Happy Pineapple

Author

Coach E.
June 24, 2024

Quotes of the week

"You are the author of your own life; blaze your own path and don’t let others write your story for you." – Coach E.

"It’s okay to be good at something without striving to be the best; fulfillment can come from enjoyment, not perfection." – Coach E. 

Story of The Week

Damon loved football and hockey. He had played on numerous teams since he was six and enjoyed a lot of success. His natural abilities and understanding of his favorite sports earned him the nickname "Pineapple" because his moves were so sweet. Watching sports with his dad on TV and attending games with his family were some of his favorite pastimes. Damon's dad, Amari, had been an elite hockey player, securing a full college scholarship and playing in the NHL minors for a few years.

Despite being a leader at practices and games and helping his teams win championships, Damon struggled when he turned fifteen. He still loved sports, whether playing or watching, but found it hard to commit to the extra training required to reach the next level. He preferred hanging out with friends or watching movies over additional training sessions. Damon felt pressured, believing he had to push for a scholarship, or he was failing.

One day, Amari noticed his son's distress and asked what was wrong. Damon admitted, "I love sports, but I don't want to try and get a scholarship."

Amari looked at his son with understanding. "You should just play for the love of the game. It doesn't matter if others or even I think you have scholarship potential. If you just want to play, enjoy, and be the best you can be, that's 100% fine. You will love and play sports your whole life, and if you try to be something you're not, you'll end up not liking it."

From that day forward, Damon had more fun than ever, with the weight lifted off his shoulders. He never missed a practice, played games with all his heart, and enjoyed making more friends along the way. 

In his twenties, Damon graduated with a degree in broadcasting. His passion for sports found a new outlet as he became the play-by-play announcer for the local pro team. Damon’s love for sports remained a constant in his life, just not in the way everyone expected. Instead of chasing scholarships, he followed his heart, and it led him exactly where he wanted to be.

Parents/Athletes

Speak honestly about your desires. If you want to play sports just for fun, that's perfectly fine. You can still give your best effort and stay committed to whatever you choose. The joy comes from playing and being part of something, whether as an individual or a teammate.

On the other hand, if you truly want to be the best, you need to set clear goals and create a solid plan of action. You must do whatever it takes to reach your goals, with no excuses, and be willing to push yourself to achieve greatness.

The key is to follow through on what you say you will do. Be true to yourself, and good things will happen.

Coaches

It is always good to ask players what it is they want and then have them write it down. Here are questions you can ask athletes so you can be on the same page and hod them accountable:

  1. Why are you playing this sport?

  2. What are your personal and team goals this season?

  3. What are your academic and athletic goals outside of this team? 

  4. If you were told you had the ability to play at the next level, but it would be a hard, dedicated grind is it something you want to do? Then be coached and trained to make it happen?

  5. Is there anything I can do to help make the experience enjoyable for you?

Stat of the week

Lionel Messi annual earnings exceed $120 million, including both salary and endorsements.

Sports Franchise Valuations: Dallas Cowboys $8 billion. NY Yankees $7.1 billion. Manchester United $5 billion.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar had a total prize pool of $440 million, with the winning team receiving $42 million.

The NFL's TV deals with networks like CBS, NBC, Fox, and ESPN are worth over $110 billion over 11 years, averaging about $10 billion annually.

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