Journal of Psychology and Sport
There are two ways to create the tallest building in town. One can spend all their time and energy tearing down the buildings around them, or one can focus on making their building the tallest. The value of the two final products will be vastly different.
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Officer Holecek and the rest of the department were always open-minded, patient, and understanding with me, but in my experience, gym-goers seemed entitled, condescending, and unwelcoming. I was too afraid and insecure to step foot in their territory. This was different. In the basement gym of the police station, I was welcomed and ultimately found confidence and a love for weightlifting.
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By Kate Kalnes, Ed.D., C.S.C.S. & Jim Davis, Ed.M., RSCC*D Strength and conditioning is one of the fastest growing fields in high school sports. Many have recognized that stronger, faster, and safer athletes have a better athletic experience; additionally, students who participate in a coordinated strength training effort have more opportunities to improve health &…
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Coaching and teaching require similar skillsets. Leaders in each must develop subject matter expertise, create cultures rich with learning, and share information with students/athletes. The “classrooms” look different (some might have desks, others might have hoops or barbells), but the methods and objectives are similar. Eric McMahon understands those similarities. He played college football at…
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“A 3-Peat means a lot to Chicago sports fans,” jokes Jim Davis, long-time coach at New Trier High School (Winnetka, IL), “though I don’t think any of our students were alive when Jordan and the Bulls pulled it off!” Most of the team has seen The Last Dance, however, so the novelty was not lost.…
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By Chris Dertz A day before Halloween, monstrous feats of strength were on display at New Trier High School (Northfield, IL) at the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association (IHSPLA) “Scary Strong” regional meet…. a unique, outdoor event. Approximately 40 lifters representing Sandburg, New Trier, Eastland, Waukegan, and Mundelein high schools gathered on a beautiful fall…
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The weight room can be one of the most powerful learning environments in all of athletics. For 9 months each year (an offseason), dedicated educators create cultures within a “classroom” full of novelty, goal-directed behavior, hard work and fun. Time after time, young people report learning valuable lessons in the squat rack, or between sets…
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Aaron Willits, the newly appointed Head Football Coach at Knox College (Galesburg, IL), says that the Hulk image is not only a talking point with players, but serves as important metaphor for the Knox athlete. “It represents the ideal Knox football player,” says Willits. “You have to have some of Professor Banner in you to get into a school of this quality, and to succeed in the classroom,” he says, noting that “you also have to be able to flip the switch come game day and let the Hulk come out.” It is a metaphor for balance.
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Powerlifting is one of the fastest growing sports out there, especially at the high school level. Coaches and athletes who are interested seem to have a common question… where do I begin?? This is the first of a 2-part series on How to Start a Powerlifting Team, based on my experience as a coach.
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by Chris Dertz The Powerlifting Team at Eastland High School in Lanark, Illinois is making a name for itself. Although it is a new sport at the school, and despite limited gym access, a few dedicated Cougars have found ways to compete… and they are excelling. The weekend of December 12th-13th, four members of the…
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