Sport

From time to time, you’ll probably be told to do this or that by a well-meaning coach. If you’re struggling or underperforming, it may be a good idea. There’s an old saying that if a hitter can hit .400 (or whatever number you prefer) standing on her head, the coach’s job is to get her […]

And the truth is that playing out of the back, if taught and executed correctly, is actually safer than sending the ball long. It’s something you hear at soccer games at all ages and levels in the United States all too often: A player wins possession of a ball deep in their own half and […]

In a yoga practice you learn different breathing techniques (pranayama) that relax both the body and the mind. Developing strong mental skills is an important aspect of achieving success in any sport. Even though this is an accepted fact many don’t take the time to focus on them. It is often because of time restraints […]

Conveniently-timed injuries. We have all done this at some point. Don’t even lie. We’re a funny bunch. We dunk our heads into water for hours at a time and have staring matches with a black tiled line (usually losing). We don’t shave our bodies for months at a time, and spend thousands of hours training […]

No excuses. I let it happen, and I didn’t know enough at the time how to regain control. I was also far too concerned about what other people thought and how they would react. For the last couple of posts, I have been talking about fastpitch softball players taking personal responsibility for their playing time […]

After all, this wonderful piece of advice was comprehensively powerful and gave exactly the right message: You can work hard, and have fun at the same time. Having been in and around the pool deck for almost my entire life I have seen all manner of swim parent. You’ve got the red-faced screamer. The parent […]

“Whether I’m successful in completing the swim or not, it doesn’t matter,” Mandel said. “I’m trying to create awareness for Parkinson’s Disease by doing this swim, and I believe I’ll be successful in that.” Though he’s no longer a competitive swimmer, Michigan alum Alon Mandel (2007-10) is still seeking out challenges. His next one is the biggest […]

“I feel a lot of the best hitters, whenever they practice or whenever they hit their best bullet, it’s a ball that’s on a line and a ball that has backspin.” Five-time All-Star and 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto was asked about his top, absolute best baseball hitting tips for youth, and this is how Votto […]