These are the dog days of summer...

When all you want to do is sleep in, stay up late and stay out of the heat.  Right??  WRONG. The dog days of summer are meant for the NuttyBuddy wearing athlete to make their move. This is where you get better.  Now is the time when you can:

A.  Learn a new pitch/play/handle the stick better

B.  Work on a skill you can execute on in the fall

C.  Be a better athlete and get in shape

D.  Get comfortable with all your gear (break in a new pair of pads, a new set of gloves, etc.)

We know that it's a lot of time, commitment and sweat. It also means giving up other things.  If the drive is deep enough, the other things don’t matter. Get your sleep. Eat well. Practice Practice Practice. Deliberately with purpose. 

What is our purpose? To simply be the best we can be. We do that by getting better every damn day of the summer.  Now is the time.  ​​​​​​​

P.S. Wear your NuttyBuddy every day this summer. Make it a reminder that you are going to be better this year. Put it on, and then, and only then, GO BE  GREAT!

Let’s talk about one area of concern for all our athletes...How to stay cool.

Alright, this may not apply to the ice hockey kids, but for most athletes, staying cool in the summer heat is a priority. Keeping your self hydrated is a yearly rite of passage. And those athletes who enjoy playing outside sports encounter the same problem whenever summer rolls around: literally sweating their balls off.

Sure, you can shower afterwards, but keeping your core cool is important to feel better when you get home (especially when it stays hot late into the night).

One of the time-honored ways to stay cool is with an icy drink in a reusable bottle with good insulation that keeps your drink cold.

Another well-tested way to beat the heat is to sit in a pool. Not everyone has the money or yard for a big pool, but a Kiddy-Pool for some tired sweaty feet can do wonders for keeping you cool (and could fit in your living room).

Obviously, the preferable standard for many is just to crank the AC, but even with AC it’s important to remember to stay hydrated and cool while playing sports outside.  We hydrate from the inside out.

From one Nutt to another, make sure you protect the boys with a NuttyBuddy and stay cool and hydrated in the intense dog-days of summer heat—on and off the field.

P.S. Wash your shorts!  Better yet, jump in a pool right after, and they will wash themselves.  We don't want the shorts and jock walking directly to the washing machine. 😊

I don’t care what anybody tells you: coaching is harder than playing.

Many professional athletes think they’re naturals or shoo-ins to become coaches after they’re done playing. The same holds true in the business world: “Yes, I have arrived after that glorious interview, or maybe my job placement was already secured, for whatever reason.”

The coach’s role(s) The coach is the teacher, but he is also a psychologist; the referee; a hardass if need be; a guidance counselor; a fill-in Dad (never a Mom)—so many different roles. Hell, on a 25-man roster, you’ve got individuals who are poles apart on many things.

Players need a coach who’s in their corner; one who understands the game and what they’re going through, yet is firm, and -- above all -- honest. To a player, a coach either “has it” or he doesn’t. It’s best to know what you’re talking about; almost any player can read right through mediocrity and patchiness, so don’t stumble. Hell, a thirteen-year-old can read through BS.

Your delivery, body language, knowledge of the game, being able to relate to each player on an individual basis – all of those things, and more, are important. 

If you don’t know or don’t have the answer to a player’s question, raise your hand to the crowd and say, “I don’t know – but I will find out.” Believe me, you will come out ahead. And yes, respect is earned. The KISS theory (Keep It Simple, Stupid) comes into play quite often, and you will repeat yourself a lot.

Coaches have to follow organizational guidelines, which vary with each affiliated team. Believe me, you’ll be dealing with adversity (sometimes off-the-charts); you will definitely be tested; you’ll be stepped on from above and below. And eventually you’ll get kicked in the nuts, doubted, given direction, and then get no direction.

Well, guess what? The ball just keeps on rolling. And on some occasions, you may even get the drift of an old smell, and conclude that it’s the scent of a rose. Well, maybe it smells like a rose, but it’s really a musty, jock-smelling locker room that will flare your nostrils. 

Unfortunately, sport in general is set up for us to take a back seat, and possibly fail. Matter of fact, an athlete will have more failure on the field than success.

A little peak from inside my book - What's Up Ramrod