Wins and losses. Game-winning three-pointers and clanks off the rim. Picturesque pick-sixes and blown coverages that part the Red Sea.  Regardless of age, level, or skill, sport is a journey often determined by outcomes. The good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between. Some of those outcomes result in perceived greatness; Stefon Diggs’ miraculous catch to send the Vikings to the NFC Championship in 2018, Maya Moore’s incredible 2013 campaign that led to Finals MVP accolades and a WNBA title for the Lynx, and Kirby Puckett’s legendary walk-off homer in game six of the 1991 World Series just to name a few.  Those are great..but many, if not most outcomes don’t lead to rings, trophies, and front page headlines.  Read Full Article

Data-driven. Results-oriented.

It’s no secret that the Venn diagram of sport and life has an overlapping middle section filled to the brim with values, lessons, and experiences. The complex relationship between performance on the field and wellness outside of athletic endeavors has been explored by athletes and professionals long before the days of NILs, Gold Gloves, and Super Bowl titles even existed. And while there have been many leads, advancements, and discoveries, the outcome has been simple (or anything but): far too much information; too much for an athlete to comprehend and translate to results on the field. An all-compassing smorgasbord of theories, ideas, and principles spanning the spectrum with no concrete areas or clusters of commonality or growth. A cluttered mess. Think of it like the hit baseball film Moneyball. Prior to 2002, the concept of analytics was thought to ‘be the future of baseball,’ yet the application of the data remained uno...

The Stanley cup is the oldest and most revered trophy in professional sports. Originally donated to the “professional hockey club of the dominion of Canada” in 1892, it has since become the crown jewel of the NHL, traveling to the headquarters of each NHL champion since 1958 (Schwartz, 2017). Players not only leave their legacies engraved upon the cup, in a tradition unique to the NHL, they are each allowed one day with the cup to celebrate how they please. The cup has traveled to Europe, been used for baptisms, schlepped up mountains, and has even been shared with the winner of the Kentucky Derby (Anderson, 2016). Yet despite its many travels and travails, there are 11 teams who have never won the Stanley Cup.   So what helps teams and organizations put themselves into a position to raise Lord Stanley’s cup?  One philosophy and contributing factor is infusing an adaptable playing style in high pressure g...

Read Full Article