Lessons From An Eagle

 Last week our team was fortunate to have Lane Widick spend a few minutes with our team in a devotional before our game.  I wanted to share my notes from his message to our team.

"Adversity"--we can learn a lot from it.

Lane said he's always been fascinated with nature and how God puts certain instincts in certain animals.
For example, the eagle.  In Israel, there is a mountain range at 10,000 feet elevation where eagles nest.
Eagles do not build small nest (3"-4" branches).  There was once a 2 ton eagles nest found in Florida.

They then line the nest with soft leaves and the mother plucks her down from her own body to make sure it's soft.

The mother never helps the bird through the egg process.

After 6-7 months she teaches the young eagle how to survive.  Flaps her wings around the nest....Tears up the nest, so that it's not as comfortable.  Baby then learns to balance itself, etc.

God does similar things to us.  We often get too comfortable with people and things.  Moves us towards something at some point.

"Have to leave the comfort of the shallow for the depths..."

How does God stir our nest?
1.  Someone who's a tormentor in our life.
2.  Burden on us, that we don't know how to handle.
3.  Emotions to be overwhelmed.
4.  Hope of renewal.

God puts a relentlessness in us.
A spiritual hunger takes over our physical desires.  God puts this in us to find.
Stirred up and it's not about us.
Complacency yields to compassion.
Have to be broken before you can be fixed.

There is a day when the mother eagle pushes the baby out o the nest at 10,000 feet..As the baby free falls flapping and right before it hits the ground the father eagle (who has been circling and watching) swoops below to catch it.

God always catches us.

The lesson of flight comes without warning.

There is value in adversity.

Take away the struggle and you take away the strength.  Without the struggle there is no strength.

Great men of the Bible had struggles--Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon

Struggles can be helpful.

Renewal through adversity...

Psalm 103

How an eagle faces true adversity--
Storms in his life.  Many animals have a "6th sense" when they sense storms approaching and they try to run from the storm...However, an eagle has the best "vision" and sees the storm coming, waits until the storm comes and simply flies high above the storm, while other animals try to run and hide..

So we have two choices---Run away or Rise above

2 Cor 4:17-18--fix our eyes on the unseen
2 Tim 4--fight the good fight

How will you help your teammates going through struggles on the court, in academics, relationships, etc.
Rise above? or Run Away?

Eagles are solitary creatures, God created us to be with others.

Think of how Christ rose above adversity....

Arete--Skill & Competence & 10 Keys To Excellence

If you have ever been around Coach Meyer or a Lipscomb basketball camp, you have seen and heard the word "Arete".

As we continually work to define our culture (What's Us/ What's Not Us) we used the following today as our Team Devotional.

The devotional comes from John Maxwell's Leadership Bible.

The text is from Psalm 78:72--"...and David guided them with the integrity of heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands."

As a verse, the message jumped out at me both personally and as a coach.  Skill and the Heart must go together.  Without both, there is no way to pursue of commit to excellence in our "mind, body and soul" as the Greeks used the word Arete.

Maxwell says that David's leadership succeeded through a two sided coin: his hands and his heart.  We must all have that combination.  To have one without the other, Maxwell asserts leads to failure.

Maxwell discusses Skill and Competence and the 10 Keys To Excellence
1.  First value excellence
2.  Do not settle for average
3.  Pay attention to detail
4.  Remain committed to what really matters
5.  Show genuine respect for others
6.  Go the second mile
7.  Demonstrate consistency
8.  Never stop improving
9.  Always give 100%
10.  Make excellence a lifestyle

Rick Majerus Thoughts

There have been so many great stories about Coach Majerus over the last few days, I wanted to share some thoughts from my Majerus notebook.  I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to be around him several times.  From working his camps, to spending time with him and Coach Meyer, there was always something to learn.  Below are just a few thoughts from my notebook:

1.  Coach them every day.  Show them everything you know.
2.  To his team:  dive for balls, take charges, set screens, rebound, look for the open man.
3.  Team is built on players supporting each other.
4.  Must be a defensively skilled team.
5.  Can't score enough points to make up for a bad defense.
6.  Rebounding, Hustling and Defensie effort are determining factors.
7.  "To those who don't think defense is important, you'll get the best seat on the bench."
8.  You win transition on the first 3 steps.
9.  Spend an hour a day just thinking.
10.  Nothing is more important than academics.
11.  Academics and being able to speak. Don't cheat yourself.
12.  "I never travel with the team, too focused, too intense."
13.  Everything begins with a great effort.
14.  Filmed practice from 3 different camera angles.
15.  Your body language always displays your attitude.
16.  Great players have a slowness to their game.
17.  Maximize your abilities by being fundamentally sound.
18.  Technique--Technique--Technique
19.  There's a diference in being open and being open for a shot.
20.  Sacrifice speed for technique when learning.
21.  Setting a screen--Be Low, Be Wide, Be a pain in the butt.
22.  Do simple things right.

I remember being in the offices the summer of 1998.  Coach Majerus told me I was welcome to anything I wanted to watch, read or look at.  He said feel free to write down anything you find, just don't make any copies.  I was thrilled to go through their notebooks, scouting reports, etc.  But I asked assistant coach, Jeff Strohm, why he didn't allow copies.

Strohm replied that Coach Majerus knew that guys would take more care of their handwritten notes than just making copies to stick in a notebook or leave on the ground.

What Is The Process?

The word "Process" is probably overused today in sports.  We use it here multiple times daily and in every team/ staff meeting.  As much as it is used, I'm not sure all that use it, mean to use the same word for the same meaning.  I also don't think our players totally understand the exact context of the word each time.

I want our players and staff to know that the "Process" isn't a secret formula to guarantee success. If it was, everyone would be using it.  It's not a step-by-step guide to follow, even though there are elements and steps to the "process".

It's about getting our players to buy-in to "winning every day"..by doing the things necessary to win daily...The things that don't make highlights or box scores..Shots at game speed on your own, watching film, talking to teammates and coaches, protecting and building culture...It's about controlling the things that we can control and not giving into letting how we feel dictate what we have to do.

The "Process" is about Effort, Mental Toughness and Accountability--these things are all a matter of mindset.

It's a renewing of our minds--Romans 12:2

Coach Meyer's Thoughts On Being A Great Coach

One of the greatest attributes of Coach Meyer is his ability to coach the coaches.  Below are some of his thoughts on "Being A Great Coach".  These concepts apply to coaches and leaders at all levels.

To Be A Great Coach

• Team is an extension of the coaching staff
• Each year improve every aspect of your program
• Evaluate every year as your first year on the job
• Teach team roles and coach them
• Teach courtesy
• Know players and what it takes to motivate 
• Don't sit behind a desk and be judge, try and executioner.
• Touch 1/3 of team daily.
• Make percentage plays vs non percentage plays
• Get past failure.  Teach yourself and team.
• Get past success.
• Be careful how you treat people.
• Ways to keep the team on edge.  Stretch outside of comfort zones.
• Be responsible for the team.
• How can we lose?  Then look for ways to win.
• Think win all the time.
• Can't wait forever for potential.

5 Minute Daily Planning

5 MINUTE PLANNING ….You are going to have one of those days…you know, the kind where you are just on a roll?

You’re knocking off tasks, you’re getting things done---on your way to the most productive day you have had in a long time! And it is all because you did one thing.

YOU SPENT 5 MINUTES DOING ONE IMPORTANT TASK: DAY PLANNING.

Only five minutes. That’s all it takes to make a dramatic difference in what you get done. It’s a small investment of time that gives your day direction. You can do it. Day planning will help you optimize your time for getting more things done. It keeps you accountable for important appointments, to-dos and information. If you make this single, brief effort to plan you will find yourself needing less time each day to get organized.

Yes, a successful day can be yours, and it’s all done in a handful of minutes.

·       0:00- Plan your daily schedule, first by referencing monthly “master” calendar, and then by creating any necessary appointments based on yesterday’s activities. You should also block out hour-long segments of dedicated task time when needed. Don’t overbook yourself-reschedule or cancel appointments that interfere with your high priority tasks.

·       0:30- Scan yesterday’s notes and spot new tasks and appointment requests. This is particularly important follow-up action may have resulted from a phone conversation or business meeting that must be addressed with urgency

·       1:00- Check yesterday’s action list in your day planner for any tasks not completed. Evaluate whether these are still priorities or whether they should be put back on your Master Task List.

·       1:30 Repeat success. Make a mental note of what went well yesterday and see if you can match this success today. For example, if you made headway in a particular project, find time for it again today. Always build-off momentum of work that you have accomplished.

·       1:45-Write your daily task list, according to important needs and other urgent commitments that you deem necessary to your business. Be sure to fill your daily Action List with descriptive actions words like “complete,” “outline,” “research,” and “contact.” Keep your list short, realistic, and doable within the confines of your day.

·       3:00- Choose your top priorities: fact it, there are things you need to do today at work or at home in order to maintain order and accomplishment in your life. Some high priorities are quite obvious-such as meeting a work deadline-while others are less apparent through no less important such as paying a bill before its due date arrives.

·       4:00-Prioritize your tasks by assignment them an A, B, or C:

o   A tasks absolutely must be done today, and will suffer consequences if not. Only a few proud tasks earn this distinction. Don’t call in an “A” if you don’t fully intend to do it.            

o   B tasks need to get done, but won’t be penalized if not. Remember: B tasks if put off too long will become –level tasks that require urgent attention.

o   C tasks are the things you want to get done, but they can wait another day. These are great fill-ins for your downtime or time you might have left over.

·       4:30-Number your tasks in the order you want to complete them. Whenever possible schedule the most important tasks first, and then find an order that suits your daily movements.

·       4:45-Stuck? If you are not sure which task will go first, ask yourself the following questions: Which task best fits my role? Which task pursues my goals? Which work completed today will have the most impact on tomorrow?

·       5:00 Cross if off. On your daily task list write the words “Daily planning” and check it off. Enjoy the feeling of satisfaction from seeing this first completed task atop your list.

Taken from Day-Timer Magazine (www.daytimer.com)

Majerus 4 Defensive Items

As many high schools have recently began a new season.  Below are Four Defensive thoughts from Rick Majerus.  Majerus said, "You will win 20 games and conference championships with just these four things."

1. NO FAST BREAK BASKETS
1. 0 points in transition
2. Sprint, see the ball, talk
2. HAND UP ON EVERY SHOT
1. NCAA study--49% w/o hand; 29% w/ hand
3. BLOCK OUT, NO SECOND SHOTS
4. TALK
1. "Screen, help, red, deny, shot, etc..."