some these were hard lessons to learn and some were quite apparent from the day I started coaching.

Structure and order are essential in order to have any degree of consistent success.

Money and facilities are not the answer, good qualified coaches are more important.

Without a well-defined plan of training and competition there is chaos and inconsistent performance results.

More is not better. This is true if it is training, therapy gaining weight or losing weight.

One size does not fit all. It is important to consider what each athlete brings to the event in all respects.

It is more than physical talent; the athlete must have athletic intelligence and real mental toughness.

You must coach females differently both from a physical and a psycho/ social perspective

Anorexia is not an eating disorder. Eating or not eating is only a manifestation of much deeper psychological problems.

There is no quick fix, nor is there any thing like instant results.

Treating the symptoms rather than the causes does not work both in training and therapy.

If you spend as long in therapy as in training each day then something is seriously wrong with the training.

Progression is essential. Without a clear progression it is usually a process of one step forward and two steps back.

It is impossible to coach by email, phone, letter or fax. Coaching is a daily personal, labor-intensive process.

Objectively judging and assessing talent is essential for success.

Just because a person was a great athlete does not mean they can coach. Most of the time the great athlete only knows how they did it and what they did, which often will not work for anyone else.

Attempting to reproduce past results is an exercise in futility. The past is gone; it is only a reference point to guide future performance.

Never let your limitations as a coach limit your athletes. If you do not know something admit it, don’t try to bluff your way through it. The athlete will figure you out sooner or later that you do not know what you are doing.

There is no immediate cause/effect relationship between workouts and performance. In fact the relationship may be negative if the athlete is operating at the redline constantly during workouts,

Coaching is more than a workout or a drill. The context of the workout is often more important than the workout itself.

There is no place for performance enhancing drugs in sport, amateur or professional. Coaches have to speak out against it. Any coach who is aware that his athletes take a banned substance should be banned from coaching. There is no fine line in regard to drug use. You are either against it or you condone it.

2011 Books

These are my favorites of the 107 books that read in 2011. The first three are my top picks.

Great By Choice:  Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite them All By Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen

Challenging Beliefs: Memoirs of a Career By Tim Noakes

That Used To Be Us _ How America Fell Behind In The World It Invented and How We Can Come Back By Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum

Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights by Alex Hutchinson

Sway – The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori and Rom Braufman

The Mechanics of Sprinting and Hurdling by Ralph Mann

The Extra 2% - How Wall Street Strategies Took A Major League Baseball Team From Worst To First by Jonah Keri

The Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History  By S.C. Gwynne

I’M Here to Win: A World Champion’s Advice For Peak Performance by Chris McCormack

I Was A Horse in Bryansk by George V. Gemer

The Wave – In Pursuit of The Rouges, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey

Authentic Happiness By Martin E.P. Seligman

Heroes, Villains and Velodromes – Chris Hoy and The British Cycling Revolution By Richard Moore

Winning Matters by Frank Dick

Bossypants By Tina Fey

Los Angeles Stories by Ry Cooder (Fiction)

The Drop by Michael Connelly (Fiction)

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly (Fiction)

Cutting For Stone By Abraham Verghese (Fiction)

I Don't Know

What is wrong with admitting you don't know something? I am put off by people who have all the answers. I have all the questions. I am always looking for answers. I have found through my experience that sometimes the best answer is no answer or a simple I don't know but I will try to find out. Certainly we all want answers, but above all I want honesty. I have the most respect for those who admit they don't know, who don't try to baffle with bull pucky. Be real and genuine, keep searching for answers and realize as Gertrude Stein said: "The answer is there is no answer."

"IT"

When an athlete has “IT” you can see “IT,” you can feel “IT,” you can sense “IT.” I am not sure what “IT” is but I know you better have “IT” if you want to be successful. It is fashionable to talk tangibles, what is measurable in talent identification and selection and then to talk about the intangibles. “IT” is somewhere in between. "IT" is not just physical ability, "IT" is not just mental toughness, “IT” is that quality that distinguishes and separates one from the pack. “IT” can be grit, but “IT” is more. Keeping looking for ”IT” and you will find “IT.” “IT” is the difference maker. In the competitive cauldron the athlete with “IT” finds a way to get it done.