Develop Mental Toughness

Being Mentally-Tough is key if you are going to become the best at what you do. There are going to be days where you must keep going even though it may feel like everything is against you. Those who are mentally-tough will overcome these difficulties, and experience the rewards of pushing through.

Check out these 5 simple steps to help you develop mental-toughness from PGC Basketball.

Striving For Excellence

Coach CJ

www.chsmhouston.com
www.facebook.com/chsmhouston
@CJPomeroy1
@chsmhouston

The Christ Centered Athlete's First Priority

Christ Centered Athlete - An athlete who exemplifies a Christ in everything they do - on or off the court.

 “It’s better to have God approve, than the world applaud” Unknown

One of the most difficult balances in life is the pursuit of our dreams while keeping Christ in first place. An excellent Christ Centered athlete is still required to dedicate an exorbitant amount of time training to achieve their career goals, and many times that will be disproportionate to the time they spend growing in Christ. Both are requirements for a player’s success, which makes it difficult for an athlete to balance and to also ensure that Christ does not take 2^nd place in their life

From the beginning of time, God requires that He be #1 in our life. It is the first of the Ten Commandments, and reiterated in many Old & New Testament scriptures. Many times God’s children, the Israelites, would worship the god’s of other people and suffer greatly because of it.  The Bible is also filled with God blessing His children when He was #1 in their life.

In today’s culture, there are many things that vie for our time, talent, and money. This creates an opportunity for many things to take precedent over God. A December 2015 study published in Time Magazine showed that the average American checked their phone 46 times per day. Those between the ages of 18-24 checked their phone an average of 74 times per day. That means someone is checking their once every 19.5 minutes! A 2014 study conducted by the Barna Group found that only 15% of Bible reading adults read the Bible daily. This study also revealed the number one reason for a decrease in Bible engagement was because people felt they did not have time to read the Bible. When you consider these facts and the required amount of time for an athlete to achieve their athletic dreams, then it’s easy to see how God takes a back-seat in the life of a player.

So how does the athlete ensure the God maintains a #1 place in their life? Matthew 6:33 provides the answer. When an athlete seeks first the Kingdom of God, then everything else will be taken care of. Psalms 37: 4-5 says “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and He shall bring it to pass.” Make a commitment each and every day that your relationship with Christ will come before anything you do, and then follow through on it. Commit your training and preparation to the Lord. Talk to the Lord on a regular basis throughout your day. Make it a goal to memorize scripture or to write down what God is teaching you every day. Give God, and only God, all of the glory for your achievements. That’s how the athlete ensures that God stays #1 in your life.

To be a successful Godly leader, always remember that He will give you the desires of your heart, when you make desiring His heart your first priority.

In Christ,
Coach CJ

President
CHSM

Website: www.chsmhouston.com
Twitter: @CJPOMEROY1 or @CHSMHOUSTON
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chsmhouston

*http://time.com/4147614/smartphone-usage-us-2015/

*http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/state-of-the-bible-data-analysis-american-bible-society-2014.pdf

Reach Heights You Never Dreamed Possible!

On April 5th, 2016, the UCONN Huskies women's basketball team won their 4th straight national championship while winning their 75th game in a row. Their 3 senior starters were a perfect 24-0 in the 4 women's tournaments they participated in, and averaged more points per game than their opponents. So how do 3 incredible talents and Hall-of-Fame coach achieve unprecedented success? The answer is very simple. By committing themselves to excellence in their role, recognizing the end goal requires help, and being humble enough to serve each other in pursuit of that goal. That's called TEAMWORK.

The amount of character these girls had to have in order to win is more than we can ever imagine. They did make it look simple, but the truth is - SUCCESS IS SIMPLE. Failure is complicated.

The same is true in our walk with God. Success is reached when we keep your eyes on Christ in pursuit of His will for our life, recognizing that we can’t achieve anything of substance without His blessing and the help of others, a willingness to be broken down and corrected, and being humble enough to serve and sacrifice to help others in pursuit of their desires.

Commit yourself to excellence. Recognize that you cannot experience your dreams without the help of others. Be willing to be humbled, corrected, and selfless to help others in pursuit of their dreams. By doing so, we too can reach heights we never dreamed possible!

In Christ,
Coach CJ

President - CHSM

Website: www.chsmhouston.com
Twitter: @CJPOMEROY1 or @CHSMHOUSTON
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chsmhouston




Read about UCONN's 3 senior starters - Click Here!

Attitude

Our attitude is in constant need of adjustment. When it pertains to having a good attitude, there will never be a time when we will have "made it", or a time when we will never have to worry about our attitude again. Our attitude needs to be reviewed, renewed, and adjusted every single day – sometimes multiple times during the day!

This is the essence of what it means when you hear "You are the driver of your bus." (Rule 1 from The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon) Whether you go forward or backward is a choice you and you alone make.

The person who allows the actions of others to affect their attitude has not given up the driver's seat of their bus. Instead, they have chosen to drive their bus in a direction that others are going.

You cannot control whether the sun shines, the clouds produce rain, or the snow falls. You can only control the manner in which you drive your bus. To drive the bus safely you will check that the essentials are working properly.

The same applies for your attitude. To successfully arrive at your destination, check the essentials each and every day, and keep both hands on the wheel. Always move forward knowing that, if you are in Christ, then God’s got a great plan for you!

Jeremiah 29:11
Proverbs 3:5-6


In Christ,
Coach CJ

President - CHSM

Website: www.chsmhouston.com
Twitter: @CJPOMEROY1 or @CHSMHOUSTON
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chsmhouston

Healthy Communication (it's more than words!)

The longer I watch and coach, the more I realize how important communication is. Communication is food. For a team to be healthy, then it must fed healthy food on a regular basis. This is done through healthy communication. However, communication is more than words, its also body language. Each player on the team is responsible for feeding each other healthy food – through words and body language

How many times have you seen a player make a mistake and then hang their head, or walk back on defense, or simply just get lazy? Unfortunately, these players don’t realize (or are too proud to admit) that they are feeding their teammates unhealthy food. I compare it to good milk and sour milk. If we continually feed our teammates good milk, then we will grow. If we continually feed our teammates sour milk then, eventually, players will get sick. The longer a team stays sick, the harder it will become to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

On a side note - when it pertains to body language, perception really does matter. You can be the nicest person in the world, and desire to never hurt anyone. That does not mean you are not feeding your teammates/athletes unhealthy food. You cannot add chocolate to sour milk and expect it to go down easy, or keep someone from getting sick. Perception is the palate with which people eat the food you have prepared for them. Is it clean or dirty? Perception is also how you’re coach views you. As the saying goes “Your actions speak so loud, I can’t hear the words you’re saying.” The thought of “what’s in your heart is all that matters” is true. However, it includes your actions. The Bible says “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” In this case, your body language is non-verbal speaking to those around you. So take note, perception really does matter – regardless of what you think is in your heart.

However, it’s not teammates alone that feed each other, but its parents and coaches. Every time we react to something with a sour attitude, then we are feeding the players sour milk. Many times we don’t think that our words and actions have a great effect on the players, but it does.

Here’s my question to coaches, parents & athletes: What are you feeding your teammates/team? Is it healthy food, or is it something that will make your team sick?

Here’s my challenge: Consider, not only your words, but your body language. If you have been feeding sour milk, then change it. If you see someone feeding sour milk, then encourage them to make it good milk. When we start drinking good milk, then we will start growing. When we start growing, then we get closer to achieving the goals we have set out for ourselves!

Striving For Excellence

Coach CJ

1 Peter 2:1-2

Executive Director – C.H.S.M.
www.chsmhouston.com

Follow CHSM on Twitter (@chsmhouston)
Follow Coach CJ on Twitter (@CJPomeroy1)

www.facebook.com/chsmhouston

Stay By the Stuff - The Importance of Players on the Bench

Stay by the stuff!  So many times, in our quest for being all that we desire, we get disappointed and downtrodden when we don’t get the opportunity we want.  Players constantly strive to be at the forefront in battles their team is engaged in, and many time they forget how important it is to have the support of the whole team.

In I Samuel 30 we find the story of David and his mighty men at their home in Ziklag.  All of their possessions were taken – including their wives & children.  David seeks the Lord and receives His permission to go after them.  They arrive at the brook Besor and find that the enemy has left some of their possessions there, but not all of them.  David continues his pursuit with 400 men, but he leaves 200 men to “stay by the stuff”.  David recovers all of the stolen possessions and families, and upon returning, discovers that some of the men who went into battle do not want to give back the possessions of those who stayed by the stuff.  David swiftly corrects them and declares that “as his part (reward) is that goeth to battle, so shall his part (reward) be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.”

I am drawn to this story because, as a former player who didn’t get a whole lot of playing time in my junior/senior year of high school, I have a soft spot for athletes who sit on the bench for long periods of time or even whole games.  I feel for the players who I know have committed themselves to the team, but just don’t get to play in the game when they really want to.  I have been that player who was told what my role was, and what my role would not be – which was not what I wanted to hear!  There are a couple of lessons that we can take from this scripture in I Samuel for players asked to “stay by the stuff”:

1 – Not all are called to fight in the battles.  In coach speak, not all are called on to play in the game.  It’s a tough pill to swallow, but sometimes God calls you specifically to “stay by the stuff”.  That does not mean He didn’t call you to the team – it simply means He didn’t call you to get into the game.  Now some would argue that it’s the coach who dictates whether a player gets into the game, but I ask you to consider this – if you are a child of God, centered in His will, and if God wanted you to get into the game, then do you really think He would allow a coach to stand in the way of His will being accomplished?  If God’s will was for you to get in the game, then I guarantee He would make a way for it to happen.  Sometimes that is not the case – sometimes He just wants you to “stay by the stuff”.

2 – Not all are able to fight in the battles.  In coach speak, not all have the skills or mental toughness required to play in a game.  This does not mean the player does not want to play, or that they don’t have the heart to play.  It simply means they are not yet ready to play.  In terms of skill set and mental preparation, not all players are equal.  Some are better trained and/or mentally tougher than others on the team.  This is not a criticism of players.  It is simply the fact that all players on the team train at different levels, and are therefore prepared to play at different levels than their other teammates.  There is no doubt in my mind that players with less skill or a weaker mentality have just as much willingness and heart to play late in the game.  They are willing, but they may not be able.

3 – Staying by the stuff is vitally important to the success of the mission.  In coach speak, every member of the team plays an equally important role in a team’s win or loss.  Too many times players and parents question the importance of their athlete to the team based on playing time.  Many times they take it personally when a coach does not get their son or daughter into a game, and many times they judge or condemn a coach because of it.  However, what many of these players & parents do not understand is the importance of each and every team member.  Players who sit on the bench the most are those who are charged with “staying by the stuff”.  While it may not be a glamour role, those who “stay by the stuff” help a team succeed in 5 ways:

A.     They prepare the team for battle.  Have you ever thought about how a team would perform if it only had the minimum amount of players?  Those players would prepare for the game, but they wouldn’t be as prepared as other teams because they would not get the opportunity to practice in a game situation.  Much to the chagrin of parents, an athlete does not prepare to play in a game by playing in a game!  They need practice, and they need to practice in as close to a real game situation as possible – at practice!

B.     They provide energy off the bench through encouragement.  In heavily contested games, many times only 6-8 players will get on the floor.  While you condition to handle 4^th quarters (and beyond if need be), there are many times where players will get tired late – right when you need them most.  It’s tempting for a coach to dip into his bench to rest a player, but that’s not always possible or the right move.  So how does a player, who can’t get a breather late, be able to continue playing when they’ve given all they got?  By receiving encouragement from teammates on the bench!  It’s amazing what team spirit can do to help the team succeed.  Consistent & passionate encouragement from the bench tells players on the floor that they can overcome.  It provides the necessary fuel required to finish the mission!

C.    They are able to play when called upon.  In coach speak; players on the bench understand the plays and their roles if the coach needs to put them in.  One of the important notes of David’s story is that he didn’t leave just anyone to stay with the stuff – he left soldiers!  I’m sure there are some parents who leave a game with the mindset of – “the coach should just have us sit on the bench if he only wants support!”  Or “Why am I showing up if my kid is never going to play?”  A coach does not need parents or friends on his bench during a game, and he doesn’t need an empty bench – he needs his team!  He needs those he can call upon to enter a game late, if warranted, in order to pick up the slack or plug a hole.  These players must be ready at a seconds notice.  There is no time for them to fall asleep during the game – they must stay engaged and be ready to play at all times if their coach calls their number.

D.     They can provide direction to teammates through the lens of a player.  In coach speak, they help a teammate realize when they ran the play wrong, missed an assignment, or got lost on the floor.  Teams that listen, correct, encourage, and hold each other accountable are teams that possess a championship mentality.  They are teams who can overcome great obstacles, and defeat the biggest giants.

E.      They give a coach peace of mind.  In coach speak, when a coach doesn’t have to worry about the attitude of his bench, then he can focus on doing his job and doing it right.  So many times a coach will end up hurting his team because he is trying to prevent a player from getting disgruntled.  It’s a tough battle for all coaches to fight, but those players who accept their roles and put aside selfish attitudes are the ones who help the team reach its greatest potential!

While 6-8 players may get in the game, it requires everyone on the team in order to succeed and reach its God-given destiny.  It’s not always easy to stay by the stuff, but it’s just as important as those who fight the battle.  This does not mean that you should not continue striving to be on the front line.  Players should always strive to become the best they can be.  It’s critical to understand that lack of playing time now does not need to mean you’ll never play.  Sometimes God allows you to go through these circumstances in order to prepare you for something greater.  Don’t quit – press on!  Thomas Edison said “Many of life's failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”  God’s will for you is perfect.  Don’t short-change God’s GREAT plan for you over something as little as playing time.

Players:  Always strive to be on the front line for your team. 

Parents:  Always encourage your players to strive to be on the front line.  However, understand that sometimes the required role is to “stay by the stuff”.  You may not be called on right now, you might not be able to right now, but staying by the stuff is equally as important, and the rewards the same.  

This story in 1 Samuel ends with all of the possessions being recovered, plus those of the enemy - a remarkable blessing!  Next time you are tasked with “staying by the stuff” - give God praise, and watch how He blesses you!

Striving for Excellence,

Coach CJ

Executive Director – C.H.S.M.

www.chsmhouston.com

Follow CHSM on Twitter (@chsmhouston)

Follow Coach CJ on Twitter (@CJPomeroy1)

www.facebook.com/chsmhouston

Keeping Your Team Strong (Part 1 of 3): Parents

Because parents, players, and coaches invest so much time, money, passion, & energy into athletics it’s easy for division to happen within teams and programs. All it takes is a persistent negative attitude, over-bearing parent, or a high-strung coach to cause fracture. It takes a team effort from your parents, players, and coaches to keep your team from falling apart during the battle of the season and it's imperative that excellent programs stay united.

So how do you keep your team strong and ready to compete in every game?

With help from your:

Parents

No doubt you are sacrificing a lot for your kids to play. A lot of times you expect a return on your money thru playing time. Much of the complaints that a coach receives is due to this one reason, and it can be a serious detriment to the team. If you really want to be about the team, then make it a rule – NO COMPLAINING ABOUT PLAYING TIME. A coach already has to deal with the inconsistencies of players during a game, player egos, and attitudes (all players have an attitude – it’s either helping the team, or hurting the team). The last thing a coach needs to be thinking about during the game is “will my parents be mad at me”. A coach cannot do his best if he always has to think about what parents think of him/her.

Now understand this, your son or daughter may deserve to play the most. They may be the best player on the team. Complaining to your coach about this though only causes a coach to take his mind off of the TEAM. You don’t know what a coach is already thinking about, or why he makes the certain decisions. However, you aren’t helping the TEAM by telling the coach how to do his job better. If it’s something that really needs to be addressed, then consider these things:

(1) Encourage your kids to overcome. Life is not fair. Teach your kids how to overcome the hard times now. This only prepares them for what they will face later in life. Whatever you do, don’t quit simply because they aren’t playing as much as you want. This example will teach your athlete to be loyal to the decisions they make.

(2) Set up a private meeting with the coach and ASK - not demand - what your athlete needs to do to EARN more playing time. Don't forget - other athletes may have worked just as hard as yours.

(3) Review how much work your athlete really is putting in. Are they making EVERY practice? Do they do specific workouts outside of practice? (FYI – playing ball at church or with your friends does not count). Are they obeying the coach’s instruction during practice & the games? Does your athlete carry themselves with a good attitude regardless of the circumstances? Are they on top of their schoolwork? If they aren't excelling at one of these items, then that could be what’s holding them back on the court.

We will do more for our teams, programs and players by teaching them how to get through obstacles, rather than away from obstacles. Stick to it – OVERCOME!

Coach CJ

Executive Director – C.H.S.M.

www.chsmhouston.com

Follow CHSM on Twitter (@chsmhouston)

Follow Coach CJ on Twitter (@CJPomeroy1)

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