Good Morning from Baton Rouge, LA! I am visiting the LSU Tigers and their Special Teams Staff! I hope this weeks message finds you settling into Spring!
We’ve all been there! We walked out of an exam, job interview, conversation with a friend or significant other, or a big game and said, “Wow, I really wish I would have known about (insert situation) before that!” It can be a very frustrating and well…downright humbling experience.
This week as I thought about spring ball starting and the preparation for the upcoming season, Darren Maracin sent me a picture from his cousins entry into West Point and the USMA. This reminded me of the importance of “Briefing” yourself and your “core group” for situations and in this context….WAR! As a coach, I place an enormous amount of effort and detail into film and opponent preparation. I want my guys to know what their opponent is going to do before they do it. I WANT THEM TO BE FULLY PREPARED AND ACCOUNTABLE!
Have you ever found yourself “taken surprise”? Have you ever said something along the lines of “I had no idea that TE could block like that!” or “I had no idea THAT would be on the test!” or better yet “I didn’t know my significant other was capable of doing that…”?
Maybe a plan is needed to prepare thoroughly…..
This is important!! How much time do you invest preparing for your day-to-day life? Practices, interviews, games, exams, relationships, workouts, church services, tithes, conversations….etc.
One of the greatest pregame briefings in history happened between God, Moses, and his soldiers! Moses was an interesting character. He wouldn’t be your first round pick to do much of anything. But….that’s the way God works! In Numbers 13:1-33 God instructed him to send spies into the Land of Canaan to basically “watch film”, “study”, and be ready to share their knowledge with the team in preparation for battle. He gave them a mission and told them to report back 6 distinct things. Yes, SIX:
Is the opponent…
- Strong or Weak: (Mental, Spiritual, Physical)
- Few or many
- Good or Bad
- Camps or Strongholds (How are they organized)
- Rich or Poor (what is their mindset)
- Trees or None (what grows there) (Fruitful or not)
Pretty cool, huh?! I’ll let you read the story to see what happened. Now, I want you to flip the script!! Take your blinders off! We all have them! Be your opponent for a few minutes. Take a look at your life and ask those six, specific questions! DO IT! Where are you an easy target? Where are you weak?
When you lift….are you there to talk to the opposite sex and “look good” or do you have a battle plan? Do you brief yourself on the way to the gym….Or do you just go?
When you study…are you focused on the material or on the fun you are not having at the bar/band party? How about thinking about the people who sacrificed to get you to your school to take that exam? That one hurt….didn’t it!?
To be fully “briefed” and prepared involves knowing everything about your opponent, where you are weak, and how those factors combine to affect the game!
I want all of you to be fully prepared with your next situation and opportunity when it comes around! I’ll leave this quote here…this is what I look for in my core:
“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior and he will bring the others back”–Heraclitus
I love you guys! Keep those pads popping this week!
CoachKD
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