PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: The Trust Factor
My daughter and I helped at Ballard High School’s basketball camp this summer. We talked to the campers about what it means to be a good teammate. When I posed the question to the girls, they came up with lots of great ideas: encourage your teammates, cheer for your teammates, high-five your teammates. I agreed, all great ideas. Together we came up with a bunch more, and in the end I emphasized one I feel is extra important, thanking your teammates.
When I was coaching at West Seattle I encouraged our players to say thank you out loud or simply by pointing across the court to their teammate and making eye contact with them. Whatever it took to thank their teammate for a good pass, an important block out, for their help on defense, or for anything deserving of a thank you. Showing gratitude for teammates on the court helps build a strong team, as it’s a step toward developing respect and trust between players.
TRUST
Building trust is not easy. We are all so different and come from different backgrounds. I used to tell my players that they didn’t have to be best friends, but I hoped that they would learn to respect and trust one another, and I believe that over time it was the trust factor, that made a difference in the way the girls played. My last season as head coach, we were undefeated in league, and then, without our point guard (who went down with an ACL injury in our last league game), made it through metro, district and regional playoffs and placed 5thin State. Hard work, and belief in one another and the concept of team, gave us the opportunity, and it started by learning to trust one another.
We spent a lot of time getting to know […]
LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Beach Bum
I live near a beach and when the kids were young almost every weekend we would walk to the beach. It was a good haul. A couple miles, but a couple miles of fun. Walking, talking and through most of the kids lifetimes, catching. We usually brought a football and once we hit the beach my husband would toss the ball to the kids and they would run and dive and catch the ball and then run it back to him like a golden retriever and then it would all start again. We loved walking to the beach.
Recently, the sun was out and my husband and I were having coffee on the front patio and I looked at him and I said, “walk/ride to the beach?” it was just the two of us, and our dog Bruno, but we did it, I walked with Bruno (I prefer to walk) and he rode along side of me (he has bad knees and prefers to ride), and together, our lives inspired our workout, first to the beach and then later we met at Lincoln park and run/rode and did stairs. We did what our bodies prefer and worked them together so that we could enjoy one another.
What are some ways that your fitness is inspired by your family or your spouse, or your friends? What are activities that you enjoy doing together?
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LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Lifting Lust
Every time I get bumped around on the basketball court I say, “I’ve gotta lift weights!” I actually do lift weights, but not enough. I can feel my 52 years on the court, and by that I mean I’m not as strong and tough as I used to be, and as I’d like to be to be able to play at the level I want to play at. And stay safe.
I know that I can’t turn back the clock, but when I get in the gym at least a couple of times a week to lift it helps, it helps by keeping me strong.
The things I enjoy doing in my life inspire me to stay fit. I want to be a better basketball player so I add lifting to my life. I even enjoy lifting, it just seems that the rest of my life often gets in the way until I remember basketball and how the lifting helps me on the court.
What do you think about lifting weights?
Follow me on Instagram for ideas on how your life can inspire your fitness @lifeinspiredfitness.
LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Try Something New
About three years ago I decided I should try tennis. (I can’t play basketball forever…or can I?) Anyway, tennis is supposed to be a lifetime sport, so I figured it would be a good one to work on. I started with tennis lessons, they were a lot of fun and they gave me a great workout. That’s until I sprained my wrist (tennis) and then got a frozen shoulder (basketball). It took about a year until I was back at it and then decided to join a team. Once on the team I realized that I like tennis, but I don’t really love it.
I hate to admit it, but I find games a little boring (I guess I’m used to the hustle of basketball). I enjoy the women in my group, but after this season ends I may just stick to classes and hitting around with my husband. I get a good workout and learn a lot in classes and when my husband and I hit around (we don’t serve; we just start with a rally and play to 21). We have a blast and leave the court sweaty. We love it, and sometimes even get together with a couple of friends and play King/Queen of the court (or sometimes an actual game) and of course work hard enough that we earn ourselves a drink. 😉
I’m glad I’ve given tennis a try. It may not have turned out quite how I thought, but I will keep playing for fun, which helps to keep me in shape while I’m at it. And who knows, in a few years I might come back for more, and try being on a team again.
What new sports or activates have you added to your schedule or given a try?
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Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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PEN TO PAPER: Plotter vs Pantser
Have you heard of Plotters and Pantsers? Well, I’m a Pantser, with a touch of Plotter. A Pantser is a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, just sits down and writes without much detailed planning. A Plotter is a writer who plans out their novel before they start writing it. Most people fit more into one category, but really both processes take place during the writing of a novel.
For example if you’re a Pantser, you normally have at least a vague idea of where you’re going before you start. With my current novel, I was driving home from a writing conference when the concept came to me. I imagined the storyline, and made a storyboard with pictures that I cut from magazines and pasted along a timeline, to help me see where the story was going. So you might call this some minimal planning, but when I […]
PEN TO PAPER: Audio Inspiration
I’ve been re-reading, or should I say listening to, my favorite books on writing. When I take my pup on his daily walk I put in my new AirPods (No more fighting with my tangled ear buds as I head out the door), load my audio book and go. While I stroll the sidewalks, the red and orange leaves that scatter my path help transport the words and their inspiration into my mind. Thoughts on how to establish a more consistant writing schedule, how I might make adjustments to a character, and even thoughts on a new twist for my ending, drift around in my head. I always walk away with new tidbits to chew on.
I’ve got three books going at the same time right now (probably not a great idea, but they’re all quite different), so I just continue on with whichever I’m in the mood for that day. […]
PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: Connect With Your Teammates
Is there a player on your team who drives you crazy? That is too serious or goofs around too much. Maybe teases you or doesn’t pass you the ball. Or maybe there is some other reason that you don’t see eye to eye. If you have one of those players on your team, it’s time to look for a connection.
You may not care to make a connection. You may think that you have nothing in common with the teammate, but I think you’d be surprised. You can often find common ground if you make an effort, and doing so is one of the best ways to make your team stronger. Hopefully your coach is helping you and your teammates to get to know one another better by doing teambuilding activities and spending fun time together, but if not, try reaching out to your teammates more and see what happens.
It doesn’t […]
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