At Stronger Team, we have an unparalleled commitment to being on the cutting edge of basketball specific performance enhancement.  This includes staying abreast of the latest research and training methodologies as well spending money to attain the latest training tools.

 

When I say ‘we’, I am referring to my great friend and long time colleague, Blair O’Donovan.  I have been working with Blair for over 10 years. He is absolutely one of the top strength & conditioning coaches on the planet. Blair is in his 7th year as the strength & conditioning coach for Gonzaga High School’s basketball program.  Gonzaga is currently undefeated, including a recent 2-point win over us, and ranked in the top 5 in the United States. They have a tremendous program and Blair is one of the reasons why.

 

NOTE: The Stronger Team Showdown Part II, Gonzaga vs. DeMatha, will take place live on ESPN2 on February 10th.  It will be an electric atmosphere and an incredible game.

 

Blair recently purchased the Nike+ Sportswatch GPS: http://tinyurl.com/NikeGPSWatch

 

Among many innovative features, this watch can track how far a player runs over the course of a practice, workout, or game.  It is an amazing technology.

 

As an informal experiment, Blair hooked the technology up to a few different players (2 male, one female) to record the distances run during games.

 

Here are the results:

 

Kris Jenkins (forward) vs. Riverside HS

Minutes played: 31

Total Distance Run: 4.94 miles

 

Warm-up:       0.92 miles (approximately 20 minutes)

1^st Quarter:     1.09 miles

2^nd Quarter:    1.01 miles

3^rd Quarter:    0.95 miles

4^th Quarter:    0.97 miles

 

Tavon Blackmon (guard) vs. Patterson HS

Minutes played: 32

Total Distance Run: 6.10 miles

 

Warm-up:       1.3 miles (approximately 20 minutes)

1^st Quarter:     1.20 miles

2^nd Quarter:    1.11 miles

3^rd Quarter:    1.28 miles

4^th Quarter:    1.21 miles

 

Amanda Fioravanti (forward) vs. conference opponent

Minutes played: 27

Total Distance Run: 4.53 miles

 

Warm-up:       0.6 miles (approximately 15 minutes)

1^st Quarter:     0.83 miles

2^nd Quarter:    0.87 miles

3^rd Quarter:    0.91 miles

4^th Quarter:    1.32 miles

 

The total distance run was actually higher than I anticipated.  Including warm-up, Tavon ran over 6 miles during the course of the game!  And obviously that wasn’t done at a slow and steady pace.  He covered 6 miles sprinting, cutting, back pedaling, sliding… accelerating, decelerating… jumping, landing, diving… all at game speed. That is an intense 6 miles!

 

At DeMatha, our top 6 players average playing 22-28 minutes per game.  So using the data Blair gathered, and applying it to our players (which is comparable, we have a very similar style of play), it is safe to say that our top 6 players run between 4 to 6 miles each and every game.  Given that we play 2 to 3 games per week from December to late March, our guys are racking up marathon type weekly distance logs.  And that doesn’t include practice.  And it doesn’t include off-season workouts, AAU, pre-season conditioning, etc. That is some serious volume over the course of a year!

 

Excessive volume will begin to cause issues if proper steps aren’t taken:

1.    I recommend shortening practice time as the season progresses.  Keep practices sharp and focused – but brief and with minimal extra running. You want your team to peak come playoff time, not be exhausted.

 

2.    Give players a day off whenever possible and appropriate.  Keep in mind that a physical day off doesn’t have to be a mental day off.  You can watch film and shoot 100 free throws instead of a normal practice and still benefit.

 

3.    Encourage players to use proven rest & recovery techniques – like foam roll and ice baths – in addition to eating well, sleeping well, and staying hydrated. Rest & recovery is arguably the most important factor in sustaining a high level throughout the entire season.

 

4.    Communicate with players about nagging injuries and make sure they seek proper treatment. Being sore is normal and is part of being a player… but being hurt isn’t and needs to be properly treated.

 

5.    Continue to strength train during the season! Purposeful strength training helps ward off the cumulative trauma caused from the excessive running volume.  Proper strength training will keep the ankles, knees, hips, and core strong and durable!

On the other side of the coin… think about your 11^th through 15^th man.  Not only do they get very little volume during the game, but they more than likely get limited volume during practice.  In most 5 vs. 5 drills, you have your starters playing against your 2^nd unit – while the 11^th through 15^th players stand and watch (and wait to be subbed).  Point being, over the course of a week, your starting point guard may run 25 miles and your 15^th man may only run 5.  That is a huge discrepancy!  If you ever notice that some of your reserves are sucking wind or appear out of shape… it’s not their fault! They are only doing a fraction of the weekly volume.

 

Once our off-season workouts begin, we will make sure to collect data on those workouts as well… in an attempt to make our workouts as productive and purposeful as possible.

 

Lastly, I just posted a new video about consistency, making strengths stronger, and working on applicable weaknesses:

 

Basketball Success: Strengthen Applicable Weaknesses - http://youtu.be/SE2Cm7tjulM

 

Train hard, train smart, train with a purpose.

 

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam.com

 

PS: I will extensively cover topics such as this at The Stronger Team Basketball Huddle:

 

I am conducting a unique, exclusive and thorough basketball specific strength & conditioning learning experience at DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, MD) from March 23-25, 2012.

 

I will teach every component necessary to design, implement and properly supervise a comprehensive, purposeful, year-round basketball specific strength & conditioning program. 

 

This course will give your program a distinct competitive advantage!

 

The early bird rate of $999 ends February 15, 2012.  Limited spots available, so register now!

 

For more information and to register, please visit http://Huddle.StrongerTeam.com

 

Or email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com for the flyer and registration form.

 

I would love to have you in my Huddle!

It all started with this Tweet:

 

“True or false: A player that makes a team great is more valuable than a great player.”

 

I posted this Tweet a couple of weeks ago to start some Twitter chatter.

 

When someone asked for an example, I said that “Dennis Rodman made his teams great… even though he wasn’t a great player.” 

 

Wow. That ignited a firestorm of debate on whether or not Rodman was a great player.

 

For the record, I always enjoy a good debate…especially when it involves basketball. Debating sharpens your mind and sparks passion – two things I am a staunch advocate of. And I never have a problem with people disagreeing with my point of view. I respect and value everyone’s opinion. It’s all in good fun!

 

Let me summarize my point of view before I get to the real focus of this blog post – the value of specialists.

 

Let me clarify my comment about Dennis Rodman not being a great player: Every player in the NBA is a 'great' player by definition because they are in the upper .01% of everyone who plays the game. There are literally millions of players worldwide… and less than 500 will make an NBA roster each season. That alone makes them great.

 

Using that barometer, of course Rodman was a great player. But the word ‘great’ gets severely devalued if everyone is great. Bird, Magic, & MJ were 3 of the truly great players of that era… not Rodman. In fact, you could easily name another dozen players from the same time period (like entire Dream Team?) that deserve the ‘great’ moniker more than Rodman.

 

Rodman was a great rebounder.

Rodman was a great defender.

 

But he was not a great player.

 

Rodman was an integral piece to the puzzle. His teams would not have won all of those championships without him.  He fulfilled his role at an unparalleled level.

 

I just returned from Springfield, MA and the Basketball Hall of Fame.  Yes, Rodman was recently inducted and deservingly so.  But he made it because he was a Hall of Fame caliber specialist… not because he was a great player (there is a distinction).  

 

If I am not mistaken, Rodman never made the All-NBA 1^st or 2^nd team and he only made the All-Star team twice (neither as a starter). 

 

Now, he did make the All-Defensive team 8 times and was the Defensive Player of the Year twice. He led the NBA in rebounds an astounding 7 times in a row and he won 5 NBA rings.  He was a master specialist – tremendous rebounder and defender – but not a great (overall) player.

 

The original point I wanted to make, before getting sidetracked in semantics about Dennis Rodman, is that you don’t have to be a great player to help your team win.  You just have to have a specialty that makes your team successful!

 

We have a notable example of that at DeMatha.  Our 6^th man, senior captain Marcellous Bell, has committed to play at Binghampton University next year on a full basketball scholarship.  Marcellous is undersized (not quite 6 feet tall) and has average athleticism.  He is an average ball handler, passer, defender, and rebounder.  I certainly don’t say that to slight him, I say that because it is an accurate assessment.

 

But damn, can he shoot.  He is a pure marksman. He’s one of the best pure shooters I’ve seen at the high school level. Right now he leads the entire DC area in 3-pointers made (at 3+ makes per game) and 3-point FG % (at 50+ % from behind the arc). 

 

If he’s open you can go ahead and change the scoreboard. 

 

In our game last night, he went 8 for 11… from 3. He came off the bench mid-way through the 1^st quarter and hit his first four 3-point attempts… all before the 1^st quarter was over.  Do you think that gave our team a lift?

 

His specialty is shooting… and every team needs a knock down shooter.  A player that commands respect from long range causes all sorts of defensive problems for the other team.

 

Marcellous isn’t a great shooter by accident.  He’s worked at it. He’s put in the time. He’s practiced with a purpose for years. He made thousands and thousands of shots this past off-season.

 

He deserves every bit of his current success.

 

In addition to being a great shooter, he is also a tremendous teammate, another noteworthy specialty.  He is one of the most selfless kids I have ever been around.  He has a positive attitude, a ferocious work ethic, is a stellar student, and truly cares about his teammates, coaches, and the DeMatha program. Point blank – he makes our team better with his intangibles.

 

I have the utmost respect for him as both a player and a person.

 

What is the moral of the story? Whether its Rodman’s rebounding or Marcellous’ shooting, there is always room on a team for a player that has a specialty that helps their team be successful.

 

Find yours!

 

Respect the game,

 

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

 

PS: The newest edition of my FREE Basketball Nuggets (Volume 10) is now available for download:

http://www.strongerteam.com/download/coachingnuggets.aspx

 

PSS: The Stronger Team Basketball Huddle:

 

I will be hosting a unique, exclusive and thorough basketball specific strength & conditioning learning experience at DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, MD) from March 23-25, 2012.

I will teach every component necessary to design, implement and properly supervise a comprehensive, purposeful, year-round basketball specific strength & conditioning program. 

 

This course will give your program a distinct competitive advantage!

 

The early bird rate of $999 ends February 15, 2012.  Limited spots available, so register now!

 

For more information and to register, please visit http://Huddle.StrongerTeam.com

 

I hope to see you there!

My primary goal in writing my blog and posting on social media is to be authentic.  What I share is exactly what I think, what I believe, what I use, and what I do with the players and coaches I work with.  With that comes my personal obligation to remain honest and transparent.  

 

Why am I bringing this up? I would be remiss if I didn’t share that we have had a handful of ankle injuries with our players at DeMatha over the past two weeks.  Given how strongly I feel about proper ankle and foot training… I want to make sure that you know that injuries still happen to the best of us. This is just a reminder that there is no such thing as injury prevention – at best we are aiming for injury reduction.  I am confident that these recent injuries have been much less severe than they would have been without our consistent training.

 

I have emphasized a comprehensive foot & ankle training protocol since I arrived at DeMatha two years ago… and will continue to do so.  My convictions haven’t waivered for second. 

 

Fortunately, the injuries we have incurred have been minor (knock on wood) and our guys have missed minimal practice and game time.  But I still view any injury as a cause for concern. I will continue to work diligently in my crusade to keep our feet and ankles as strong and as mobile as possible.

 

Here are some of the things we do to keep our feet & ankles healthy: http://youtu.be/p8g7UeSw95A

 

OK, sermon over.

 

A few weeks ago I posted this video, ‘My Son Should Play More’: http://youtu.be/Ky-5doFLL2I

 

It sparked a wave of discussion on the topic of playing time.  More specifically, on whether coaches should discuss playing time with parents.

 

It is my firm belief, that at the high school level, coaches are under no obligation to discuss playing time with parents. 

 

That is purely a discussion that needs to take place between coach and player.

 

Now, I am all for exercising excellent communication.

 

I do believe coaches should welcome inquires, involvement and feedback from parents regarding:

·         How their child is being treated.

·         Their child’s academic progress.

·         Practice, game, and team schedules.

·         Their child’s overall effort and attitude (on and off the court).

·         Their child’s potential to play in college.

I also think the coach should formally communicate to the parents about:

·         Their expectations for the player’s role on the team.

·         Their evaluation of the player’s strengths and weaknesses.

But coaches do not have to discuss, justify, or defend playing time. Coaches are 100% in charge, for right or wrong, with who plays and how much they play.  It is their program and playing time is their decision.

 

Every coach plays who they think will give them the best chance to win.  The theory that ‘the coach doesn’t like my child’ is the reason for lack of playing time is absolute BS.

 

A majority of parents are not able to view the big picture objectively.  They are understandably biased towards their own child’s happiness and success.  Plus, parents are not privy to the whole picture – they aren’t at practices, team meetings, etc. The player and the coach are the only two people with all of the info, thus they are the only two who should have the discussion.

 

Plus let’s be honest, 99% of the time, parents do not know the game near as well as the coach does. Watching basketball as a casual fan does not make one an expert!

 

Playing time is purely opinion and judgment. What many parents fail to understand is that playing time is not just about playing the best players; it’s about playing the players that play the best together. That is a powerful distinction. Chemistry is vital!  A team needs to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle… several pieces combined to make a beautiful picture.

 

Players have every right to discuss playing time with their coach.  But they need to approach the coach with the attitude of ‘what do I need to do to earn more playing time?’ I have never met a coach who wouldn’t welcome that approach.

 

By the time my 21 month old twin sons, Luke & Jack (who came out of the womb with the nickname ‘The Born Backcourt’) are in high school, I will have been working in elite level basketball for 25 years.  On some level, that would make me an expert, right?

 

Even so, as a parent, I would never consider discussing playing time with their coach!  I will have great communication with the coach, I will support him in any way I can… but if Luke or Jack has an issue or is unhappy… I will encourage them to take the accountability to meet with the coach to discuss.  I will teach them how to be accountable.  As a parent, I believe that is one of the best lessons I can teach my children.

 

(NOTE: I have already spoken with Coach Jones and he fully intends to still be coaching at DeMatha in 2024 when my boys enroll as freshmen. He has made it crystal clear that even they will have to earn their time like everyone else!)

 

I would love your thoughts on my playing time stance.  Feel free to email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com or send me a Tweet @AlanStein (#PlayingTime).

 

Train hard. Train smart. Enjoy the journey.

 

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

 

PS: Just a heads up, I will be offering a HUGE birthday promotion the weekend of January 20th (when I turn 36) for my online shop.

 

You can save 36% on all of my downloadable PDFs and you can buy every DVD* for $36 plus FREE shipping!

 

Take a look at the downloads and DVDS I have available at http://Shop.StrongerTeam.com  

 

Simply register your email here to take advantage of this great offer: http://www.strongerteam.com/Register.aspx

This sale will be a great time to stock up for the off-season!

 

NOTE: Sale does NOT include the DeMatha All-Access 3-disc set

Three years ago I set the lofty goal of reading 50 books in one calendar year.  I figured reading at a rate of one book per week was a difficult, but attainable challenge.   I ended up exceeding my goal and read 54 books in 2009!

 

By no coincidence, that was the most successful and productive year I had ever had (personally & professionally).  I learned more applicable information in 2009 than I did in my 4+ years of college! Needless to say, I was hooked.

 

The old saying is true, “Knowledge is power.”

 

I have been a veracious reader ever since and have continued my 50 book challenge. I don’t actually get hung up on reading 50 books… it’s the mindset and concept of never stop learning that I find most valuable.

 

For those of you thinking, ‘I don’t have the time to read that much’… I quietly shake my head at you.  You will never find the time to read that much; you must make the time to do it!  I run my own business, have an insane travel schedule, and am a happily married father of 21 month old twin sons (Luke & Jack, aka The Born Backcourt). If I can make the time, you can too!

 

Bottom line is this – ‘If it is important, do it every day. If it is not important, don’t do it at all.’  What could possibly be more important than your growth, development, and happiness?  Instead of watching Family Guy reruns or sleeping in on the weekends… pick up a book!

 

I make it my goal to read for a minimum of 30 minutes every day (7 days a week, 365 days a year).  Some days I read when I first wake up, but I almost always read right before I got to be bed each night. When I travel, I can usually read much more than 30 minutes… as long train rides and flights are ideal for knocking out a book or two.

 

I also count Audiobooks as books.  Hey, it’s my challenge so they’re my rules! I download Audiobooks (signified by an ‘A’ in the list below) from iTunes and listen during any car ride over 15 minutes (for car rides under 15 minutes I rock out to some old school hip-hop!).

 

I read a wide variety of books and choose titles that will help me become a better coach, a better businessman, and/or a better person (husband/father). Those are the 3 areas of my life I am always looking to improve. Those are my 3 priorities (“If you have more than 3 priorities, than you don’t have any.”).

 

Below is my review for the books I read in 2011. I rated each book on a scale from 1 to 10 as well as marked which domain I found the book most beneficial – coaching, business, or personal.  Any book marked ‘MUST READ’ is just that… a book I highly recommend you read… no matter who you are!

 

NOTE: anything marked for “coaching” would be beneficial for players as well!

 

1.    The Change Your Life Quote Book by Allen Klein

7 – Personal – I am self-admitted quote junkie and picked up a handful of new ones from this book.

 

2.    Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child (A) by John Medina

7 – Personal – As the father of twin sons, I found a lot of helpful info in this book.  Fingers crossed my boys turn out smart and happy… and in the NBA (j/k).

 

3.    Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (A) by Carol Dweck

8 – Personal/Coaching – Excellent breakdown of how our minds work and what motivates us.

 

4.    Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team (A) by Patrick Lencioni

7 – Coaching – A bit bland, but an invaluable concept. Overcoming these 5 dysfunctions will lead to success.

 

5.    The Power of Who by Bob Beaudine

9 – Personal/Business – Tremendous resource on why traditional networking doesn’t work. I’m a big fan of Mr. Beaudine’s work.

 

6.    A Coach and a Miracle by Jim Johnson

10 – Coaching/Personal – Heartwarming story of Jason ‘J-Mac’ McElwain, the high school basketball manager with autism who got in the last game of the season and dropped 20 points in 4 minutes. (MUST READ)

 

7.    Listen To Me by Ivan Thomas

7 – Personal – Good resource for being a better parent.

 

8.    45 Tips for Discovering Your Child’s Gifts by Ivan Thomas

7 – Personal – Same as #7.

 

9.    Parent Your Best by Jeremy Boone

9 – Personal – Excellent resource on how to parent like a champion so you help, not hinder, your child’s happiness and success on and off the court or field.

 

10. The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric

10 – Personal/Coaching – Brilliant compilation of stories and concepts from some of the most fascinating people on the planet. (MUST READ)

 

11. Display of Power by Daymond John

9 – Business – I am a huge fan of the show Shark Tank and found this book to be just as entertaining and helpful.  Daymond’s story is an inspiration to me as a small business owner.

 

12. The Brand Within by Daymond John

9 – Business – Same as #11

 

13. Basketball Junkie by Chris Herron

10 – Coaching/Personal – Absolutely one of the best books I have ever read… captivating story that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on your own life. I read this book, from cover to cover, in under 24 hours. (MUST READ)

 

14. The Way of the Shepherd by Dr. Kevin Leman

10 – Coaching/Personal – Phenomenal story on leadership.  Quick and easy read.  (MUST READ)

 

15. Advances in Functional Training by Michael Boyle

10 – Coaching – Coach Boyle is one of the most respected people in the strength & conditioning industry.  Read this book and you will know why. (MUST READ for anyone involved in strength & conditioning)

 

16. 8,789 Words of Wisdom by Barbara Ann Kipfer

7 – Personal/Business – This was the thickest quote book I had ever seen!

 

17. Zero Regrets (A) by Apolo Ohno

9 – Coaching/Personal – A fascinating story of an Olympic champion, told from his point of view.  He had an amazing journey and an outstanding perspective.

 

18. The Compound Effect (A) by Darren Hardy

10 – Business/Personal/Coaching – This book should be required reading for seniors in college, regardless of major.  If you apply ‘the compound effect’ to your life, you will be successful. (MUST READ)

 

19. Can I Keep My Jersey by Paul Shirley

9 – Coaching – Absolutely hysterical, one of the funniest and most entertaining books I have ever read.  If you love basketball, you will love this book.

 

20. How They Did It by Robert Jordan

8 – Business – A compilation of tips and advice from hundreds of successful business owners.

 

21. ReWork by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

8 – Business – Very helpful and practical info on building a successful business.

 

22. Barefoot in Boston by Arthur Horne

8 – Coaching – Fantastic resource on the benefits of barefoot training and why the feet are so important in everything we do.

 

23. No Bullshit Social Media by Jason Falls and Erik Deckers

8 – Business – A straight to the point resource on utilizing social media.

 

24. Basketball Talk, the Way it Should Be by Audley Stephenson

7 – Personal – A comical compilation of quotes from NBA players and coaches.

 

25. Stop Saying You’re Fine (A) by Mel Robbins

8 – Personal – Great resource for living your personal best by stop making excuses.

 

26. Training Camp by Jon Gordon

10 – Personal/Coaching – Brilliant story on being the best you can be. Quick and easy read. (MUST READ)

 

27. Get Bold by Sandy Carter

8 – Business – Helpful ideas for succeeding in business.

 

28. Unlimited (A) by Jillian Michaels

8 – Personal – Same as #25.

 

29. It’s Not About You by Bob Burg

10 – Personal/Business – I became a huge Bob Burg fan after reading ‘The Go-Giver’ and ‘Go-Givers Sell More.’ This book was just as good! (MUST READ)

 

30. Endless Referrals (CD) by Bog Burg

8 – Business – A friend loaned me some of Bob’s earlier work on CD.  Although a bit out dated because it was written pre-social media, his concepts are still very, very valuable.

 

31. How to Win Without Intimidation (CD) by Bob Burg

8 – Business – Same as #30.

 

32. The Success Formula (CD) by Bob Burg

8 – Business – Same as #30.

 

33. Onward (A) by Howard Schultz

9 – Business – A bit long, but well worth the time.  Fascinating account of the rise, fall and rise of Starbucks.

 

34. Steve Jobs (A) by Walter Isaacson

9 – Business – Captivating account of the life of Steve Jobs (RIP).  He was part genius, part A-hole… but was absolutely one of a kind.

 

35. More than Just a Game by Larry McKenzie

8 – Coaching – Solid perspective on life and on the game as told by a high school coach.

 

36. The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons

10 – Coaching – This book rivals ‘Can I Keep My Jersey’ for funniest basketball book on the planet! (MUST READ if you love basketball)

 

37. How Rich People Think by Steve Siebold

10 – Business/Personal – Everything I said about ‘The Compound Effect’ rings true for this book. It absolutely should be required reading for seniors in college, regardless of major.  If you this mindset, you will be financially successful. (MUST READ)

 

38. Fistitude by Sean Glaze

9 – Coaching – Uplifting story that every coach and player should read. I read it cover to cover in one sitting.

 

39. Bounce by Matthew Syed

10 – Coaching/Personal – If you enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Outliers’, this was cut from the same cloth. (MUST READ)

 

40. Bench Rules by Kevin Christiansen

8 – Coaching – Sound advice for the players on the end of the bench.

 

41. Shaq: Uncut by Shaquille O’Neal

9 – Coaching/Personal – Hilarious account of The Big Diesel’s life, told through his eyes.

 

42. Live and Learn and Pass It On by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

9 – Personal – Impactful compilation of things folks ages 5 to 95 have learned in their lives.

 

43. Socialnomics by Erik Qualman

9 – Business – One of the better books on social media I have read.  This book ‘gets it.’

 

44. Convict Conditioning by Paul ‘Coach’ Wade

9 – Coaching – The best resource I have come across on purposeful bodyweight strength training. (MUST READ for anyone involved in strength & conditioning)

 

45. Convict Conditioning 2 by Paul ‘Coach’ Wade

9 – Coaching – Same as #44.

 

46. The New Toughness Training for Sports by James E. Loehr

10 – Coaching/Personal – This books ranks up there with ‘Mind Gym’ by Gary Mack as the best resource I have read on mental training and ‘Playing Present.’ Ironically, the ‘new’ in the title is a bit misleading as it was written in the early ’90’s. Regardless, it still rings true. Luke and Jack will be required to read this prior to starting kindergarten. (MUST READ)

 

47. The Power of Double Goal Coaching by Jim Thompson

10 – Coaching – This book epitomizes the PCA (Positive Coaching Alliance), a group I hope to become much more involved with because of how much I believe in their values and mission. (MUST READ)

 

Here are the books I will start with in 2012:

 

How to Win at the Sport of Business by Mark Cuban

The Game of My Life by Jason ‘J-Mac’ McElwain

Six Pixels of Separation by Mitch Joel

Walk On by Alan Williams

177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class by Steve Siebold

The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr

The Seed by Jon Gordon

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell

Raising the Bar by Gary Erickson

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore

Let Me Tell You a Story by Red Auerbach

Blink by Malcolm Galdwell

 

Here are my book lists from the last two years:

 

2009 Book List: http://blog.strongerteam.com/post/2009/12/09/Mission-Accomplished.aspx

 

2010 Book List: http://blog.strongerteam.com/post/2010/12/21/2010-Book-List.aspx

 

I hope you find these lists helpful. I would love your feedback as well as suggestions for additional books.  Please post your thoughts on Twitter (tag me with @AlanStein) or on the Stronger Team Facebook page (www.StrongerTeam.com/StrongerTeam).

 

Most importantly, I also challenge you to set a reading goal for 2012! Start with reading all of the MUST READs listed above.

 

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com  

 

PS: My good friend Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) shared with me the following list of New Year’s Resolutions that all players should accept:

 

1)    Love the game.

2)    Respect the game.

3)    Prepare for the game.

4)    Learn the game.

5)    Improve your game.

 

This list also applies to coaches!