What the Coaches Learned This Fall

We are beginning to figure out how to run a nine-month ultimate program. Mistakes in the past include deciding on a team too early (or too late), playing in too many fall tournaments, and not having a clear vision of where we want to be in November.

Here is what we have learned in the last few months:

1) Everyone needs to play in the summer and fall. We spent a lot of time getting our talented rookies up to speed, literally, during fall scrimmages. And almost every returner played on some sort of summer club team and a handful qualified for Club Nationals. The difference shows.

2) Throw, lift and read. These three words have become sort of our mantra. Everyone can always become a better thrower. A lifting program is the foundation of any serious athlete. And reading about sports psychology or mental toughness helps athletes leap ahead of many competitors without leaving their room. Our first suggestion is Mind Gym by Gary Mack. One of our players sent us a recent text about it:

As I go further into the book, I can relate to a lot of the examples that he gives about the mental traps I set up for myself, (such as) being coach-conscious or self-conscious rather than being task-conscious.

If we are not training their mental game, we are not doing our job.

3) Our captains are invaluable. The coaches have been absent more that we would like and Brett, Chris, and Tannor have stepped up throughout the fall season. We knew that they were going to work hard but the depth of commitment has enabled the Flying Fortress of Zoo to sail along with only a few bouts of turbulence.

4) How you show up is just as important as if you show up. We do not want want ultimate to be the entirety of these young men’s lives (just maybe 85%, joking!). We know that is not healthy for them, or the people around them. With that said, when they are with the team, or making time for their extra workouts, we ask them to show up fully. We have to continue to emphasize this.