Five Reads For Friday November 14th

From David Epstein's twitter feed

It has been Interim Week in the Upper School. A lot of folks have been out of town. We have tried to get some practicing in despite having smaller rosters. But it has also been a good week to have a change of pace. Here are five reads for Friday.

For Walt Drenth Process Trumps Outcome -- Running Times
Walt Drenth is the cross country and track and field coach at Michigan State. Their women's teams heads into this weekend as the #1 team in the country. This article is a must read for every coach and athlete. Outcomes in sports are important. The funny thing I have found is that the most successful coaches rarely talk about outcomes. They talk about the process. What are the habits, processes and behaviors of other great athletes. If you can focus on those processes, the outcomes will take care of themselves. This is well said by Coach Drenth. It is Regional Friday for NCAA Cross Country teams. I am cheering for the Spartans!

When Colleges Tell the Truth -- WSJ
The University of Michigan Athletic Department has been in crisis this fall. The Athletic Director has been fired. The football coach is in trouble. The new president of the University tried to explain things this week. He struggled to. However, he referred to the AD debacle as a "time sink" which it surely is for a university president. But principles at Major Football and Basketball schools were abandoned a long time ago in pursuit of dollars and media attention. So what's the expression "you reap what you sow." I hope to follow up with a longer post on President Schissel's words. It was refreshing on one level to hear Dr. Schissel speak this way but on the other hand he seemed powerless to control the situation.

Max Lenox's Amazing Journey To Much Admired Army Hoops Captain -- Sports Illustrated
This may be the best written piece of sports writing I have read this fall. Lenox's life story is fascinating. Born to a mother who was a drug addict, his future looked grim. But his mother put him up for adoption. He was adopted by a couple who was willing to take on the challenges of a child who may have developmental issues. The couple were two gay men living in the south. The story is not just a story of an athlete's success but the struggles of a family raising a child with many societal obstacles. A great piece of writing that validates life.

Majoring In Fear -- First Things
Anxiety is a topic that is discussed a lot at schools. It seems to be even more an issue at universities and colleges as students worry about their future. At the same time as anxiety is rising, degrees programs in economics have risen and majors in the humanities have decreased. Have we created an atmosphere where students are unable to self-reflect? An interesting piece on a troubling trend.

How to Pull Yourself Back from Brink of Your Caffeine-Driven Smart Phone Addicted Life -- Leading Blog
I guess I just had to post this because of the title. I certainly find myself in this conundrum. There is just a lot to do and we seem to always be reminded by that fact. The margins in life have disappeared. I am not sure what the answer is but it continues to be worth considering how to create meaning in your life when there is always another email to answer, task on your to-do list, or meeting to attend. But that is a worthy struggle to embrace.