PEN TO PAPER: Perspective
Today’s writing prompt plays with point of view and how that can totally change one’s perspective of a scene.
WRITING PROMPT: Imagine a bus stop. There is a woman and a man standing at the location who don’t know one another and seem to have nothing in common. Write for a few minutes from each person’s point of view. In your writing describe the bus stop and have each person think about, or talk to, the other person at some point. Discover how the scene changes with point of view.
LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: It’s Not All About The View
Recently my daughter Charli hiked 奇莱南華(Qilai Nanhua), one of Taiwan’s highest peaks. It is know for it’s stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the “Golden Sea” that happens when the sun rises and touches swathes of grass that line the peak. When Charli summited, she got thick damp fog and freezing cold 50 mph winds, still, she will tell you the 30 miles and the 11,000 feet of elevation gain were worth it. It’s not all about the view, read Charli’s blog post and learn why.
PEN TO PAPER: Remember Me
How do you see yourself? How do others see you? If the people you care about couldn’t remember you, how would you describe yourself to them?
WRITING PROMPT 1: None of your family, or friends, remember you. Describe yourself to them.
WRITING PROMPT 2: Amelia couldn’t remember…
PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: 4 Things You Must Do To Play Great Helpside Defense
Helpside defense is the key to great team defense. Teams need to work together to be effective and dominate the court, and in order to do so, each player must pay attention to the person who they’re guarding, as well as the rest of the court. If you’re not guarding the person with the basketball, you’re expected to help your teammates.
Generally, the farther away you are from the ball, the more you should be available to help. If you’re just one pass away, you will often be asked step up and deny the passing lane (I’ll cover deny defense in another blog), but depending on which level you’re playing and your coach’s specific rules, sometimes, even one pass away, you may play helpside defense. If you’re not guarding the ball (or asked by your coach to faceguard a player), these tips will help you become a better defender and ultimately help your team.
4 things that you must do to become a better helpside defender.
1. SEE BALL / SEE PLAYER
If you’ve played any basketball you should have heard this term. It may have been in the form of point ball/point player, point your pistols, see ball/see man or something of the sort, but what it means is that when you’re playing defense away from the ball you must guard your player and also know where the basketball is on the court at all times. There may be occasions when your coach has you faceguard a player, stick on them like glue, but the rest of the time when you’re on defense, you must be aware of the rest of the court. And you should always be in good defensive position, knees bent, back straight and arms out wide with your back toward the hoop. One hand should be […]
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: How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything?
My husband loves the quote, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I don’t always agree. I know that when there is something that I care about I put more effort toward it. When I was coaching I was all in, worked to be the very best I could be at my job, but then I’ll admit, other parts of my life suffered a bit. I was once a perfectionist. I even used to rewrite my math homework. Though it might not be for the best, I have learned to let some things go. I just can’t keep up. There is no way that I could do everything the way that I would like it to be done, because I also like to do too many things.
How about you?
WRITING PROMPT #1: Put “How you do anything is how you do everything” at the top of the page or […]
PEN TO PAPER: Memorial Day
WRITING PROMPT #1: What does Memorial Day mean to you?
WRITING PROMPT #2: What does the American Flag mean to you?
WRITING PROMPT #3: Collin looked up at the flag and…
PEN TO PAPER: A Method to the Madness
I finished the first draft of my young adult novel this month. I have a long way to go but the bones are there, and it feels good. This first draft is quite different compared to the first draft of my memoir, Back on the Court, mainly because a majority of that draft was written by hand. It seems crazy now, but I did like putting actual pen to paper.
I couldn’t cut and paste and adjust words, thoughts and paragraphs with ease like I can on a computer, but I could pick up the papers and feel them and then spread them on the floor, look at them, and move them around until they fit where they belonged. I liked seeing and organizing the madness. Recently, I found pictures from that time, so many years ago, when I escaped to a cabin on the Washington coast and gathered all the […]
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