Curt Miller remembers a very different high school sports scene in Henry County compared to what we have now.

When he played basketball at Henry County High School in the mid-1990s, there were only three high schools in the district. Now there are 10, and he has played a major role in helping all of them navigate the scholastic sports landscape the past few years as coordinator of athletics for Henry County Schools.

Now he is going back in time, in a way. Recently he accepted the position of assistant principal and athletic director at Oconee County High School, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year. The Oconee County Board of Education approved the move at its April 3 meeting, and he shared the news on his personal Facebook page that night.

That was perhaps the most appropriate way for him to do so, because one of the most intentional and successful of Millers accomplishments of late has been the huge boost in the districts social media presence when it comes to middle school and high school sports. As of April 17, the Athletics Henry County Schools account on Twitter had 2,301 followers, and a similar page operates on Facebook.

During football season, they were updated regularly every Friday night so that fans of county teams could see up-to-the-minute results. More recently they have been used to share and retweet news and recognition of senior athletes whose seasons were cut short by the COVID-19 response.

In his new role, Miller will be part of a district with only two high schools and two middle schools. There are just over 8,000 students in Oconee Countys public schools (compared to more than 40,000 in Henry County). This is more like what he remembers growing up, having spent all of his K-12 years in Henry County as well as the entire 19 years of his professional career so far.

Growing up as a student in the HCS district, there were only two or three high schools and everyone in the county knew each other, he wrote last week. From state championships and scholarships to facility upgrades and expansion of sports offerings, seeing how much the district has grown and how successful we have been makes me feel really proud to be a part of it. Most importantly, the relationships I have built will make this chapter of my life a wonderful one.

But he excited about the move to Oconee, where he will not be coaching but will keep a hand in the athletic side while while taking a positive step toward achieving his goals of working in school administration. The transition is important from a family perspective, since his wifes job requires a lot of time in that part of the state. Their two daughters, both of whom play sports and will be in middle school this fall, will experience high school athletics in a district similar to what he came up in.

I thought that was pretty cool, he said in an interview with the Times last week. Just having an opportunity to do that with our girls is special.

In addition to improving the districts brand recognition through social media and other outlets, Miller introduced a program for aspiring athletic directors that provided training throughout the year to help them understand those jobs better and pave the way for future success. It was something he created in Henry County because of a need he saw upon assuming the district coordinator role. There were seven new athletic directors in the countys middle and high school that first year, and six the following year.

I knew we needed some kind o training to prepare people for this position, he said. The district leadership was on board with it, and it has taken off.

As of now, every current athletic director in the district has gone through the program.

Weve had really good feedback on it, he said. Some other districts have seen it and decided to implement it themselves.

It has even reached far beyond the state line, as a New York school district reached out to Miller about it and he eventually took a trip to Long Island to see firsthand how it was being adopted there.

Millers first head coaching post at the high school level was when he led the boys basketball program at Dutchtown, starting when the school opened in the fall of 2004. They played a full varsity schedule with only freshmen and sophomores. Three years later, he became the athletic director and head boys basketball coach at Ola, where he remained until he moved to the central office. He was a health and physical education teacher on assignment for one year before assuming his most recent role.

I cant say enough about how supportive Dr. Davis and the [Henry County] district leaders have been, he said of his exit announcement. I will never forget the relationships we have built and I will always be appreciative of them.

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Miller reflects on growth of sports at Henry Schools - The Henry County Times, Inc.

The NBA is a league of change. Recent roster turnover has been spurred by a number of factors, from an inflated salary cap and shorter, more exorbitant contracts, to restless owners, to star players progressively embracing their own power. Teams have been forced, at breakneck speed, to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Before the NBA went on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, chaos was its new normal: compelling, delightful and anxiety-inducing. But the constant shuffle also sparked an existential question among hundreds of affected players, coaches and front office executives: How can chemistry be fostered in an increasingly erratic era of impatience, load management, reduced practice time and youthful inexperience?

Every year you have six new teammates, Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers said in an interview with SB Nation. Its like gaw-lly! In some ways you wish that would stop.

Its a new NBA, man. Guys are playing on a new team every year now, and it has nothing to do with how good of a player you are, its just how the NBA is. I have teammates whove played on eight, nine teams. I mean, thats fucking nuts. I dont ever want to go through something like that. (Rivers is 27 years old, and on his fourth team in seven NBA seasons.)

Over the past six months, dozens of players, coaches and executives across the NBA spoke with SB Nation about the state of the leagues chemistry, and why creating cohesiveness now is more difficult and demanding than ever before. Their responses sketched a blurry future for the league.

Its amazing how fast players change in todays NBA, Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said. From when I got over here two years ago, Myles [Turner] is the only player whos still here.

I have teammates whove played on eight, nine teams. I mean, thats fucking nuts. - Austin Rivers

Last summer, nearly half of the leagues talent pool swapped jerseys. Seemingly every roster in the league was forced to learn complicated new personality quirks and on-court tendencies. Honed locker room dynamics and hierarchies changed dramatically.

Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young has played for four teams in the last six years after spending his first seven with the Philadelphia 76ers. Few people know better just how precious chemistry can be.

With how the salary cap is going, teams are not locking themselves into long-term deals anymore, where they have four to six guys on four-year deals, Young said. Its definitely tough because you dont know each other. The communication is gonna be off. The teams that you came from before, you might be driving the basketball and you might be used to a guy being in the corner and that guy might not be in the corner.

The NBA may be long past being able to reverse the course of roster turnover, but teams are doing their best to mitigate any downsides. The teams that have done the best job tend to think of chemistry in two buckets: personal and performance. The former contains how players interact away from the game, and the latter contains what happens on the court. However, personal chemistry often informs performance, and vice versa. Once players are comfortable off the court, their on-court relationship improves.

Take Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley, for example.

When I got here Id turn the ball over throwing to our centers because they expected a lob, Dudley said. I dont really throw lobs, Im more of a bounce passer.

Dudley solved his problem by initiating conversations with LAs big men, verbalizing his own in-game habits so that everyone could get on the same page. Not all NBA players feel so comfortable expressing themselves, however. Especially when an on-court situation is more complex than what to do on basic pick-and-rolls.

When the personal chemistry exists, the performance chemistry is often very easy because the performance chemistry is sometimes a function of hard conversations, one Western Conference GM said. The personal chemistry allows a guy to say, Hey man, in the second quarter last night there were like four straight defensive possessions where four of us were back in transition and you werent. You really put a ton of pressure on us to cover a five-on-four when you were lobbying the officials for a call. It took you forever to get off the deck. Come on, man.

Over the past 20 years, no organization has been more conscious of team chemistry than San Antonio. The Spurs are also far and away the modern eras most influential organization: Nearly one third of the leagues rival head coaches and front office executives can be traced back to head coach Gregg Popovich.

Drafting multiple Hall of Famers undoubtedly factored into the Spurs success, but their efforts to maintain an open atmosphere for stars and role players alike one that obsessed over values of tolerance, respect and empathy also separated them from everyone else.

However, San Antonios year-to-year continuity is also becoming progressively rarer, if not extinct. When Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen was a Spurs assistant during the 2014-15 season, they had brought back 14 members of the previous years 15-man roster.

And of those guys, a bunch of them had been together for years, Boylen said. Now theres approximately 6.5 new guys per team. Thats unheard of.

To ignore San Antonios sprawling influence would be like praising observational comedy and never once mentioning Jerry Seinfeld. But even the Spurs are vulnerable in a league where turnover is the status quo. Prior to the 2018-19 season, they traded Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, and lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row. Prior to this seasons hiatus, they were on track for their first losing record in 21 years.

The Spurs dont have an advantage anymore, Dudley said. We all have a disadvantage. Now its who has the most talent. Talent is gonna win out. Talent and vets.

In 2012, James Tarlow was an economics student at the University of Oregon when he presented a paper titled Experience and Winning in the National Basketball Association at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Tarlow wanted to know how roster continuity relates to team chemistry, so he pulled data from 804 NBA seasons played by 30 franchises between 1979 and 2008. He defined chemistry as the number of years the five players playing the most minutes during the regular season have been on their current team with one another.

I got an actual measurement of how important [chemistry] is, Tarlow said in a conversation with SB Nation in March. And its pretty dang important. If you keep your team together its like a third of a win for a year, which, people dont appreciate that and it doesnt seem like much, but if you have a team that stuck together for several years, that turns into another game or two. Thats going to get you into another round in the playoffs.

Bill Russell once wrote, There is no time in basketball to think: This has happened; this is what I must do next. In the amount of time it takes to think through that semicolon, it is already too late.

Its an intuitive idea: The longer were around people, the better we know how theyre going to behave under certain circumstances. Just think of the short-hand forms of communication youve established with your closest friends, family members and coworkers. Those subtle gestures and glances are especially helpful in sports, where a split-second miscommunication can be the difference between winning and losing.

You go back to those San Antonio days, the winks and blinks and the nuances [where Tim] Duncan would find Tony [Parker] on a backdoor, or Manu [Ginobili] would find Timmy on a lob, that evolved over time, and lots of times [time] isnt afforded, said Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown, who spent nine years as a Spurs assistant. You need time to have that sophisticated camaraderie, gut feel, instances on a court that require split the moment decisions.

Continuity by itself doesnt lead to winning, of course. In some cases, it might only extend mediocrity. And if winning a championship is an organizations goal, then it should first pursue star power. But continuity is a boon to coaches, who can implement more complex strategies if theyre able to retain a core group of players year after year.

Right now with the influx of new players, youre having to really keep your playbook and your schemes at a basic level because you are teaching more, Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego said. Youre just starting almost at a ground level every single year in a lot of different ways, where the teams that have had success for years and years, theyre building on every single year.

You never actually practice anymore like when I first got in the league, everybody had a million plays. Steve Clifford

The lack of in-season practice hours only compounds coaches frustrations. With shorter timeframes to fold new players into their system and culture, coaches around the league feel they need to adapt quicker than they ever had before.

As Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens joked, We get three weeks to get ready for a season, then we never practice again.

Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford believes that the league office did the right thing by limiting back-to-backs across every teams schedule. During his first two years as head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, they played 22 back-to-backs each season, while only 11 were on the docket this season for Orlando. But the schedule shift has hurt in unforeseen ways.

When you play a back-to-back you usually get two days off, most times, right? Clifford said. So you give them a day off and then when you come in you can practice. Theyre rested, you bring referees in. You practice. You actually practice.

You never actually practice anymore like when I first got in the league, everybody had a million plays, and you had to know the plays and stuff, and now if you do its an advantage but people dont look at it like that.

A side effect of so much player movement may be a simplification of the product. NBA teams have evolved to emphasize an up-and-down, free-flowing style of play that is largely the byproduct of an analytical revolution to prioritize threes, layups and free throws. Modern basketball is filled with pick-and-roll heavy offensive actions that dont require the same on-court intimacy as a stockpile of elaborate set plays.

My gut tells me that roster turnover is whats causing the thinning of playbooks, one western conference general manager said. And the thinning of playbooks is whats causing this standardization of playing style.

Players feel it, too. Most teams dont do anything. Really its just take the ball out the basket, pick-and-roll, and run, Rivers said. The coaches are really here to guide you now. Its crazy. Its more ATOs (after time-out plays) and out of bounds, and late clock, fourth quarter, thats when coaching really comes in play. Thats all we go over in shootaround. Most of our stuff involves defense because our offense is fucking ridiculous, man. We dont really do anything on offense.

Even teams that have gone out of their way to maintain continuitylike Cliffords Magic, which returned 85 and 82 percent of their minutes over the past two seasons, respectivelyare not immune to change, and all its myriad effects on strategy.

The game is what they wanted it to be when they changed the rules, and the level of execution is still high, obviously, Clifford said. Its not nearly the gameplanning league that it was even seven or eight years ago.

Sustained success is not possible without collaboration, and collaboration becomes habit when several contributors spend thousands of minutes battling together in the same system. The Golden State Warriors had the benefit of several superstars as they won three championships, but they also had an iron collective grasp of what they wanted to accomplish on every possession.

I think there is a level of beauty that exists with the game that is tougher to reach with the turnover, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. For example, if Draymond [Green] ever caught the ball in the pocket off of a high screen with Steph [Curry], Andre [Iguodala] knew exactly where to go and Draymond knew exactly where he was going to be. We didnt even have to practice it. And thats why you saw, frequently, either the lob to Andre along the baseline or Andre spaced out.

NBA teams have been thinking about how to manufacture chemistry for years, long before this accelerated era. None of these billion-dollar corporations can ever be sure how well their efforts actually work, however. Their adjustments have always been based on in-game progression, but success also depends on other obvious factors, like talent, injuries and dumb luck.

A difference between then and now is that players are driving roster decisions to a greater extent. They have much more leverage within organizations, and the biggest stars can take their talent elsewhere if the locker room doesnt jell quickly enough. For many teams, that means they have to proactively foster strong bonds among teammates by encouraging new and returning players to stick around the practice facility during the offseason.

The summer time is big for us, Borrego said. We cant demand it, but we encourage it Guys can really settle down and connect, really understand their teammates, understand their coaches, and its just a much more comfortable situation that allows for chemistry to be built and grown.

The Hornets also organize team dinners when theyre on the road, a practice Borrego borrowed from his time in San Antonio. When asked if those dinners are mandatory, he gave a wry smile: They are team dinners. Then there are others that happen organically on their own, and I want our players to do that. If theyre doing it on their own thats even better than me organizing something.

If theres somebody in your organization that hasnt gotten over himself or herself theyre a pain in the ass ... they cant be happy for somebody elses success. Gregg Popovich

As one former Spur told ESPN: To take the time to slow down and truly dine with someone in this day and age Im talking a two- or three-hour dinner you naturally connect on a different level than just on the court or in the locker room. It seems like a pretty obvious way to build team chemistry, but the tricky part is getting everyone to buy in and actually want to go. You combine amazing restaurants with an interesting group of teammates from a bunch of different countries and the result is some of the best memories I have from my career.

Of course, Popovich was also good at finding players he wanted at the table.

The more you can stay together, the more the chemistry builds. But still chemistry is more a function of the character of the players than it is anything else, Popovich said. I always talk about getting over yourself. And if theres somebody in your organization that hasnt gotten over himself or herself theyre a pain in the ass and they make it harder for everybody else because they can only feel about their success. They cant be happy for somebody elses success. It has to be about them. If you dont have that then nothing else is gonna help you have chemistry. You cant make it happen.

Still, every coach tries to get everyone on the same page. As players digest their new surroundings, its important that everyone coaches, players and executives understand their expectations for one another. Rockets head coach Mike DAntoni boiled his own approach down simply: Dont ask somebody to do something they cant do. If youre gonna have to change a guy, you might not want to bring him in in the first place.

It is impossible for any team to keep all 15 players in the locker room happy at the same time; theyre human beings who are all going through their own real life issues. But a haphazard onboarding process will create headaches down the road. According to Buchanan, coaches have to be able to anticipate players questions.

Why am I not getting to do this? or Why am I not getting to play more? or Why am I not playing with that guy? or Why am I not starting?, Buchanan said. You try to get that communicated up front so the player knows what hes stepping into, because lots of times chemistry issues evolve from a lack of communication.

When general managers and coaches are unaware of loose frustrations, they risk one player venting to another, sewing animosity that does irreparable damage to the entire team. Left unattended, a team can spiral into soap opera.

Its not difficult to create chemistry, Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce said. Its more about sustaining it through the course of 82 games with so many ups and downs. Obviously [we had] some of those moments with John [Collins] being out and Kevin [Huerters] injury. Roles start to shift and some guys werent ready for it, so the frustration of that kicked in.

The Hawks have done two things to stave off that seemingly unavoidable discomfort. The first is an all-in dedication to how they play, in which everything revolves around pick-and-rolls with Trae Young and a rim-rolling big. By keeping the gameplan simple, they can plug in pieces as needed.

When Trae masters it and everybody else understands it, you know, you roll a little bit harder and you shake up a little bit better, and you slash a little bit better. Thats who we will become, Pierce said. Any big that comes to our roster [knows,] I can play here because I know Im gonna get the ball at the rim.

The Hawks also have a breakfast club that Pierce took from his time as an assistant under Brown in Philadelphia. Every time the club meets, players stand up in front of their teammates and discuss something that matters to them. Earlier this year, Collins enlightened the room with a powerpoint presentation about what it was like growing up in a military family. Huerter talked about growing up in upstate New York and losing high-school friends in a drunk-driving accident.

Former Hawks center Alex Len gave a particularly tender presentation last season that moved his head coach.

Youre barking at Alex Len. This fucking guy, he doesnt compete, he doesnt appreciate this, Pierce said. Well, Alex Len talked about why he couldnt go to the Ukraine for the last seven years. Wow, I didnt know you had such a tough time with that. Im over here fucking yelling at you for not rolling in the pick and roll. I dont know youre dealing with this Ukraine thing for the last seven years and not being able to go home and see your grandparents. My bad. Ive got to get to know you a little bit better.

Three years ago, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive asked a communications coach named Steve Shenbaum to work with his team. In 1997, Shenbaum founded a company called Game On Nation, which helps corporate executives, military personnel and government employees in addition to professional sports teams.

Within the past decade, Shenbaum has been brought in by the Lakers, Trailblazers, Nuggets. Cavaliers, Grizzlies and Mavericks, and agent Bill Duffy has asked Shenbaum to assist several of his clients, including Carmelo Anthony, Yao Ming and Greg Oden. He has more than 100 improvisational and conceptual exercises to help clients build self-awareness, selflessness, confidence and other traits that enable character development.

A favorite is called last letter, first letter, in which two teammates have a conversation with one rule: as they take turns speaking, they must start with the last letter of the other persons last word, and keep the conversation going. The exercise forces both parties to listen, let one another finish and focus in ways they otherwise might not.

My hope is I am planting seeds and empowering the players and the staff to take what theyve experienced and run with it and multiply it, Shenbaum said. I want them to see each other in another light.

Shenbaum has many telltale signs of good and bad chemistry, but a big one is how well veterans are buying in. In a league thats getting younger and younger, its imperative that older players command respect in the locker room and impose a will to succeed.

Dudley believes veterans who might not even be in a rotation can earn their money by bringing everyone together in ways a coach or GM cant. During his one year in Brooklyn, he organized dinners, trips to the movies, parties and other events away from the game that involved the whole team.

Then, when we were in film sessions and I would call them out, they took it as love and not criticism, Dudley said. Youre developing a relationship and then you can tell them, Spencer [Dinwiddie] or a guy who thinks he should play more, this is why youre not playing. This is your role for this team. Rondae [Hollis-Jefferson], he got benched: Hey Rondae, for you to stay in the league, this is what you gotta do. On this team youre not a starter anymore but theres gonna be times they call on you. He stayed ready.

Almost everyone interviewed for this story agreed that chemistry cant be forced. Players on contending teams have to go through organic hardships together before they can become comfortable enough for the difficult conversations that facilitate progress. Some teams dont believe its necessary or appropriate to ask their players to spend more time together than they already do. They believe that players should figure out issues among themselves, and that a front offices biggest role is doing good background research on everybody they bring aboard. Coaches are there to take a teams disparate pieces and position them to succeed.

I think everybodys budgets on team meals now has skyrocketed league wide because of the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra laughed. The more important thing is getting a team on the same sheet of music about your style of play and an identity on both ends of the court, understanding whats important, what the standards are, the expectations, role clarity. These things fasttrack, in my mind, chemistry. Its always nice if guys like each other and they go out to eat on the road, have dinner together. But that doesnt guarantee anything.

Spoelstra knew early on that Jimmy Butlers oft-misunderstood persona would have no trouble fitting in with several players on Miamis roster because they all shared the same sense of duty.

Its always nice if guys like each other and they go out to eat on the road, have dinner together. But that doesnt guarantee anything. Erik Spoelstra

Ive noticed with Goran and Jimmy in particular, they have such a beautiful on-court chemistry because theyre in their 30s, theyre only about winning right now. They dont care about anything else. If you want to define on-court chemistry, in my mind its how willing are you to help somebody else. And how willing and able are you to enjoy somebody elses success when it happens.

The character vs. talent debate isnt new among NBA decision-makers. But going forward, we may see teams value the former more than they have.

If you get a group of four new players who you bring onto your team and theyre all team-first, unselfish, competitive, self-motivated players, theres a decent chance that the chemistry is gonna have a chance to be good, Buchanan said. Doing a ropes course, thats great in theory and may work for a business, but professional athletes, they develop chemistry by knowing they can trust each other because theyve been together through tough times on the court.

Chemistry is worth deep investment, but perhaps it can be overanalyzed, too.

We try to make the simple complicated at times, ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy said. Going out to dinner is a far different chemistry than playing chemistry. You read a lot about, We play paintball together. Who gives a shit, you know?

I dont believe its the reason why a team is either good or not good. I think youve gotta get great players, and when you have them you gotta try and keep them.

There are endless ways to cultivate chemistry, but teams can still only guess at what will work in every situation. Statistics arent a good guide. They cant quantify personality flaws or gauge emotional intelligence. When intuition is the best way to make a decision, some front office executives lean too hard on what they can measure instead.

I think a lot of these GMs, they really dont take [chemistry] into consideration, Utah Jazz center Ed Davis said. Theyre starting to treat the NBA like 2K and more just looking at numbers instead of, are these two players going to get along? And I think youre gonna start seeing GMs lose their jobs.

Top-tier skill, athleticism and on-court awareness is very often the bottom line for NBA teams, but those still trying to crack chemistrys mysteries have good reason to believe they arent running a fools errand, as vulnerable as their circumstances may make them feel.

Theres something very powerful about newness, Shenbaum said. And if you embrace it early, whether its a new coach, five new players, the star left, if you embrace it early you can actually create a very authentic bond.

Defining chemistry can feel like trying to catch the wind. It is omnipresent and elusive at the same time. Until the NBAs best and brightest crack the formula, they will have to deal with increasing levels of uncertainty in what was already an uncertain business.

Time will tell if NBA teams ever learn how to overcome their mounting challenges from the shifting ways teams are built, to how on-court strategy is implemented, to the quality of the game itself. But theres no denying that chemistry is a force multiplier, complex and intractable. And in an era of basketball that demands urgency more than ever, that fact can be frightening.

A lot of players and teams will continue to fail in familiar ways, well-laid plans crumbling because players, coaches and executives never understood each other on or off the court. Only now, they may not realize their mistakes until they find themselves starting all over. Again.

See the rest here:
The NBA has a chemistry problem - SB Nation

There may not be a future to come back to for the Lib Dems. Now is the time for planning and policy focus.

The Liberal democrats are in a bad spot at the moment. This isnt an argument. Its pretty much a fact. As recently as three months ago the group was riding a wave of decent success. Claiming a dominant second place in the May European elections, enjoying the highest levels of paid membership in the partys history, successfully negotiating a non-aggression pact with other remain parties and as a result, winning the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election in August and gaining ten MPs that chose to defect from other parties to them.

Most importantly, they established themselves as the main force to represent the Remain voting population of the country. A position that some argue Labour should have adopted in order to defeat the Tories.

This position turned out to be somewhat of a poison chalice to the party.

The December 2019 general election result saw them lose half their MPs, including all of the ones that defected from other parties. They also lost their leader, Jo Swinson in a close defeat to the SNP.

The concentrated support they needed to win seats in the UK Parliament simply wasnt there. The proportional representation from the European Parliament election suited them much better and created a false mentality that such success could be repeated domestically.

More than three months on, It could be argued that there was one main thing that the Lib Dems shouldnt have done after the collapse.

That one thing is: Nothing.

They couldnt afford to fade back into political irrelevance. To once again become unknown to the majority who dont have the time or interest to follow politics on a regular basis.

The question now is where do they go from here to rebuild and get back to the heights they were at during the coalition government?

The easiest thing for the party to do would be to stick to the main policy that grew their membership to what it is today over the last four or five years. By focusing on Britains relationship with the European union.

Rejoining the European Union for Britain is pretty much out of the question at this point. At least not for another generation when the party could push for a referendum on rejoining. Thats assuming that in thirty years or so the EU or some similar organisation still exists. This isnt a viable option for the longevity of the party or even a short-term strategy, given the ifs and buts.

To continue to focus on the idea of the EU, the party must accept that Britain has now left and we cannot go back. Instead, they could push for the idea of a close working relationship while Britain negotiates its future with its European neighbours and other nations to secure trade deals, movement of people, environmental policies, healthcare etc.

This idea of promoting a close EU relationship would probably still encounter similar issues to that of regaining membership. An overwhelming majority voted Conservative at the election. A move that is largely seen as support for Brexit. The support for Britain remaining close to the EU is not concentrated enough to be a viable path to success. The party would eventually fade into a position similar to what UKIP was like when they first formed. A fringe, single-issue group but on the opposite side of the argument.

The party could potentially go back to previous policies that they didnt support long enough for them to gain any sort of traction. Policies that were ditched after election campaigns ended and were often created solely for general election manifestos.

These could include ending imprisonment for the possession of illegal drugs if they are only for personal use. A divisive policy that was adopted by the party in their 2017 general election manifesto under Tim Farron. And one that was picked up too quickly and dropped even quicker when it failed to produce the immediate staggering results that the group wanted. Only gaining the party four seats in that election.

Though the idea would be divisive. It could pull in a class of recreational drug users or a new wave of more liberal-minded voters. This policy would take time to be accepted by society but could grow to a larger political movement that has the potential to push for meaningful legislation at a future date.

Another idea could be resurfacing the argument for a voting system with more proportional representation. An issue that the party supported in the alternative voting system referendum in 2011. The issue was dismissed with a comfortable win for the No campaign with a more than two-thirds majority.

This would pose a similar problem to pushing for a second EU referendum. They would need to wait for another opportunity in a generations time for the issue to become fertile. The difference this time however, is that it may not take as long. Since that referendum, there has been more indication of how the system didnt work effectively. (The 2017 general election produced a minority government). Thats twice in a decade.

Theres also a large number of supporters of minor political parties that would back the opportunity to make their views and votes have more meaning. This could gain real traction especially with the recent failure of the Labour Party at the general election. If the country continues on its path as effectively a one-party state, this idea could gain potential if its given time to develop.

I think a good quote for the Liberal Democrats in their current situation is that Rome wasnt built in a day.

If they want results, they have to give their ideas time to grow. And if they dont start to develop these ideas soon, they risk sinking the party beyond the point of no return.

Presently, the party is divided over its deferred leadership contest. Instead of choosing a new leader quickly and beginning the work of rebuilding, they have opted to delay the contest in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Though the reasoning is justifiable, given the potential cost to human lives; this isnt what they need. A simple online poll sent to members via email would act as a sufficient gauge even if it was agreed that this would only be a temporary leadership position until the pandemic subsides.

It would be wise for the party to support the government in its stance on the current situation. This isnt really the time to be scoring party political points. Even if they did try this predictable tactic theyd still be decimated in the polls, as Boris Johnson holds a massive advantage no matter whose data you decide to consult.

Policy should be prioritised over leadership at this current time. Unite behind the candidate with the most support, rebuild to the point of security, then and only then contest the leadership. This is a time for development and rebuilding. Not for aggression. And this is something that should be adopted by all of the losing parties in the 2019 election. Were seeing it with Labour with the election of Sir Keir Starmer. It would be wise for the Lib Dems to follow suit.

In a nutshell. The party should support the government through this state of emergency and get some definition back through either new or returning policies, and a new leader. (The policies are more important than the individual who announces them at this moment in time). Once this pandemic is over, then and only then should they get a more permanent and properly elected leader who can start to go on the offensive and try to claw back points in the polls.

A constant theme of all the Liberal Democrat manifestos and leaders intentions since 1988 was that the party wanted to be seen as a viable third option in British politics. But if things carry on the way they currently are, theyll be lucky to even be considered as that.

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Whos still interested in the Lib Dems? - Shout Out UK

A Shepparton life coach will be offering parents free online sessions to help them communicate with their teenagers more effectively through isolation and home learning.

Life and business coach Glenn Irvine has received funding to move his Parent as Coach workshop online, where he will share coaching tools to assist parents in identifying and improving the ways they communicate with their children.

He said coaching skills would be useful for parents or guardians struggling to comprehend their changing role in the home due to COVID-19.

Were trying to be teachers, but were not teachers, he said.

Coaching is the best way of getting information out of a young person, by helping them understand what they want, actions they need to come up with, and how to problem solve.

Because of the isolation situation were in, weve got a great opportunity to engage our kids.

He said all participants could join a closed Facebook group afterwards, where they could continue to receive free guidance and advice.

The single father of four is an accredited life and business coach, and has been running sessions for teenagers in schools throughout the region for 15 years.

He hopes his classes will give parents and guardians the skills to find new ways to connect with their kids through COVID-19 isolation, and beyond.

I hope they feel more confident to engage their young person, he said.

Because of technology, its harder now than ever to engage a young person because theyre focused on their devices.

To get them to communicate better is the key goal.

The workshop will be run as a two-part session on Wednesday, April 29 and Wednesday, May 6, starting at 7:30pm.

He said while the upcoming workshops would be capped at 20 participants, he would be offering free sessions in the future to cater to demand.

To register, visit http://www.glennirvine.com.au/parent-as-coach

Excerpt from:
Shepparton life coaching helping parents through COVID-19 with free online sessions - Shepparton News

Emily Rickard was at a casual dinner party in Riverside three years ago when a friend, a professor, mentioned a word that would change her life.

Enneagram.

The professor had recently learned about the personality test and wondered if anyone had experience with it. Rickard was immediately intrigued. And perplexed.

She has a masters in psychology and a longtime fascination with personality inventories (think: Myers-Briggs), so she couldnt believe that there was a system she hadnt heard of. Back at home, she researched the Enneagram (pronounced ANY-uh-gram) model and how it breaks people into nine archetypes designated by a number, and sometimes a one-word nickname (The Peacemaker, The Enthusiast, The Challenger, The Investigator).

The 37-year-old, who lives in Moreno Valley with her three boys, whom she home-schools, and her husband, a teacher who also helps pastor a church in Riverside, quickly pinned herself as a Nine The Peacemaker. (Figuring out your type often starts with an online assessment that asks you to agree or disagree with generic statements, such as I want people to tell me the truth, not spare my feelings.)

As she read about the Nines key motivations avoiding conflict and maintaining harmony, sometimes by putting others interests ahead of your own she flashed back to her childhood and how, when her parents argued, she felt like the world might end. She thought, too, about the times her husband insisted that she pick a dinner spot, and she simply shrugged, elevating his cravings above hers.

The epiphany brought her to tears, feeling as if her authentic self had, at last, been fully recognized. Soon she enrolled in a 12-week, online course offered by a company called Your Enneagram Coach, that, for about $1,000, promised an overview of the nine types, as well as help setting up a freelance gig as a life coach teaching from the Enneagram perspective. Now, she runs a coaching service called NextGen Enneagram, offering a $350 package that includes a 30-minute, pinpoint-your-type interview and six longer one-on-one meetings.

Once you get the Enneagram bug, she says, its kind of contagious.

Actually, quite contagious.

Sixteen years of Google searches show that the number of people looking up Enneagram hovered at the same level until 2017, when it spiked drastically, topping out last summer. In August, for the first time in its history, the Narrative Enneagram, a nonprofit that teaches students how to use the model, sold almost every space at six workshops in Menlo Park, according to founding president Terry Saracino, who has taught the Enneagram for more than 30 years.

The Enneagram is exploding, she said. Expanding like crazy.

The boom, which until the pandemic broke out involved people gathering for Enneagram parties and workshops, is part of the same contemporary phenomenon that some observers connect to the resurgence of astrology in turbulent times, some people find comfort in the rituals of their religion or other, less traditional, belief systems. When the world feels especially chaotic, said Fran Grace, a professor of religious studies at the University of Redlands, we crave tools that help us change the one thing we can control ourselves.

Its the inner path, Grace said. How can I be a place of peace?

Emily Rickard discusses the Enneagram at a gathering in the fall at her friends home in Riverside.

(Ana Venegas / For The Times)

Like many other Enneagram converts, Rickard is something of a personal-development junkie. She saw a marriage and family therapist during grad school, knows her Myers-Briggs type by heart and recently met with a woman who coaches people using neurolinguistic programming, a self-help therapy that sometimes uses hypnotic techniques.

And while she recognizes that some of the Enneagrams allure is its trendiness Its popular right now, so go with it, right? she says with a laugh she finds the model less stagnant and more growth-oriented than other personality systems and believes that it will stand the test of time.

::

Mention the word Enneagram in a group or DISC or Myers-Briggs or any of the hundreds of tests that distill personalities into a color or a number or an animal and youll almost always spot at least one person rolling their eyes, convinced its all well-packaged nonsense. Personality tests, skeptics have long argued, are nothing more than pseudoscience that create a buyer-beware world of little regulation where anyone can call themselves an expert.

The Enneagram itself has ancient, but murky, roots: Some adherents trace it back to a 4th century monk and the same underlying concept as the seven deadly sins. Others see similarities between the Enneagrams nine-pointed figure and a symbol used in ancient Sufism.

1/9

The Reformer/Perfectionist: Ones are disciplined, self-controlled people who are afraid of making mistakes and feel compelled to leave the world better than they found it. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

2/9

The Helper/Giver: Twos are generous and empathetic people who can be prone to people-pleasing. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

3/9

The Achiever/Performer: Threes are energetic, make-it-happen people who care deeply about being admired. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

4/9

The Individualist/Romantic: Fours are idealistic and intense people who crave authenticity. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

5/9

The Investigator/Observer: Fives are analytical, self-reliant and, at times, detached. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

6/9

The Loyalist/Loyal Skeptic: Sixes are dutiful, diligent people who can be prone to distrust. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

7/9

The Enthusiast/Epicure: Sevens are peppy, at times scattered, people who love the thrill of a new opportunity. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

8/9

The Challenger/Protector: Eights are self-assured and intense people who are perturbed by indecisiveness and injustice. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

9/9

The Peacemaker/Mediator: Nines are accepting, go-with-the-flow people whose longing for harmony sometimes causes them to acquiesce to others desires. (Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

But the modern interpretation is credited to Bolivian-born philosopher Oscar Ichazo, and one of his students, a Berkeley-based psychiatrist, who, in the 1970s, helped popularize the Enneagram in the U.S. By 1994, the model had gained at least enough credence that Stanford Medical Schools psychiatry department co-sponsored the first International Enneagram Conference, drawing more than a thousand people to Palo Alto.

From there, the framework found pockets of popularity with self-help devotees and in Corporate America, where some companies used the tool to build rapport among employees. It also gained traction in some Christian circles, propelled, in part, by a book on the topic by an influential Franciscan priest named Richard Rohr. Then, thanks to millennials, it exploded into the mainstream in the last few years. In many ways, the tool, which isnt tied to a specific religion, seems tailor-made for a spiritual-but-not-religious generation that grew up on BuzzFeed quizzes and branding.

Milton Stewart, podcast host for Do It For the Gram

Enneagram evangelists tout it as a self-discovery tool that will help you understand your strengths and limitations, spot patterns you fall into during stress and communicate more clearly. Its not about fundamentally altering yourself or trying to morph into another type that, theyll remind you, is impossible anyway but about living more consciously with the hand youve been dealt.

In a world saturated with self-help tools, its the Enneagrams digestibility that sets it apart.

The nine archetypes are easy to distill into cute and encouraging memes, like the ones shared to half a million followers on the @enneagramandcoffee Instagram account or the GIFs of puppies and Enneagram jokes tweeted by the @Enneadog account. Companies capitalizing on the craze now claim to know the best smoothie bowl and iPhone app for each type and there are more than 20 different podcasts with Enneagram in their title, including one called Do It For the Gram hosted by Milton Stewart, a Seven (The Enthusiast.)

Column One

A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times

The 30-year-old, who lives in Memphis and proudly calls himself The Enneagram Guy, says the tool is a natural fit for him, and fellow millennials who want to move beyond discussions of success and toward a loftier goal: True happiness.

The Enneagram helps people get to what is greater, he said. To be really internally happy, peaceful, content.

Another part of the Enneagrams appeal is that nobody owns it.

A few well-established groups, such as the Enneagram Institute and the Narrative Enneagram, host intensive workshops, some of which can cost into the thousands of dollars. (In a club exploding with newbie converts, groups that started talking about the Enneagram decades ago carry a certain cachet.)

But people can also research for free online and label themselves a guru.

Theres no overarching body that says, You cant say youre an Enneagram expert, said Micky ScottBey Jones, 42, a Nashville-area Enneagram trainer, who got certified through an extensive online program taught by the School of Conscious Living in Cincinnati.

The lack of quality control is problematic, Jones acknowledged, because someone with only a cursory understanding of the Enneagram could call themselves a trainer and start charging money. And when the tool is used without nuance, she said, discussions can devolve into deterministic stereotypes.

Oh, you think youre perfect? Jones recalls her ex-husband quipping at her, knowing she was a One, sometimes nicknamed The Perfectionist. The opposite was true, she told him, Ones have the fiercest inner critic of any number.

Think of the lines on the Enneagram figure as arrows explaining the directions each personality type moves in times of stress and growth. So, when a Nine is stressed, they resemble an unhealthy Six, but when theyre thriving, they look like a healthy Three.

(Peter and Maria Hoey / For The Times)

Its not a party trick, she said.

It takes serious research to understand the tools subtleties, Jones said, and to account for the cultural biases inherent in some of the quizzes and trainings. As with anything, she said, Enneagram teachers interpret the world through the lens of their own lives and, historically, at least in the U.S., most instructors have been white.

When Jones, who is black, first started having conversations about the Enneagram, other people told her, and she initially agreed, that she was probably an Eight (The Challenger). But she later realized that that was a common mistyping among black women one she believes is rooted in stereotypes about black women as angry and strong. While she is a leader with a strong personality traits often found in Eights a key aspect was off: She doesnt freely express her anger. As a One (aka Perfectionist), shes prone to tamp the emotion down.

One way to weed out your true type, Enneagram experts say, is to read all nine descriptions and focus on the one that unsettles or embarrasses you. That was how Paden Hughes the 33-year-old CEO of Gymnazo, a workout facility in San Luis Obispo ultimately discovered her type. She initially thought she might be an Eight, but realized she was a Three (The Achiever) after learning that, at their lowest, Threes are prone to shape-shifting and manipulation.

Its the side of you that you dont want anyone to see, Hughes said. But recognizing that side, she believes, spurs growth.

She implemented the Enneagram with her then 15-person staff more than a year ago and, so far, she said, the employees have liked it more than other personality-typing tools theyd tried together, including Myers-Briggs and Strengths Finder.

Attendees broke into groups to discuss personality types during the Enneagram workshop in Riverside.

(Ana Venegas / For The Times)

On a Saturday morning last fall, Hughes gym hosted a two-hour Enneagram workshop led by Joy Pedersen a 41-year-old life coach and certified Enneagram instructor who has a doctorate in educational leadership.

I want us to do introductions, Pedersen said softly, asking each of the participants to share a fun fact about themselves, as well as their experience with the Enneagram and what they hoped to get from the workshop.

First up was a 38-year-old preschool teacher fun fact: Shes from Fargo, N.D. who said she knew almost nothing about the Enneagram, but that she kept seeing the word on Instagram. Then a 59-year-old commercial real estate agent fun fact: she has anxiety from a lack of fun facts said she struggled with understanding people and hoped to improve her communication skills.

Oooh, Pedersen said, smiling, that gets me really excited.

The next day, a different group a crew of 18 men and women packed into a living room in Riverside for an Enneagram party led by Rickard, the devotee who lives in Moreno Valley.

Dressed in a sparkly T-shirt and exuding the loud, stay-with-me energy of someone who spends her time home-schooling a trio of young boys, Rickard clapped three times. The crowd her friends, her friends friends and a few strangers whod learned about the event online quieted.

So, Rickard said, squirming with excitement, who has heard of the Enneagram?

Eighteen hands popped up.

Who is obsessed with it like me? she asked.

Rickards friends, her friends friends and a few strangers whod learned about the event online attended the workshop.

(Ana Venegas / For The Times)

When only four hands stayed raised, Rickard inched her eyebrows up and down several times, as if to say, Challenge accepted.

Some Christians are leery about the Enneagram because its not derived directly from the Bible, Rickard said, but that doesnt bother her or her husband, a pastor at a nondenominational Christian church. Nothing about it contradicts their beliefs, she says, or those of any of the other world religions shes studied.

Anything that gives you insight into how youre made can be helpful, she said.

As Rickard outlined the types in a PowerPoint presentation, a mother, who was bouncing her baby on her knee, asked if women with young children ever get mistyped as Twos (The Helper). Rickard nodded, saying women and particularly women in religious communities are often mistyped because selflessness is a trait theyre taught to value and therefore learn to express.

As she pointed to her PowerPoint, a stack of gold bracelets bounced around her left wrist. She winced.

This is so jingly, she said. Is that annoying anyone?

A friend in the back of the room chuckled, noticing the worry-about-everyone-else question.

Ah, she whispered to herself, The Peacemaker.

You could argue, of course, that anyone giving a public talk might fret over distracting noises. But that wasnt what the friend saw not now that she was a believer.

See original here:
Enneagram tests are having a moment. Thank millennials - Los Angeles Times

Bud Wilkinson

OU President and Mrs. George L. Cross congratulate Coach Wilkinson on his win over Texas, 1948. Tulsa World File photo

University of Oklahoma's Darrell Royal plants a resounding kiss on the cheek of head coach Bud Wilkinson in the dressing room after Oklahoma beat North Carolina in Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Jan. 1, 1949, with a score of 14-6. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, left, and assistant coach Gomer Jones are shown on the sidelines during a game in Norman, Okla., Nov. 1949. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson and assistant coach Gomer Jones shout directions to the Sooners from the sidelines, Nov. 1949. (AP Photo)

University of Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson is shown with his Coach of the Year 1949 plaque at a dinner of the American Football Coaches Association in New York, Jan. 12, 1950. (AP Photo/Matty Zimmerman)

College All-Stars head coach Bud Wilkinson, right, of Oklahoma, gives instructions to Barney Poole of Mississippi, who will captain the All-Star team, as they practiced Aug. 11, 1949 at Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Ill., for a game with the Philadelphia Eagles pro team at Chicago, August 12. (AP Photo/Ed Maloney)

University of Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson bends over to sign an autograph for a young fan as the team arrives in Biloxi, Miss., Dec. 27, 1949, for training in preparation for the Sugar Bowl against LSU on January 2. Darrell Royal, quarterback, waits to add his name to the boy's paper. (AP Photo)

University of Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, left, talks with Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy at a dinner of the American Football Coaches Association in New York City on Jan. 12, 1950. Wilkinson was selected "Football Coach of the Year for 1949." (AP Photo)

University of Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson, right, is congratulated by former President Herbert Hoover at a dinner given by the American Football Coaches Association in New York, Jan. 12, 1950, where Wilkinson was selected 1949's Football Coach of the Year. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)

Bud Ledbetter, and 17 other students received their football letters during the father-and-son banquet Friday from Bud Wilkinson on Feb. 17, 1950. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Coach Bud Wilkinson of Oklahoma University takes a drink of water from a bottle after a tense moment in the Oklahoma-Kansas game, Nov. 11, 1950, at Lawrence, Kansas. The Sooners, behind at halftime, surged forward in the final quarter to win 33-13 and chalk up their 28th consecutive victory. (AP Photo/William P. Straeter)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, left, and Paul Bryant of Kentucky, whose teams meet in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day, have their fingers in a sugar bowl at a luncheon in Oklahoma City, Dec. 8, 1950. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, center, gives some advice to his defensive Sooners during practice in Biloxi, Miss., Dec. 27, 1950. The team will meet Kentucky in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. From left to right: Jack Lockett, Buddy Jones, Ed Lisak, Wilkinson, Tommy Gray, Tom Catlin and Bert Clark. (AP Photo)

Bud Wilkinson (left) of Oklahoma and Robert Mendez, head football coach of at the National University of Mexico, Mexico City, swapping split-T ideas at Norman during Sooner spring practice on April 3, 1951. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, center, kneeling, is seen with three of his squad, Dick Bowman, left, Kurt Burris, right, and Darlon Hearon, Dec. 26, 1953, in Miami. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma Sooners coach Bud Wilkinson, center, goes over game strategy with co-captains Roger Nelson, left, tackle, and halfback, Larry Grigg, during a workout at the University of Miami, in Miami, Fla., Dec. 26, 1953. The Sooners will meet the University of Maryland Terrapins in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Earl Shugars)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson and quarterback Gene Calame work out strategic plays with small model football players, Dec. 30, 1953, in Miami Beach. The Sooners are meeting Maryland at the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, center, talks it over with quarterback Gene Calame, right, and center Gene Mears before a workout at the Lafayette M. Hughes estate in Denver, Colo., Oct 28, 1954. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, right, is shown with Sooners All America back Tom MacDonald, center, and Dr. George L. Cross, president of the University of Oklahoma, as the first contingent of the Oklahoma squad arrives in Miami for their Orange Bowl date with Maryland, Dec. 26, 1955. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson is hoisted to the shoulders of his quarterback Rodger Taylor, left, and fullback Bill Brown, right, for the victory ride off the field at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla., Jan. 2, 1956. Oklahoma beat Maryland, 20-6. (AP Photo/Earl Shugars)

Hugh Ballard (82), Oklahoma tackle, runs onto field as coach Bud Wilkinson stands on the sidelines in Boulder, Colo., Nov. 3, 1956. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma University football coach Bud Wilkinson goes over a play with quarterback Jimmy Harris as the Sooners wind up preparations for the Colorado game at Boulder, Nov. 1, 1956. (AP Photo)

Bud Wilkinson on Sept. 21, 1957. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Bud Wilkinson on December 27, 1957. AP File Photo

University of Oklahoma football co-captain Don Stiller holds the Football Writers' Association trophy as coach Bud Wilkinson looks on, in Norman, Okla., Feb. 15, 1957. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma Sooners coach Bud Wilkinson, left, and assistant coach Gomer Jones, right, signal for a time out with a minute and a half left to play against Notre Dame, in Norman, Okla., Nov. 16, 1957. At midfield and Notre Dame ahead 7-0, Wilkinson wanted to send in a player who could develop a series of plays, but the Fighting Irish intercepted a pass two plays later, ending the Sooners' chance to score and tie-up the game. (AP Photo)

Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson crouches among his players before starting practice for the New Year's Day game with Syracuse in the Orange Bowl at Miami, Fla., Dec. 27, 1958. Some of the players are Marshall York (72), Ben Wells (71) and Wahoo McDaniel (40). Others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Harold Valentine)

Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson shakes the hand of his former player Darrell Royal as they leave the field in Dallas, Tex., Oct. 10, 1959. Texas defeated the Sooners, 19-12. (AP Photo/Ferd Kaufman)

U.S.President Richard Nixon leans toward shy, Michele Lofevre advising her: "Smile. You're having your picture taken." Michele, 9, of Washington, sat with her father, Ted on Nov. 16, 1959 in Washington. In front of the President and his adviser, former Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson, as they watched Dallas beat Washington, 41-28, at RFK Stadium. (AP Photo/CWH)

Charles "Bud" Wilkinson, University of Oklahoma coach, is shown in Norman, Okla., 1960. (AP Photo)

Charles (Bud) Wilkinson, University of Oklahoma football coach and newly-appointed special consultant to the President on youth fitness, poses with President Kennedy at the White House, Washington, March 23, 1961. The 44-year-old Wilkinson conferred with Kennedy on formulation of plans to get the Youth Fitness Program under way. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges)

Just as happy about the victory as coach Bud Wilkinson is former Sooner All-American and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessels on November 17, 1962. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Heading toward the dressing room with a comfortable halftime lead of 28-8 are coach Bud Wilkinson and a happy band of Sooners on April 21, 1962. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Charles B. "Bud" Wilkinson, special consultant to U.S. President John F. Kennedy on physical fitness, announces a national awards program to honor leaders of the fitness effort, March 1963. The award system will be jointly sponsored by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce and Standard Packaging Corp. of New York. (AP Photo/Byron Rollins)

A publicity shot from Oklahoma City television station WKY for the Bud show: Left to right are Howard Neuman (an advertising agency executive) , Ned Hockman, and Bud Wilkinson. Howard and Ned came up with the concept for the coaches show on TV and pitched it to Bud, who agreed. Howard Neuman was the host (and continued through the Switzer era). Ned Hockman shot and edited the show. Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Football coach Bud Wilkinson shakes hands with voters at a coffee counter during a grass roots swing in Guymon, Ok. on March 2, 1964. Wilkinson has left coaching at University of Oklahoma to campaign for a seat in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo)

Bud Wilkinson (left), an unidentified person and Richard M. Nixon in Oklahoma City on March 2, 1964. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

U.S. President Richard Nixon joins thousands of other fans in watching the Washington Redskins play the Dallas Cowboys in a professional football game on Nov. 16, 1969 at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington. Charles ?Bud? Wilkinson, Presidential assistant and former football coach, is at left of Nixon. (AP Photo)

Some of the nations most respected football coaches were on hand in Seattle, Washington Tuesday, Jan. 28, 1975, to honor Jim Owens, far left, who retired as head football coach at the University of Seattle, after 18 years. With Owens are, left to right, Darrell Royal, of Texas; Paul Bear Bryant of Alabama; Bud Wilkinson, who retired several years ago from Oklahoma; and John McKay of Southern California. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)

Texas coach Darrell Royal, right, is seen with his former football coach Bud Wilkinson of Oklahoma and Barbara Specht, College Football Centennial Queen, in Lubbock, Tex., June 27, 1970. (AP Photo)

Former University of Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson, now St. Louis Cardinals coach, cradles 1 1 / 2-yer-old Adam Small, son of Quail Creek Golf and Country Club grounds keeper Kenneth Small, in his arms during the Barry Switzer-Bud Wilkinson Swing for Sight golf tournament Monday in Oklahoma City on May 21, 1979. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Bud Wilkinson, left, joyous at first victory, as is assistant Rudy Feldman on Oct. 30, 1978. Wilkinson coached the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals from 1978-79. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Bill Toomey, the director of fund-raising for the U.S. Olympic Committee, is happy to lend a hand with the nametags for Barry Switzer, left, and Bud Wilkinson, who turned out Thursday night to help raise money for the USOC on March 17, 1988. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Bud Wilkinson on Oct. 27, 1989. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Bud Wilkinson. Photo via The Oklahoman archives

Greg Smith, right, reaches up to recover the statue of former Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson, left, after the cover fell off early during an unveiling ceremony before the start of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Oklahoma Coach Bud Wilkinson and other coaches respresented at the College Football Hall of Fame Feb. 25, 2015. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World File

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Happy birthday to the late Bud Wilkinson: Take a look back at his life and legacy - Tulsa World

HomeSportsFaces of Yadkin: Bradley Shore

A community can be defined as a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. This definition certainly describes Yadkin County and the people who call it home. One person in particular who makes Yadkin County such a great place to live is Bradley Shore.

God has really blessed me by allowing me to do something I love for so many years with many different sports and teams. I started out coaching boys basketball at Starmount in 1998-1999 as an assistant to Coach Brian Robinson, said Shore. I also coached softball at West Yadkin that year and continued to do so for 10 more years.

After the year with Coach Robinson, I coached girls basketball at West Yadkin for 10 years before coming to Forbush to assist Coach Jon Huggins with the varsity boys for two years. I then became the head coach for the varsity girls and just completed my eighth year with them.

Shore is the womens basketball head coach at Forbush High School and has been a lifelong member of the Yadkin County community. He grew up in Boonville and lives in the house in which he was raised. He attended Starmount High School, where he played soccer, basketball, baseball and tennis. After he graduated from Starmount, he attended Surry Community College where he played basketball and tennis. After two years at Surry, he transferred to Appalachain State University and obtained his Undergraduate and Masters Degrees.

The West Yadkin community was great to me as a young coach. I still see a lot of the parents and players from those days, and I love catching up with them, said Shore. Even though I was from the other side of the county, the Forbush community has been more than welcoming. The support of our program and coaching staff has been fantastic, and we have tried really hard to make the school and community proud of what we do and how we do it.

Along with his time at Starmount, Shore also helped Danny Macemore with the womens tennis team for five years. He has also coached his kids in recreational baseball, soccer and AAU basketball.

Enjoy the rewards of hard work and consistency that lead to winning, stated Shore on his piece of advice to young athletes. More importantly, though, learn how to handle defeatyou dont like it, you can be upset about it, you can even cry about it. But wake up the next morning excited and determined to go out and do something about it. How you handle defeat in sports and life determines where you will go in life.

This past season at Forbush, Shore led the team to the Western Regional final. It was the first time in school history that the womens basketball team at Forbush had made it past the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Playoffs.

My favorite things about being a coach were my favorite things as a player: 1) Being part of a team. 2) Working hard together to improve and accomplish our team and individual goals. 3) The competitive excitement of games and practices, said Shore.

Being a coach has greatly impacted Shores life, and will continue to do so for many years to come. He has been a staple coach at Forbush with his passion for the game of basketball.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my playing days, it is no comparison to how coaching has impacted my life, said Shore. Coaching has allowed me to combine my passion for sports with my passion to work with young people. Seeing players accomplish skills and goals and seeing them develop into good people and citizens is a reward beyond words. Winning games is fun, but nothing compares to the relationships developed with players, families, and other coaches.

I have met some of my best friends through coachingCoach Tim Parks and Coach Kenny Gooden have been with me all eight years at Forbush. Coach Brittany Groce joined us four years ago. They have become some of my closest friends and allies. I have some other lifelong friends that Ive met through coaching.

Coaching has also allowed (my wife) and I to bond over teams and games. She has been the coach behind the coachalways doing stats behind the bench and going over all the details at home with me, said Shore. As we have had children, coaching has also impacted them. It has allowed them to make positive relationships with players, given them good role models, allowed them to see the excitement of sports, and shown them how hard work and consistency lead to desired goals.

Shore was a guidance counselor in Yadkin County for 20 years, and he is a member of The Shore Team at Keller Williams Realty Elite in Winston-Salem. He has been married to Amanda Key Shore for 20 years, and they have three childrenParker, Elliott, and Worth.

On the court and field, there have been many fun teams and championships won, but I would have to say this past basketball season was the best team accomplishment, said Shore. We were conference champions, conference tournament champions, had a school record in wins, and made it to the 2A State Final Fouran accomplishment not achieved by girls basketball in Yadkin County before.

Off the court, the greatest accomplishment, mostly not as result of me but I like to think I had a tiny part in it, has been seeing former players go on to great things, and seeing that some of them enjoyed their time playing enough to come back and give of themselves, Shore said.

Eight former players have, or are currently, helping coach in our youth AAU program. Two current players are helping coach, and former player Madison Gentry joined our staff at Forbush this past season as an assistant coach. Seeing current and former players giving back by coaching themselves is such a blessing.

Shore grew up in Boonville and went to Starmount High School.

https://www.yadkinripple.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/web1_DSC_0643.jpgShore grew up in Boonville and went to Starmount High School. Kristian Russell | The Ripple

Bradley Shore is the womens basketball head coach at Forbush High School.

https://www.yadkinripple.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/web1_DSC_0850.jpgBradley Shore is the womens basketball head coach at Forbush High School. Kristian Russell | The Ripple

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Faces of Yadkin: Bradley Shore - Yadkin Ripple

Studies show that 85 percent of moms feel unsupported, but life coach and writer Beth Berry says that we can work towards changing the narrative.

Motherhood can be one of the most fulfilling parts of our lives, albeit a little stressful at times. As we know, though, moms now juggle more than ever before as they balance full-time careers, child-rearing, housework, and maintaining a meaningful relationship withour spouses. All of these demands leave many of us looking for support in our parenting endeavors.

Howevera recent survey conducted by Motherlyfound that85% of mothers believe that modern society does not adequately support mothers. This startling statistic, combined with rising stress due to the Coronavirus pandemic, leaves us wondering how we reached this point and what we can do to change the narrative for mothers going forward.

They say that it takes avillage to raise a child, but as mothers most of us now find ourselves relatively alone. Just like our mothers before us, we are expected todo all of the cooking, cleaning, and care taking for our homes. However, we are now also expected to build successful careers, stay fit, and single-handedly maintain our spousal relationships.

If that's not enough, don't forget all of the additional parenting duties that come with modern society: tutoring, advocating, playdate planning, chauffeuring, and coaching or club leading. The days of children roaming the neighborhood with friends are long gone, as are disciplining children through spanking or other corporal methods.

Most mothers feel like they don't receive adequate support in nearly any aspect of their lives. There's a lack of support from busy spouses who also work long hours to provide and parents who, instead of retiring and helping raise their grandparents, are often still working because they can't afford to live off of social security alone. Then, when it comes to employer support, most working moms feel that they receive unfair wages and inadequate maternity leave or time off to tend to their children's needs.

And, of course, mom shaming is a common problem in our modern society that's filled with "picture perfect parenting" all over Pinterest and Instagram.

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As I mentioned, parenting doesn't at all look the same as it did for our own mothers. In fact, life coach and author Beth Berry says that "becoming a mother these days is uniquely burdensome. Id even go so far as to say that were navigating not only a whole new set of stressors as mothers but also oppressors, the likes of which our foremothersnever could have imagined." Because of these unique challenges, mothers need even more support than ever before - yet we're receiving less and less.

With a lack of support, most moms stretch themselves too thin. As they work from the early hours of the morning until late into the night, most mothers end up with virtually no time to themselves to rest and recharge. While this isn't the entire story, it does explain in large part why nearly 12 million women in the United States battle clinical depression and why it most commonly occurs in women aged 25 to 44.

Until we start recognizing these statistics and changing the narrative, though, nothing will improve for any of us.

In hernon-fiction book "Motherwhelmed" (available on Amazon May 1), Beth Berry hopes to challenge the societal norms around motherhood and bring the conversation into the homes of mothers everywhere. Berry hopes that motherswill band together and"challenge cultural norms, examine the personal, familial, and cultural stories that are keeping them feeling stuck and playing small, and begin to see themselves as worthy of a more empowering, joy-filled existence." She also hopes that mothers will start connecting with one another to make this change happen by following thesesteps:

Most mothers are shouldering more than their fair share of the load these days with virtually no support from the outside world. However, if we all arm ourselves with information and band together, we can start creating the change we want to see. There's no rule that says we have to do it all alone, so why are we? It's time to start changing the narrative and changing our lives for the better.

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If You're Not Okay Right Now, You're Not Alone

Megan Glosson is a freelance writer and editor based Nashville, Tennessee. She enjoys writing on a variety of topics, including parenting, mental health, and life. You can find more of her work on Unwritten, The Mighty, Focused on Kids, Food Delivery Guru, and TheThings.com.

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Majority Of Moms Feel Unsupported, But We Can Change That - Moms

Photo: Adeolu Eletu

Successful entrepreneurs and business owners know the value of health and well-being. They either developed a healthy foundation early on, or they learned the hard way after experiencing a well-being problem that led to loss in productivity or profit that health equals wealth.Are you one of those leaders, or are you among the vast majority who know, conceptually, the importance of wellbeing, but struggle to level up self-care to match the demand of success as it grows and expands?

Plenty of leaders show up to our coaching calls excited about their work but overwhelmed (and secretly thriving on that overwhelm because we tend to wear overwork as a badge of honor). Some leaders seem to have boundless drive and stamina, but underneath that high performance is a decades-old fear of being left behind or never measuring up. The payoff is high enough to keep going until it costs them valuable employees, intimate relationships, or their own health. Executive burnout is a very real, very costly issue, and one of many reasons that self-care forms the foundation of my work.

This foundational conversation is especially important right now, during uncertain times fueled by global fear and well-being issues over which many of us have no control. Never has wellness been more critical to success than in the current pandemic.

Self-Care Means Business.

You cant lead others if you cant take care of yourself. Your business cant thrive if your workforce or customer base isnt thriving. Energetic Intelligence reminds us that our energy impacts the energy of those around us; therefore, if youre willing to accept radical responsibility as a leader, your self-care is also the self-care of everyone around you. Your self-care means business for you and for everyone you serve.

What self-care entails in a leaders life is going to evolve and grow as they do. Once you distinguish what it actually means for you, it becomes part of your business plan. Putting it into practice is just as critical for your business as other nuts and bolts like marketing, bookkeeping, and sales. As you continue reading, I suggest starting a self-care checklist/plan. You might start by writing down:

1. What you currently practice that truly serves you and your business,

2. What you use as a stand-in for self-care that doesnt actually serve you,

3. What you avoid in terms of self-care, and

4. What youre committed to taking on, based on what you distinguish from reading this article.

What does Self-Care actually mean for you as a leader?

Self-care, wellness, well-being whatever the trending hashtag is today is often all polish, no nail. Looks good in photos, sounds good in writing, but theres no substance or growth happening underneath. Honestly, as I searched for a stock photo to headline this article, I could not find a self-care image that didnt involve pastels, bathtubs, or tea cups. The surface-level concept of self-care that shows up as lavender-scented bubble baths, weekly mani-pedis, or a weekend round of golf might be enough to replenish you after a week of average stress. Is it really, though? For decades, women were sold on outer self-care (hair, nails, pilates the idea being that whatever keeps us looking good should keep us feeling good), while men were taught that tough guys and big shots need nothing but a good shave and another round of golf. Leaders, especially emerging leaders, have learned to practice inner self-care, as well: meditation, vision boarding for their career goals, in-house life coaches at their start-ups, daily ping-pong breaks in their open-concept office the list goes on and on. All of these can be wonderful practices and structures, but they still arent adequate. Why not? For one thing, all of them feel good.

Being Good to Yourself Doesnt Always Feel Good

Under normal circumstances, entrepreneurs and business owners can get away with the surface-level, very marketable concept of self-care referenced above. Add a personal, professional, or global crisis into the mix, though, and it quickly becomes apparent that surface-level is no longer adequate for the challenges that lie ahead.

Perhaps youre of the mindset thatPowerful leaders just power through!. Some certainly do. Ive been guilty of it myself, and Ive watched plenty of clients power their way through some hard times, muscling their way right into burnout, exhaustion, stress, overwhelm sometimes even divorce or mental breakdowns.

Weve all heard the stories and read the advice about slowing down, taking breaks, getting support. Why, then, would a powerful leader still think its in their best interest to neglect their well-being instead of doubling down on it? Because it feels good for the ego! Powerful people got into their powerful positions by trusting their power. Again, weve been trained that its powerful to push ourselves to the breaking point, to work ourselves to exhaustion, embrace the DIY, even if it kills us.Its not always easy to choose actual self-care over what the ego says will get you what you want.

We often find in the coaching process that a major breakthrough is available only by trusting something that the ego says is weak or unsafe. That something is different for each unique person, and its usually in their blindspot. Distinguishing, trusting, and embodying that something creates a paradigm shift that eventually is even more effective than what used to be the go-to power tool. In terms of self-care, this means that whatever youre resisting is likely what would do you the most good.

The Self-Care Struggle: Short-Term Avoidance or Long-Term Abundance

Short-term satisfaction wants comfort and rewards immediately. Actual self-care requires long-term thinking; it asks what is nourishing, not just comforting. Short-term brain always needs to feel good. Long-term vision asks what does the most good.

Were bombarded with marketing that trains us to believe that self-care is both: it feels good now, and itll make you happier in the long run. Itcanbe both, but often, actual self-care doesnt feel good in the moment. Self-soothing feels good in the moment and can also be self-care; theres nothing wrong with self-soothing or short-term satisfaction, but as we move from the immediate impact of crisis into the reinvention and rebuilding phase, it will serve us well to distinguish what were really up to when we make choices in the name of self-care. The ability to distinguish what truly is caring will prevent the term self-care from becoming a concept that you hide in or hide from as a leader.

The choice point requires the awareness of your personal Avoidance vs. Abundance Game, as I like to call it. It requires that you bear the pain of discomfort in service of your longterm goals and gains. The push and pull of knowing it vs. choosing it when it comes to impeccable self-care (and remember, self-care equals business care) can be challenging even under normal circumstances.

Its delightful when whats good for you also feels good, but some of the most effective self-care practices feel absolutely loathsome, embarrassing, or just downright boring. Going to the gym is an obvious example for many people: its one of the top New Years Resolutions, which makes it one of the most broken agreements that people make with themselves. Annual physical check-ups are another very basic self-care practice that I hear powerful people neglect regularly. One of my favorite examples of a loathsome, embarrassing foundational self-care issue was a client who, after months of being cranky and unpredictable, finally admitted that she was suffering from such intense hemorrhoid pain that she couldnt sit still or focus in meetings, but she was too embarrassed to see a doctor! She put off physically feeling good because of the anticipated emotional pain of seeking help. Ive seen plenty of leaders pull similar shenanigans with finding a new therapist, booking regular coaching calls in between their busy meeting schedules, hiring a nutritionist or personal trainer, or scheduling an audit with their accountant.

What about self-care practices like taking a vacation day (or five) in the middle of your companys busiest season, apologizing for something crummy you did even if you got away with it, leaving work early to go to your kids piano recital, hiring support you think you cant afford but know will level up your life? Thats irresponsible! I can practically hear some of you yelling at me already. Consider that its even more irresponsible to perpetuate a model of leadership that neglects your health, heart, or soul in the name of should, not enough, scarcity, or comparison. I trust you to discern which choices are truly in service of self-care, and which ones are self-preservation. Long story short, feelings are not always the best indicator.

Your commitment to who you want to be as a leader is what really matters when creating a self-care plan. Some of you are quite literally nailing it when it comes to the feel good part. Maybe you want to be a leader who always has beautifully manicured nails, and the spa time feels amazing. Thats fantastic! What else will you add to that routine to level up your experience of rejuvenation, stamina, pleasure, and power? Whats out of your self-care comfort zone? You might notice that once a self-care practice becomes routine, its no longer self-care; its a hiding place. I had a client for whom it was initially a breakthrough to take time off if she had a migraine. Months later, though, I noticed she was using migraines as a reason to miss meetings that were especially challenging or confronting The true self-care for her at that point was to get support for what was triggering her defenses about that meeting.

Some of you are resisting self-care, often in the name of power. Youve got some tough choices to make, and I hear you its not possible to be in two place at once, and sometimes, the most self-caring decision might hurt someone you love. Do you have to be the guy who never sees his kid play piano but always pays for the lessons? Maybe so but unless you want to also be paying for that kids therapy about it later, you might want to have an honest, compassionate conversation about why you wont be in the audience. Whats going to allow you to have that compassionate, responsible conversation? Self-care. You want to be the first female CFO at your company,andyou want to meet a spouse and have a baby within the next year? Totally doable, and its going to require a very new conversation about how self-care fits into those 14 hour days youre working right now. You might still work long hours,andthe boundaries youll need to empower to stay in good mental health at work are going to serve you well in establishing a healthy romantic relationship, too. Im sure you can guess whats going to help you determine those healthy boundaries. Say it with me: self-care.

Proper Care and Feeding of a Leader

Self-care means nourishing, feeding, and tending to your goals and your greatness. Your greatness thats such a coachy thing to say, right? Its what youll access more of when you truly tap into self-care, though. Its your highest, best self not just the insatiable, comparison monster that your ego can become when you get confronted or depleted.

One measure of impeccable self-care is that you have few to zero days of feeling depleted or triggered. You are so on top of your game that youre capable of running your business with an open, authentic heart. You have a clear mission and action plan, and you are consistently fueling yourself in a way that has you show up with authenticity and integrity.

Here are some simple, real examples of self-care that Ive seen make a difference in my clients lives:

Here are some examples of what might pass as self-care but is likely avoidance when we take an honest look:

Your Business Plan From Here

You likely see some gaps and practice areas to create for yourself from here. Rarely do I meet a leader whose self-care is 100% handled, 100% of the time. More often, I meet leaders who say it is but havent actually taken a look at what that means in a very long time.

Make two lists for yourself: an Integrity Reality Check and a Self-Care Calendar. Reality check: Whats out of whack in your life or business? Write it down anything from unpaid bills to sales goal gaps to not taking regular time off. Self-Care: what do you honestly need on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly basis to be properly nourished and fueled as the leader you want to be?

Put these lists somewhere youll be faced with them daily on the fridge, taped to your computer, on your kids forehead whatever. Share them with someone you trust to hold you accountable from both love and austerity. Whittle that Integrity List down to the point that you are running a tight ship, no leaks. Empower that Self-Care schedule like your leadership depends on it because it actually does.

It wont always feel good. Sometimes, its going to feel boring or even threatening to your status or other commitments. I challenge you to put self-care first for at least a month and let me know what you discover. Now, go take care of yourselves and each other.

Continue reading here:
Self-Care Means Business, and Business Doesn't Always Feel Good - Thrive Global

EDWARDSVILLE - Lori Blade, who coached the girls basketball team at Edwardsville High School for 18 seasons, winning 510 games and 17 of 18 IHSA Class AA and Class 4A regional championships, announced her retirement April 16 as coach of the Tigers' girls team.

Blade made the announcement to her team via a video conference, ending a 26-year career as head coach of both Carrollton and Edwardsville High Schools. Her career record was 743-92, and her teams went to the IHSA state finals five times, winning back-to-back Class A championships with the Hawks in 2000-01 and 2001-02, two second place finishes with the Tigers in 2011-12 and 2016-17, and a fourth place finish in 2017-18. Her 743 career wins rank her in the top-ten all time in Illinois girls basketball history.

In a statement on her Twitter page, Blade said that coaching wasn't always about wins and losses, but to help develop a deeper love and respect for the game of basketball.

"So, here I am, at the end of this season of my life," Blade said at the opening of her statement. "It has been an incredible season of life. After immense thought and prayer, I have made the decision to retire from coaching basketball after 32 years. I have always pushed myself, my players and coaching staff to work hard to compete. Truth be told, it has never really been about getting the win. The victory that I've always strived toward is that everything we did created a deeper love and respect for the game and for one another. Looking back, I believe we accomplished both."

Blade also thanked her family, her players and their families, her assistant coaches, supporters, friends and fans who helped support her and her teams over the years.

"Successful programs are not built alone, rather, are built by many individual and team contributions." Blade said. "I have been blessed to have been a part of two very successful basketball programs, and to have been supported by so many people who have strengthened our program over the years. Thank you to the dedicated coaching staffs who shared so much of their time and enthusiasm for building our programs and for building young ladies. I am thankful for each and every one of our parents for your support along the way.

"Thank you to our basketball community, parents, family and friends who cheered for our teams over the years," Blade continued. "Above all, I could not have done any of this without my biggest supporters, my mom, dad and family. Lastly, I want to thank all my players for all the games and practices; you always came ready to play and always delivered. Thank you for keeping your head high in good times and rough times, and thank you for supporting the team supporting each other, supporting all of our coaches, and more than anything, thank you for the support you've given to me. I appreciate it more than you can imagine."

In 18 seasons as the coach of Edwardsville, Blade compiled a record of 510-65, which included a streak of seven consecutive 30-win seasons, from 2006-07 to 2012-13. Her teams at Edwardsville produced many all-state players, such as Que Love, Elle Evans, Jaylen Townsend, Sydney Harris, Kate Martin, Rachel Pranger, Makenzie Silvey, Criste'on Waters, Kortney Dunbar, Aailyah Covington, Emmonie Henderson, Lauren White, Mary O'Keefe, Caty Ponce, Cierra Gaines, Megan Sharpe, Anya Covington, Kara Frandsen, Tamara McCaskill and Amber Shelton. While at Carrollton, Blade also coached Shelton, Alicia DeShasier, Karen Brannan, Kristen Boss, Liz DeShasier, Stosha DeShasier, Shelby Mueth and Wendy Davidson to all-state honors.

Blade was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2016, joining Winchester West Central coach Brian Bettis and Lanark Eastland coach Colleen Finn-Henze as fellow inductees in girls basketball.

In addition to her basketball career, Blade has also won over 700 softball games, making her the only coach in the state to have won over 700 career games in two different sports. Blade will stay on as both a physical education teacher and softball coach with the Tigers.

In the final part of her statement on Twitter, Blade expressed how proud she was of her players for all of their contributions, both on and off the court.

"Coaching young people has been a privilege that has taught me something of value about the game and about life," Blade said. "Each one of you has not only made me a better coach, but a better person. Each one of you has created a lasting impression on me. To all of my players, past and current, we have laughed along the way, and at times, we have cried, but we've always done it together. You made me happy, and you made me frustrated, but mostly, you've made me proud; proud to be your coach, proud to be a part of your development, both as an athlete and as a person. I am proud to call you my kids. If I am remembered for being your coach, it only means that I have still instilled the love of the game inside your heart. Doing that has been my number one priority. It has been, unquestionably, an incredible ride. There are many things that I will never forget. On top of the list of memories are the relationships and friendships nurtured along the way."

The final sentence in her statement spoke volumes.

"Forever in my heart --- Coach Blade."

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Blade Retires As Edwardsville Girls Basketball Coach, Compiled 743-92 Record In 26 Years With Carrollton, Tigers - RiverBender.com