Finding Your Identity

Do you ever wonder how much sweeter your life would be if only people recognized what an awesome athlete you are? Who wouldn't want to be showered with accolades and constant affirmations of greatness all while being viewed as the court's "Prima Donna" who carries her team to victory game after game. Well there is nothing wrong with wanting to be the "Go-To" player, but hinging your self-worth on your athletic abilities can lead to developing an unhealthy esteem. Read what Charlotte Smith, the most decorated player in the history of the University of North Carolina women's basketball program has to say. She is an assistant coach at UNC and remains active as professional player with the WNBA's Indiana Fever. She is perhaps best known for her performance in the 1994 NCAA Championship game, when her buzzer-beating three-pointer gave UNC the national crown with a 60-59 win over Louisiana Tech.

BASKEBALL IS NOT MY IDENTITY, by Charlotte Smith
As I reflect over my basketball career, I become overwhelmed with gratefulness. I had the chance to live out my childhood dream, what a blessing it was! More importantly, I was afforded the opportunity to learn many of life's lessons that made me the person I am today. One of those lessons learned is that Basketball is not my identity.

I can remember those times spent in frustration because I did not meet the world's standard of success. I wanted to be a WNBA All-Star and every year that I did not meet that expectation I questioned myself, my abilities and my worth. Then there was a point in my career where I went from being a starter to being a reserve player.

Lesson Learned: Being an all-star, starter or reserve can only define who you are as a player, not who you are as a person.

It is far greater that you become a better person than you become a great player. Not to say that both can't be achieved by any means! But being a player will only be a small window of your life, but who you are and become as a person will define the rest of your life. Never let what you do define who you are for once it is taken away, you lose the biggest part of you!

I am grateful for my experiences as a player because it allows me to have insight into the thoughts and emotions of the players I now coach. There were many times when I could not understand the road by which sports was taking me, but all the while it was teaching me and training me for such a time as this to remind those around me that basketball is not your identity. The biggest part of you is who you are as a person and not who you are as a player.

Lesson Learned: Embrace the hard times in life for they are preparing you for a far greater purpose than you can imagine. Always remember, Basketball is Not Your Identity!

Winning as a Team

It's not all about You
With hoop season well underway, there is a focus on winning permeating amongst your team. Even if the team losses outnumber the victories at this point, on some level, most players still hold onto the hope that winning another game is within their grasp if they can just play together. My former colleague, Angela Taylor has graciously shared some personal wisdom that clearly underscores what being a teammate is all about. Angela played at Stanford University and has been a professional executive at the WNBA headquarters in New York City and served as Vice President with the Minnesota Lynx. She has proven to be just as industrious and intelligent long after her playing career ended earning her MBA while working full-time! Angela has traveled the globe which has resulted in her gaining a distinct ability to recognize talent which is vital in her current position as WNBA General Manager for the Washington Mystics.

WINNING as a TEAM by Angela Taylor
Someone asked me the other day, "What was your favorite memory of playing college hoops at Stanford." When I responded, "My freshman year," they were shocked to then hear that I only played a total of 41 minutes in 33 games that year. While we did go on to win the first of two NCAA Championships that year, it was our journey as a team that has had a greater impact on my life than actually winning the title.

What was so special about that team in 1990? Well we were a collection of individuals from different backgrounds (small towns from around the country) who were bonded by a common goal which was to win a championship. To a certain extent, we were the only ones who believed that we could accomplish such a feat, which made it all the more enjoyable. In fact, that "us against the world" attitude fueled us along the journey. If you want to be part of a winning team, you must put your team FIRST in everything you do. Individual accolades must take a backseat to team success. If each member of the team buys into that mentality and the leaders follow that rule, then the opportunities for individuals to be rewarded will be plentiful and the potential for success will be enormous. There’s no wonder that the last two teams to win the NBA and WNBA Championships (Boston Celtics and Detroit Shock, respectively) had great players who bought into the formula that TEAM > individual. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce previously were the stars on their teams, but they came together during the 2007‐08 season to be a dominating force.
What does it take to be a good teammate? Here are three things that I know will help to make you a "championship" teammate:

1. Always Work Hard
During my freshman year, one of my least favorite drills in practice was the Zig-Zag drill where one player is working on defense & the other is working on ball-handling. The coaches always paired me up against Sonja Henning who was one of the best point guards in the country. There were times when I was trying to dribble the ball up the court against her that I couldn’t even get the ball to half court without her stealing the ball. In the back of my mind, I was thinking how nice it would be if she would "take it easy on me." She never did, and I am so grateful that she didn’t because by the end of the year, my ball-handling had improved tremendously.
Sometimes great players take it easy on younger players so that they don't get frustrated (or because they are afraid they will be mad at them), but it is important for you to challenge your teammates at all times. They will make you better and you can help make them better. For those younger players, don't think they are being mean to you by challenging you. Know that they care enough about you to help you get better.

2. Understand Your Role
If you are supposed to be the leader of the team, then lead positively by example. If you are a reserve or role player, be ready to step up when your name is called. If you keep working hard, your role may change over time. No matter what your role is, everybody plays an important part in the team's success.

3. BELIEVE - Success Takes a Positive Attitude
Winning is contagious and winning is an attitude. We all want to be around people who are positive, who enjoy what they are doing, and who want to have fun. If you want to be part of a team and contribute to your team’s success, you must believe in the same goals and buy into the team philosophy. If you fouled out of the game and end up on the bench, cheer your teammates on. If a teammate is struggling, give them a pat on the back. If your coach yells at you, listen to "what" they are telling you…not "how" loud they are telling you. If you are the star player, make sure you teammates know that you care more about the final score than your final statistics. We have all heard the motto TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More!!! It’s true. The beauty of basketball is that it is a team sport, so make the most of your opportunity by being a great teammate!

Winning is so much more enjoyable when you have someone to share it with.
Best of luck to you on your journey!

Mental Toughness is Three-Dimensional

When was the last time you did something that you really had no desire to do, although you knew it was right or even perhaps the best thing for you? It could be anything from doing 50 sit-ups right before bed or getting up 30 minutes early to have personal devotions. In spite of being tired or simply apathetic, you pushed yourself to complete the task with joy. Doing so takes mental toughness! See what NBC Camps Girls Basketball Advisory Board member, Krista Heidinger, has to say about the subject. Krista is the assistant coach at the University of Lethbridge, located in Canada, and also serves as NBC Camp co-director there. She played basketball at Mount Royal College in Calgary where she was a conference All-Star. She finished her playing career at Lethbridge where she was team captain and MVP.

Mental Toughness by Krista Heidinger
A tremendous amount of time, physical effort and mental preparation are involved in preparing for games. Elite athletes spend hours training. They practice their shot form, footwork, and defense. They stretch, lift weights, and do agility training as well as dry-land training. They are involved with sports psychologists, nutritionists, athletic therapists, and medical doctors. They spend countless on-court sessions practicing the skills necessary to be successful in games, and they spend hours off the court preparing for practices through visualization, watching game tape, and reviewing offensive and defensive sets. So, what separates a successful elite athlete from all the rest? It isn't just about working hard, it's about working smart. It's about Mental Toughness. If you don't think that you are mentally tough, don't worry. I'll let you in on a little secret...anyone can be mentally tough! You need only have three things: 1) Determination; 2) Discipline; and 3) Desire.

Determination can take you a long way. A determined person refuses to quit. She believes in herself and in her capabilities. She chooses to do the difficult things first, like working on her weak hand lay-ups before switching back to her dominant hand or tackling algebra homework before checking Facebook or My Space. A person of determination makes a conscious decision about achieving a specific goal and single-mindedly pursues that goal.

Discipline plays a big part in how determined you are. Being intensely focused on something requires discipline to remain in that state. It requires time and energy, as wells as sacrifice. It means that you consistently do the "little things" well (proper footwork, correct shooting form, etc.). It means that you stay focused. It means that you accept correction from your coaches with a positive attitude, remembering that every piece of advice is bringing you one step closer to your ultimate goals. Discipline means that you show up mentally and physically prepared for practice or class. It means you have done your homework, whether that's scouting another player on game tape or reading the assigned chapter for English class. Discipline means you persist even when it's inconvenient for you to do so.

Desire is the simplest of the three because it is all about heart. Desire isn't about mastering a specific skill or getting on the honor roll. Desire cannot be taught, but it can be nurtured. It’s about longing for something with an intensity that results in nothing standing in your way. Desire is the combination of determination and discipline lived out daily in your willingness to do the most difficult things and those seemingly small details with dogged and even stubborn persistence. If you have dreams of being more than an average athlete, begin training your mind in addition to training your body. Make becoming more mentally tough your first priority.

Be determined and speak positively to and about yourself, be determined to work not only hard but smart, and be determined to really listen to the correction of your coaches. Be disciplined in your approach to practice, your game and your life. Work at perfecting the "little things" and not just the "big things" that others notice. Show up on time, do your homework, persist when the going gets tough. And most of all have fun. If you lose the passion you have for basketball or anything in life, no amount of determination or discipline will get you closer to your goals. You have to love what you do or doing it will become a chore. Mental toughness is within your grasp if you believe in yourself and aren't afraid of hard work. Begin this next year in a positive way by resolving to become more mentally tough!

Think Small, Dream Big: Keys to Setting and Accomplishing Goals

How many times have you heard someone say, "I wish I could…" well, you fill in the blank. The fact of the matter is that wishing or dreaming alone doesn't accomplish much. Everything you desire out of life must be personally relevant. Dreams have to be big enough to elevate them to a level of importance that leads a person to pursue those goals with a passion! If you want (not wish) to make good grades, you have to plan to study and do homework. If you desire (not daydream between T.V. commercials!) to be a better free throw shooter, you have to implement a practice strategy to actually improve in this area. The bottom line when it comes to dreams is that we have to plan to work and then work the plan. With purpose and planning you will be able to see your dreams come to fruition. Check out what Head Women's Basketball Coach at Linfield College, Robyn Stewart has to say on the subject...

Think Small, Dream Big: Keys to Setting and Accomplishing Goals
by Coach Robyn Stewart

"If it isn't written down, it’s only a dream!" I heard those words spoken by NBC Founder & President, Fred Crowell at a coach's clinic a few years back, and they are the same words I start out with when addressing our players at Linfield College about goals and goal setting. How do we make our dreams a reality? First off, the dream or dreams we have must be something that is meaningful, will drive you, and that a person has a great passion for. If not, one's ability to set goals is irrelevant. Can you think of something that really creates a fire within you to go after? If so, then the dream can be set in motion! Identify your dreams and then start asking the following questions of yourself:
• What is your long-term goal? This could be something that stretches over a number of years. What is possible in the long-term if you stretch all your limits and put a high level of energy into it?
• What is your dream goal for this year? What is possible if you stretch all your limits and commit yourself this year?
• What is a realistic performance goal that you can achieve this year, based upon your present skill level,your potential for improvement, and your current motivation? Once these questions have been answered, now it is time to come up with a goal setting plan with specific dated timelines based upon your responses to the questions above. Begin to think in terms of making monthly and weekly strides.
• Monthly goal: Set a goal that you feel you can achieve within the next month. This should be a short-term goal you would like to focus on with special intensity that will help you to your realistic performance goal.
• Weekly practice goal or goals: Set one to three goals that you feel you can achieve by the end of your first week of practice. More than three goals often are too many to concentrate on or even remember.

Now on to what I like to call goal statements. When we have our players write out their goals, they must address the following components:

• Goals should be specific, challenging, realistic, positive and stated with "I will". An example might be "I will make 75 out of 100 free throw attempts by the end of the first week of practice."

• Goals need to be something you can control. This means accomplishing those goals are not dependent on external forces or other individuals. For example, "I want to be a starter on the varsity team." That is a great goal, but not completely in your control, as the coach ultimately makes that decision.

• Focus on performance or process goals before outcome goals. Again, focus on something that you can impact. A person must be able to get to a level of performance in an area prior to attaining an outcome goal.

• Set game goals and practice goals. For athletes, practice leads to performance in competition, thus practice goals are just as important as game goals, if not more so in some instances.

• Write down your goals so you can see them daily and share goals with someone who will help keep you accountable and focused. If you write down your goals and put them where you never see them, then how important are they really?

• Evaluate your goals as you make progress, set timelines, and adjust your goals when necessary. Our players evaluate practice and game goals weekly as a measure of where we are and where we want to go during the season – our team "Dream Goal" so to speak. Goals can be powerful, keep you motivated and your energies directed during those times where you may feel like you are not yet where you want to be. Keep your eyes on the dream, and you will be surprised just how much can be accomplished by having direction, drive and a plan in your life!

Born Confident

With basketball season officially underway soon, I sincerely hope that over the summer you challenged yourself athletically and took time to dig a little deeper to discover who God wants you to be on & off the court.You've heard the expression "natural-born leader", but are characteristics like leadership and confidence really in our DNA from birth? Some people even mistakenly associate the term confidence with arrogance or cocky. In my opinion, confidence should invoke a much more positive connotation, and my friend and former WNBA colleague, Lynn Barry would agree. Lynn is a basketball aficionado, William & Mary Hall of Famer, Academic All-American Hall of Famer, former assistant director of USA women's basketball, wife and mother who's advice is worth reading about...
Confidence... Is it in you?

by Lynn Barry

When the game is on the line, do you want the ball in your hands or are you more likely to defer to someone else? When you walk into a room of strangers, do you introduce yourself to the group or do you head straight for the corner and hope no one saw you come in? Do you welcome the challenge of a difficult test at school or do you find yourself paralyzed with fear because you are not prepared? Athletically, socially, and academically, confidence is important for success. Webster's dictionary defines confidence as "belief in one's abilities; the fact of being or feeling certain; assurance."


How can you gain belief in your abilities? How can you become more confident? Is confidence something you are born with or can you develop confidence on your own? Preparation and practice are two ways to gain confidence. Preparing yourself properly for situations that you might encounter in sports, academics, or social environments can help you meet those conditions with added poise and self-assurance. Preparation can be mental, physical and even spiritual. Going over situations in your mind and coming up with possible ways that you might respond could be a way of preparing mentally. Praying to God for strength, self-confidence and peace of mind as you handle certain circumstances can be reassuring.


Finally, physical preparation, especially where sports are concerned, can be tantamount to achieving confidence in any situation you face. Physical preparation means practice, repetition, goal setting, dedication, determination, focus...all the things you have heard over and over for your entire life. Now you must decide how important these things are to you. You must believe that these qualities, attributes and work habits will make your dreams come true. To gain confidence in your abilities as an athlete, you must be willing to put the hours of practice in that are necessary to give you a level of comfort in any situation or critical game environment.

Practice means working on your skills until they are automatic, testing your talents against worthy opponents, taking the instructions that your coaches are giving you seriously, and taking the time to do a little extra work when everyone else has gone home. For example, do you stay after practice and shoot 100 free throws? Do you do the Chapter Test and the Chapter Review in your Math book before a test, even though the teacher didn't assign it? Do you practice in the mirror introducing yourself to others and offering them a firm handshake and a smile?


Performing with confidence in pressure-filled situations can become easier with practice. My husband is Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry. He won an NBA championship, was the championship series MVP, and was voted as one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever. He is convinced that pressure does not exist in game situations if you are confident in your abilities. If anything, confidence makes you thrive in tough situations. You want the ball because you believe that you can excel. You are confident in your ability to make the big play and are willing to take the chance that you can make it happen. Rick gets very upset when sports broadcasters say that an athlete "has a lot of pressure" on them. He believes there is no pressure if they are confident in their abilities. The situation that they are being asked to perform in is "critical", but with confidence, pressure does not exist. You welcome these opportunities as chances to excel, not situations to fail. Of, course the minute your confidence starts to waver; you will feel the weight of the world on your shoulders! A great athlete who is confident in her abilities, doesn't feel pressure, she feels excitement about the opportunity to put the long hours of training and preparation into effect. A prepared, confident athlete does not feel pressure, athletically, academically or socially. Is it in you?

Professional Advice from Ruth Riley

What Coaches Look for in Great Players, by Ruth Riley

Looking back on my basketball journey I often wonder, what did college recruits really see in me? Growing up, I have always been tall, but quite honestly my coordination and skills came a lot later in life. I have always wondered, what made them pursue me when I knew that was so far from great? As I reflect on the different teams I have played on, from college, to the pros, to the Olympics here are a few thoughts I have about what coaches really look for and value in players.

When it comes to young players, coaches evaluate their immediate skill level: shooting, passing, decision-making, dribbling, etc. With the rare exceptions of players like Candace Parker, with remarkable skill level at a young age, coaches are more interested in POTENTIAL! It is not necessarily about the player they see you are, but rather the player they think they can help you become. You must keep in mind that potential can accomplish nothing on its own (We all have the potential for some form of greatness),the player must also be hard-working, and have a coachable attitude. Over the years I have seen many players with good skills and an amazing amount of potential become average players at best, because they didn't want to work on their game or they didn't respect what their coaches were telling them. I have just started my 8th year in the WNBA and I am still working to improve my game!

I am blessed to play everyday against the best basketball players in the world. If you look at every roster in the league, you will see the names of a couple players who definitely aren't the most talented players, but who work extremely hard, are constantly improving their game, and have a great attitude. If your dream is to play basketball in college or in the WNBA and you don't think you are good enough, don't be discouraged. My point-guard, Becky Hammon is a perfect example of someone who has overcome an unbelievable amount of adversity to be successful! At 5'6",people have said that she is too small, that she isn't quick enough, but she didn't let that stop her. She wasn't drafted in the WNBA, worked her way on a team, didn't play much for her first few years in the league, and then began to deliver MVP type performance!!