Five Reads For Friday May 1st

Before I start I want to wish my sister Clare a Happy Birthday!!

May 1st to me is now really the beginning of spring. March and April in Northern Illinois are often just a long extension of winter. This morning is bright and sunny here and that is expected to extend through the weekend.

Here are five of my favorite reads from the last week.

Rinaldo Ardizoia, the Oldest Living Yankee, Reflects on His Career -- NYT 4/27/15
The most endearing piece I read this week. I love these types of reflections on life. They so indicate that people can bounce back from mistakes and failings. That relationships are what are most important. That we don't need as much as we think to have a happy and productive life.

Leaders as Decision Architects -- HBR -- May 2015
I could go on about this article for a while. Decision making as a leader is super important. Some leaders just use their gut. Some like to deliberate. Here is some interesting research on how decisions are made and how to make them better.

5 Qualities of a Great Coach -- George Raveling
A short but worthwhile post. Here is the quality that I have found most important in the last few years -- flexibility. The athletes you are given to coach, the time you have with them, and the equipment and facility you are given are all out of your control to some extent. You as coach have to adjust. Being a great coach means at times throwing out what you previously did and adjusting to your current situation.

How One High School is Closing the AP Gap -- Marketplace
Next week we start AP tests at North Shore as do lots of High School around America. What grabbed me about this piece is how perception affects education. It is true in athletics too. Talent identification is very poor. Kids too early in life are labeled either by themselves, their community, their family or teachers and coaches. The labels are not helpful. How do we get beyond labels and bring the best out of each or our athletes and students. Some interesting ideas here.

Staying Power -- Training and Conditioning
For a couple days in June, I get to hang around Coach Jim Radcliffe of the University of Oregon at the GAIN conference. He has shared a lot of what they do to train athletes at the University of Oregon. The interesting thing to me is you could copy the exercises and techniques that he uses, and I am convinced that is only 10% of what makes him and that program special. What has always impressed me is process they use to create their program. The field of strength and conditioning is constantly changing and Radcliffe lets Oregon coaches he supervises try things he does not think will always work. I am always surprised that even at the University of Oregon there is disagreement on technique and program. But Coach Radcliffe believes through allowing that disagreement to exist a better product will be the outcome. This article talks about their process. Its not about the sets and reps and the exercises. Its about the integration of many many parts.