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Elegance is innate. It has nothing to do with being well dressed. Elegance is refusal. - Diana Vreeland

Game time is usually on a weekend, and my weekend uniform, especially in the fall and winter, is usually a sweatshirt and jeans.  I like sweatshirts because they are comfortable and I like to be comfortable on my days off.  However, when I'm coaching, I make an effort to make sure whatever I'm wearing is clean and presentable. 

Much like when I go to work, when I'm coaching I think it's important to show at least a little respect for the game, my team and the opponents by not looking like I just rolled out of bed.  That's just me, a personal preference.  But then I'm not the head football coach at Notre Dame…

The gifts that one receives for giving are so immeasurable that it is almost an injustice to accept them. - Rod McKuen

So, what do you get the kid who has everything?  Well, if you are Dan Hinkle from Fairfax County, Va then you get your 12 year old son his own football league.

Wow, what a gift to give your kid — and all the other ones that get to play in the league.  They get to play great competition from across Northern Virginia.  Except that this league wasn't built for the kids of Fairfax County, it's sole purpose is getting Scott Hinkle time and experience playing defense.

"Scott does not sit out on defense — ever," the commissioner, Dan Hinkle, had warned the head coach, James Owens, in an e-mail sent before the season began about how he should play Hinkle's son, 12. On defense, the father said, "he goes in and stays in. That includes all practices, scrimmages and games. This entire league exists so he can play defense on the best team in his weight class. . . . He is my son, I own the league, and he plays every snap on defense."

Oh, he can play offense too, but that doesn't mean he comes out on defense.  I guess that means there aren't any playing time rules in this league.  Although when you own the league you can make the rules fit your needs.

But why is this news.  We've seen plenty of bad parent behavior.  Compared to parents berating kids on the sidelines, telling the coaches your son must play every snap on defense seems almost quaint.

This is news because they won and it still wasn't good enough.  The coaches moved Hinkle to guard on the offensive line because it gave the team the best chance of winning.  I'm sure we've all had to have a talk with a parent about putting a kid in a position because it's the best for the team.  Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't.  But I've never had to tell the league owner.

Owens (the head coach) said that the day after the game, Hinkle called him and asked him whether Scott had played defense in the game. "I said, 'Your son played offense. He played well and we won the game and we're going to the playoffs.' He said, 'You're fired.' "

Well, that's the way to keep things in perspective.  It's apparent to me that Hinkle hasn't kept things in perspective, maybe he should talk to one of his son's teammates:

"I really didn't want to play for anyone else," said Michael Holland, 13, a seventh-grader who is the middle linebacker on the team. Owens is "a good coach. He's nice. He listens."

The good news for the kids is that they did get to play one more game.  League officials (No, not Dan Hinkle) organized a game for the kids to make up for the playoff game they wouldn't play when the coaches were fired.  The kids got to play another game and, likely, Hinkle will get the lesson he deserves.

Several parents of Raptors players, however, said they don't want their sons to play for South County under the current arrangement of one-person league stewardship. Tyrone Simpson Sr. said he planned to pull his son, Tyrone Jr., 12, from the team because things had gotten so ugly. Simpson said Hinkle had too much power and had abused his position, an opinion voiced by several other parents.

It's just a shame that the kids are caught in the middle.  Although some parents seem to understand what it's about.

"The boys want to play ball," said Cindy Rist, whose son, Sarosh Gilani, 12, is a Raptor. "All of these parents and commissioners need to remember what it's all about. It's about the kids getting to play."

Coach Bigs is still enjoying Thanksgiving.  See you Monday…

A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be. - Wayne Gretzky

In my mind, hockey is the greatest game.  It's fast, tough and exciting.  I grew up playing the game, starting when I was five years old.  Which means I don't remember learning how to skate,  It was just something I always did, it was as natural as walking.

After college I decided to get involved in youth hockey and volunteered to coach a house league team.  That's when I realized that I knew how to skate and I knew how to play the game, but I didn't have a clue how to teach the game.

I think I did what most new coaches did then, throw the pucks out on the ice, put a couple of pylons on the faceoff dots and yell at the kids to listen…  Yeah, it was pretty much a train wreck.

The internet makes things easier today.  Enter "Hockey Drills" on Google and get over 38,000 results.  I haven't been through all of them, but there is one I wish I had all those years ago.  HockeyCoach.com has sections for coaching, practice plans, drills and a Discussion Board.  I wish there were more drills for beginners on the site, they are the group that needs the drills the most.  But I sure could have used this section on skating drills when I was coaching…

Whether the kids are Mites or Juniors, there are plenty of drills here to plan your practice or at least add a couple of new drills to keep your practices fresh.

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers. - James Thurber

We coach for a lot of reasons, but I'm guessing immortality isn't one of them.  But in a way you do achieve immortality in a way.  I know I can remember nearly every coach I ever had.  From my first hockey coach at 5 years old to the raspy voiced basketball coach who always smelled like cigarettes, through the burly Bolivian soccer coach, not to mention the one armed baseball coach or the southern accented hockey coach.  They were all rec league coaches who volunteered their time to teach me and a bunch of other boys the finer points of a game.  I remember them not for anything they said or any move they taught me — the next "move" I make on the basketball court will be my first — but I remember them because they were there.

I'm thinking about these men tonight because I've been reading the many tributes to Bo Schembechler.  Bo was the head football coach at the University of Michigan from 1969-1989.  His teams were always highly ranked, winning 10 Big Ten Conference championships.  He is considered a legend in Michigan and as a truly great coach in the rest of the country.

What struck me about the response was the fact Bo hadn't coached in 16 years.  To put that in perspective, the seniors playing in Saturday's Ohio State vs. Michigan game were in Kindergarten when Bo coached his last game.  An entire generation has grown up seeing someone other than Bo Schembechler on the Michigan sidelines on Saturday afternoon.  Yet he was as revered as his last day as coach (maybe more).

One comment in the Detroit Free Press article from the son of a former player illustrates the impact a coach can have long after the games end.

My dad played for Bo 40 years ago, at Miami of Ohio. We've followed Michigan ever since he moved there and became fans almost solely because of him. My dad stayed in touch with Bo after his playing days, and we traveled to Michigan bowl games all over the country. I got to meet Bo two or three times in the locker room before or after games, one moment I'll remember all my life is when he looked me in the eyes and said, "If you grow up to be half the man your daddy is, you'll be something else". I think my dad's head almost split open with pride. It was amazing what a communicator he was, the power of commitment and confidence.

I called my dad (a successful professional) today when I found out the news, and he was pretty down. Played for him 40 years ago, and look at the impact he still has on my dad's life. It was like losing a surrogate father. Now that's something I long to get out of my own life.

God bless you, Bo. And God's peace to your family.

Indeed. 

Positive Coaching is not "Happy Talk" - Jim Thompson (Founder Positive Coaching Alliance)

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I spent some time with the people from the Positive Coaching Alliance.  I can tell you now that I've agreed to become as Associate Trainer with PCA.  I'm excited about this opportunity because their philosophy coincides with mine.  PCA understands that youth sports are more than just a way to figure out which group of 10 year olds are better on a given day.  Youth sports get kids exercising; youth sports get kids working together; youth sports deliver life lessons.

The PCA training session I'll deliver is called "The Double Coach".  This refers to a coach's twin goals of winning and teaching positive life lessons.  I've written before about what I consider a coach's priorities:

1. Player development
2. Creating a learning atmosphere
3. Winning

As I said then, winning isn't bad.  When we play sports and keep score everybody knows who wins and loses by looking at the scoreboard.  But in the Double Goal coaching philosophy winning on the scoreboard is nice, but also beside the point.  Rather than concentrate on winning at all costs, a coach should move his players toward mastery of the game.

If a team wins, that's the best they can do, if they lose, it's the worst.  It's Either/Or — On/Off.  But if you coach with a mastery philosophy there is always something a kid did well and something for kids to work toward.

If a kid misses a shot, that's all he can think about.  But in order to get into position to take the shot he had to do something right.  Mastery is recognizing what went right and getting past what went wrong.  That doesn't mean forgetting about errors, it means understanding the moment an error occurs isn't the best time to correct the error — that's why we have practice…

I'm looking forward to giving these PCA training programs.  As you can see from this one example the PCA philosophy is very similar to mine.  If you've enjoyed what I've written here check out the PCA website or contact me about becoming a Certified Double Goal Coach.

Basketball is basketball. - Oscar Robertson

Remember the 5 Question Interviews I ran with the Men's and Women's Basketball coaches?  I asked both of them to tell me the most important thing to teach the kids.  Both coaches said "Fundamentals".  In basketball there is nothing more fundamental than ball handling.

I found an eleven part online Youth ball handling clinic at kudda.com.  I think it's great to have an in depth course available free of charge, but I felt the videos were a bit lacking in actual instruction.  You should watch the videos and get ideas for drills, but if you aren't up to speed on the fundamentals yourself, you'll need some help to make sure the kids are dribbling correctly. 

Maybe that's me reliving my general incompetence on the hardwoods, but by the end of level one the kids were doing things I couldn't do.  Be careful not to rush the kids through the levels too quickly.  Watch the videos and determine where your kids fall on the ability scale, then use those drills in your practices.

• Level 1 - dribble while looking at the ball
• Level 2 - dribble with head up
• Level 3 - moving with the ball
• Level 4 - moving at full speed 

One tip I took from Level 2 on how to get the kids to keep their head up — have the kids call out the number of fingers you are holding up.  Simple, yet effective.  I love that kind of teaching method — and you can use that in any sport.

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden

I received an email on Friday from longtime reader Greg Connors.  You may remember Greg as the Buffalo News writer who profiled this site in the early days.  Turns out he is a youth basketball coach.

Greg was looking for some basketball sites so he could get ready for his season.  I hadn't done a lot of searching for basketball - other than John Wooden anecdotes - but I did have d one site ready to send Greg.  I think it may have enough drills to keep him busy…  The site boasts 837 drills in 14 categories.  As you might expect, there are a few duplicates — if not out right, at least closely related.  But there are still some you'll want to make a part of your practice.

One that I found is called "Simon Says".  It's just like the kids game we all played, but with basketballs.

All of the players on your team get into a circle. One player will start out in the middle, 'Simon'. This player may do any ball handling skill that he/she desires. After a short period of time the middle player will call out a new skill and will preface the command with 'Simon Says…' if they do not say 'Simon Says' then players are to continue what they are doing. A player is out if they follow command without hearing 'Simon Says'

You get the kids doing different things, get them to listen, and have a little fun in the process.

The site has a "Youth Drills" category.  These drills are designed for kids learning the game.  The section is divided between drills and games, so you should be able to find what you need to round out your basketball practice.

I've found some other sites, but let me hear from you.  What's your favorite source for basketball drills?  Let me know by email or in the comments.

Aim high and celebrate that! - Bill Rodgers

Fierce and friendly or just plain fierce?

Dinner at 8: Is that any way to hate your rival? (Rick Morrissey)

Whatever happened to the opponent being the enemy in sports?

You know—the evil, dimwitted, bad-breathed person who, you're convinced, abuses puppies in his spare time?

Yeah, the Bears couldn't get out of their own way Sunday because Brian Urlacher knew the Jason Taylor didn't have halitosis.

Pregame Hitler speech stirs fury

When Charlotte Catholic's boys' soccer team got to Forestview High School in Gastonia on Saturday night for an N.C. 3A playoff game, the Cougars heard something over the public address system they never would've expected:

A 90-second portion of a speech from Adolf Hitler.

This seems like an appropriate time to invoke Godwins Law , except Forestview won…

Fla. Coach Accused Of Forcing Player To Strip, Suck Thumb

According to a police report, some older kids duct taped the boy's legs and sat on top of him, WJXT-TV reported. Police said the coach, 23-year-old William David Simpkins, allowed the incident to take place and did nothing to stop it.

The police report states that Simpkins took the incident one step further, forcing the boy to take his clothes off and run laps in his underwear while sucking his thumb.

So the kids duct tape the kid and the coach sees this happening and his reaction is: you're not going far enough???  That's the way to motivate the kids coach…  They'll want to run through walls for you, except their feet and hands are already bound by duct tape.

Bad coaches, bad teammates, bad fans…  I was getting mad as I read each of these stories because I know that isn't what sports is about and that isn't how most coaches, players and fans think and act.  That's why it was such a joy to read a story in Tuesday's Chicago Tribune .

Alison Wimmer was prepared to meet resistance when she asked if her autistic daughter, Sarah, could run on the cross country team at Downers Grove South High School.

After all, girls like Sarah Wimmer typically join Special Olympics programs, not highly competitive high school sports.

Her mother, however, was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the coaches welcome her, but her teammates also agreed to give up some of their own opportunities so she could be part of the team.

It's a wonderful story about how sport was able to help an autistic girl find her way through high school and how her teammates learned some life lessons.  Kinda like what we always say sports should be about…

But this story isn't just a feel good story. No, Sarah can compete.

"It's not just that Sarah runs. She runs near 24 minutes for a 3-mile race. She beats people."

That isn't fast enough to win races, but it's faster than she ran when she started and it's faster than she would run if she wasn't given the chance to compete.  And after everything is removed, isn't that is what sports are about, the chance to compete.  Let me do my best, you do your best and let's see what happens. 

Sarah, her parents and coaches all knew should wouldn't win any races.  In fact the same could be said about any number of runners on that (or any other) cross country team.  But those kids aren't toeing the line looking for a scholarship.  But yet they run.  They run until their lungs burn and their legs ache because they want something else; and whatever else it is - the friendships, the personal challenge - they get it through sports.  That's how sports are trancendant, that's why they are a gift.

Push yourself again and again. Don't give an inch until the final buzzer sounds. - Larry Bird

I mentioned last time that I spent the weekend with the people from the Positive Coaching Alliance.  One of their principles is Honoring the Game.  By that they mean respect for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Yourself.  This principle really gives focus on what youth sports should be about; teaching life lessons.

One of the phrases they use to illustrate the principle is "Fierce and Friendly".  That may sound like an oxymoron, but think about Magic and Bird or Watson and Nicklaus.  When one made a shot, the other wanted to top it.

The Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals three times in four years.  Celtics had what the Lakers wanted and vice-verse.  But rather than build a hatred for each other, they had an enormous amount of respect for each other.  Not to say that those games were tea parties.  Each team scratched and clawed (sometimes literally if I recall correctly) for every point.  But at the end the winners knew they earned something special and the loser knew they pushed the winners to the limits.

That sort of respect for opponents is a gift we don't give our kids often enough.  Think about the competitive games your team plays — compare that to the blowouts, both for and against.  Win or lose, your team probably plays better because they have to.   Respect what your opponent brings to the game and what they bring out of your team.  A great opponent is a gift that keeps on giving.