This essay appeared in the September 22, 2018 edition of Blue Avocado. As a former all-American and professional basketball player turned nonprofit leader, I see tons of similarities between life on the court and as an executive director of a small nonprofit. Everything I learned playing the game comes in surprisingly handy, especially the importance of both […]
Nonprofit Leadership Tips from the Basketball Court Read More »
My father was a successful high school football coach. He was an old school, three yards and a cloud of dust sort of coach. Nothing bothered him more than watching his offense fumble the football. Offenders of what he considered the ultimate football sin were made to carry a football around school all day, every day until the next game. Conversely, as a defensive minded coach, nothing delighted him more than when his defensive unit caused and recovered a fumble.
Why not flag football? It’s happened….again. A Georgia high school football player who came out of a game with an injury and then lost consciousness on the sideline has died, officials said. Dylan Thomas, a 16-year-old junior linebacker for the Pike County Pirates, came out of a game in the third quarter Friday night with
I gently kicked the vintage, boxy suitcase that was on the floor between me and a group of 15 second graders. The suitcase literally vibrated with all types of rattling, clanging and ringing sounds. “You want to see what’s in there?”, I asked. They erupted, “Yes!” I opened the suitcase to reveal more than 20
Sometimes you can repeat a phrase or articulate a theory or belief so often that it begins to become simply background noise or, if repeated enough, irrelevant. I am referring to my ongoing use of the metaphor, “another brick in the wall” as it relates to the future of tackle football in America. It seems
The Future of Tackle Football: The Bricks Just Keep Coming Read More »
An old friend called recently. We were catching up on news of kids, recent travel and various body aches and pains when he announced he had something to tell to me. “I’m quitting football.” I found this a bit confusing because at age 60, his playing days are long over. Besides, he played basketball in
The Future of Tackle Football: Another Couple of Bricks in the Wall Read More »
For my money, WBGO, which airs out of Newark, NJ, is the world’s finest jazz station. Founded in 1979, WBGO is “a publicly supported cultural institution that preserves and elevates America’s music: jazz and blues.” Due to the wonders of the internet, you can livestream WBGO anywhere in the world. In this case, I was
‘Strange Fruit’ to ‘Hey Jude’: Music Protests Large and Small Read More »
Athletes often use a technique called “visualization” to improve their chances of success. For example, the athlete imagines an act such as hitting a baseball or envisions reacting during a competitive situation. It is believed that if the athlete sees herself performing a particular skill, it will improve her chances of actually performing that skill
Envisioning a Better Model for Interscholastic Sports Read More »
Originally published in Lancaster Online on May 25th, 2018 As I walked home from the March for our Lives rally for gun control and school safety in Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Binns Park, being one of millions of participants in the estimated 800 events worldwide, I couldn’t help but think, “Maybe…possibly…this time will be different.”The typical
Guns for Teachers? How About More Violins for Students? Read More »
America’s Game Slipping Out of Touch with American Values? One of the most defining influences on my athletic career was when the New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl. The Jets, from the upstart American Football League, were lead by the brash, shaggy-haired, nightlife-loving Broadway Joe Namath. The Colts represented the
America’s Game Slipping Out of Touch with American Values? Read More »
