Here’s a lovely video of La Masia captains, from the U10s right up to the U19s, having a chat with one Lionel Messi. Enjoy it!
WATCH: Messi interviewed by La Masia captains – ESPN Video
Tag: Inspiration (page 2 of 2)
We came across this video of George, a Gerard Deulofeu fan, uploaded by his dad, Dave Shaw on Twitter. Ain’t nothing going to stop this lad. What a great inspiration. A lot of us could do with some of that spirit!
May the force be with you, George! #NeverGiveUp
The original video can be found here.
Free, self-organised play was one of the things that made our childhood so, so special. As children in India, especially in large housing complexes, we’ve probably all heard our parents screaming from our balconies summoning us for homework, meals and what have you. But the joy of playing lagoree, dodge ball, dabba ice-spice, chor-police, lock and key, and then heading out to the neighbourhood grocery store to pool in money and share a treat is something no amount of money, classes and coaching can ever buy. Here’s to a 2016 filled with hours of free play for our children!
Bobby Orr, legendary Canadian ice hockey player, says it best…
<3
Our thoughts, our words, our actions make a huge difference and we enjoy a special privilege – one where we can impact young lives on an every day basis. We shouldn’t see ourselves as anything less than that. Here’s something to remind you of that fact. We guarantee you, it will be 16 minutes and 17 seconds of your life well spent.
If you haven’t heard already, one of our generation’s greatest athletes, Kobe Bryant, is going to retire after the 2015-16 NBA season. Recognised all over the world as a fantastic basketball player, those who have read a little more about him will know of his notoriously relentless work ethic as he often hoisted shots and raised a hellish sweat at ungodly hours in the gym.
Moreover, it’s not often that we see such a hugely talented athlete spend almost his entire career, 20 years, with one team and spur them to giddying heights of success. The man has 2 Olympic gold medals, 5 NBA Championship rings with the Lakers, an NBA MVP along with SEVENTEEN NBA All-Star selections.
As coaches & parents of incredibly energetic, dynamic and active children, patience is the one attribute we cannot leave behind at home before stepping on to the training ground. There are, however, those odd days when we are really at the ends of our tether – it could be tensions from home or work or just an ‘off’ day when we’re ‘not up to it’. Even the best have them. Those are the times when we, as educators and mentors, are most prone to yelling or punishing the kids. It takes a lot of control to hold oneself back, not scream and do the ‘right’ thing. The lesson for us is clear – and it’s not like we don’t know – screaming & punishments are mostly counter-productive and useless.
But children have a way with words and an ability to drive home the message in the most unique way. This is one fantastic example:
Have a great day!
Written with inputs from Samira Kumar.
Diwali is over and the new year has begun. It’s time for us to renew our commitment to the game, the kids, parents and the principles that drive us forward every day! Happy Monday Everybody! #AttackTheWeek
Image Credit: Goldsea.com
As stakeholders in grassroots football, be it parents, coaches or administrative staff, we often experience magical moments when we’re going about our work – moments when people, children especially, offer us much-needed doses of inspiration and love. Today, and for many days, months and years to come, Jonathan Pitre, a 14-year-old boy, scratch that, a 14-year-old superhero, from Ottawa, Canada is that source of inspiration.
Being a superhero isn’t always about wearing a cape and flying around saving Gotham. Sometimes, it’s just about being brave, and doing the absolute best you can with what you’ve been given. Jonathan is one such hero who refuses to let his condition bring him down or dictate his life. Born with a skin condition known as Epidermolysis Bullosa, or just EB, Jonathan went through many years of life thinking he was alone. Until he attended an EB conference in Toronto in 2012. For the first time in his life, he met others like him, and decided that he wanted to make a change.
Am I a better coach/parent/player than I was yesterday? Did I learn something new today? Did I help a player push himself/herself to the next level? Can I go faster? Can I go higher today? Will I be stronger tomorrow? Will I be able to play better football tomorrow?
Just some questions coaches, parents and players need to ask themselves every day. Because…
This one is dedicated to all the grassroots football coaches in India and across the world who work for a pittance or without pay even, overcome huge obstacles, and go well beyond the call of duty to make sure their players preserve their love for ‘The Beautiful Game’ – wherever you may be, however difficult things may seem on some days, know that you have the power to change the lives of your young players. More power to you!
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