Matt Ford’s Post

A question for you, this Monday morning, as you reach for your coffee (yet again): Is your work FUN? No, really-- is it? After reading this article by Stephen Borelli, with major contribution from Amanda J. Visek, PhD, CMPC, FAASP, you may see things differently. I coach kids in both Ice Hockey and Lacrosse. I'm also a former philosophy major who was particularly interested in defining a philosophy of sport. Most importantly, I'm a regular, plain old worker-guy who's finding his way through the jungle of his career just like you and millions of other professionals. I had the pleasure of virtually meeting Coach Borelli a number of months ago. I found our exchanges insightful then, but this collaboration was an absolutely fascinating read. Specifically, I couldn't help but find myriad parallels between the intentions of the authors as they relate to kids participating in sport, and the efforts of a conscious person who is inherently interested in what (s)he does for work. Without spoiling everything found in the article, I will note that the collaboration calls out characteristics of FUN in sport such as those "that are actionable, such as putting forward a strong effort, getting better at a sport and working together as a team. Fun drives confidence, the study shows, and it is at the heart of athletic development." -- sound familiar? Workers? Founders? Influencers? Everyone between? On [formerly Twitter], Dr. Visek lists all 11 of her criteria for "What makes sport FUN for athletes." This is an extraordinary analysis of what your child may consider actually important to the process. Certainly it encompasses much of what I want for my players as a coach, and also what I consider important to my own process as an adult, recreational participant in sport. I also believe the characteristics mirror what we all generally crave from our jobs as well. It's finally important to note that you will not find "winning" on Dr. Visek's List. The Twitter link lies below, but I encourage you to read Coach Borelli's article below that. As a bonus, you'll learn what Andre Agassi really thinks about the sport he's synonymous with. https://lnkd.in/ektBfJyH

I grow evermore condeming of Competitive Sport. We too often overvalue it to the detriment of our youth. Having raised two higher level athletes grassroots folks at our soccer club sometimes ask me for advice. Hindsight being a real liability sometimes I have realized I moved them each from recreational sport "upward" to Competitive levels seeking Better Sport. My girls each have a passion for motion and ease with physical literacy - agility balance, coordination and speed - they always have had. I actually think it's been the language of origin at our house. It stood out when they were wee so when they were old enough to start participating in organized sport they were often outliers. They soon became restless and even critical of teammates...and eventually recruited. Having been their first coach I participated in as much, and for as long as it worked for us, so I was available to temper their influences more than average. I safe guarded their mentorship for as long as possible giving each of their coaches copies of the 1990s Catch Them Being Good as we journied the perils of pre-LTAD youth sport. What struck me was always the amount of poaching over coaching in youth sport; it's disgusting really - but that's another story.... With both in their 20s now I can only say that we needed a pathway for elite level athletes more than we needed Competitive Sport. Running a grassroots soccer club now keeps my nose in the LTA(P)D progress of it - going on 10+ years now for LTPD. Our club runs PSO and NSO required coaching courses annually. The content extolls it's virtues but it's still not reaching enough Camp Chair Coffee Clutches. Too many are not happy until the BEAT their opponent such a word,..."beat". As I roam the fields watching my winters work roll out every team still has adults yelling at 8 year olds like they're watching a dog fight. I see well intentioned coaches give in and start up too. Likely influenced by the pressure on the facing sidelines or from other benches they slowly amp up to Joystick Coaching even when they know better and can recite the liabilities to the youth player of it. So what I offer parents who ask now is that I wish I could have just found my kids sport pathways that offered them a higher level of participant more so than a Pathway of Pressure. I ask them to put down their cups (I've been watching you; you don't need more caffeine) and participate. Give up their point of view and adopt their childs'. One of discovering boundaries of their own instead of seeking out the limitations of the opposition so they can Beat them.

🔥 2023 Was The Warmest On Record: What It Means For Sports You Love by Claire Poole for Forbes 😰 Athletes and participants impaired ❌ Outright cancellations 🔔 Changes to timing, location, the calendar and landscape 🔚 Could some sports cease altogether? 💪 There is lots we can still do. Read more for how sports fans, athletes, suppliers, sponsors, brands and participants can use their voice and influence to effect positive change. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/enDq3vAy #sportpositive #greensports #sportsforclimateaction

This issue deserves more attention and take some actions as well,

Introducing @thlete 2.0 Gen AI for pro sport. Excited to share our latest innovation just unveiled at the National Basketball Association (NBA) tech expo. Designed to elevate the performance of elite athletes worldwide, it supports faster recovery, extended play, and total ownership of their performance data. @thlete 2.0 was made possible by two of decades of sports, data, and computer science research. It was born from our obsession with peak performance and athlete empowerment. We took special inspiration from the legendary pioneer of Sports Science, Professor Craig Sharp. Built from the ground up by our phenomenal ORRECO.ai team and powered by our versatile Te@m platform architecture, @thlete is multi-modal and LLM agnostic. This has truly been a global effort.@thlete was shaped by thousands of hours of conversations, insights and from World leading athletes, coaches, physicians, trainers, agents, players associations, owners & leagues. It’s development included visits with leading thinkers in universities, training and competition venues in Galway, Sligo, Limerick, Killaloe, Rathmichael, Newcastle, Strawberry hill, Teddington, London, Weymouth, Stockport, Manchester, Hoylake, Southport, Liverpool, Bristol, Nottingham, Solihull, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Lisbon, Östend, Brussels, Sydney, Canberra, Falls Creek, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Eldoret, Nairobi, Cape Town, Durban, Potchefstroom, Stellanbosch, Toronto, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Athens, Beijing, New York City, Tarrytown, Dallas, Buffalo, Tampa, Bradenton, Lake Nona, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Miami, Pinehurst, Augusta, Whistling Straits, Augusta, Atlanta, Oakmont, Villanova, San Francisco, Carlsbad, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Manhattan beach, Stanford and Harvard for starters. All of these unique chats were helpful in isolation but breathtakingly powerful when the learnings compounded. Sitting here this morning, I’ve been jotting down the list of World and Olympic champions, medalists, record holders, major winners, scientists, practitioners and sports executives who contributed to this breakthrough, a massive thank you. I have 185 (and counting) thank you notes to write ! Their feedback and blunt questions helped turn a once-thought impossible dream into reality. It sustained us through multiple setbacks and the obstacles that (in hindsight) were to be expected. After all, this stuff was very hard to do. We had the ‘ample doses of pain and suffering’ that Jensen Huang at Nvidia beautifully explained are required to make big breakthroughs. We are so excited for @thlete to roll out for our players in the NBA, EPL, NFL, NHL, F1, PGA, LPGA, WNBA, WSL, NWSL, Olympic sport and more with specialized AI engines for the amazing women we work with. For elite athletes and their support teams seeking this cutting-edge advantage, email humans@orreco.ai to join the list Let the AI games begin! #AI #SportScience #DataScience #HyperPersonalization #Orreco

Introducing @thlete2.0; #GenAI for pro sport. Leveraging the power of Gen AI in pro sports to obtain personalised and actionable insights based on data. To know more contact at humans@orreco.ai

https://lnkd.in/dGQq7gcP If they love what they - they'll do what they love. Probably the most important video I've ever done. It still breaks my heart to see so many sporting systems around the world hanging on to the outdated, out of touch model where every child who picks up a tennis racket or jumps in a swimming pool or kicks a football - should be, must be, has to be on the "pathway" to being an elite athlete. We - and I include my former self - have got this so wrong. Create the sports experience where kids fall in love with sport. Why? Because if you love what you do - you will do what you love - i.e. they keep coming. The only kid who doesn't improve is the one who isn't there! and increasingly - again supported by research all over the world - organzied, competitive sport is dying. It has been dying for many years - covid merely accelerated the decline. So this is my plea: Coaches, parents / carers, sports administrators, sports leaders - PLEASE move on from the "every child must be an elite athlete" version of sport. Put it to rest. It's the 1970s model of sport. Let it go. Instead, focus your energy, your passion and your resources on creating wonderful, connected, engaging, safe sports experiences for every child, inspire them to believe in themselves and give them the opportunity to fall in love with sport. Then - the ones with talent and passion and commitment and resilience - will - if THEY choose - become high performing athletes. It's time we all shifted our mindsets, our attitudes and our focus from the performance pathway to the participation playground. #waynegoldsmith #wgcoaching #sport #sportsparticipation #juniorsport #sportscoaching #sportingsystems #sportsparenting #sportsadministation #sportsperformance #highperformancesport

I've noticed a significant increase in players feeling unhappy at their clubs because they're not getting enough playing time, and often the reason given is "because of my age." When I ask if they’ve considered other clubs, the response tends to be, "It'll be the same wherever I go because I'm only ...." I find this mindset quite frustrating. While age can sometimes be a factor in terms of physical strength, experience, or understanding psychological and physiological aspects, it has never been the sole reason for me not to include a player in my squad or to limit their playing time. Rather than focusing solely on a player's age, we should provide them with guidance on aspects they can actually control. This could include suggesting specific gym exercises, offering examples of experienced players to learn from, or helping them better understand their position on the field. Age itself isn't the issue—it's often a matter of lacking experience, strength, or quick decision-making skills. If we give players the support and confidence to grow, they’ll give us everything they’ve got in return! For example, in the recent FA Cup fixture against a tier 6 team, we saw some wonderful play between four players—three of whom have been with the team since they were 16 and are now aged 16, 17, and 18. All three of these young players started the game on Sunday and played the full 90 minutes, supported by the 4th, a more experienced player and captain of the team. They held their own, and the 16-year-old even scored on her debut! I will never deny a player an opportunity solely based on their age, nor will I let them believe that’s the only reason they haven't been selected. If a player is committed, works hard, and has the right attitude, they will always be supported. --- This is designed to be constructive and supportive, emphasizing growth and opportunity rather than any ill feeling. Each coach has their own way of working and we don't always see eye to eye. That's just football! ⚽️

Ever been part of a sports team but felt invisible? This post is for YOU. Imagine a team where every athlete feels valued and appreciated, not just at year-end banquets but every step of the way. Yet, many schools face a silent crisis: a lack of meaningful recognition for their athletes. Generic acknowledgments leave them feeling undervalued. But it doesn't have to be this way. Today, let's revolutionize sports programs by embracing the power of personalized recognition. Let's uplift and motivate our athletes every day, driving success like never before. Ready to join this movement? Like, share, or drop a comment with your thoughts on boosting recognition in high school sports! #RecognizeToInspire #HighSchoolSports 🏆👏