An athletes internal language/reality creates the perspective from which they see and experience the world. The perspective is being constructed daily.

It is a lifelong process of build,

tear down,

update the design,

rebuild.

While athletes are the builders, coaches are contractors in the construction.

Building a tradition of excellence doesn’t simply happen by accident. It takes strategy, care, love and most importantly - words spoken with grace and integrity. The most powerful words in a coach’s vocabulary are “I’m sorry.”

Every season as a track and field coach I felt the need to say those words. They came out from time to time in training, in competition and at times at the end of a long season.

Under performing comes with luggage. And it’s not a carry-on.

We [coaches, parents, athletes] tote this luggage replete with the history of our story. Dragging it from home to practice. Practice to home. Home to competition. Competition to home. It is tethered around our waist and we lug it everywhere we go. Pull it long enough and our walk will become a trudge without us knowing.

Over my time coaching I’ve had people ask about when kids should lift or start agility training and what the best methods might be for such an endeavor. But over the past 2 years I've had more parents than I can count want to get their son or daughter in the gym with us before they are 12 years old. I applaud the parents for being on top of their kid’s training but this athletic culture we live in today in the states is crushing young people. It is grinding them up and shitting them out on the daily. I only make a statement such as that because of my experience with years of mental work with high school and college athletes.

We’ve all had those days when we walk into the gym and we’re stoked about being there.  Even if we know the workout is going to wreck us, for some crazy maniacal reason we can’t wait to get in there and suffer with other athletes who have similar dreams. Even as coaches we walk into the gym and hit it. Those days when flow is achieved and the weight seems to move itself.

Yesterday, for me, WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

In a previous life I was a photographer. I FREAKING LOVED IT. 10 years ago if I wasn’t on a trail running into the middle of nowhere, I had camera in hand snapping photos. I have my own Photography business for a while and it has been a blast. Mostly I shoot weddings, engagements and a few solo sessions here and there but my passion was street and documentary photography.

Second isn’t the first loser. It’s just second.