Function Over Form @TrainLikeGame

Jalen Brunson was asked if it feels like the Knicks are one win away from a championship: "0-0."

The best players I know didn’t develop by being told what to do constantly. They developed because they had opportunities to figure it out. Less controlling. More exploring. Less instruction. More interaction. Don’t create dependent athletes. Develop adaptable problem-solvers.

For most young high school baseball players, travel ball just isn’t necessary. You can make a much larger debt in your development if you spent that time training, recovering, and hitting PR’s each week in the summer.

Practice teaches athletes the real lesson: failure isn’t the opposite of success — it’s the fastest path to growth. Every missed shot, dropped ball, or imperfect rep is data. Analyze it. Adjust. Come back stronger. The athletes who learn to fail forward in training become unstoppable in competition. Embrace the grind. Fail often. Grow faster.

You can cheat your kid in hockey. More ice than everyone else, more privates, hockey only, year-round, starting at seven. And it works -your kid is better at 10, 11, 12. Then 13 or 14 hits. Physical development kicks in, and the kids who can actually train hard start training hard. The ones who are fresh take huge leaps. The ones who've been grinding for six straight years find out they're running on empty. You didn't give your kid an advantage. You borrowed against their future.

Jay Johnson on the responsibility coaches have to model the standards they expect from their players. "The program is changed far more by what they see us do than what they hear us say...Your actions speak so loudly I can barely hear what you're saying." Before players buy into your standards, they often need to see you living them first. Whether you realize it or not, you're always teaching as a coach. Through both your words and your example. If you want to know what a team values, watch its leaders. 📹: ABCA1945

Same problem with a lot of youth sports in the United States

Don Williams @Don_K_Williams

5 days ago

🚨 Landon Donovan didn’t hold back on the state of U.S. soccer: “2002 World Cup is the furthest the men have ever been… we have only won one knockout game in our history. That’s pretty alarming. We’re not developing players like the rest of the world.” “The bigger problem is our

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When observing practice, look for players who are: - Consistently succeeding - Consistently struggling - No longer being challenged Each group may need something different.

Northwestern field hockey head coach, Tracey Fuchs, on why her team doesn’t use the phrase “defend a championship.” “We’re not defending anything. We’re going for it. We love to attack.” Her and the staff’s emphasis on “attacking, not defending” is a small shift in language, but a powerful shift in mindset. Defending can shift us into a protective mindset. As a result, some become concerned with a fear of losing what has already been earned. Attacking, on the other hand, is proactive. It’s about hunting what’s possible in the future. It’s not an accident her program is back-to-back National Champions for the past two seasons. 📹: Win More, Live Better Podcast (Ep. 255)

Really enjoyed reading Gridiron Genius by @mlombardiuncgm! Dives into some great lessons and stories from his days with Bill Belichick, Al Davis, and Bill Walsh. 🏈

If only there was a theoretical framework where we could try to help our athletes figure out how to repeat the same outcome without having to repeat the same process (a sort of "repetition without repetition" approach). 🤔

Jared Wilson @JaredDWilson

a week ago

Hate seeing pitchers struggle in big spots. Cal Poly pitcher has been nails all year. Struggled with command today and it boils down to his back foot. Pitch on the left is good pitch on the right is bad, where he was most of the game. It’s very hard to be consistent when you’re

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Youth sports is on life support. If you think it’s fine, you’re not paying attention. Kids age 10-12 are playing way too many tournaments and travel ball. Parents treat it like the World Series. They need less travel, more rest, fueling, and actual development. They’re 12 YO. The data backs it up: ❌70% of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13. ❌Professionalization (year-round single-sport focus, heavy travel/tournaments) drives overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout. ❌Nearly 1 in 10 youth athletes experience burnout; up to 35% deal with overtraining. ❌Early specialization before 12-13 raises injury and burnout risks significantly. Multi-sport kids who rest and play for fun stick around longer and develop better. Let them be kids. Prioritize recovery, fun, and long-term health over trophies. The best athletes often sample multiple sports early and specialize later. Who else sees this?

Keep the Door Open I noticed my 7yo son do something unusual at a recent game, something he has never been ‘taught.’ This thread will attempt to highlight why viewing skill from a lens of emergence can keep the door open for stronger skill acquisition. 🧵

The range will lie to your face. You’re out there piping 300yd lasers, feeling like a Tour player… Then you get on the course: • Pressure • Awkward lies • Wind • Actual stakes Suddenly you’re 40 yards shorter and chunking 7-irons. Range form ≠ Course performance. Golf is a cruel game 😂⛳

Here are some examples!

Transforming Basketball @transformbball

2 weeks ago

1. Layup lines … space is not given in the game; space is only taken … (replace with 1-on-1 Around the Arc). 2. Mikan drill … removes the very information that guides real shooting behavior … (replace with 1v1v1 in the Smile). 3. Fast break pattern drill … turns the game

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Layup lines exist so it looks like something is happening. It isn't. No defense. No decisions. No game speed. Half the players. Double the reps. Add constraint. Now you're warming up.

The mental game separates good athletes from great ones. 90% of performance is between the ears: focus on controllables, bounce back from mistakes, and stay present. Physical talent opens doors — mental toughness keeps you in the room. What’s your biggest mental battle in sports? 👇 #MentalGame #SportsMindset #AthleteLife

@reidouse This is seen as not coaching by a lot of people but silence is definitely a very powerful tool to use as a coach.

“Sport isn’t just movement. It’s perception, decision-making, adaptation, & problem-solving under pressure.”

James Smith @TheUofStrength

2 weeks ago

Why do athletes often look “great” in training but different in competition? Because many drills remove the very thing that makes sport difficult: Context. Sport isn’t just movement. It’s perception, decision-making, adaptation, & problem-solving under pressure. That’s why we

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I’m convinced that no matter how you choose to live, people will tell you that you’re doing it wrong. Wrong priorities. Wrong work. Wrong relationships. Wrong whatever. Your entire life will change the moment you learn to smile, nod, and ignore every single one of them.