The Central Jersey Jazz Festival arrives in Metuchen

Metuchen joined the Central Jersey Jazz Festival in 2021.

~Photos by Rob Wasilewski; compiled by Robert Diken, MyCentralJersey.com

After a quarter century as an athletics director, including the past 23 years at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, John Maggio has decided to retire, making it official with Tuesday nights Board of Education meeting.

Maggio, who spent two years as the AD at Bound Brook before taking over at Bridgewater-Raritan in July of 1999, will work his last day Nov. 30. He said he originally planned to retire in August, but with some of the programs at the school undergoing major transitions, including the football team bringing in a new head coach, he wanted to ensure thing were running smoothly before turning over the keys to Somerset Countys largest athletics department.

I love being the AD at Bridgewater-Raritan. I love the district, I love my coaching staff, athletic trainers, support staff, and all the departments I work with in the district. The only reason Im leaving is Im going to be 61 at the end of November, Maggio said. I really love the job, the people I work with, and our coaching staff if second to none. As is our administration and district. Its all top notch. I have zero complaints. Its just that Im getting older, and I want to do some of the things I have not been able to do.

A graduate of Bound Brook High School, where he played football and baseball, Maggio went to Glassboro State, before eventually returning to his alma mater as an assistant football coach. He then moved to Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, where he spent nine years as an assistant football and strength coach, before getting the AD job at Bound Brook in 1997.

Two years later, he moved to Bridgewater-Raritan, replacing Carl Weigner, becoming just the second AD the school has had in its 31-year history.

Athletics is in Maggios blood, and being an AD had been a longtime dream for the son of Ben Maggio, who spent 40 years in athletics, including 24 as the AD at Plainfield. John Maggios brother, Fran, is a Hall of Fame coach at Roselle Park High School, and the winningest softball coach in Union County history.

I grew up in that environment, and I wanted to be an AD since I was in the sixth grade, Maggio said.

FOOTBALL, SCOREBOARD AND COVERAGE: Your headquarter for our Week 3 game coverage, scoreboard, rankings, picks and more.

Maggio has not only run the athletic department at Somerset Countys largest school, he has tirelessly served on numerous state, conference and county committees, and ran several county tournaments, including the SCT softball tournament for 22 years. He also hosted plenty of county championships, including the Somerset County basketball finals.

He is the longest tenured AD in the Skyland Conference, and at a Somerset County public school.

Rich Shello has been the athletics director at Ridge since 1998, coming in a year after Maggio began at Bound Brook. Shello is also the son of a longtime area athletics director. His father, Mike Shello, spent over 40 years at Dunellen.

Im going to miss John tremendously, said Shello, who even spent a year working under John Maggios father at Plainfield, as an assistant football, basketball and baseball coach. Hes been a colleague and a friend, certainly, and weve both in this business a long time. Were both sons of athletics directors from the area, and I was quite surprised when he first mentioned he was thinking about it (retirement). I didnt expect it. John has done a tremendous job for Bridgewater, the way hes led the program there, and what hes done for the Skyland Conference and our Somerset County association. Hes been a workhorse. We are going to greatly miss him and all that hes done.

I will miss working daily with our coaches, athletic trainers and staff, Maggio said. Ive been an AD for 26 years. Its non-stop. And Ill miss that. Ill miss the games and doing what I do. Im sure theres other things Ill miss that I dont know Ill miss. Ill also miss my colleagues, the other athletics directors. Ill miss the work that we do and seeing them.

There are a lot of really great things going on at Bridgewater-Raritan, and Im disappointed that I wont be around to see all the positive things theyve got planned for the future. But at some point youve got to move on. I know when everythings good, its the time to go.

Football preview:Bridgewater-Raritan boasts depth and versatility, continues upward trend

Maggio is looking forward to life away from the 24/7, 365-day-a-year responsibilities of running a massive athletics operation. Hes looking forward to fishing and spending more time with his wife., Chrissy, their daughters, Francis and Dena, and their son, Jake, who is playing football at West Liberty College in West Virginia.

I know its the right time to do it, he said. Im still in good health and Im looking forward to doing some of things I havent been able to do.

I couldnt be happier for John as he opens this new chapter of his life, said Bridgewater-Raritan softball coach Sandy Baranowski, who arrived with the Panthers just a year before Maggio was hired. Finally, a time when he can put himself first after a career of dedicated service to both Bridgewater-Raritan and Bound Brook athletics. A true professional at a job that is, at times, thankless. It has been an honor to work with John for all these years. He will be deeply missed by all of the coaches here at BR as well as the athletes. I hope he knows the impact he has made on this community. I wish him all the best.

Fish beware!

Simeon Pincus has been covering New Jersey sports since 1997. He can be reached at SPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus

Read more from the original source:
Longtime Bridgewater-Raritan HS athletics director to retire this fall - My Central Jersey

As Aces coach Becky Hammon and Sun coach Curt Miller paced the same sideline during Game 1 of the 2022 WNBA Finals, the man integral to both of their journeys took in the contest from 2,000 miles away. Sitting at his home in Atlanta, Tom Collen watched the Aces claim a 10 series lead, doing so without a rooting interest. Its really hard for me to pick a side, he says. No matter who emerges as this years champion, Collen will be pleased: Im gonna be a winner, one way or the other.

The reason being is that before the start of the 1998 college basketball season, Collen was hired as Colorado States head coach. He inherited a team with Hammon as its star junior point guard. Miller was one of the assistant coaches he brought in.

During Collens first year with the program, CSU went 333, finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country and lost in the Sweet 16. I inherited a team that I think was getting ready to explode on the scene and be really good, he says.

He still thinks of that group as some of the greatest times of my life, and recognizes that its success helped establish him in the coaching profession. No matter how many mistakes I would make, Becky bailed me out of every bad decision, he says.

Miller, who served as the teams de facto defensive coordinator, agrees, and said that Hammons play during her last two seasons with CSU single-handedly propelled my career and provided him with an opportunity to interview for head jobs down the road.

Collen says Hammons play during her last two seasons with CSU single-handedly propelled my career.

Courtesy of Colorado State Athletics

Ive been very honest that I probably dont get a shot to be a head coach without Beckys leadership on that 9899 Colorado State team, he said before Game 1 of the Finals. (For her efforts, Hammon was inducted into the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004 and the team, more broadly, was inducted in 19.)

Both the Aces and Sun are looking to win their franchises first title, as Las Vegas holds a 20 series lead ahead of Thursdays Game 3. But as the teams slug it out in the best-of-five, the bond between the coaches has been on display. A prime example came just over an hour before tip-off of the series opener, when Hammon stood at the podium to address reporters and threw a playful jab at her coaching foe.

I can tell Curt was here because I didnt have to pull [the microphone] way down, she said. Me and Curt got the same mike level. But, she then added, I love Curt. Curts invested into my life. Curts invested into my basketball life.

That buy-in was clear when Miller was an assistant with the Rams. Often throughout his tenure with CSU, he would serve as a practice playera dummy defender, in Hammons words. While doing so, Miller, wanting to draw the best out of his players, participated to such a devoted degree that Collen recalls sometimes being concerned Curt was gonna hurt somebody.

He was all of 5'8", but I would put him in there for a 10-minute scrimmage and he would lead both teams in rebounding, Collen says.

Remembers Miller: Yes, I was a rebounding little guard. We had a lot of fun. I played hard.

Now, he merely coaches hard, trying to bring the most out of his veteran group. Hammon is similarly animatedshe said after Game 1 she was lit at halftime, with her team trailing 3834. Neither star forward Aja Wilson nor star guard Chelsea Gray wanted to share the exact language she used.

Collen always felt Hammon would make for a successful coach if she wanted. He notes her instincts and leadership skills were both strengths, and that while she always had strong opinions, her opinions were pretty accurate, he says.

Long before she was an assistant under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, Hammon was a graduate assistant for Collen, returning in her first two WNBA offseasons after her playing days with the Rams concluded. (Former Dream and current Baylor coach Nicki Collen also joined the CSU staff as an assistant, giving CSU three future WNBA Coach of the Years at one time.)

Hammon (far left) joined the Colorado State coaching staff in her first two WNBA offseasons with Collen (center) and Miller (far right).

Courtesy of Colorado State Athletics

You didnt know what level [Hammon] was gonna coach at, but when that playing career ended you just knew she was gonna be an unbelievable coach, because she had that natural charisma, Miller says. People followed her, her knowledge of the game was so high, she was so proactive with her thinking, she could see the second-level so often and see things happen before they really developed.

In the present, though, Millers hoping her foresight is more limited.

Im her biggest fan, he said. But Im gonna try and compete like crazy against her.

Hammon agreed. Were trying to whoop each others butt, she said.

So back to the key question: Which of his mentees does Collen think will win this years title?

Id love to see Curt win a WNBA championship at some point, he says. But if youve said Ive got to put my life-savings on somebody, I wouldnt be putting it on Curt or Becky. I would be putting it down on the talent of Las Vegas.

More WNBA Coverage:

Aces Rediscover Their Offensive Prowess in Game 2 Win Over Sun Suns Future Odds Look Less Promising in Las Vegas On a Team of Superheroes, Chelsea Gray Is the Scientist Behind Aces

Excerpt from:
Becky Hammon, Curt Miller and a Coaching Tree Rooted in the 90s - Sports Illustrated

BY N. LOTHUNGBENI HUMTSOE

New Delhi Going slow is not an option for millennials in our fast-paced environment. Multitasking has become a need for everyone, from working professionals and students to housewives and parents. However, in this on the go culture, individuals forget to live in the present moment. While rushing to do required duties, you may lose touch with the present moment, missing out on what youre doing and how youre feeling. This has resulted in increasing stress and worry. To avoid this, you might practise mindfulness to shift your focus to smaller events-and enjoy the little things in life.

Mindfulness is now being examined scientifically as it plays a key role to reduce stress and anxiety, improving attention and memory, and promoting self-regulation and empathy. It is known to improve ones overall well-being physical and mental. Although mindfulness is an easy practice, one needs a guide and ways to get started with it.

Various mindfulness and meditation apps available today can help provide guidance and offer some practices to become more mindful; one can simply download them. Here are some apps that can help you go on your mindfulness journey!

Evolve

A meditation & sleep app geared towards your personal growth & happiness, Evolve has a refreshing approach and joyful mindfulness techniques. Its programs help practice daily meditation & mindfulness, sleep better, manage stress, reduce anger, build relationships, increase productivity & improve focus. It also has curated content on effective methods to manage emotions oneself.

The app is available on both Android and IOS.

RoundGlass Living App

An integrated Wholistic Wellbeing solution aims to care for your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. The app helps users meet their day-to-day wellbeing needs such as work-life balance, better sleep, parenting skills, healthy recipes, managing grief and making end-of-life decisions. It offers authentic evidence-backed content articles, recipes, playlists, classes, courses, and videos curated by the worlds best teachers who guide you on your wellbeing journey. Users can also attend live events with leading wellbeing experts from around the globe. Users can also attend more than 250 active meditation classes on the app.

The app offers multiple wellbeing pathways to choose from meditation and mindfulness, yoga, music and cooking. Users can create their profiles, receive personalized recommendations, and watch themselves grow into better selves.

The app is available on both Android and IOS.

Lets Meditate: Sleep & Guided Meditation

A very straightforward approach to guided meditation; no clutter, distraction, or ads. One can just choose a track and hit play. Its as simple as it can get. It offers a curated list of guided meditation tracks catering to various topics such as anxiety, body scan, healing, and sleep.

The app is available on both Android and IOS.

Insight Timer

A free app with more than 100k guided meditations led by the best teachers from India and the world. It helps with sleep, anxiety, and stress. From Sadhguru to Paz to Davidji, the app has featured events on multiple topics and even a 30-day affirmation challenge.

The app is available on both Android and IOS.

Serenity

Serenity allows users to learn several meditation and mindfulness techniques that help them to stay calm and relaxed. It provides personalized daily meditation, life coaching, nature sounds, stories, and music based on the selected mood. The app also provides sleep guides- a selection of guided meditations designed to help users sleep using relaxation techniques, peaceful tracks and tranquil sounds. Some features include stress relief, quick meditations, and daily meditations.

The app is available on both Android and IOS.

In this new age, millennials have found apps for their day-to-day needs and digitized their necessities. Similarly, to lessen the load of daily stresses, one can explore mindfulness through apps as well. With an abundance of options available on the aforementioned, it has become much easier to achieve a holistically balanced life. One can incorporate mindfulness techniques along with other meditative practices, into their daily routine. As technology evolves every day, different needs of various people can be catered to on such apps. Its time for you to download the best-suited digital buddy and begin your mindfulness journey today! (IANS)

Read more here:
Practice mindfulness to live in the present moment - India New England

Kurt Hines has been coaching the Coronado High School (CHS) Islanders football team for the past five years where he has become a well-loved and respected figure in Coronado athletics. Hines leads by example with a philosophy of building meaningful relationships with his teams and coaching staff, and putting players first, to help them reach their potential on and off the field.

Hines grew up playing football but it wasnt until his first coaching experience in college that he considered pursuing it. One of my professors asked for volunteers to coach for a middle school special needs flag football team and I jumped at the chance, he recalled. Hines was pursuing a major in elementary education at a school in New Hampshire and saw this as a perfect opportunity to get first-hand experience teaching students around that age.

There was a young woman in sixth grade, I believe, that had Down syndrome, and she and I were tossing the football. She dropped it five or six times in a row but then the first time she caught it she just lit up, he continued. It was a moment Ill never forget, where I always knew I wanted to be a teacher (although school was always hard for me) but I never thought about coaching until that moment.

Hines went on to teach elementary school and a few years into teaching ending up getting his first official coaching job leading a freshman football program at the Souhegan High School. [The high school coach] came by with his team manager, and he showed up with a young man who had Down syndrome so that was kind of a cool connection, he noted.

After seven years leading the freshman program there and a season as varsity assistant coach at Goffstown High School, Hines went on to become head coach at Bedford High School. I was able to be a part of building a powerhouse, Hines described of his time at the, then, brand new school and program. Hines and his family then made the move from New Hampshire to San Diego to be closer to their eldest daughter, where Hines has continued to both teach elementary school and coach football.

This is my 25th year of coaching high school football and I just love everything about it, he commented. Hines takes a people first approach to coaching with an emphasis on building relationships. I asked him if there have been any people or moments that have influenced that approach and Hines told me about a player he had coached and worked with in the offseason who had taken his own life. The family asked me to speak at the funeral, and that incident didnt really change the way I coached per se, but it really emphasized more the importance of relationships and that as great as the game is, its a tool. Its a vehicle to empower people, bless people, and serve people, Hines said.

I try to share with our staff all the time that our number one job is to serve [our players], he continued. Yes, we want to make them better football players but we want to build relationships. Hines says his background in elementary education has also served him well as a high school coach. People think, Oh, those are so different, but they are so closely entwined because I think it really comes down to those relationships. Ive had parents tell me about how their kids hated math and now they love it, and I dont think Im a special teacher, I just focus on the relationships.

For Hines that means creating a space where his students and players know that their interests, their growth, and who they are is something being genuinely cared about and encouraged, and they feel comfortable to try and fail. We tell our players all the time that we want them to mess up in practice. If youre not messing up youre probably not getting reps, and if youre not getting reps in practice youre not getting them in the game, he explained. So we tell them, Mess up as much as you can, Monday through Thursday, so come Friday night you mess up less when it really matters.

Hines continued, Teaching also helps me [with coaching] because there are kids in my class who have IEPs or 504s for special education, and sometimes coaches forget on the football field that there may be a kid that you think is being disrespectful but they may have a learning disability or something else going on. And they may care just as much, but need a lot more teaching.

He mentioned one player hes coached who lost a starting position, pulling himself out with a minor injury. I talked to him after the game and then called him two days later and just asked him, Was it really this body part that was hurting that much or were you a little bit afraid? And it was over the phone and he could easily have just lied to me but he paused and then told me it was both, Hines said, explaining that its those moments where he can connect with a player or student on a level to help facilitate their growth and personal success that keeps him inspired as a coach and teacher day after day.

Hines recognizes that his teams have players of different athletic backgrounds, abilities, and familiarity with the game and he and his coaching staff strive to create a program that meets each player where they are. There are players on the team that are all character, all heart, all great athletes; its easy to love them. But when you get the players that dont fit the bill as much, cant put their helmet on straight, all that stuff, that fires me up, he told me.

I truly think a lot of other programs they would either be bullied by the players, coaches, or not even part of the team and I think we pride ourselves on having a football culture where every one of our players thrives on and off the field, Hines added, mentioning the example the coaching staff sets for these young players when they see that each player is treated with just as much importance and respect as another. We want to empower our players and we tell them, We want you to be great, but you have to be willing to go out there and make mistakes.

That mentality plays into Hines philosophy of how to grow a program overall that looks at every upcoming class, freshmen to senior, rather than relying solely on senior players for success. If theyre a stud we want to help them become even better, and if they can barely put their cleats and helmet on we want to help them learn how to do that and then, get one percent better every day is what we preach.

And for Hines, if his players can walk away from their time on the team knowing that their growth was more important than the game and that they were a part of something bigger than themselves, thats a win. As passionate as we are as coaches about the game, were more passionate about them, he explained. I think as simple as that is whether youre raising a family, or its sports, or business when people have relationships with others, theyre going to do more good and do the right things more often.

This years program has 70 players on the roster (up from 41 last year) that includes students from each class along with three female athletes suiting up this year. I love where were headed and think there is strength in numbers. If you have backups and players in practice challenging each other, its going to make us all better. And the more success we have on the field, the more its going to attract young men and young women and the more lives we can change.

One thing that will make this years season special for Hines as well is the opportunity to coach with his son, Brockton Brock Hines. It has been absolutely amazing, for me, Hines commented, adding how appreciative his is of this chance for them to share this experience and time together right now. My dad recently passed away and I used to call him every Saturday morning after football games for 25 years. And theres no doubt in my mind that hes looking down and seeing us, and its just been awesome.

Coming to Coronado, Hines was aware that the community wasnt necessarily a football town. One thing he hopes to do as hes grown the Islander program, especially as sports have been able to return in full, is to generate interest and excitement for the sport and continue to let more students discover the game. Community support for all sports is huge, he noted, adding how important youth sports is for helping students stay healthy, motivated, and in successful in school.

The Islander Football season kicked off on August 19 with a win against Montgomery High School. Varsity games will continue to be played on Friday nights where fans are welcome and encouraged. Visit maxpreps.com for further schedule details for both the varsity and junior varsity teams.

VOL. 112, NO. 37 - Sept. 14, 2022

Continued here:
Coaching Kickoff: A Conversation With CHS Football Coach Kurt Hines - Coronado Eagle and Journal

Ashton Gibbs is going from the preps to the pros.

As a coach.

The 32-year-old Scotch Plains, N.J. native and former Seton Hall Prep and University of Pittsburgh star has been hired as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks organization after spending the summer coaching on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit with the NJ Scholars 15U team. He will coach mainly with the College Park (Ga.) Skyhawks of the G League, but will spend training camp with the NBA club.

Ashton is going to bring youthful energy to our staff, Tori Miller, GM of the Skyhawks, told NJ Advance Media. Were really looking forward to having his strong player development background, as we believe he can use his playing experience to coach our guards in particular and help them develop on both ends of the floor.

Its quite an impressive jump for Gibbs, who has assistant coaching experience on the college level at Duquesne, and was also the head coach at The Phelps School, a prep school in Malvern, Pa.

This summer he coached the Scholars 15U team to the Final Four of their age bracket at the prestigious Nike Peach Jam. They notched a victory against Nightrydas Elite, which went on to win the 15U championship.

On that team, he coached the descendants of several former NBA players, including Olin Chamberlain, who is related to NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, Jaron McKie, the son of Temple coach and former NBA player Aaron McKie and Brandon Lee, the son of former Butch Lee, the first Puerto Rican and first Latin American-born athlete to play in the NBA.

I did a little bit of research on him and saw that he went to Pitt and everything, Chamberlain, a Class of 2025 guard from Harleysville, Pa., said this summer at Peach Jam. Everything he did as a player, playing for the USA [Basketball] team, everything he did I want to strive to do as a player, and try to be like him.

Gibbs said he isnt exactly sure if someone with the Hawks organization noticed him at Peach Jam, but he recently got a call from them and then did several interviews by phone.

They heard I was doing a good job and one thing led to another, they interviewed me a couple times and I did well in the interview process, Gibbs said Friday by phone. From what they told me, I was impressive in the interview process...and it was a quick process.

He heads to Atlanta Sunday and training camps starts Monday.

The Hawks have several New Jersey players in Englewood native Tyson Etienne and Malik Ellison, who attended Life Center Academy in Burlington and is the son of former Louisville star Pervis Ellison. A.J. Griffin, the former Duke star and the son of ex-Seton Hall standout Adrian Griffin, is also on the Hawks.

They actually have a good little New York/New Jersey bounce on the team, Gibbs said of the Hawks. They got a couple guys from the area.

Gibbs has big goals down the road.

I want to be a head NBA coach, thats the goal, he said. Anything could happen, but the NBA is the NBA, its the top of the top.

Rutgers assistant Brandin Knight, who coached Gibbs at Pittsburgh, believes he brings a lot to the table.

Ashton was one of the most dedicated players Ive ever coached, Knight said. He loves being in the gym and working on skill development. I think he has a lot to offer teaching the game as well. There will be things he will have to learn about the NBA game but Im sure he can do a great job in any role their asking him to fulfill.

And to think, this summer Gibbs was coaching 15-year-olds at Peach Jam.

No, I wouldnt have believed it, man, Gibbs said. And thats why I tell people all the time, you just never know whos watching, whos connected to who. Just give your best effort at all times and control what you can control.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription..

Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.

Continue reading here:
Preps to pros: N.J. native Ashton Gibbs gets coaching call-up from grassroots basketball to NBA - NJ.com

Social media account hackings or takeovers have increased dramatically since 2020, and NBC 5 Responds has found a key differentiating factor between users who get their accounts back, and others who do not.

Thieves are flocking to social media platforms now more than ever, and if youre not careful, you could be frozen out of your account.

Depending on what kind of user you are online may make the difference on whether you can get your account back.

NBC 5 Responds has been covering a rise in social media account takeovers in the last year, impacting thousands of users online.

And now, new numbers recently released are defining the trend.

In the 2021 Trends in Identity report from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), the non-profit found a 1,044% increase in reports of social media account takeovers by bad actors, from the years 2020 to 2021.

The ITRC calls it an emerging scamdemic, with identity thieves flocking to social media profiles, leading to the highest number of personal identifiable information (PII) exposures from the accounts many use every day.

Compounding the problem is the fact that many users have said once their accounts were hacked into, they had no way of getting it back.

Recently, two Facebook/Meta users in the Chicago area contacted NBC 5 Responds, desperate for help.

At first blush, both users appeared to have much in common: Their pages were recently hacked, locking them out from years worth of memories, photos, and contact information for their family and friends.

But after inquiring on their behalf, only one user was able to get back into her account.

The different outcomes may be chalked up to two pivotal words: Business account.

I just never thought it would happen to me, Koren Utley told NBC 5 Responds after her Facebook account was taken over by hackers in July.

Korens Facebook account served two purposes: Connecting with friends and family, but also for her life coaching business.

Koren said her repeated attempts to contact Facebook for help had gone nowhere.

After NBC 5 Responds got in touch with Facebook staff, Koren successfully got back into her account.

But our same attempts to help another user, public school teacher Tracy Aleckson, went nowhere.

Why would someone want to hack a Facebook account? Aleckson asked. I was so incredibly frustrated. You have this billion-dollar company, and no way to contact them.

After NBC 5 Responds contacted Facebook for comment, the company helped Utley gain access to her hacked account, but did not help Aleckson.

The company did not respond to NBC 5s questions or requests for comment.

The reason NBC 5 Responds inquiry helped Utley, but had no effect for Aleckson, may be chalked up to the fact that Utley had previously purchased Facebook advertisements for her life coaching business.

Tracy had not made any purchases from Facebook.

The realization that not all users are treated equally is no surprise to cybersecurity analysts, like Alex Hamerstone of TrustedSec.

Its important for everybody to remember: If youre not paying for something, youre absolutely the product. Hamerstone said.

Hamerstone is not suggesting that we all buy ads, rather we need to understand the playing field, one that is growing riskier, day by day.

Analysts say the most common way for hackers to take over accounts is through social engineering techniques, through direct messages or by sending links that you should never click on.

Still, many users feel social media companies play a role in protecting their identities.

"You should not have to have a business account to be protected by Facebook, Utley said.Ever since getting her account back since the latest hacking, Utley said shes mostly stayed off of social media.

I don't post as much as I used to, Utley said. I honestly have lost the joy of sharing on Facebook to be honest with you. "

Many of the ways NBC 5 found to protect your social media accounts are preventative measures to take before anything like this takes place.

It all centers around your digital hygiene.

The Identity Theft Resource Center recommends using a strong and unique password, up to 12 characters or longer.

Don't use a password that you've used on any other accounts, Velasquez said. It can be a passphrase or something that you'll easily remember.

Also, setting up a two-factor authentication for profile changes, like passwords, can alert you to an account invasion, and prevent hackers from getting in.

Another important point to consider is storing your information in more than one place.

Having photos and other information you may need saved somewhere other than your account may help in the event something happens to your profile.

Do a health check of your social media accounts, Velasquez said. Make sure that you don't have data, photographs, contacts and things stored only [on your social media account] so that if the worst does happen, you have backups.

For the really meaningful photos, videos and important information, its also recommended to store those back-ups separate from your device.

If you only have your photos stored on Facebook, get a thumb drive, get a hard drive, store them somewhere else, so that you have a copy if something happens to that account, Velasquez recommends. It will definitely make it less traumatic if you aren't able to get the account back.

Some Facebook users are eligible for whats called Facebook Protect, an enhanced security feature that the company rolled out this past March.

Facebook Protect adds more security to a users account, including two-factor authentication and extra screenings by staff for hacking threats.

This feature is not available for all users. The companys website said it is a security program for groups of people that are more likely to be targeted by malicious hackers, such as human rights defenders, journalists, and government officials."

Its unclear whether Facebook plans to roll out the feature more widely.

To learn more about Facebook Protect and whether youre eligible to use it, click here.

Many Facebook users that contacted NBC 5 for help said their attempts to get through to Facebook for assistance after their accounts were hacked into were futile.

This has been noticed too by cybersecurity experts.

They don't have dedicated customer service. You cannot actually speak to a person, Velasquez said. That's fine when everything is going well. But when there is fraud or a significant dispute, that creates a real problem.

Users are encouraged by the company to visit this webpage to try and get their account back.

If your profile is a business account, or is used for your business, be sure to emphasize that when reaching out to Facebook for help. This can expedite a response on Facebooks end.

More helpful information from Facebook can be found here.

Experts also say users shouldnt feel embarrassed or ashamed if this happens to them.

We really want to encourage people not to be embarrassed or ashamed, not to think they should know or understand these things and to get help if they need it, Velasquez said. This is a really complicated space and not everyone can know everything about it.

To learn more about the Identity Theft Resource Center, including how to access its many free services and guidance, click here or call 1-888-400-5530

Read the original here:
Social Media Takeovers: As New Scam Emerges, Here's Why Some Users May Never Get Their Accounts Back - NBC Chicago

Its hard to say for sure which loss was worse, so completely interwoven as they were.

Obviously, the sudden death of Joshua Brooks as he rounded third was a blow that his baseball-loving brother, Luke, would never get over completely. Joshua and Luke lived for one thing: the game they loved. The game they always played together, almost as one person. And as their senior year rolled on, they were both on the brink of getting scholarships to keep playing the game, keep running the bases.

But Luke has barely begun to get on with his life when the other shoe drops: He learns that he has the same sudden-death heart condition his brother had. And that, his doctor tells him, means Lukes baseball days are over for good.

Adrift in a sea of grief and disorientation, Luke heads off to Evangel University. Its there, studying near the baseball teams practice one day, that he meets a coach whose providential words will redirect Lukes sense of calling:

You know, Luke, for those of us who love this game, its pain and glory, all wrapped up together. A few of us grow to resent it, because we cant find our place in it anymore. But others, well, we just keep searching until we do.

That inflection point will shape the course of Lukes life. And as the film jumps forward 20 years, we find Luke happily married to his childhood friend Jessica. And together theyre raising a high school baseball player named Josh (named after Lukes brother, of course).

Oh, and hes a dynamite baseball coach, too. Lukes acclaim as a baseball genius in his small Arkansas townwhere both he and Jess grew uphas started to leak out. Thats the kind of thing that happens when you win nine state championships.

And sure enough, one day a man comes calling. A man in a suita nice suit. A man named Michael Jamison with an offer Luke ultimately feels is Gods leading: To move to a 6A Texas school district thatll give Luke a chance to take his coaching to the next level.

He takes the offer and is, at first, thrilled about it. Its all starting to feel like happily ever after

until Luke says a prayer at home base one day and runs the bases in honor of his brother and of God before a game.

Read more:
Running the Bases - Plugged In

A coaching service for people in the music industry who have ADHD has been set up by a former manager at the Association for Electronic Music.

Tristan Hunt who himself has ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia has launched the service in response to increasing conversations around neurodiversity within the music industry. It sees him offer confidential online sessions, as well as a guide to peer-reviewed tools and strategies which are designed to help people with ADHD understand and manager their condition more easily.

Speaking about why he's launched the service, Hunt said: "I spent most of my twenty-year music industry career not knowing I had ADHD. So I know first-hand the struggles that artists and my industry colleagues face when working in the music business with the condition both pre and post-ADHD diagnosis. People with ADHD are often especially bright, yet there can be a great disconnect between their often huge accomplishments and shortcomings in their everyday life."

"Maybe they travel the world playing sell-out shows, or close multi-million-pound deals overseas. Then return home to a confused partner who struggles to understand how they can accomplish these big tasks, yet fail to do 'simpler' things, like paying their bills on time, remembering family appointments, or not sending out the invoices which get them paid.

"Helping these people my fellow ADHDers move past the shame that those disconnects can cause and helping them learn how to thrive with their incredible ADHD brain is hugely rewarding for me."

Before launching the service, Hunt held down the role of Regional Manager at the Association for Electronic Music for four years. He has previous experience of working as a mentor with Help Musicians UK.

For more information, you can contact Hunt via the email address [emailprotected] and visit his dedicated website.

Read DJ Mag's recent feature on the relationship between neurodiversity and dance music here.

Read more here:
Coaching service for people with ADHD working in the music industry launches - DJ Mag

Perhaps youre curious but are unsure of the benefits of life coaching? Or, you might be checking up on the industry as you research the possibility of becoming a life coach.

Whatever motivates you, weve got something for you in this guide. Below you will find a list of 33 features and benefits of life coaching to answer your questions. Browse the various points below and notice how impressed you become!

First, lets understand what life coaching is

What is a life coach?

A life coach is a person that works in partnership with an individual to help them reach their potential across all facets of life.

Just as a professional sports player has a coach to work on the technical and psychological aspects of their performance, everyday people should take a structured and disciplined approach to personal development and betterment.

An accredited life coach plays this role.

What does a life coach do?

A life coach works with coaching client to help them make improvements in their lives and move out of their stuck states. A life coach assumes that the client has the knowledge within themselves to make the improvements and the coach works more as a facilitator than as a counselor.

What are the benefits of life coaching?

There are a variety of reasons may seek out life coaching services. Below are 33 examples that show why life coaching has become so popular and is now a mainstream industry.

A study by the International Coaching Federation (IFC) discovered that 80% of people who hired a life coach reported an improvement in self-confidence.

Weare often consumed by our own opinions, life experiences, and way of thinking.A life coach can provide a new and often helpful perspective on things.

Being fully aware of your impact on others and recognizing your flaws, strengths, and unique personality attributes is an extremely challenging adventure. This is the art of self-awareness.

Self-awareness requires a strong capacity for introspection and reflection, something which a life coach can help you work towards. In fact, one study found that 67.6% of coaching clients experience a higher level of self-awareness.

The concept of life balance is different for everyone, but it often refers to a happy, peaceful, and harmonious relationship between your physical and cognitive being, as well as the major areas of life.

One of the benefits of a life coach is to identify what balance looks like for you and define action steps to achieve more balance in your life.

Relationships are the glue that combines individuals with society and provides shared fulfillment in life. From marriages to friendships and beyond, strong relationships are a critical contributor to happiness.

According to the same ICF study mentioned previously, 73% of people who hired a life coach improved their relationships.

We all have dreams in life, but very few people crystalize these aspirations into tangible goals to systematically accomplish. A major benefit of life coaching is being able to define your life goals and create a concrete, doable plan to achieve them.

True happiness is somewhat of a mystical experience and for most people, its hard to imagine a life that is forever happy. At the end of the day, happiness is intrinsic, its a feeling that is unique to the way you feel inside.

By defining life goals, creating balance, and committing to a better version of yourself with the aid of a life coach, you open up the prospect of finding happiness. Helping others find happiness is one of the main reasons people become a life coach.

Are you clear on what your purpose in life is? Again, this is a very individual and internal fire that burns within. Its your passion, dreams, skills, and weaknesses all bundled into one.

Its your direction in life. Clarity of purpose is vital if you want to pursue your dreams, a life coach can assist you in creating this focus.

Findingthat one thing you love more than anything else and doing it every day is alarge contributor to happiness and satisfaction. Having clarity of purposeunlocks insights into what this may be. This is another one of the many benefits of a life coach in your corner.

Hiringa life coach is about more than just getting advice and guidance, it alsocreates accountability. You will have an ally that holds you to your word andensures those goals get pursued and projects are completed.

Many of us spend too much time comparing ourselves to others and focussing on what we perceive to be our flaws. Discovering your best self is one of the priceless benefits of life coaching.

Alife coach will take an impartial view of your strengths and weaknesses,helping you understand your areas of greatest opportunity.

Tobe open-minded you need to appreciate that there are different ways of doingthings and varying perspectives on life other than your own. A life coach canprovide the perspective and thinking process required to adopt this mindset.

Manyof us have latent potential that is hidden by prejudice or closed-mindedness.Life coaches unlock this potential by opening you up to alternate ways ofthinking and creating clarity for your direction in life.

72% of people who hire a life coach improve their communication skills, according to the IFC study mentioned above. This is no surprise given the best life coaches are accredited NLP practitioners the most advanced set of communication skills ever developed. Better communication is one of the primary benefits of NLP life coaching. (Find out more about what NLP is.)

Everyonehas the same amount of time in the day, but some people use those 24 hours moreefficiently than others. Working with a life coach can help you better manageyour time, set priorities, and get more done.

Aswell as looking at the positive aspects of life, such as your purpose, goals,and potential, life coaches are armed with a series of techniques that can helpyou eliminate or reduce negative thoughts that hold you back.

By minimizing negative thoughts and embracing your strengths you can start to overcome fears that have been restricting your ability to achieve your dreams.

Youcan work with a life coach to brainstorm ideas and unearth creativity that issitting dormant in the depths of your subconscious.

Beingopen-minded, self-aware, and considering a new perspective on life will giveyou a more positive and well-rounded outlook.

The skills you develop while working with a life coach will focus your resources while pursuing career goals or growing your business to new heights. This is one of the key benefits of coaching in a business environment.

When bad habits are embedded in our day-to-day life, they diminish our ability to perform. Working with an impartial third-party will help you determine what these habits may be and learn to eliminate them.

Our values are those deeply held principles that influence our behavior and motivate us to do things both large and small. Given the sheer influence of life values on every action, being aware of what they are can revolutionize the way we live and perform.

A strengths-based approach to personal development focuses on the positive inner resources of an individual make changes. This is in contrast to traditional methods that focus on identifying weaknesses and trying to improve those areas.

Setbacks and roadblocks can derail the best of us. One of the most sought after benefits of life coaching is to sustain the discipline and maximum effort during challenging times. Youll likely discover pockets of inspiration and hunger that you never knew existed.

Despite thinking that we act rationally, most people make decisions based on emotion or entirely subconscious processes. With a deeper understanding of how the mind works, you can reframe the process of decision-making so that it becomes simpler and wiser.

For example, an NLP-trained life coach will be well-versed in the NLP Decision Making Strategy, a theory that incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (touch) senses and how they influence our decisions.

To be empathetic you need to see and feel the world through the lens of someone else, put yourself in their shoes, and be understanding of their situation. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same capacity to show empathy towards others.

A life coach can help you look beyond your personal needs and provide in-the-moment techniques for showing empathy.

If youve ever been to a job interview its likely that you have been asked how well you take feedback from others. While most people would like to think that they are open and willing to accept feedback or criticism, in the heat of the moment their emotions take over.

An emotional reaction can result in a less than perfect impact on the person providing the feedback, who may just be trying to help you. Learning to accept criticism is a powerful life skill to develop and one of the benefits of life coaching.

Showing appreciation and gratitude is a core component of fostering relationships. It makes people feel good about the impact they have on your life be that in a corporate environment or socially.

A life coach understands the importance of appreciation and has the tools to help you use it more effectively in your day-to-day life.

Rapport is a connection between individuals or a group that enables those people to interact and communicate effectively. For most of us, rapport is seen as an uncontrollable force that we either have with someone or we dont.

However, creating rapport with others can actually be an intentional and structured process that a life coach can assist you with.

Life coaches can offer more than just emotional and psychological support. They can also work with you to create and execute a plan for improving your physical well-being or losing weight. A healthy body often results in a healthy mind too.

Stress is a common occurrence for a large portion of the population. Financial burdens, career-related issues, or personal relationship problems can result in mental instability and stress-related health concerns. Life coaches have access to relaxation techniques, such as NLP, which can reduce the mental habits causing stress in your life.

Depressionand anxiety are a society-wide health problem with a number of complexelements, none of which are an easy fix. However, having an ally in your cornerwho understands your triggers can result in an improved way of dealing with thesymptoms of these mental health issues.

Tobe happy is a different proposition for everyone. But one thing is for sure, ifyou are clear on your purpose, eliminate negativity from your life, and havethe tools and techniques to build meaningful relationships, happiness andfulfillment are achievable.

In fact, they are more than achievable all you need is a framework for determining your direction in life and an ally to help you get there. This is your life coach.

Are you interested in becoming a certified life coach and helping people (and yourself) achieve all of these benefits and more? Check out our Life Coach Certification courses.

Mike Bundrant is a retired psychotherapist, Master NLP trainer, and ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC). He and his wife, Hope, co-founded iNLP Center in 2011.

Continue reading here:
Benefits of Life Coaching: 33 Impressive Facts You Need to Know

Last week, the Voice From The Bullpen began a comparison of a cats storied life of nine lives, to that of his own, and got through the first two lives with a promise of continuing the comparison in todays narrative. So here we go

Life Three was Coaching/Officiating Life. I love sports, and had opportunities to expand on that, combining it with my Teaching Life, by coaching baseball, football, and softball at schools and in communities for many years. First, I loved the sports I was teaching to the kids I was coaching. I loved going to clinics to get better at teaching the skills and learning more organizational and motivational skills. I loved practicing, sometimes more than the games, as practicing was where I got to teach the sport. I expected much from players too, and I set those bars high as well, again, with some kids and adults, there were disgruntlements regarding my philosophy, but I always felt integrity, and consistency had to be key components in what we were doing. Coaching also gave me opportunities to take kids to places outside the area to play in tournaments, (Cooperstown, Buffalo (NY), Myrtle Beach (SC), Reading, Scranton (PA), Mentor, East Lake (OH), teaching social skills (behavior responsibilities, manners, respect in hotels, restaurants, etc.), too.

When I wasnt coaching I was umpiring baseball at all levels (youth to college) for many years, too. There were some years I did both. Started umpiring at 15 and umpired on and off (some years while coaching, some not) for 24 years between 1969 and 2018. It kept me near my favorite sport and with coaching, gave me both perspectives and a greater appreciation of the game.

Life Four is Parrothead Life. My retirement gift from Sally in 2008, was two tickets, Row 12, Center Stage, to a Jimmy Buffett concert just outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. Always wanting to go a Buffett concert, this was an unbelievable thrill. Never being to one before, we didnt know about the tailgating experience of a Buffett concert. Walking around before the concert began, we decided we would definitely do it again, and not just be a part of the concert inside the venue, but would become Parrotheads like those who prepared for the concert hours before the music started. Weve now totaled 15 Buffett concerts, and the off-Broadway theater production of Escape to Margaritaville, which we saw last November in Buffalo. Our concerts have included numerous more trips to Burgettstown, Pa., two in Cincinnati (and tickets to Cincy this summer), twice in Virginia Beach, and once each in Detroit, Nashville, and Charlottesville, Va. In those experiences weve met great people of all ages, but have become very close to a couple from the Sandusky, Ohio, area, whom weve now shared numerous Buffett concerts along with a wine tasting weekend in Erie, Pa., a Billy Joel concert in Cleveland and this summer well meet them for Buffett in Cincy and Elton John in Cleveland. All this from a parking lot meeting at a Buffet concert in Burgettstown, Pa.

Life Five is baseball fan life. When I was a kid, Dad would take us to a Cleveland Indians doubleheader against the Yankees for many years, and I carried on that tradition with my kids after we got married. Sally and the girls werent really into it, but humored me, going to a few games a year. After Jon was born and he got older (about two years older) we went to games more frequently. I started buying six-game packages, progressed to 20, and now 40-game packages. Ive attended two World Series, and the All-Star game and four days of activities too. Also, my love for coaching/umpiring baseball, having my car decaled to resemble a baseball, and our living room, and my man cave, looking like a baseball museum, says my baseball life is a huge part of my whole life.

Life Six is Browns Backers, NFL Draft and college football life. Ive been honored to serve a group of Cleveland Browns fans chartered with the Browns Backers Worldwide in Berea, Ohio. We spend a solid four months together cheering for the Cleveland Browns, while also trying to assist groups, causes, and charities in our community with donations made as a result of fundraisers we hold during the season. Those donations have accumulated to the tune of over $32,000, since we began doing it back in 2010. Two out of the last three years weve held an after season dinner welcoming guests who are locals whove make their mark with the NFL, some with the Browns.

I also enjoy college football, especially Ohio State and Notre Dame. I love watching the NFL Draft religiously, each year, and have done so for many years except last, when I was fortunate enough to be at the draft in Cleveland. What a rush that was!

Stay tuned for the last three of the nine lives of the Voice from the Bullpen coming next week.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Read the original:
The Next Four Lives of the Voice from the Bullpen - Jamestown Post Journal