As the Ravens nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award, left guard Bradley Bozeman was at Super Bowl LV, watching from a luxury suite at Raymond James Stadium with his wife, Nikki, and teammate Calais Campbell as the final game of the NFL season unfolded.

As Bozeman watched the game from the suite, he was reminded of the hard work and dedication that goes into each season in an effort to play for the Lombardi Trophy on the sports biggest stage.

It was just a really special moment, you sit there and you kind of get chills run up the back of your neck, Bozeman said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 9. You just picture yourself down on that field playing on the biggest stage. You know thats what you fight for every year, thats what you put in the work for. Thats what youve grinded for your entire life, to get to that moment to get to that stage.

Nikki expressed similar sentiments after watching the Super Bowl and admiring all of the pregame pageantry, complete with the patented flyover and national anthem.

This is what needs to be ingrained in your memory for the whole season here, the national anthem, the flyover, the celebration and the confetti, Nikki said. You stay and watch all of that, so that just fuels your fire for next year.

During the game, Bozeman had the opportunity to speak with two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning, who was elected as part of the eight-member 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The duo had previously met one time outside the Alabama football locker room when Bozeman was a freshman for the Crimson Tide. Bozeman was wearing just compression shorts, something Bozeman reminded Manning of when the two spoke again at the Super Bowl.

He came over, we were talking, and I actually told him the story, Bozeman said. He was like, Yeah, I remember that, and we were cracking up afterwards. Hes such a great guy, just sat there and had a great conversation with him.

The NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award is considered one of the highest honors in the league, named after the Hall of Fame running back who is No. 2 in NFL history in rushing (16,726 yards) and has a legacy off the field as well.

Each NFL team nominates one player who has had a positive impact on their community. Campbell won the award in 2019 as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson received the award in 2020.

Its such an honor to represent the Ravens and be our nominee, Bozeman said. It was such a great experience to go there and hangout with such a great group of guys that just try to do good in the world.

The Bozemans started the Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation, which has helped address bullying nationally. The foundation has also helped to address food insecurities in the greater Baltimore area.

They traveled to schools across the country last year prior to the pandemic, speaking with more than 11,000 kids preaching tolerance and acceptance as part of an anti-bullying campaign. They also have helped to establish food distribution centers around Baltimore City in an effort to help address the food insecurities that many families are dealing with right now.

For Bozeman, watching the Super Bowl with Campbell as part of the Man of the Year festivities was another reminder of what he and his teammates are working toward each grueling day in practice, from the first day of OTAs to the final game of the season.

I just hope one day Im able to be on that stage and hold up a couple of Lombardi trophies, Bozeman said. Thats what we work for. It was definitely a great moment to share with Calais and to know what were working for.

For more from Bozeman, listen to the full interview here:

Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox

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Ravens LG Bradley Bozeman: Trip To Super Bowl LV Motivation For 2021 And Beyond - Press Box

To some, Zachary High School boys basketball coach Jonathan McClinton dished out tough love after a loss to District 4-5A rival Scotlandville.

McClinton saw making his team watch the Hornets accept the East Baton Rouge Parish tourney banner on the Broncos' home floor as a means to an end.

They did not want to stay out there, but I made them, McClinton said. It was the second straight year Scotlandville raised that banner on our home floor and they needed to see it.

Why? For motivation. Under the circumstances, I should not have to make a pregame speech. I think what happened Dec. 30 sums it up pretty well.

The Broncos (20-5) travel to Scotlandville (21-3) for a game that helps top Fridays schedule in the Baton Rouge area. Game time is set for about 7 p.m. The Hornets edged Zachary 48-46 in that EBR tourney final.

Since then, both teams have kept winning. Scotlandville has four straight wins since losing to Liberty and has won 12 of out of 13 games since Dec. 30.

Zachary also has a four-game winning streak since losing to Madison Prep. The Broncos have won eight of 11 since that EBR title game. McClinton said he knows there is motivation for Scotlandville also because Fridays game is senior night for the Hornets.

That is a tough place to play and you know what to expect when you go to Scotlandville to play, hen said. Just the tradition and job coach (Carlos) Sample does year in and year out is incredible.

Yes, its true they have had some great players. Anyone who puts on that uniform is ready to play. Coach Sample demands the best.

Scotlandville has won four straight Division I select titles and has played in either an Class 5A or Division I title game each year since 2010, winning seven of 11 titles during that time period, including seven of the past nine.

Guard Emareyon McDonald leads Scotlandville in averaging 19.6 points per game. One key point in the EBR final was a Zachary defense that held McDonald below double figures. Zaheem Jackson adds 14.6 ppg and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Brannon Rodgers leads a balanced Zachary attack with a 15.2 scoring average. The Broncos 6-foot-4 Jalen Bolden is averaging 14.9 points per game, followed by Jordan Decuir at 12.2 ppg.

Zachary looks to build on last years trip to the Class 5A quarterfinals and McClinton sees this game as a building block for a team with multiple first-year starters.

This group is young. They have grown and improved a lot, he said. But you know what I like best about them? They are not satisfied. They want to continue to get better. This is another big test for us.

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Can EBR tourney loss give Zachary motivation vs. Scotlandville? ZHS' coach is banking on it - The Advocate

Georges St. Pierre remains the gold standard by which all welterweights are compared in mixed martial arts.

Of course, I would like Georges. But I dont want Georges because of money or anything like that. Like I said, Im a competitor. I want Georges because Georges left on top. Georges can still do it. I see him training. Georges, Im watching you. I see you training. Georges can still do it.

So, if theres potential for that big fight and Georges wants to come back, then of course, Georges can cut the line, absolutely.

However, St. Pierres interest in such a pairing doesnt seem to be high at the moment. The Canadian discussed the possibility during an appearance on SN590s "The Good Show.

To go back and give three months of my life in a training camp to get a win over Kamaru Usman doesnt get me motivated, St. Pierre said. I dont think theres anything that would get me motivated to go back to competition now. Im not sure.

St. Pierre hasnt fought since defeating Michael Bisping for the middleweight crown at UFC 217 in November 2017. He officially announced his retirement in 2019, revealing that negotiations for a clash with lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov fell through. The two stars have continued to be linked, even after Nurmagomedov annnounced his own retirement last year, but thus far nothing has come to fruition.

While St. Pierre admits that hell always continue training, the prospect of beginning the grind of a full training camp for a fight against someone such as Usman just isnt appealing.

Try to put yourself in my shoes and try to come back, St. Pierre said. First, if I come back to fight Kamaru Usman, I would literally have to leave the country. I would have to bring my coaches somewhere, find a base camp, fly in training partners to get ready for Usman. But leaving my home, I dont want to do it. Im healthy. Im wealthy. Its not appealing to me to lose three months of my life, the stress, to try and get a win over Usman. As time passed by, its getting less and less appealing. And I dont think theres anybody now that would make me come back. Im good. I will always train and be in shape.

St. Pierre, who turns 40 in May, is also smart enough to realize that his prime years are in the past. As it stands, he doesnt see anything special enough to lure him back into the Octagon and that includes a date with Usman. St. Pierre would prefer to keep his legacy intact rather than compete at something less than the peak of his powers.

It seems like people want to see me go on my shield, St Pierre said. A lot of guys wait too long to retire and they kind of go on their shield, and I never wanted to do this. I wanted to compete at my best and now Im at the point, are my best years behind me? They could be. I said to myself I dont want to compete if my best years are behind me. Your knowledge grows, but your physicality is diminished.

Im 39 going to be 40 soon. If I would have done something, it would have needed to be something that was really special that would really get me to the core of my motivation. I dont have the same motivation right now. Its not appealing to me. Im a big fan. I like to watch fights. But I look at them with the stress and Im like, Hell no. Im not doing it.

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Georges St. Pierre Not Motivated by Potential Matchup with Kamaru Usman - Sherdog.com

By Andrew JohnsonLocalSportsJournal.com

FRUITPORT While he is a coachs son, Fruitport senior Cameron Weaver admits he hasnt always taken bowling as seriously as he could have.

But after winning the boys individual championship at last years Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Bowling Tournament, and coming within four pins of qualifying for the individual state finals, Weaver has a new determination to do as well as he possibly can in his senior season.

Attitude is a big factor, Weaver said. This year has been more focused and about getting at it.

Using his old approach, Weaver was still very good, but not quite good enough to maximize his potential. His father, Fruitport bowling Coach Mike Weaver, remembers how painful it was to watch him fall just short of qualifying for the state finals last year.

Weaver finished with a score of 1,152 at regionals. The last state qualifier had a score of 1,156.

That was terrible, said Mike Weaver, who has been mainly focused on coaching the Fruitport girls this year, while Coach Nick Osinski has been working with the boys. His last game was probably the best that he threw that day. But within the game, he just missed a few pins. Thats just how important spares are, and thats something were focusing on this year.

Coach Mike Weaver and his son, defending GMAA bowling champion Cameron Weaver. Photo/Tim Reilly

Weavers new, more serious approach to the sport has been very evident so far this season. He currently leads all bowlers in the 0-K Blue Conference with an average of 211.5 per game.

Im leading right now, Weaver said. I plan on increasing it throughout this year. Id say my goal is now seeing what I can really do. Id like to see upwards of 220.

Despite not always being the most focused of bowlers, Weaver still took home the GMAA Tournament crown last year with a score of 413. He finished 20 pins ahead of Josh Felcoski of Oakridge.

It was pretty enjoyable, said Weaver. I wouldnt say I was the most dedicated bowler ever, so to win something like that was pretty cool.

This year, Weaver is hopeful that a second straight GMAA title may be within his grasp. Hell get the chance to pull off a repeat on Wednesday at the 2021 tournament at Northway Lanes, but hes not overconfident about his chances.

I dont know what will happen, he said. Every day is different, and you can always have a bad day. So well see what happens.

While Weaver does enjoy the individual success hes currently having, hes much more focused on team goals, including winning a second straight boys team GMAA title on Wednesday.

The Trojans beat Mona Shores in the semifinals last season, then downed Ravenna 387-351 in the finals.

Id say as a team weve talked about not losing, Weaver said. The team as a whole is better than last year, and we have bigger expectations this year.

Several other Trojan bowlers have also been excelling this season, helping the team win multiple invitational tournaments. Brandon Krohn and Evan Simonis are currently All-Conference honorable mention. Krohn has an average of 181.67 while Simonis averages 181.5.

Weaver makes a throw on lane No. 50 at at Northway Lanes. Photo/Tim Reilly

Like Weaver as an individual, the Fruitport team is also playing to overcome the disappointment of last season, when they were 44 balls short of qualifying for the team state finals.

I guess its been a whole new kind of mindset, said Weaver, when asked about what has helped the team excel this year. Were not worrying so much about strikes as much as were staying clean (picking up spares). Attitude has been a big factor and were more focused and getting at it.

While Mike Weaver may be focused on coaching the Fruitport girls this year, hes still very interested in the boys team, and how Cameron does during his senior season.

He says bowling is a major link between himself and his son.

I think it holds us together pretty good, Mike Weaver said. Hes just as competitive as I am. Its easy for us to talk about usually, and its really enjoyable. We do a lot of bowling together and its a big part of our lives for these three months.

If Cameron and his teammates maintain their more focused approach, they could accomplish a lot, Coach Weaver said.

We always want to be the best in the city, he said about the GMAA Tournament. We have some great bowlers in the city, but our expectation is to be repeat champs for sure.

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Highly-motivated Cameron Weaver, Fruitport teammates ready to defend their individual and team GMAA bowling titles - localsportsjournal.com

You may have a goal of becoming more active this year, but you might be finding it difficult to stay motivated. You are not alone. According to a study by the University of Southern Californias Center for a Digital Future, 32% of Americans say they are exercising less than before the pandemic.

Incorporating physical activity into your day has a ton of benefits including aiding in weight loss, boosting your immune system, relieving stress and helping to lower your blood pressure. The goal is to get 150 minutes of physical activity each week.

While it can be hard to get and stay motivated, here are some tips to help you meet your physical activity goals.

Make a plan. Figure out when you can incorporate physical activity into your week. The 150 minutes of weekly recommended physical activity can be broken down into 30 minutes over five days or even smaller increments throughout the day. The important thing is to move, even if it is for 10 minutes at a time. If you are not sure how to fit physical activity into your schedule, log how you spend your time each day, so you can see where exercise might fit in. Once you have an exercise schedule, develop a backup plan to help you catch up in case you cannot exercise at your regular time. Activities such as walking or climbing stairs require no equipment and can be done indoors, if the weather is not cooperating.

Find something you enjoy doing. Research has shown that people who enjoy their physical activity have a better chance of sticking with it. Also, to have an effect, your activity does not have to be difficult. It could be as simple as walking around your neighborhood or dancing to music each day.

Find ways to make it social. Prior to the coronavirus, some people found it helpful to have an exercise partner or join a gym class for motivation. While we now must be socially distant, we can still share in the social aspects of physical activity. You can call your former workout buddy while you are doing the activity that you used to do together, or you can find a virtual exercise class. Many gyms are conducting former in-person classes on Zoom. You can make it a family activity by encouraging your family to be active with you.

For more information on ways to get and stay active, contact the Laurel County office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

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Ways to remain motivated to stay active | Local News - The Sentinel-Echo

LUBBOCK, Texas IRONMAN today announced that the IRONMAN70.3Lubbock triathlon taking place on June 27, 2021 will be designated as the IRONMAN 70.3 North American TriClub Championship Central Region for 2021. Lubbock joins the 2021 Global TriClub Championship Series as the seventh event internationally and the fourth within the United States. General Registration for IRONMAN 70.3 Lubbock is currently open by visiting,www.ironman.com/im703-lubbock.

Central Region: IRONMAN 70.3 Lubbock (June 27) The IRONMAN 70.3 Lubbock triathlon begins with a 1.2-mileswim in Historic Dunbar Lake. Once on the bike, athletes will experience everything from flat and fast to challenging hills with scenic views of Yellow House Canyons. To close out the 70.3-mile journey, athletes will have a high-energy run that traverses through the beautiful Texas Tech campus and the surrounding Lubbock area. The 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 Lubbock triathlon will offer 2 handcycle slots to the 2021 IRONMAN World Championshipin Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i, as well as 60 qualifying slots and 2 handcycle slots to the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in St. George, Utah.

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Motivational Monday: How to beat those winter blues - KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com

Perhaps to appreciate is an attitude, born out of Divine blessing. Appreciation can be about ownself or about others. While we can learn to appreciate others, it is rare for a little self-indulgence to appreciating ownself. We never seriously ponder to appreciate the many splendid unique blessings of what the Creator has bestowed upon each of us, differently and abundantly. In this piece, I will restrict myself to writing about appreciating others (colleagues, friends, family) to evoke their best performance, in whatever vocation, they may be in pursuit of. Appreciating ownself, in some later piece.

Wisdom demands that all men should be appreciated. Wise men find and see the good in every person. They also value the efforts that go to build up goodness around us.

Appreciation is the most acceptable and exquisite form of courtesy and recognition. We have to learn to defy a generally accepted English proverb, Gratefulness is the poor mans payment. Nay. To appreciate is to give. Whilst, admittedly the most difficult task is to alter the instinctive nature of living beings, but even an effort can be made to place a frog on the throne, and prevent it from jumping off it, at the first sight of a puddle. Indeed with a conscious effort, we can alter our natural responses too.

Remorse or regret can never be profitable; but appreciation can be. Appreciate not to seek greater benefaction but for its purity. Rabindranath Tagore, writes, Bees sip honey from flowers and hum their thanks when they leave. The gaudy butterfly is sure that flowers owe thanks to him.

At school and even university, a recognition by the teacher / professor was by far the most critical contributor to my wanting to do better, in my studies. A single word of appreciation from either of the parent can make any to move mountains. Those parents, who are either miserly in appreciating the work of their off springs, or are totally oblivious of its significance, unknown mostly to themselves actually promote the destruction of what could be otherwise, excellent personalities in the making. And at the worst end of the spectrum, those parents who use instead, rebuke and insult, ensure the growth of psychologically, socially and economically a deformed child.

By appreciation, we make excellence in other our own property (Voltaire). Co-workers respond to managers who are frequent in expressing their appreciation, with enhanced productivity. It is by far the most potent motivating factor. Appreciation as a tool of inspiration, far exceeds, mere monetary compensation or recognition.

Employee recognition awards done at frequent intervals help in the determination, creation and sustenance of improved inter-personal relationships and above, all such practices induce, not merely efficiency, but also invokes creativity.

The thunderous clapping of spectators arouses the best performance by sportsmen. I recall, during the semi-final of a match at the Wimbledon, where generally the spectators behave in the most sophisticated manner, a fan from the crowd shouted out to John McEnroe, who was losing one game after another and ultimately the set, Hey! John come on, buck up. McEnroe from the Centre Court to the delight of the spectators responded with exasperation from the court, I am trying my best, bloke he went on to win the match.

Appreciation expressed improves quality of life- it has positive effect on general health of both the givers and the recipient: An article in Psychology Today, states, The hypothalamus, which controls basic bodily functions such as eating and sleeping and dopamine, the reward neurotransmitter are heavily affected from feelings of gratitude and appreciation. Neuroscientists believe appreciation engages the brain of the recipient in a virtuous cycle.

Oprah Winfrey is reported to have commented in one of her programmes, I have talked to nearly 30,000 people on the show and all 30,000 had one thing in common - they all wanted validation (appreciation / recognition). They all wanted to know, do you hear me? Do you see me? Does what I say mean anything to you?

Appreciation should be delivered with speed. Delay induces more back-fire, then positive response. Upon each and every outstanding performance delivered, there is expectation to be rightfully recognised, never delay, deliver it instantly; to use the legal clich with amendment, appreciation delayed is appreciation denied! In the block buster movie Shakti starring two giants, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachan; where they played father and son; the upright, inflexible about principles of justice, police inspector general, Dilip, ignores his son, Amitabh, who faces abduction during childhood. The son gets distanced when the police officer denies the demands of the abductors of his son; which is a bargain offered to spare the life of his only son. The son is distraught at his father's apparent lack of love. The son falls into waywardness and embraces criminality. In the drop scene, the father (IG) is shown chasing his son (the wanted criminal) and shouting out to him to stop or else he would pull the trigger upon him the father (IG) fires and pumps bullets in the chest of his son (the criminal). holding and kissing his dying son, he (IG) says, I love you, Vijay (the son). The criminal (son), who is gasping for breath makes such a powerful statement, that brings to the fore the importance of expressing feelings / emotions of love and appreciation at the right time; he says, why didnt you say this before, Dad? The neglected son dies in the arms of the honest, principled and upright father.

Never let ego stop you from appreciating the good work of colleagues or even family members. It is also regretfully an unfortunate truth, Do not expect to be acknowledged for what you are, much less of what you would be; since no man can well measure a great man but upon the bier, (Walter Landor).

The economic principle of greater supply reduces demand and consequently the price (value) is equally applicable to the use of appreciation. If it is excessively done, it may lose its charm in the eyes of co-workers- a manager who praises all, and everything from the best to shoddy work does more harm than good to their motivation.

Appreciation must retain some exclusivity and must be used intelligently to provoke performance. The leader must know the difference between frequent and excessive. Appreciation is taken and given; both require a different set of mind. In the act of conveying appreciation, we are looking at others outstanding traits.

Divinity, has as its essential Being, the primacy of mercy. Each living soul is blessed with a different and unique talent and personality - it is up to us each to discover, and acquire mastery of that unique blessing. Do we ever appreciate Mother Natures endowments upon us? I recently heard a blind man with a vision, who said, appreciate what you have - there are many not so fortunate what I have - someone is praying for.

More about appreciating oneself, in another piece, if time and tide, waits upon me..

The writer is a banker and freelance columnist

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Appreciate to motivate - The News International

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented McWilliams Arroyo from seeing action in 2020, but the Puerto Rican boxer will now attempt to capture the flyweight crown of the World Boxing Council (WBC), on the 27th of February at the Hard RockStadium in Miami, Florida.

Arroyo will go up against dangerous puncher Julio Cesar Martinez of Mexico.

Arroyo, a former Olympian who turned professional in 2010 andarrives with a suitcase full of experience, will try for the third time to wina world title.

Martinez became champion in 2019 by beating Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales.

I am very excited and my dream has always been to become a world champion. Now I have that new opportunity under the company of Miguel Cotto Promotions. I have the tools and although I know it is a tough fight, we are prepared for tests like this one, said Arroyo to Carlos Narvaez.

Arroyo had a great brawl in 2016 when he challenged Romn Chocolatito Gonzlez. Although he lost by unanimous decision, the Puerto Ricanboxer lefta great impression and later demonstrated his boxing quality with a majority decision victory over Carlos Cuadras.

During the time that I was not able to fight the pandemic, I was active in the gym and also working with some fans and people who wanted to practice boxing to stay in shape. So we are ready to go. I'll take advantage of this opportunity for which we have trained thoroughly. We know that Martinez is a great champion. He is an aggressive fighter andhe has my respect, but in the ring it will be something else,"Arroyo said.

Martinez, 26, has a professional record of 17-1 and 13 KO's. Arroyo, 35, is 20-4 with 15 KO's.

My career in boxing has been one of a lot of sacrifice, a lot of work,it hasn't been easy. But thanks to boxing I am where I am today. I hope to be active for two or three more years, but now my mission is to get into the ring and become a world champion,"Martinez said.

The fight betweenMartinez and Arroyo will be the co-feature to Saul Canelo Alvarez's mandatory super middleweight title defense against Avni Yildirim.

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McWilliams Arroyo Motivated To Achieve Title Dream By Beating Julio Cesar Martinez - BoxingScene.com

GARY Rowett said he had to hold the Millwall team meeting in the concourse at the Madejksi Stadium on Saturday and his players used it as motivation as his team came from a goal down to beat Reading.

Alfa Semedo put the hosts ahead, but substitutes Matt Smith and Mason Bennett struck in the 76th and 85th minutes to give the Lions just a second win at Reading since 2001.

Rowett brought on Jed Wallace and Mason Bennett for Shaun Williams and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson at half-time.

We certainly werent hoping to hold our team meeting in a concourse that was about minus-eight, Rowett said. We just felt it was a tad disrespectful when youve got a stadium that Im sure has plenty more room.

It was the players that felt a little bit aggrieved, it was the players that used it to their advantage. I didnt feel [the facilities] were anywhere near the level [expected].

We had to do [the half-time team-talk] in a room where we shouldnt have to squeeze that amount of people in there.

Im more focused on the win, on what we had to do. It didnt affect them psychologically, I thought they dealt with the game pretty well after going a goal down. You could see that in the celebrations.

It gave us more motivation, it was something we spoke about and we used it to our advantage.

Reading are a fantastic team, they have as good a front four as any in the division. Theyve certainly got the quality in the likes of Joao to open the game up at will. Youve got to be on your guard defensively.

Part of our game-plan was to utilise the fact that Reading had played on Wednesday night against Brentford and theyd expended a lot of energy and were unfortunate to lose the game late on.

We just felt as though there was an opportunity to start well, we did in the first 15 or 20 minutes when we hit the bar, pinned Reading back but just couldnt find the extra moments of quality.

Then we concede a goal against the run of play that is disappointing, to be 1-0 down in such a stupid fashion.

We huffed and puffed to half-time, didnt play with any quality, looked as though mentally the goal had set us back and we couldnt quite get our game going.

Then at half-time I had to bring the two wide players on and change from 5-3-2 to 4-2-3-1 and it did the trick.

Image: Millwall FC

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What Reading did before the game to give Millwall big motivation as they come from behind to win - newsatden.co.uk - News At Den

February 16, 2021 08:30 ET | Source: ValueSelling Associates, Inc.

ValueSelling Associates and Training Industry study shows soft skills active listening, empathy, and presentation skills -- differentiate companies that grew from those that didnt in 2020

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif., Feb. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to research findings released today by ValueSelling Associates, Inc., 87% of high-growth companies take a value-based approach to sales compared to 45% of negative-growth companies. What top-performing salespeople do differently is focus on helping prospects understand the value gained from the product or service through each customer interaction.

New research findings also show that soft skills matter. They are especially crucial when salespeople and their customers encounter market uncertainty and rapidly shifting business needs, as we saw in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty. The soft skills that top sales performers are better at include:

Weve all had to change in response to 2020s unexpected events. The sales teams that adapted to change enabled companies to excel despite the challenges they faced, while other companies reported low or negative growth, said Julie Thomas, CEO and President of ValueSelling Associates. As you plan for 2021, keep in mind that a virtual selling and buying process is here to stay. Sales organizations need to be agile and flexible in using new techniques and tactics that align with evolving buyer preferences.

ValueSelling Associates, Inc. and Training Industry, Inc. surveyed online 256 U.S. sales leaders and learning and development decision-makers about the approach their companies are taking toward sales skills and managing change through a global crisis.

Two distinct groups of companies emerged from the study high revenue growth companies and negative revenue growth companies. High-growth companies leaders said 2020 was a banner year of growth, while negative-growth companies leaders said 2020 was the worst of the last five years.

Key study findings include:

For more detail on the survey results, download the ValueSelling Associates e-book, How High-growth Sales Organizations Respond to Crisis.

About Training Industry, Inc. Training Industry, Inc. spotlights the latest news, articles, case studies and best practices within the training industry. Training Industry, Inc. research captures the collective wisdom of learning professionals, revealing fresh data on trends and practices in the evolving training market. For additional information onTraining Industry, Inc. visitwww.trainingindustry.com.

About ValueSelling Associates, Inc. ValueSelling Associatesis the creator of the ValueSelling Framework, the practical and proven sales methodology preferred by sales executives around the globe. Since 1991, ValueSelling Associates has helped thousands of sales professionals increase their sales productivity and realize immediate revenue growth. We offer customized training to FORTUNE 1000, mid-sized and start-up companies to keep it simple and drive sales results.www.valueselling.com

Connect with ValueSelling Associates:

Media Contact: Maria Doyle Doyle Strategic Communications 781-964-3536 maria@doylestratcomm.com

A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at:http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/15b0f5b3-f2f2-4613-92a0-1ed71e4a33b2

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87% of High-growth Sales Organizations Take a Value-based Approach to Sales, According to New Research - GlobeNewswire