BUFFALO Its no exaggeration to say Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger is the most interesting man in hockey.

The Winnipeg native describes himself as a pure hockey player who is self-educated, but he has put together an interesting resum in his 60 years.

Krueger went from being a high-scoring forward in the German hockey league to a successful coaching career with the Swiss national team.

In his spare time, he wrote a book on leadership that was a best-seller in Europe, advised top corporations on leadership, had a seat at the World Economic Forum in Davos and served as the chairman of Southampton FC in soccers English Premier League.

Team Canada coaching consultant Ralph Krueger, speaks with Sidney Crosby during a practice at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, on Feb. 11, 2014.Al Charest / Calgary Sun

The idea of leadership has consumed Krueger since he was a youngster. He said St. Johns Ravenscourt, a prestigious private school in Winnipeg, had a profound influence on his life and he began to think about leadership when he was the head boy in Grade 7.

When I look back on my life, that was when I felt the urge to be a leader, said Krueger. I was never really happy as a player but the first day I coached, when I was 29, 30, that was when I was the happiest man on the planet and I knew that was my calling.

One of the abilities I have is to process what it takes for a team to evolve, to create the harmony, to bring together all these diverse cultures we have in the NHL to get them to work together, said Krueger. Its like an experiment and hockey is the most beautiful platform for me.

Krueger was behind the bench for 18 world championship and Olympic tournaments with the Swiss national team. He led the Swiss to a 3-2 win over the Czech Republic and a 2-0 win over Canada at the 2006 Olympics. At the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, the Swiss took gold medallist Canada to a shootout before losing 3-2

His experience gave him an understanding of different hockey styles and cultures and it helps him in Buffalo, where he has players from six countries.

Every country in Europe has its own personality, the two in North America Canada and the U.S. have different personalities and you can see it in the way they play, said Krueger. It helps me that I can recognize those differences and then bring them into the team. The Swedish culture is a defensively-based, sacrificial kind of game. The Swedes play the most controlled hockey in Europe and the Finns are more open, run-and-gun. The Russians sit back and play 1-4 all the time and scoring chances are 10, 12 a game.

Buffalo is Kruegers second stop as an NHL coach. He coached the Edmonton Oilers in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season and was fired after missing the playoffs. His contacts with the World Economic Forum led to an offer to serve as the chairman at Southampton, although he did maintain some hockey connections.

Team Europe head coach Ralph Krueger during morning practice at the Bell Centre on Sept. 10, 2016.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

He served as a consultant to Team Canada in 2014 and Claude Julien, who was an assistant coach with the Canadian team, said Krueger offered valuable insights into the European teams. And Kruegers experience made him a natural to coach Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup.

Krueger is happy to get another shot at the NHL, but said it wasnt a must. When Jim Rutherford moved to Pittsburgh and became GM in 2014, he talked to Krueger and Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill made his first pitch in 2017.

Ive always been a project person and I didnt feel it was right to leave Southampton, said Krueger. Once I had closure there, six or seven months ago, I knew this was my dream but I wasnt sure anyone would give me the opportunity. I was grateful Buffalo came calling.

Krueger has the Sabres off to a 2-0-1 start and Wednesday theyll take on the Canadiens, the team Krueger cheered for as a youngster.

They were by far my favourite hockey brand as a kid, but now I cant love them as much, not tomorrow.

phickey@postmedia.com

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Sabres coach Ralph Krueger: the most interesting man in hockey - Montreal Gazette

The end of the Oregon Project is the latest development in a stunning downfall for Salazar and a fissure in one of the longest professional relationships of his life. Salazar has had a close relationship with Nike since he migrated to the Pacific Northwest from Massachusetts as a teenager to attend and run for the University of Oregon, alma mater of the Nike co-founder Phil H. Knight. Knight started the company that would become Nike with the famed Oregon coach Bill Bowerman shortly after graduating from Oregon, where he was a member of the track team.

Nike sponsored Salazar as a professional, when he won three consecutive New York City Marathons and became the worlds top distance runner. His running career cratered in the mid-1980s as he battled injuries and depression. Salazar later became a sports marketing executive with Nike, and in 2001 founded the Oregon Project. The venture emulated other elite training groups that were popping up at the time, notably the Mammoth Lakes, Calif.-based Team Running U.S.A., but with far more money, access to Nikes scientific research labs, and with Americas best-known distance runner at the helm.

The biggest stars of the Oregon Project were Galen Rupp, an Oregonian Salazar discovered when he was a teenage soccer star, and later, Mo Farah, the Somali-born Briton, who won four Olympic gold medals and then left the Oregon Project in 2017. Both Rupp and Farah have denied using performance enhancing drugs. Even as those stars succeeded,others left the Oregon Project dispirited, their bodies broken and their minds damaged by Salazars intense workouts and coaching style.

For more than a decade the Oregon Project operated largely in secrecy. The wall of silence began to break 10 years ago, when a Nike scientist called USADA to report suspicious testosterone levels in blood tests of Oregon Project athletes.

Three years later, an Oregon Project scientist and coach, Steve Magness, left and began to speak publicly about experiments with testosterone and L-carnitine infusions that were in excess of antidoping limits.

Kara Goucher, the former Olympian who trained with Salazar for seven years, spoke of how Salazar pushed athletes to take prescription drugs that were unnecessary but had side effects that might prove beneficial to endurance athletes. In testimony at his arbitration hearing, Salazar acknowledged distributing prescription drugs.

I was a part of a culture that was so manipulative and so controlling and so wrong, Goucher said in an interview last week. Your entire life is dependent on the power of this brand.

Excerpt from:
Nike to Shut Down Salazars Oregon Project - The New York Times

Sober October has got people thinking about giving up booze (Picture: Getty)

This month, people across the country will be swapping ciders for cordials as they take part in the national initiative Sober October, to raise money for charity.

We often make jokes about how we are gasping for a drink or pushing through Dry January but this language raises questions about how reliant we are on alcohol and how much its ingrained into everyday culture.

Work drinks? Date night? Hen dos? The expectation for drinking is hard to escape.

To mark this national month of sobriety, we spoke to people who decided to ditch booze all together and say its the best thing theyve ever done both physically and mentally.

Dom McGregor, COO of Social Chain, realised he was drinking too much when he founded his business around five years ago. As a start-up, his business grew extremely quickly, with reasons to celebrate every week be it an amazing new client or a new starter. This culture for celebration led to weekly drinks. But with this growing business came increased responsibilities for Dom.

Instead of these weekends being celebratory I found they were self-medicating, he says.

I was spending a lot of time going out drinking, but it wasnt to enjoy the feeling of the party it was literally to get drunk so that in my head all the problems would disappear and they did temporarily.

It spiralled when I would get more and more drunk. The speed of drink would increase, the strength of the drink would increase. I would get completely out of control. There were a number of things that happened during this spiral that made me start to think subconsciously about what was going on.

Firstly I broke my ankle on a Thursday and needed to go to A&E on Friday when I had clients emailing me asking me for things which obviously I couldnt do. I also kept embarrassing myself and making a fool of myself to the team and that was something that I started to get a reputation for.

And then one day, after a full day of drinking at the races, one of the guys from work was trying to help get me home because I was uncontrollable and I was derogatory towards him. Hes one of my closest friends. When I heard what I had said to him, with no memory of it, I realised I was someone that I never wanted to be.

To me that hammered home something was wrong.

Dom decided to see a therapist who told him he had anxiety over his future, low self-esteem and Imposter Syndrome and that he was taking it out on himself by turning to alcohol. His therapist advised him to give up alcohol. The first month was a struggle but Dom pushed through and has been sober ever since.

Dom says theres been a huge rise in female sobriety over the past few years, but he thinks there needs to be more of a focus on male sobriety.

Veganism and sobriety are two things I think women lead the way in and I think the male space is massively under-represented, he tells us.

The expectation of male activities and male lifestyle choices revolve around alcohol the expectation when you go to say football or business meetings. The expectation is very common within the male lifestyle. I think theres a lot of work to be done for young men especially to feel comfortable about a life without drinking.

In terms of advice he would give to others thinking of giving up drinking, Dom says: Everything that alcohol gives you temporarily the energy, the humour, the confidence you can achieve being sober forever.

British food writer, journalist and author Jack Monroe is another person who has ditched drinking for good. Earlier this year she wrote a piece for the Guardian about coming to terms with the fact that she was an alcoholic.

She tells Metro.co.uk: Its been just over nine months since I recognised that my relationship with alcohol is an unhealthy one I was using it heavily as a coping mechanism for past traumas and low self-esteem and it was affecting my work, my friendships, and my family.

Its not been easy, and Ive admitted that Ive slipped up a couple of times, but Im definitely more emotionally stable, more productive, sleeping better than I ever have done.

I have been overwhelmed by the support of my family and friends; people making sure there are alcohol-free options at work events, friends bringing me nice sparkling grown-up soft drinks when I make them dinner. Its an all-round positive change and Id encourage anyone who might be considering it, to give it a go.

Nicole Sage, from Plymouth, gave up alcohol six years ago for health reasons following a pancreatitis diagnosis. Now, aged 27, shes a commercial director for a baby company BabyDam.

Nicole said: I unfortunately had pancreatitis when I was 17, which is incredibly rare for someone of my age, she explains. At the time I had no support, indication to what caused it or advice on what I would need to avoid in the future.

The doctors basically said I had to stop drinking and it was honestly the best thing I have ever done with my life.

My life changed for the better in my health and personal life. Along with the confidence that I gained which wasnt found at the bottom of a bottle, so did my self-worth. I know who I am now and know where I want to be in life. There is nothing that overshadows how I feel or perform in my daily life now.

Richard Maule decided to give up alcohol almost a year ago and his fianc Jade followed suit, six months later. The pair have both seen substantial health and financial benefits from their decision to go teetotal.

Richard says: The first couple of months were challenging especially during social situations but the longer I persevered the easier it got and actually it challenged me to find confidence whilst being sober and to seek out more interesting ways to spend my time with friends.

Instead of going to a bar and getting drunk, wed do things like go to low key music gigs, go rock climbing or do a martial arts class together which actually meant we had better quality time together.

This naturally started to translate into a healthier lifestyle and a better diet as I felt I also had better control over my food choices with no binges due to hangovers. Since cutting out alcohol I have also experienced much better sleep, which in turn has given me a greater clarity of mind. Its had a huge impact on my life coaching business and relationship too as I have a lot more capacity to be patient and understanding.

My fianc, Jade, has also experienced life-changing benefits. She used to regularly suffer with periods of low mood but since stopping drinking alcohol they have significantly improved and she almost never experiences them anymore.

We generally have a much happier life than before. Our decision to stop drinking has allowed us to put money aside and move to Bali this year, thanks to cheaper living cost.

We are also saving around 400 a month from not drinking so we live a pretty abundant life out here. Wed never look back.

Cai Graham, a parenting coach, saw alcohol as a de-stressor and a reward. She decided to make a change after realising she was using alcohol as a crutch.

For a very long time, booze had been a big part of my life. For as long as I can remember, most of my family gatherings and social occasions revolved around me having a glass in my hand.

As a young mum, my frazzled nerves were softened with a chilled glass of Sauvignon or my signature gin, lime and soda. Booze was daily de-stressor and my reward. I used to see these celebrities on TV saying they were sober and I couldnt even imagine my life without booze.

I convinced myself that is was a fun part of my life. The crunch came when my daughter, then aged 10, wanted a lift to see a friend and asked me to pick her up at 9pm. I begrudgingly agreed blaming her for denying me my gin.

This pulled me up short. This fun part of my life was now my crutch.

Knowing myself as I do booze had to be all or nothing for me. So after inhaling Allen Carrs book The Easy Way to Control Drink the decision to quit was a no brainer. It was as simple as just making that decision to throw my crutch away and the relief was palpable.

That was 10 years ago.

My life is great. I have clarity none of that brain fog. I have my weekends back as I used to stay in bed till midday pretending it was a lie-in. My social circle has shifted a bit, but thats to be expected I guess. I am so thrilled that I no longer have the paranoia at the weekend, wondering if I have upset anyone or made a fool of myself from the night before.

MORE: For those that can, going sober for October is brilliant, but alcoholics arent getting the help they need

MORE: How do you go sober for October?

MORE: What is Sober for October? Everything you need to know

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Sober October: The people who have given up drink and not looked back - Metro.co.uk

A series chronicling the rise of black quarterbacks in the NFL

ASHBURN, Va. As soon as retired quarterback Jason Campbell learned that Washingtons NFL franchise had fired head coach Jay Gruden this week, it was clear to him what the team must do next in support of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

Any coach they recruit has to not just understand the quarterback position but also understand what Haskins strengths are, said Campbell, who is a former Washington first-round draft pick and has advised Haskins during his first season. They have to get one of these offensive minds, these guys who understand the age were in and the type of offense that works, who can really relate to [Haskins] and get him to where he needs to be. Right now, for Washington, thats everything.

At one time, Gruden was viewed as the quarterback whisperer Washington needed. Its easy to forget now, but team president Bruce Allen hired Gruden, whom he worked with in Tampa Bays organization, to help rebuild Robert Griffin III. (Gruden, though, quickly determined that Griffin was ill-suited to be a long-term starting NFL passer.)

But things also change when youre fighting to keep your job.

Throughout Washingtons winless start that resulted in Grudens ouster, the debate about Haskins standing on the depth chart raged on. Grudens many critics accused him of, essentially, sabotaging Haskins development because he was not high on the former Ohio State star (whom team owner Daniel Snyder was eager to draft) in part because Gruden preferred to draft a player who was more ready to contribute and help the team win. Its a familiar storyline with this bunch, illustrating the dysfunction of a once-proud franchise that has become a national laughingstock.

Regardless of Grudens handling of Haskins (well get back to that later), what matters now is Gruden has left the building, and the organization has to move on and chart the best path forward for a young, inexperienced quarterback. The man most responsible for constructing the 0-5 team is still counting on Haskins.

Were excited as hell to have him [Haskins] on this football team, Allen said at team headquarters on Monday while officially announcing that Gruden had been fired. He has a great future ahead of him.

For Washingtons vision of Haskins future to become a reality, though, senior management will have to do something it has regularly failed at for the past 20 years or so: make a good hiring decision.

Under Snyders reign as owner since 1999, the team has produced an abysmal 139-185-1 record and only five playoff appearances in 20-plus seasons. During this span, Snyder has now fired five coaches and will hire his eighth coach after the season. For Washington, the next head coach must be a game changer especially in getting Haskins up to speed as a starter.

They have to do things differently, said Campbell, who started 52 games during four seasons with Washington and has experienced the organizational dysfunction firsthand. When youve been in the league for some time and been other places you just see things are done differently than in Washington. You look at some of the coaches they had there. The young, talented coaches who got away.

These are guys who went other places and are head coaches. Sean McVay [Los Angeles Rams], Matt LaFleur [Green Bay Packers] and Kyle Shanahan [San Francisco 49ers]. Those are the type of guys who understand this age were in and the offense being played. And they all understand the quarterback position. Guys like that could really help [Haskins].

Campbell declined to advocate for anyone in particular to fill Washingtons coaching vacancy (Bill Callahan is the interim head coach). But ESPNs Ed Werder reported that a list of potential candidates would include Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who has played a key role in the development of reigning league MVP Patrick Mahomes.

No matter whom Washington hires, Campbell just wants the team to make a sound decision, because hes rooting hard for Haskins.

People want to talk about the [New York] Giants game when he had those [three] interceptions, but thats a difficult situation to be thrust into, Campbell said. Im not making excuses for him, but fans dont understand how hard it is to be ready when youre not getting the practice reps. Thats not just him. Thats any quarterback.

Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins is sacked by the New York Giants Dalvin Tomlinson (center) and Tuzar Skipper (right) during their game on Sept. 29 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Haskins threw three interceptions in a 24-3 loss.

Al Bello/Getty Images

What I know for sure is that this kid has arm talent. He can make the throws. Hes also a big, tall kid. Theres a lot to work with. No one can honestly say what he cant do yet because hes just really starting out. Anyone who looks at that one game thats just crazy. There are coaches who will want to work with him.

Where Washington officials push back on the Gruden hates Haskins narrative is that Gruden wasnt alone in wanting Haskins relegated to clipboard duty. Its evident to Washingtons football people that Haskins is not ready to start on a team with a strong roster, let alone on one with Washingtons crater-sized holes. The team is in a standoff with Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams, who apparently wants out. Washingtons running game can be charitably described as ineffective. And as for the teams defense, well, Washingtons opponents are averaging 30.2 points and 407.8 yards per game, ranking 30th and 28th, respectively, in the 32-team league. One team official joked that if Gruden truly disliked Haskins and wanted to sabotage his development, he would have named him the starter for Week 1.

Of course, theres also the swim-or-sink approach.

Dwayne Haskins walks onto the field in the fourth quarter of the Sept. 29 game against the New York Giants. People want to talk about the Giants game when he had those [three] interceptions, but thats a difficult situation to be thrust into, said former Washington quarterback Jason Campbell.

Elsa/Getty Images

Many fans have argued that Haskins should start regardless of the teams deficiencies, figuring he could benefit from first-team practice reps and game experience. Thats reasonable in theory. Football, however, is played on the field. It would be foolish for Washington to risk ruining Haskins body and psyche when hes not ready to take command of the team. At least on that much, Washington officials appear to get it, which is why Callahan announced Haskins was not a candidate to start this week against the Miami Dolphins.

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Campbell, meanwhile, remains confident that under the correct tutelage, Haskins eventually will be ready to take charge for Washington.

If you get him with the right type of people, if you get him with the right type of coaching staff, he has the opportunity to be successful, Campbell said. But again, they have to make the right decision.

And for the teams long-suffering fans, thats the scary part.

Jason Reid is the senior NFL writer at The Undefeated. He enjoys watching sports, especially any games involving his son and daughter.

Link:
How will Washington move forward in support of Dwayne Haskins? - The Undefeated

THE Script frontman Danny ODonoghue told how he had to quit his coaching role on The Voice to care for his beloved mum.

The Dubliner, 39, was part of the BBC talent shows original judging panel, alongside Jessie J, will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones.

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However, fans were surprised when he quit the panel in 2013 after the shows successful second series - with the star claiming at the time that he was leaving to focus on his music commitments with The Script.

He has now revealed that his mother Ailish had suffered a brain aneurysm and that he quit to be with her.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on ITV, he said: My mum had a brain aneurysm just after the second season.

I think everyone thought I just pulled off the show and just didnt want to be there.

My family were back home in Ireland. When something that devastating as that goes on, you rally around.

Not necessarily to the detriment of the band, but our star was rising so it seemed odd for me to come off the show. But I wouldnt have had it any other way.

Following her health scare six years ago, Ailish passed away in February of this year. Danny also lost his dad Shay in 2008, soon after the bands rise to fame.

The star told how the tragic loss of his mum inspired the bands new album, Sunsets and Full Moons, which he says speaks to the darkness and the light the band experienced over the past few years.

He said: Weve had a hell of a year from the birth of children to the death of parents. Its called Sunsets and Full Moons, from the finish of one thing to the beginning of something else. We believe life goes in cycles.

That to me just shows the ying and yang, the push and pull of life.

Danny also opened up about buying a round for the groups Belgian fans on St Patricks Day 2018 - revealing how the generous gesture set him back 22k.

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He laughed: We gave 8,000 drinks out to the crowd. Do you know how much it was? It was 22k and this guy had to pay for it.

The band today announced a new European tour which starts in Liverpool next February before arriving at Belfasts SSE Arena on March 3, followed by two dates at Dublins 3Arena on March 6 and 7.

Tickets for the Dublin dates are from 42.70 and on sale next Friday, October 18th from usual outlets at 9.30am.

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Read more:
The Scripts Danny ODonoghue had to leave The Voice coaching role to care for his beloved mum - The Irish Sun

Nikkie Pryce (Photo credit: Mackinley spexphoto Madhere)

Nikkie Pryce is an author, speaker and transformational life coach who focuses on womens empowerment.

A graduate for Florida A&M University, Pryce has a bachelors degree in broadcast journalism and worked in television as a reporter, host and digital content producer before moving into life and career coaching.

In 2017, she published her first book, Dreamers, Take Action!, which challenges women to take the necessary steps to realize their dreams of becoming published authors in less than 90 days through her coaching program.

She has spoken and taught her self-love workshop for the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders and Miami Heat Dancers.

Rolling outspoke with Pryce about her forthcoming book, The IN-Powered Woman: A Guide to Activating and Materializing Your Personal Power, which is scheduled to be released on Nov. 11, 2019.

What inspired you to write this book?

The inspiration behind my book is to get women to own who they are. Power has everything to do with showing the fun, vulnerable and loving side of us as we get to complete lifes tasks in excellence. I get to rewrite the idea of how we see women who hold a sense of power and dominance.

What is the story behind the title?

The organization I founded, I AM Community, went on our annual womens empowerment retreat to Nassau, Bahamas. We had an amazing connection and bond. On my way back to the States, I heard God say, Its time to write your next book, and I clearly heard The IN-Powered Woman as the title for my next book. So, I got to work. Sometimes, power can be interpreted as dominant, frightening and aggressive. However, an IN-Powered woman knows who she is and is confident in serving others all the while having her cup on full.

Name three things the reader should walk away with from the book.

The reader will be able to understand how to activate their power if they feel powerless, thrive in high-achieving environments and inspire women to know that they matter and can be their higher selves.

Who or what motivates you and why?

I am one of my greatest motivations. Just to see how far Ive come with conquering the challenging parts of my life. Being knocked down on so many occasions and still having the resiliency to trust God in the process. I see myself as a great inspiration for women everywhere.

What was the hardest part of completing this project?

The hardest part of completing this project is finding the inspiration and sitting still to write it all out. Sometimes, I lack inspiration and have to get out there and ask other people about what theyre going through. Getting over that hump and tapping into my creativity produces my greatest work.

See the article here:
Author and life coach Nikkie Pryce aims to empower women with upcoming book - Rolling Out

Theres much to do ahead of this weeks official start of whats widely considered a fresh start for the Timberwolves, never mind the fact that players have been working out in the facility for weeks.

For Saunders its organized chaos. On the whiteboard in his office is a massive checklist of things he needs to do before the Wolves open practice Tuesday, Oct. 1 in Mankato.

From playbooks to hotel visuals, rookie-night plans to drill books, Saunders has already thought of it all because, over the past 10 years, he wrote it all down. At 33, hes the NBAs youngest coach, but hes been preparing for this moment since college, and he has the receipts to prove it.

Or, rather, the notebooks.

Ive got a box of em, he said.

Each contains notes, ideas and lessons that have helped mold Saunders into a man he believes is ready for this job, and this moment.

Flip through a few of Saunders notebooks and youll find something entirely different on each page. On one might be a list of things Saunders wanted Josh Okogie to work on this offseason. The next is a drawing of an inbounds-play coming out of a timeout.

There is a page containing principles for defending the Warriors. On another is the phrase hot sauce and sugar, which describes the balance players need from their coach.

Altogether, its an inside look at a basketball coachs stream of consciousness. He almost always carries a notebook Moleskine brand only in his pocket, so hes ready to jot something down whenever he sees or thinks of something he believes will be useful.

When I say Ive got hundreds back home, Saunders said, I mean Ive got hundreds.

Proof that a coachs mind never truly leaves basketball.

Theres always some form of basketball, like, in the back of your head, especially in this role, Saunders said. Theres a lot to be done, and theres a lot of responsibility, which I welcome because I love it.

Saunders has been taking notes since he was a student at the University of Minnesota, although he said he cant remember a day when he didnt jot his thoughts down daily.

You know this is what you want at some point in your career. I knew that pretty quick, he said. But I wanted to make sure it was done in the right way, where I didnt skip steps.

Having grown up with a dad who was a head coach, I understood that it was going to take a lot of work, a lot of confidence in yourself. But also you have to have confidence from other people to give you that opportunity. But youve got to earn it.

Not every idea hes ever written down was a good one, far from it. Some of those pages are filled with what not to do, much of which he has learned from personal experiences.

You might see something that didnt work either from somebody else or (yourself), Saunders said. I have plenty of different situations where I feel that I didnt do a good job in terms of interactions, or how Ive dealt with an interaction or a confrontation.

Saunders coached the Timberwolves Summer League team for three consecutive seasons, making him an elder statesman of sorts in the Las Vegas exhibition league. He used the experience to learn and grow. Immediately after the final game of his first season, Saunders hit the notebook, charting what worked, what didnt, what he perhaps wasted too much time on.

So then, over the next few years, I feel like I got better and better, because Id refer to those, he said. It helps me be more efficient.

Early in his time as an assistant coach in Washington, Saunders felt there was a certain Wizards rookie who wasnt being respectful of others time. Saunders made a point to talk to the player, only to realize later that the timing was bad.

I wrote that down, and I havent done it that way since, Saunders said. That was 10 years ago.

After his interview with Gersson Rosas for the Timberwolves full-time head coaching position, Saunders wrote about how it went and what he was asked. He wanted to learn from the experience to be ready for the next opportunity in case he did not get this job.

He tries to gain something from every day, even the bad ones.

I think everybody has a lot of room for growth, just in general, Saunders said. I understand that I have a number of things that I want to get better at, but I think thats just the growth mindset.

He pointed to his notebooks.

Thats where this plays into things, he said.

You can learn a lot from your failures.

And then conversations with people who are better than you, Saunders said.

After attending a Gophers practice, Ryan Saunders sat down in P.J. Flecks office to chat with the football coach. When Fleck started really talking, Saunders started writing.

His notebooks are filled with the thoughts of more than 1,000 people from all sorts of backgrounds.

It can be my pastor, it can be a mental skills coach, it can be whoever, Saunders said.

Even a reporter?

You havent said anything insightful yet, Saunders said.

Hes had conversations with various coaches from different sports all across the country, specifically from those known for doing things differently. Some of those conversations have turned into good friendships.

Then, of course, there are the past lessons he leans on many of which came from his late father, Flip, who coached and ran the Timberwolves on and off from 1995 until his death in 2015.

For me now, its fun for me to look back, since he cant speak to me, to look at some of the things, the quotes that he said, things that he taught me that I thought were important enough to write down, Saunders said. Because I didnt know they were lessons until he was gone.

Saunders notebooks chart his evolution as a coach. The ones from his days as a Gophers player, or even a graduate assistant under Tubby Smith, are filled with more elementary concepts. Over the last decade, they advanced exponentially.

Over the past five years, the ideas have slanted heavily toward analytics and new approaches to old problems. But he also pays attention to the past. Some are labeled HC, marked so Saunders could refer to them when he became a head coach.

Many were reminders of beliefs hes held near and dear for years being honest with yourself, getting to know your players as people and empowering assistants. The football-like coordinator system the Wolves are employing this season is also written down somewhere in the depths of Saunders notebooks.

Years of note-taking, learning and adapting helped Saunders get the job he always wanted.

Im really excited, but Im so focused on the team. I love being part of a team and the camaraderie and trying to get better, he said. Thats part of what these (notebooks) were for me, to help me get to a point like this, where I have this opportunity at a young age, which I think helped speed up the process for me a little bit.

I knew that I wanted to be ready for it.

Link:
Bookish Saunders has been preparing his whole life to be an NBA head coach - Grand Forks Herald

Life coaching emerged as a concept in the 1940s and began to boom in popularity in the 1980s. Today the field is an immensely expansive one, filled with a range of services, techniques, and credibility. The question is: How do you know what type of life coaching is right for you? And how do you know if what you actually need is therapy?

If you look for a life coach online, you could find a group of individuals including, but not limited to, social media influencers, people accredited by the International Coach Federation, and psychotherapists who also work as coaches. Dr. Melanie Badali, a registered psychologist, belongs to the latter group.

A version of this article first appeared as the Sunday Scaries newsletter. Sign up for free to receive it on Sundays.

At her clinical psychology practice, she helps people with a wide range of mental health problems. Meanwhile, as a Psychological Health & Safety Leadership Coach, she helps people harness, build, and optimize their strengths as leaders. She explained to me that while both psychotherapists and coaches can help clients achieve goals, build skills, increase confidence, respond to challenging situations effectively, and take control of their lives, they often go about doing that in different ways.

In general, a psychotherapist will help people who have mental health problems become healthier by talking with them. Different types of psychotherapists have different approaches. For example, cognitive behavior therapists aid clients by teaching them new ways of thinking and acting. Meanwhile, coaches typically have experience in a particular area and offer training and guidance as a means to help their clients achieve specific goals. While life coach is a general phrase, these individuals could be, for example, a health coach or a leadership coach.

What unites these professions is the fact that both have clients who want change, and both professions say their services have the potential to help make that change happen. But they are not interchangeable services. In therapy, the focus is often on interpersonal health. Badali explains that if you have a mental health problem, like a level of anxiety thats interfering with your daily life, then you would benefit from seeking help from a mental health care professional trained in an evidence-based treatment.

But if what you want is help identifying what your professional potential is, and then achieving it, a life coach could be a better choice.

If you are so anxious that you are experiencing a lot of distress or are having trouble with daily activities, then I recommend seeking help from a qualified mental health professional after you have ruled out other issues with your medical doctor, Badali says. If you are doing okay in life but would really like to excel or have particular goals you would like to achieve, then a life coach could be very helpful.

And while the topic is somewhat understudied, some research does show that working with a life coach can create positive effects. In a 2003 study that evaluated a small sample size of 20 participants, completion of a life coaching program was linked to higher levels of personal insight. However, levels of self-reflection also decreased after the program was over. In a 2007 study, researchers analyzed a group of 63 people who underwent a 10-week program, either with professional or peer life coaches. Researchers determined that, compared to having a peer coach, coachees of pros demonstrated greater goal commitment and progression and a better sense of well-being.

That study touches on a problem with life coaching unlike a psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker, a life coach does not have to have a specific license to work with clients. There are a handful of accreditation programs that offer training and certification, but these are still not required before a person starts selling their life coach services.

If you go see a psychologist or psychiatrist, they have met a certain standard of training and they are responsible for a standard of practice, Badali explains. If you see a coach you dont have this same protection.

She points out that this definitely doesnt mean that coaching is bad but it is something to think about. She is concerned, however, that a lack of regulation around coaching, combined with the ease and cost of creating a professional-looking website selling coaching services, has contributed to a wild west situation. Lately, Badali has seen more advertisements for life coaches and for becoming a life coach than she has at any other point in her career but the general publics understanding of their services has remained murky.

For example, shes seen clients who came to her with their anxiety problems after a life coach couldnt help them.

In most instances, they started out with a life coach because the initial hour rates and wait times were lower than that of mental health professions, Badali says. This does not mean that coaching does not have its place, or that there are not some great coaches out there.

Since life is a pretty big area to be an expert in, she recommends that people interested in coaching should look for coaches who focus on a specific area. If youre unsure, a good place to start is asking your family doctor or general practitioner what they would recommend. Theres space for both therapists and life coaches but what youre going to get is not going to be the same.

A version of this article first appeared as the Sunday Scaries newsletter. Sign up for free to receive it on Sundays.

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An expert explains the difference between a life coach and a therapist - Inverse

A decade ago,Chip Kelly a decade ago was footballs preeminent innovator and coach. Oregons head coach paired modern science with a lightning-fast system to produce 46 wins in four seasons at Oregon. After that run, he jumped to the NFL where he found moderate success with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kellys career track matters little to the Big Ten outside of any games against UCLA but its worth pondering leading into a Saturday evening showdown (6:30 p.m. CT, ABC) between No 5 Ohio State and Nebraska.

Theres a strong argument to be made that game, featuring a pair of Kelly disciples, represents the future of Big Ten football. Well get there in a minute, though.

First, lets meet the lead actors in this Big Ten East vs. West drama.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will likely always be placed in the Urban Meyer coaching tree; he was a graduate assistant under Meyer in 2005 at Florida and later joined him in Columbus. But Days coaching career began in 2002 under Kellys direction at New Hampshire, where Kelly served as the teams offensive coordinator. Day previously set records as Kellys quarterback from 1998-01. Day later joined Kelly in the NFL with the Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers.

Scott Frost crossed paths with Kelly later in life, coaching under Kelly from 2009-12 at Oregon as the teams wide receiver coach. When Kelly left for the NFL, Frost stayed and became the Ducks OC under Mark Helfrich.

Thats a long preamble, but its good context to have.

Day (40) and Frost (44) are both about the age Kelly was at the start of his Oregon run. Theyve never worked together meeting initially at a Chip Kelly golf event in Maine many years ago but theyre potentially going to be connected in the Big Ten for an extended period of time.

Frost, due to his UCF tenure, is viewed as one of the nations elite coaches. Day, for his part, has long been considered one of the top young offensive minds in the country. With these Kelly disciples at Nebraska and Ohio State, they could set off an intriguing cross-division rivalry.

Ohio State is much further ahead of the Huskers.

The Buckeyes have won 10-plus games for the last seven seasons, winning a trio of Big Ten titles in that stretch; Day helped the Buckeyes win the Big Ten as an offensive coordinator a year ago. Now, as Meyers successor, he leads a 4-0 team. Looking at his competition for the week, Frost sees a program thats taken a step from the group that Nebraska pushed to the final minutes a season ago.

Hes done a good job everywhere hes gone, climbed the coaching ranks and landed in this spot, Frost said to reporters this week. Theres no question in my mind Ohio State is a better team this year than they were a year ago.

Nebraska is more of a reclamation project. Frost returned to his alma mater after two years in Orlando in an effort to restore the Huskers to glory. Year 1 didnt go great at 4-8 overall, but the Huskers won four of their final six. Theyve started 2019 at 3-1 overall with a top 40 offense and defense, a unit thats made a major step in 2019.

Scott has done a great job here of building this team up, Day said to reporters. He's increased the talent, picked up some really good players, both sides of the ball.

This game, while important, is sort of notwithstanding when it comes to the big-picture future of this matchup.

The Big West has long been the domain of Wisconsin and Iowa, programs built on development to help overcome a lacking blue-chip ratio, a talent floor needed to compete for championships. That might sound harsh, but consider the West is yet to win a division championship under the Big Tens current divisional format.

The Huskers havent factored into the Big Tens championship formula since 2012 when they were blown out by the Badgers. Yet you cant help but point out Nebraska is actually the most naturally gifted team in the division, sitting at No. 24 in the 247Sports Team Talent Composite; Wisconsin is 33rd and Iowa 43rd. For perspective, the Buckeyes are second in the Team Talent Rankings.

When you just consider ceiling, Nebraskas is the highest of anyone among the Big Ten West. That the Huskers signed the No. 18 class in the country following a losing season suggests theres plenty of remaining room for upward mobility in Lincoln.

Im not suggesting Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern will just fall away. But the Huskers have the foundation and head coach to fill a power vacuum in the West, much like the Buckeyes have become the alpha in the East. Thats what Nebraska was supposed to do in the first place. Theres a reason the Huskers got pushed into the West away from Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.

With a pair of young head coaches fronting blueblood programs, its easy to see this Saturday matchup being only the second act in a rivalry that has a chance to truly blossom.

It could well be a glimpse at the future of the Big Ten.

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Ohio State vs. Nebraska might be the future of the Big Ten - 247Sports

What is Recovery Coaching?

A Recovery Coach works with clients and provides non-clinical coaching services for private pay.

A coach uses unique skills and understanding to work with individuals to set goals and work towards removing obstacles to live their best life.

Coaching is not therapy, and coaches do not assess people. Coaching is strengths-based and action oriented with a focus on the present and the future.

The relationship between coach and client is collaborative, with coaches acting in a guiding, not directing role. Coaches can provide reality checks and serve as a change agent to assist you in identifying and achieving the goals that you have chosen for yourself.

Recovery coaches do not offer primary treatment for addiction, meaning I do not diagnose, and I am not associated with any particular method or means of recovery. I believe in many pathways and patchworks, which are as unique as the individuals seeking.

Recovery coaches support any positive change, helping people coming home from treatment to avoid relapse, building community support for recovery, or working on life goals not related to addiction such as relationships, work, or education.

Recovery coaching is action-oriented with an emphasis on improving present life and reaching future goals.

Recovery coaching is unlike most therapy because coaches do not address the past, and do not work to heal trauma.

Recovery coaches are unlike licensed addiction counselors in that they are non-clinical and do not diagnose or treat addiction or any mental health issues.

Recovery coaches are unlike sponsors because they are trained in coaching, so they offer more knowledge than a friend. They can also address other areas of your life such as work or relationships and dont focus only on the substance use disorder.

The way I see it is, if you want help with changing your diet, you see a nutritionist. Or you go to a Weight Watchers or a Jenny Craig group. You follow a Whole 30 diet plan or something like that.

You get help from someone that knows and someone who has been there before. You accept guidance from someone who has successfully gained health or lost weight or lowered their blood pressure or whatever your goal is.

Same with fitness. If you want to build strength, lose fat, increase endurance or whatever you get a trainer. You get someone to work with you one on one.

Someone to look at your unique body composition, lifestyle and interests and work alongside you to come up with a plan and some goals that are specific to you.

You would get a coach. A coach works with you to create your plan. A coach has expert knowledge on resources available. A coach gives you guidance and support.

A coach acts as a mentor and is exhibiting the kind of body and behavior you want to see in your own life.

If you are questioning your drinking. If drinking is showing too many negative consequences and you want to evaluate the role alcohol plays in your life, why wouldnt you get a coach?

Someone who has been there before and has resources, experience, education, and knowledge to share. Someone who is an expert on ditching the drink.

Someone who can help you define your goals and show you the roadmap to get there.

Thats what I do.

Now if you are like me, you might not want to admit you are an alcoholic in a room full of strangers. You might not want or need an inpatient stay somewhere. You might not want to take time off work to evaluate alcohol in your life. You might not want to commit to a life of sobriety either. You might want to explore all of this privately from the comfort of your own home.

Thats what I wanted to do.

But I could not find the type of support I wanted when I was getting sober. So I created it. Its called Ditched The Drink and its an online resource for anyone who is curious about their drinking.

I offer a 6 week digital class which includes a member only log in on my website.

You get a daily video, downloadable resources, actionable steps, and an invite to an optional private FB community. The lessons are every day for 6 weeks/ 42 days, and 1000 hours dry.

I also offer 1X1 coaching support that can be done by email, text, phone, web meeting or in person. I offer a suite of services for corporate wellness as well. The goal is always to reduce the stigma of addiction and mental health and remove the stigma of getting help as well.

The Benefits of my services are:

Its private you dont need to tell anyone in your community. You can remain anonymous. You can explore without anyone knowing, even your family if you wish. Its private.

Its accessible for busy schedules and family life. The class is self paced. Email and text support are as needed for you, on your schedule, not you mine.

Its cost Effective as compared to rehab, therapy, or the cost of continuing to drink

I am non-biased in recovery resources. I support all pathways and patchworks of recovery and discovery. You can use a coach like me, alongside any other program including AA, psychotherapy, SMART Recovery, or you can utilize my services on their own with no other formalized program. The key is finding the right combination of support that works for you.

My Digital Class is a holistic approach. Lessons include the science behind alcohol and how to address triggers and cravings. Lessons also include teaching new coping skills and strategies, stress management, and relaxation techniques.

Its more about discovering who you are than recovering. Recovering means to go back to who you were before alcohol took over. Discovery means finding who you are now after your life experiences.

Many of us drink to numb and escape the voice inside, the class is designed to tune into the voice inside instead, to live in harmony and peace within.

This transformation disrupts life as you know it. The class provides a tool box of resources to deal with change, including the changes that happen in relationships when you stop drinking and start listening to yourself.

You dont have to hit rock bottom, you can quit at anytime.

Does it work?

Yes.

All research supports the benefits of recovery coaching services. In addition using technology that allows people to be in touch with sources of support increases the success rate.

Recovery success rates improve with a plan for long-term recovery.

My recovery coaching teaches you not only how to quit drinking, but also how to navigate the sources of stress that led you to drink in the first place.

100% of my students would recommend to a friend or family member.

100% of my students felt better after evaluating their drinking habits. have decided on long term sobriety and are still considering moderation.

For more information on coaching or Ditched the Drink Digital Jumpstart Course: http://www.ditchedthedrink.com

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What is Recovery Coaching? - Thrive Global