For any athlete, I would strongly recommend reading the book I Dare You! by William Danforth. The book is not only a good motivational tool for athletes, but it is also a great motivational tool for life.
The whole book is based around this "I Dare You" concept, and Danforth is trying to push the reader to do things. Here is one of my favorite passages:
“I dare you to think bigger, to act bigger, and to be bigger. I dare you to think creatively. I dare you to lead and inspire others. I dare you to build character. I dare you to share. And I promise you a richer and more exciting life if you do!”
He really makes you think about things outside of sports, and it really motivates you to take control of the little things, and to take control of your life. Danforth says that he wants the readers to be "my own self, at my very best, all the time." Just reading about how simple it can be to make changes in your life that will impact society, and how much you can help others really makes you put things in perspective.
I would recommend this book not only to athletes, but to anyone. It gives a great outlook on life. Sports are typically just as much mental as they are physical, and if you go into competition with the right mental mindset then you are already one step ahead of the competition. If you go in with the wrong mental mindset, then you have already started to beat yourself. Clearing your head, and thinking of the simplicity of things can really help you when you are about to enter a tough competition.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Division I Athletics
There are a lot of different factors that go into sports. If you like what you are reading in these blogs, there are more detailed and specific articles that you can read on http://divisiononeathletics.com. These articles go into more detail about a variety of topics.
There are articles on how to get recruited by a D-1 school, how to tailgate, how to pick a college, how to fix your baseball or softball swing, how to prepare yourself for collegiate athletics, the drug testing policies, a list of recommended products, and an about me page.
The how to tailgate article gives a long list of products that would help if you are a beginning tailgater.
The Division I website gives some great insight from a Division I athletes perspective. There are other sites and blogs that you can read that give information about athletics, but divisiononeathletics.com has the slight edge because it is written to give opinion and suggestion from an actual Division I athlete.
If you want more information, go check out http://divisiononeathletics.com. You can learn a lot about every angle of athletics.
There are articles on how to get recruited by a D-1 school, how to tailgate, how to pick a college, how to fix your baseball or softball swing, how to prepare yourself for collegiate athletics, the drug testing policies, a list of recommended products, and an about me page.
The how to tailgate article gives a long list of products that would help if you are a beginning tailgater.
The Division I website gives some great insight from a Division I athletes perspective. There are other sites and blogs that you can read that give information about athletics, but divisiononeathletics.com has the slight edge because it is written to give opinion and suggestion from an actual Division I athlete.
If you want more information, go check out http://divisiononeathletics.com. You can learn a lot about every angle of athletics.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Bets Off
Gambling on sports by collegiate athletes is illegal and puts your scholarship in jeopardy. The NCAA opposes all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering on college sports. Sports wagering has become a serious problem that threatens the well-being of the student-athlete and the integrity of college sports.
With the internet becoming easier and easier to access, betting on sports is becoming easier and easier. The NCAA adopted rules that prohibits not only student athletes, but coaches, athletic department staff members, and conference office staff from engaging in sports wagering. The rules apply to any institutional practice or competition in an NCAA-sanctioned sport. An athlete that bets or is involved in sports wagering on the student-athletes institution permanently loses all remaining regular season and post season eligibility in all sports.
If the student-athlete is involved in sports wagering activity that involves college sports or professional athletics through internet gambling, the student-athlete will lose all regular season and postseason eligibility for at least one year.
An athlete can bet on collegiate sports and not even know it. Every spring when march madness rolls around, there are brackets posted all over the web and all around communities. If an athlete pays to fill out a bracket, this is considered gambling and they can lose their eligibility.
Gambling has played a huge roll in sports over the years, quite possibly the most famous case was Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds. Rose was caught and charged for betting on games, and was even accused of intentionally throwing games, Rose was expelled from the MLB forever, and he forever tarnished his name.
Athletes have to be careful about gambling, because it would be an awful punishment for an honest mistake. It is easiest to just stay away from gambling all together, to avoid putting yourself in a tough situation.
With the internet becoming easier and easier to access, betting on sports is becoming easier and easier. The NCAA adopted rules that prohibits not only student athletes, but coaches, athletic department staff members, and conference office staff from engaging in sports wagering. The rules apply to any institutional practice or competition in an NCAA-sanctioned sport. An athlete that bets or is involved in sports wagering on the student-athletes institution permanently loses all remaining regular season and post season eligibility in all sports.
If the student-athlete is involved in sports wagering activity that involves college sports or professional athletics through internet gambling, the student-athlete will lose all regular season and postseason eligibility for at least one year.
An athlete can bet on collegiate sports and not even know it. Every spring when march madness rolls around, there are brackets posted all over the web and all around communities. If an athlete pays to fill out a bracket, this is considered gambling and they can lose their eligibility.
Gambling has played a huge roll in sports over the years, quite possibly the most famous case was Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds. Rose was caught and charged for betting on games, and was even accused of intentionally throwing games, Rose was expelled from the MLB forever, and he forever tarnished his name.
Athletes have to be careful about gambling, because it would be an awful punishment for an honest mistake. It is easiest to just stay away from gambling all together, to avoid putting yourself in a tough situation.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Picking a sport:
A lot of Division I athletes excelled in a lot of sports in high school. For many athletes not only is it a struggle to decide on a college, but a lot of them have to pick which sport they want to specialize in during their college years. Most Division I athletes are true athletes, and can be good at whatever sport you are thrown in to.
It is important that you choose the sport that you are most passionate about. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to choose the sport that you are the best at. Just because you are better at one sport than another doesn't mean that is what you have to do in college.
High school athletes right now are being forced to choose one sport over another and totally specialize in something. That shouldn't be a decision that an athlete has to make at the age of 15 or 16. The more sports you play, the more athletic you will be, and you will be more successful in the long run.
If a coach wants you to pick a sport, then you should start by talking to them. Try to work out a compromise and explain all the benefits you will receive by playing other sports. You can even point out that you will be better at that sport if you are allowed to play other sports. Playing other sports keeps you active all year round, and makes you work hard at something all year round.
Hopefully you are never put in the position to have to make a decision like this, but if it comes down to it and the decision has to be made, keep these things in mind:
- Choose a sport you are passionate about
- Choose the sport you enjoy working hard at, and that you feel most satisfied after putting in a lot of effort
- Look to your future, if you see yourself playing this sport in years down the road, then it is probably something that you will enjoy sticking to
- Most importantly, choose the sport that you have the most fun playing. If you are not having fun, then it isn't worth it.
It is important that you choose the sport that you are most passionate about. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to choose the sport that you are the best at. Just because you are better at one sport than another doesn't mean that is what you have to do in college.
High school athletes right now are being forced to choose one sport over another and totally specialize in something. That shouldn't be a decision that an athlete has to make at the age of 15 or 16. The more sports you play, the more athletic you will be, and you will be more successful in the long run.
If a coach wants you to pick a sport, then you should start by talking to them. Try to work out a compromise and explain all the benefits you will receive by playing other sports. You can even point out that you will be better at that sport if you are allowed to play other sports. Playing other sports keeps you active all year round, and makes you work hard at something all year round.
Hopefully you are never put in the position to have to make a decision like this, but if it comes down to it and the decision has to be made, keep these things in mind:
- Choose a sport you are passionate about
- Choose the sport you enjoy working hard at, and that you feel most satisfied after putting in a lot of effort
- Look to your future, if you see yourself playing this sport in years down the road, then it is probably something that you will enjoy sticking to
- Most importantly, choose the sport that you have the most fun playing. If you are not having fun, then it isn't worth it.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Oakleys
There are 17 Division I sports that take place outdoors. Though we would all like to hope that the weather will be perfect everyday of competition, we all know that this is always not the case. You have days where it is freezing, days where it is raining (possibly even snowing!), and days where it is sunny. Though with the weather channel you can somewhat predict what you are going to be playing in, you can never always be sure.
For those days where you are looking directly into the sun, I have found an excellent product for you. Start by going to this site:
www.oakley.com/custom
At this site you are able to customize your own sunglasses, goggles, watches, and backpacks. The customized sunglasses are a product that every outdoor sport athlete should look in to. You can choose from 29 different models of Oakley sunglasses. After selecting the style of the sunglasses, you then choose frame color, lens shape, lens color, icon color, and ear sock color. You can basically design a pair of sunglasses that are you school colors. You can even get things engraved on the lens such as school mascot, name, or jersey number.
There are about 20 different types of lenses that you can put in your sunglasses. Depending on the sport you play, there are different lenses that are recommended for you. There are special lenses for golf and baseball/softball.
The sun can do a lot of damage to you eyes, and it can also do a lot of damage to the game you are playing. The sun can effect the outcomes of games, most specifically baseball and softball. When you are looking into the sun you can lose the ball, and not be capable of making the play.
These sunglasses are a great way to show your school spirit, and look good doing it.
For those days where you are looking directly into the sun, I have found an excellent product for you. Start by going to this site:
www.oakley.com/custom
At this site you are able to customize your own sunglasses, goggles, watches, and backpacks. The customized sunglasses are a product that every outdoor sport athlete should look in to. You can choose from 29 different models of Oakley sunglasses. After selecting the style of the sunglasses, you then choose frame color, lens shape, lens color, icon color, and ear sock color. You can basically design a pair of sunglasses that are you school colors. You can even get things engraved on the lens such as school mascot, name, or jersey number.
There are about 20 different types of lenses that you can put in your sunglasses. Depending on the sport you play, there are different lenses that are recommended for you. There are special lenses for golf and baseball/softball.
The sun can do a lot of damage to you eyes, and it can also do a lot of damage to the game you are playing. The sun can effect the outcomes of games, most specifically baseball and softball. When you are looking into the sun you can lose the ball, and not be capable of making the play.
These sunglasses are a great way to show your school spirit, and look good doing it.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
D-1
In my opinion, playing a Division I sport is an opportunity of a lifetime. It has been a great experience and I love every minute of it. Though the practice and the conditioning and the school are all so hard to manage, I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything.
I think that it is completely ridiculous that parents are pushing their kids so hard to play and get recruited for a Division I sport. These parents truly have no idea what they are wishing upon their children. I think that the decision to play can be made only by the student-athlete and it has to be a decision that they are totally confident about. You are giving up the normal college experience by committing to play a sport. You don't spend your weekends hopping from one party and bar to another. You spend your weekends on busses traveling from one place to another. You don't get to sleep in every day and blow off class when you want to. You are committed to going to class and are penalized if you don't go. These parents who are forcing their kids to play sports in college just so they don't have to pay and be in debt have no idea what their kids will be going through.
Over my college career I have missed out on a lot of activities that normal college students typically enjoy the most. But I have also been allowed to travel around the country and represent my school in a way that no normal college student would be able to do. I have learned so much about myself through these years, and I have learned some great skills that will carry into the rest of my life.
Collegiate athletics are an excellent experience for anyone that so chooses to pursue them. But I warn, that it is a decision that can only be made by you. If you are being forced into playing and competing, you will not enjoy your time in college.
Your college years are said to be the time of your life, and I truly believe that playing a sport will allow that to happen, but if and only if, it is a sport you are passionate about and wouldn't trade for anything.
I think that it is completely ridiculous that parents are pushing their kids so hard to play and get recruited for a Division I sport. These parents truly have no idea what they are wishing upon their children. I think that the decision to play can be made only by the student-athlete and it has to be a decision that they are totally confident about. You are giving up the normal college experience by committing to play a sport. You don't spend your weekends hopping from one party and bar to another. You spend your weekends on busses traveling from one place to another. You don't get to sleep in every day and blow off class when you want to. You are committed to going to class and are penalized if you don't go. These parents who are forcing their kids to play sports in college just so they don't have to pay and be in debt have no idea what their kids will be going through.
Over my college career I have missed out on a lot of activities that normal college students typically enjoy the most. But I have also been allowed to travel around the country and represent my school in a way that no normal college student would be able to do. I have learned so much about myself through these years, and I have learned some great skills that will carry into the rest of my life.
Collegiate athletics are an excellent experience for anyone that so chooses to pursue them. But I warn, that it is a decision that can only be made by you. If you are being forced into playing and competing, you will not enjoy your time in college.
Your college years are said to be the time of your life, and I truly believe that playing a sport will allow that to happen, but if and only if, it is a sport you are passionate about and wouldn't trade for anything.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Drug Testing
In our society, steroids and drugs are becoming a huge part in sports. Not only the illegal drugs, but also the supplements and different things that can be put in the body to make you better. Typically you find the use of these supplements more in male athletes, but female athletes are not excluded.
Each month the NCAA does random drug testing. You are informed the night before, and then have to report to the drug testing site the next morning. The test is done with a urine sample, and there are very strict requirements and rules that have to be followed in the process. The NCAA tests for stimulants, anabolic agents, alcohol and beta blockers, diuretics and other masking agents, street drugs, peptide hormones and analogues, anti-estrogens, and beta-2 agonists. There are drugs and procedures that are also subject to restrictions, they are: blood doping, local anesthetics, manipulation of urine samples, beta-2 agonists permitted only by prescription, and caffeine if concentrations in urine exceed 15 micrograms.
Each university/institution can also run their own drug tests. Since the NCAA does not test for street drugs, most institutions also run their own random drug tests. They typically test for narcotics and street drugs in addition to the same drugs that the NCAA tests for.
Penalty for a positive drug test from the NCAA, the student-athlete will be declared ineligible for one year and is withheld from athletic competition. They are still allowed to train and practice with the team, but they are not allowed to be used in competition. If an athlete tests positive on a drug test from the university, then it is treated by the institution and different penalties will result.
For the full list of banned substances go to www.ncaa.org
Drugs are very dangerous substances, and they are not something that should be taken lightly. The harm the body, and it is not something that athletes should be putting in their bodies.
Each month the NCAA does random drug testing. You are informed the night before, and then have to report to the drug testing site the next morning. The test is done with a urine sample, and there are very strict requirements and rules that have to be followed in the process. The NCAA tests for stimulants, anabolic agents, alcohol and beta blockers, diuretics and other masking agents, street drugs, peptide hormones and analogues, anti-estrogens, and beta-2 agonists. There are drugs and procedures that are also subject to restrictions, they are: blood doping, local anesthetics, manipulation of urine samples, beta-2 agonists permitted only by prescription, and caffeine if concentrations in urine exceed 15 micrograms.
Each university/institution can also run their own drug tests. Since the NCAA does not test for street drugs, most institutions also run their own random drug tests. They typically test for narcotics and street drugs in addition to the same drugs that the NCAA tests for.
Penalty for a positive drug test from the NCAA, the student-athlete will be declared ineligible for one year and is withheld from athletic competition. They are still allowed to train and practice with the team, but they are not allowed to be used in competition. If an athlete tests positive on a drug test from the university, then it is treated by the institution and different penalties will result.
For the full list of banned substances go to www.ncaa.org
Drugs are very dangerous substances, and they are not something that should be taken lightly. The harm the body, and it is not something that athletes should be putting in their bodies.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How to prepare for college: Part 2 Conditioning
The second thing that you will need to do to prepare yourself for college is get in shape. To be in the best physical shape it includes not only lifting, but it also involves running and other types of cardio. Any strengthening program will include the cardio aspect in the training.
There are different things that can be done for cardio, and unless your college sport is cross country, there is no need to go out and run miles and miles every day. Your cardio training should be a good mix of sprints getting your heart rate up high, and some low intensive cardio to get your body in shape.
Some other things that can be done are riding a bike, elliptical, treadmill, running stairs, running hills, running long distance, short sprints, long sprints, track workouts, and swimming workouts.
A lot of programs will have you wear a heart rate monitor. It is important to know where your heart rate is at when you are working out. For low intensive cardio you don't want your heart rate to be above 130 beats per minute. When you are doing sprints you want your heart rate to get up around 180bpm. It is important when doing sprints to allow yourself enough rest to let your heart rate drop down to below 140bpm before sprinting again.
Doing a regular conditioning program will not only get your body ready for Division I athletics, but it will also keep you healthy and happy. Exercise releases endorphins which make you feel happy. It can get rid of stress, and high school athletes are under a lot of stress and pressure when preparing for college.
I know it can be hard to motivate yourself to go out and exercise. Check out this site for some helpful hints: http://thejoggerlog.blogspot.com/2009/09/30-things-to-do-when-you-are.html
There are different things that can be done for cardio, and unless your college sport is cross country, there is no need to go out and run miles and miles every day. Your cardio training should be a good mix of sprints getting your heart rate up high, and some low intensive cardio to get your body in shape.
Some other things that can be done are riding a bike, elliptical, treadmill, running stairs, running hills, running long distance, short sprints, long sprints, track workouts, and swimming workouts.
A lot of programs will have you wear a heart rate monitor. It is important to know where your heart rate is at when you are working out. For low intensive cardio you don't want your heart rate to be above 130 beats per minute. When you are doing sprints you want your heart rate to get up around 180bpm. It is important when doing sprints to allow yourself enough rest to let your heart rate drop down to below 140bpm before sprinting again.
Doing a regular conditioning program will not only get your body ready for Division I athletics, but it will also keep you healthy and happy. Exercise releases endorphins which make you feel happy. It can get rid of stress, and high school athletes are under a lot of stress and pressure when preparing for college.
I know it can be hard to motivate yourself to go out and exercise. Check out this site for some helpful hints: http://thejoggerlog.blogspot.com/2009/09/30-things-to-do-when-you-are.html
Monday, October 12, 2009
How to prepare for college: Part 1 Strength
There is a lot that can be done to prepare for college. There is a lot you can do for your body to prepare yourself for the extreme measures that you will push your body to. It is important that you begin the training before stepping foot on campus. It is even more important for males than females, and a lot of male athletes even opt to redshirt their freshman year to focus the entire year on getting stronger.
For any athlete. It is important to begin the training early. A routine training program is a solid start. It is important to lift all muscles and to strengthen the entire body. Lifting legs, doing things like squats, lunges and leg press twice, while alternating on the other days with upper body lifts like bench press, hammer row, and curls. You do not want to focus every one of your lifts on on area of the body. A lot of males tend to like lifting only the upper body, but it is very important to strengthen all areas.
In most major cities there are places that offer these types of training programs. There are people who can be there to train you and help you with your strengthening process.
It is also important that you go to the proper training facility. There are a lot of people out there that think they know how to train athletes and the proper way to train. It is important that you choose a facility that is credited for being successful and for producing successful athletes. They need to be people who have studied this area, and people who specialize in strength. It is important that these people know how the body works, and how to react if something isn't working properly.
It is important that you treat your body properly in all situations. If something doesn't feel right, and you feel like you have an injury, it is important that you tell your trainer so that you can work through it. Just because you have an injury doesn't mean that you can't still help the other parts of your body.
For any athlete. It is important to begin the training early. A routine training program is a solid start. It is important to lift all muscles and to strengthen the entire body. Lifting legs, doing things like squats, lunges and leg press twice, while alternating on the other days with upper body lifts like bench press, hammer row, and curls. You do not want to focus every one of your lifts on on area of the body. A lot of males tend to like lifting only the upper body, but it is very important to strengthen all areas.
In most major cities there are places that offer these types of training programs. There are people who can be there to train you and help you with your strengthening process.
It is also important that you go to the proper training facility. There are a lot of people out there that think they know how to train athletes and the proper way to train. It is important that you choose a facility that is credited for being successful and for producing successful athletes. They need to be people who have studied this area, and people who specialize in strength. It is important that these people know how the body works, and how to react if something isn't working properly.
It is important that you treat your body properly in all situations. If something doesn't feel right, and you feel like you have an injury, it is important that you tell your trainer so that you can work through it. Just because you have an injury doesn't mean that you can't still help the other parts of your body.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Rankings Update
After week 7 of the college football season, there have been a lot of changes and upsets since the season began.
Florida is still holding strong at number 1. They are off to a 5-0 start and have easily handled some good competition. Most recently they beat #4 LSU 13-3. After starting quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow suffered a concussion, many fans feared what would happen to the Gators, Tebow bounced back just fine and led his team to a solid victory against a tough opponent.
There is some discrepancy over the number two and three spots. In the USA today poll Texas has been chosen as the number 2 team, and are off to a 5-0 start. In the associated press poll Alabama is ranked number 2 and is off to a 6-0 start. Alabama is posted solid victories against number 7 Virginia Tech and number 20 Mississippi. Texas has also put up some good numbers, but have not faced any ranked opponents yet, but is looking at number 20 Oklahoma this week. Oklahoma started the season ranked third.
Rounding out the top ten is Virginia Tech, Boise State, USC, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Miami, and LSU. This weekends games will present new challenges to these teams, and new obstacles for them to face.
Florida is still holding strong at number 1. They are off to a 5-0 start and have easily handled some good competition. Most recently they beat #4 LSU 13-3. After starting quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow suffered a concussion, many fans feared what would happen to the Gators, Tebow bounced back just fine and led his team to a solid victory against a tough opponent.
There is some discrepancy over the number two and three spots. In the USA today poll Texas has been chosen as the number 2 team, and are off to a 5-0 start. In the associated press poll Alabama is ranked number 2 and is off to a 6-0 start. Alabama is posted solid victories against number 7 Virginia Tech and number 20 Mississippi. Texas has also put up some good numbers, but have not faced any ranked opponents yet, but is looking at number 20 Oklahoma this week. Oklahoma started the season ranked third.
Rounding out the top ten is Virginia Tech, Boise State, USC, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Miami, and LSU. This weekends games will present new challenges to these teams, and new obstacles for them to face.
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