Level the Playing Field With a Good Foundation

There is no sports team or individual who plays a sport that can win without having a solid foundation in the sport of choice. If you don't know the basics, then you cannot hope to compete with those who have a better understanding of the game. Group and individual sports are taught from a traditionally young age as younger people have a tendency to learn quicker. This does not mean that older players who want to start off can't learn, but they must start with the basics as well in order to be successful. The following are some tips for keeping the foundation strong:

Work on the Basics - At least once or twice a week a team or individual should spend their training time working on drills. These drills should offer the players the opportunity to work on the skills that are rudimentary in any game or sport. For instance, the defense on a football team can work on tackling or on a baseball team the players can practice catching and throwing.
Generate Teamwork - Even outside of the sport teams should work on their teamwork skills. A team needs to work together in order to have any chance at competing. Have the team hang out together at team functions such as pizza night or other outings that don't involve playing the sport. This builds camaraderie between those players that will show when it's time to get to work.
Do Not Single Out Players - Never single out one player for either praise or rebuke when other team members are around. Speak to the team in general terms about any issues or concerns and then speak to the individuals separately when there is a specific issue with them. This keeps the team from downgrading them and promotes the teamwork you are working so hard to achieve. Also, singling out a specific player can either give them a huge ego which will not stand well later in their career or it can undermine them to the point that they want to quit.

Playing sports should be fun as well as competitive and any great sports team or player knows that the basics are the foundation. Working on the foundation during practice is the best way to have a chance at success in the future. Make sure to promote teamwork and never single out players if you want the team to be cohesive.

Sports Zone Media is your #1 source for all things sports. Here you will find news, articles, updates and more on your favorite sports topics, professional teams, youth coaching, high school sports and health/nutrition.

Lisa Mason has been writing professionally since 1998 with a specialty in Internet content. A youth coach with a passion for a variety of sports, she founded Sports Zone Media to combine her love of sports and writing.

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Taking Your Game to a Higher Level

Indeed, I feel I've had some very fortunate experiences in my life, you see, I've been the best in the world at a few things. It takes a lot to get to that level, sometimes you feel as if you're beating your head against the wall, but you press on, because you know that's what it takes to get there. You often find that your very best isn't good enough, that you can't win or compete at the higher levels even with all your great attributes, you just aren't good not enough. You must will yourself to go beyond and to take your game to a higher level.

Indeed, now I know this for a fact after going through it several times in various human endeavors. It's not an easy road, most people would give up. In fact, at times I wondered why I didn't. I certainly should have, because I didn't have what it took to win, I had the will, but I didn't have the skill. I didn't have the talent, knowledge, or even understanding to get there. What I had was a sense that I must. It became the driver. Along the way that adversity builds character. And at some point you've come so far that you can't give up, you can't go back, and you cannot allow yourself to quit in defeat.

When you get to that point you'll know it, and it's much easier to keep going than to turn back. Still, to be the best, you have to take your game to a higher level. And you can do that just by learning more, try harder, training longer, the only way you can get to that next level is you have to possess the will to get there. Without that nothing else you do will be good enough. There are winners and losers in life, and having played on both sides of that game, I choose to win. I hope you will make that same choice, but there's nothing I can do about it, there is nothing I can say to get you there, this is about you, your mirror, and that future destiny before you.

Now you can quit, and many men have, history is littered with forgotten names, people that were not able to take their game to the next level, they didn't have it in them, they didn't have the will to never give up, never surrender, and to take no prisoners in the pursuit of victory!

Indeed, I'd like you to please consider all this and think on it and go for it. If you do that you will have my respect, if not I will not be around to hear your excuses, because quite frankly I have enough excuse credits saved up of my own - for 5-lifetimes now - but I refuse to honor them, and I will not turn them in, I don't do excuses, and I hope you will take your game to the highest level and win! I'll see you on that podium of victory.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative eBooks on Biking Across America. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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