PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Mix it up
Often my son has been the youngest on a team. A young 7th grader on the basketball court with a bunch of 8th graders. A small kid playing tackle football with kids twice his size. This can be a good learning experience, but it can also be hard on ones ego.
He’s managed to hold his own, but this fall he is playing flag football and ultimate frisbee with a bunch of friends his age and it is fun to watch him play. To watch as the lessons in toughness, that he gained while being the youngest, now transfers to confidence and leadership on the field.
Both experiences are good for a young athlete. So remember to mix it up a little.
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Plan
I have been falling behind on my writing, but now I have a plan. My friend, and blogger, Jenny (find her Heartwriter blog here), Recently made a plan for herself. She gets up every weekday morning, early, very early, and writes. (I only wake up that early to play basketball.)
But I have set a plan for my writing, to get my Young Adult novel finished, and for me it is to set aside big chunks of time (take a full day, a long weekend) and then take advantage of short spurts of time (sitting in the car waiting for my son’s basketball game to start, that sort of thing).
That is how I wrote my first book.
Set a plan. stick to it. Enjoy the results.
WRITING PROMPT: Where can I find time to write, or do what I love?
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Open
I’m a little “old school” in the way I coach. Not a yell and swear kind of “old school”, but I prefer certain offenses and certain defenses that I am familiar with. But like with anything, I also understand there is always room to learn and grow.
When I decided to write a book, I took classes, read, wrote, went to workshops, and learned about the craft (and still continue to learn) and implemented what I learned into my writing style. As a coach I do the same. Coaches clinics, newsletters, books, fellow coaches, YouTube. There are a lot of places to gather information.
I will always have preferences when it comes to the game, but there is nothing I like more than finding some new tidbit that may help our team.
Be open to growth…take a class, read a book, or simply Google something you want to learn more about, and enjoy.
Monday’s Pen to Paper: The Perfect Pen
I’m not terribly picky about my writing pen. I’ll use any pen, or a pencil for that matter, but there are some I prefer.
My daughter likes the Pilot G2 oo7-FINE – BLACK. She’s a bit cranky without it. I bought her a bunch of them, I thought it was the one I liked too, but yesterday I started writing with it and realized that it’s not. Not at all. I would use it, yes, but it’s definitely not my number one choice.
To start with, I like blue ink. (I have no idea why.) But the thing that I like best in a pen, is if it is NOT fine, it’s bold. Which to me moves softly across the page. I like my pencils a little dull too, not all sharp and pointy.
So I set the Pilot on the counter and rummaged through my purse (well small backpack really), digging around my journal, my wallet, a book, a ball pump and finally I landed upon some pens. They were all black and looked similar, but it was the PaperMate Profile that found its way to my fingers. And when that pen hit the paper my body sighed.
What type of pen to you prefer?
WRITING PROMPT: Dennis was chewing on the end of his pen right before he…
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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PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: The Secret Life of Teens
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I turned on the Today Show during a segment about prescription drug abuse by teens when I was folding clothes this morning. I felt sick inside. I […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Back to Basics
This week I need to go back to the basics. Stop over-thinking and worrying, and instead reestablish my writing goals and just sit down and write.
Join me, grab your computer or a pen and paper and lets get to work…
WRITING PROMPT #1: Three writing goals that I have set for myself are…
WRITING PROMPT #2: Lucinda scanned the area around her and then with great care picked up the…
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Learning to Love Mornings (or at least appreciate them)
One of the players that I coach asked if I could open the gym at 6:15 AM so that she could work out. YES of course! (Who can say no to that kind of enthusiasm? Especially from a 17-year-old Senior). It’s not basketball season, so I can’t coach, but I can open the gym and let my team, and anyone from the high school, use the facility.
I scheduled to have the gym Monday and Wednesday mornings since I play basketball Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the YMCA. And I decided that if I was going to be at the gym, it would be a good opportunity for me to get back into good shape. I’ve been nursing a bad hamstring for a while so I haven’t been working out the way I need to, to stay in basketball condition and this lack […]
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