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Jessica Pfund Shares 6 Coaching Strategies To Enhance Athletic Performance And Motivation

Are you looking for ways to increase your athletes' motivation and performance? Are you ready to improve team development, morale, and productivity? Becoming a skilled coach requires mastering techniques such as developing an appropriate training schedule, setting clear goals and expectations, fostering good communication among athletes, and providing meaningful feedback and praise. Below, Jessica Pfund will share various coaching strategies that can be implemented throughout any practice or game day to help enhance athletic performance while dramatically increasing motivation. Let's dive deeper into how coaches can capitalize on their athlete's potential by leveraging scientifically proven coaching strategies!

Establish Clear And Measurable Goals With Athletes To Provide A Tangible Way To Measure Success

As a coach or trainer, setting goals for your athletes is one of the most critical steps in helping them succeed. Establishing clear, measurable goals gives your athletes a tangible way to measure their progress and keeps them motivated to improve. Not only do plans give athletes something to strive for, but they also create a sense of accountability, as athletes are more likely to take ownership of their progress if they have a clear target to aim for. By setting specific benchmarks and regularly evaluating progress, you can help your athletes stay focused and motivated and ultimately achieve their full potential.

Create Engaging Practice Drills That Keep Athletes Motivated And Focused On The Task

As a coach or trainer, one of your primary objectives is to design practice drills to help your athletes hone their skills and improve their sport. But let’s face it; nobody wants to engage in monotonous exercises that feel like a chore. To keep your athletes motivated and focused, it’s crucial to create practice drills that are engaging and fun. These drills should challenge them to step out of their comfort zone and push themselves to their limits. Incorporating elements of competition and teamwork can also add an extra layer of excitement, inspiring your athletes to work harder to achieve victory. So whether it’s a new twist on a classic drill or a completely innovative idea, it’s worth putting in the time and effort to craft engaging practice drills that your athletes will look forward to every time they hit the field or court.

Use Positive Reinforcement To Reward Improvement, No Matter How Small

Motivation can be tricky, especially when it comes to self-improvement. That's where positive reinforcement comes in. We can motivate ourselves to keep going and build momentum toward our goals by rewarding minor improvements. Plus, it feels great to acknowledge our successes, no matter how small they seem. Celebrating progress is an integral part of the journey toward self-improvement, and it can be the difference between giving up and pushing through.

Encourage Open Communication Between Coaches And Athletes To Foster A Healthy Relationship Based On Trust And Respect

Open communication between coaches and athletes is crucial in any successful sports team. When a coach and athlete have a healthy relationship based on trust and respect, it can propel their performance to the next level. The athlete must feel that their coach is invested in their success and cares about their well-being. Meanwhile, coaches must understand their athletes' strengths and weaknesses to develop a winning strategy. Encouraging open communication between these two parties can lead to a bond beyond the playing field. 

Develop Strategies To Help Athletes Manage Anxiety And Stress Before Significant Events Or Competitions

Competing at a high level can be an incredibly nerve-wracking experience for any athlete. Fortunately, there are effective strategies athletes can use to help manage these feelings and perform their best when it matters most. From deep breathing exercises to visualization techniques, coaches and sports psychologists have various tools to help athletes stay calm, focused, and confident. By incorporating these strategies into a regular pre-competition routine, athletes can learn to harness their anxiety and turn it into a source of strength and motivation.

Help Athletes Create An Action Plan For Achieving Their Goals, Including Breaking Them Down Into Smaller Tasks Or Steps

Breaking down our goals into smaller tasks or steps can make them more achievable and less overwhelming. It's like climbing a staircase, one step at a time. We can stay organized, focused, and motivated with an action plan. So let's take the first step toward our dreams and create our action plan today.

Final Thoughts

As a coach, it is essential to help athletes establish clear and measurable goals and provide them with the necessary tools for success, says Jessica Pfund. With motivating practice drills, positive reinforcement techniques, open communication between coaches and athletes, guidance on handling stress and anxiety, and action plans tailored towards achieving their goals, coaches can positively impact athletes' performance in practice and competitive settings. Through building meaningful relationships with athletes through these practices, coaches can equip their athletes with the skills they need to approach challenges confidently. It is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all plan when it comes to coaching; nevertheless, being aware of some beneficial best practices can set coaches up for success in helping their players reach their potential.

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June 6 Update: Notinhalloffame MLB Cup Standings.

It is with great pleasure that we continue the third annual Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Season Cup, and let us explain how this works:

With every single regular season game, we anointed the best five players in the game with descending points, 5-4-3-2-1.

We knew the following:

-       The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points easier that elite players on loaded squads.

-       In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, and overall favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing less innings than in previous generations. This also is true for closers, which is not made for this process.

-       Please remember, that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year, and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way did, as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

At present 796 (up from 761 last week) Players have generated at least one Cup Point.

So, MLB players! Get your agents to work winning this into your contracts!

This is the fifth update, with standings as of the morning of June 6.

1. Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher: (Ranked #1 last week)

85 Cup Points, 59 Games, 1.44 Cup Points per Game, 15 Home Runs, 41 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .274/.346/.539, 3.0 bWAR & 5-2, 3.30 ERA, 96 SO, 1.014 WHIP.

The Notinhalloffame Cup is built for Ohtani, who can compile points in two different avenues; the only one who can do so.  This was his arguably his weakest week of the season, and right now his Angels have a winning record. Ohtani is off to his best pitching start, leading the AL in H/9 (8.9) and SO/9 (12.169), and he is his usual self with the bat, where he is third in Home Runs (15).

2. Ronald Acuna: Atlanta Braves, Outfield: (Ranked #5 Last Week)

74 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.20 Cup Points per Game, 12 Home Runs, 32 Runs Batted In, 26 SB, .331/.407/.564, 3.3 bWAR.

Acuna leads all National League batters in bWAR (3.3), Runs Scored (52), and Stolen Bases (37) and OPS (.970), and is in the top four in all three Slash Line components. He is arguably the current NL MVP front runner.

3. Aaron Judge: New York Yankees, Outfield: (Ranked #6, Last Week)

70 Cup Points, 49 Games, 1.43 Cup Points per Game, 19 Home Runs, 40 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .291/.404/.674, 1.9 bWAR.

Last year’s NIHOF Cup winner and Home Run leader is leading the AL in Slugging (.674), OPS (.674), OPS+ (192) and Home Runs (19).

4 (TIE). Juan Soto: San Diego Padres, Outfield: (Ranked #2, Last Week)

68 Cup Points, 60 Games, 1.21 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 27 Runs Batted In, 8 SB, .248/.413/.470, 2.3 bWAR.

Soto dropped two spots but is still the National League leader in Walks (56) and is second in OBP (.413). He is also fifth in OPS+ (150).

4 (TIE). Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers, Shortstop: (Ranked #6, Last Week)

68 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.13 Cup Points per Game, 9 Home Runs, 48 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .306/.375/.506, 3.4 bWAR.

Semien is having an outstanding 2023, and is the current AL leader in Runs Scored (55) and is second in bWAR for Position Players (3.4).

6 (TIE). Yordan Alvarez: Houston Astros, Outfield & Designated Hitter: (Ranked #9 Last Week)

64 Cup Points, 57 Games, 1.07 Cup Points per Game, 16 Home Runs, 53 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .278/.391/.582, 1.9 bWAR.

Alvarez is one the game’s best hitters and the current American League leader in RBIs (53). He is also in the top ten in OBP, Slugging, OPS, Home Runs, Walks and OPS+.

6 (TIE). Jorge Soler: Miami Marlins, Outfield & Designated Hitter: (#3, Last Week)

64 Cup Points, 58 Games, 1.10 Cup Points per Game, 17 Home Runs, 36 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .245/.326/.532, 0.8 bWAR.

Soler did not have a good week, and his poor defensive skills have led him to play more at the DH spot. Nevertheless, Soler is third in NL Home Runs (17), eighth in Slugging (.532), and fifth in Extra Base Hits (28).

8 (TIE). Pete Alonso: New York Mets, First Base: (Ranked #3, Last Week)

63 Cup Points, 60 Games, 1.05 Cup Points per Game, 20 Home Runs, 47 Runs Batted In, 2 SB, .231/.324/.538, 1.9 bWAR.

Alonso did not accrue a Cup Point this past week, but is still the current league leader in Homer Runs (21) and RBIs (47). The First Basemen is also seventh in Slugging (.538).

9 (TIE). Rafael Devers: Boston Red Sox, Third Base: (Ranked #8 Last Week)

61 Cup Points, 57 Games, 1.07 Cup Points per Game, 13 Home Runs, 49 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .246/.298/.487, 0.9 bWAR.

Devers dropped another spot but is still third in RBIs (49) and fifth in Home Runs (13).

9 (TIE). Mookie Betts: Los Angeles Dodgers, Outfield: (Not Ranked, Last Week)

61 Cup Points, 54 Games, 1.06 Cup Points per Game, 15 Home Runs, 36 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .257/.362/.532, 2.6 bWAR.

Betts returns to the top ten and is currently 5th among batters in the NL in bWAR (2.6).

9 (TIE). Luis Arraez: Miami Marlins, Second Base: (Not Ranked, Last Week)

61 Cup Points, 54 Games, 1.06 Cup Points per Game, 1 Home Run, 29 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .399/.450/.495, 2.8 bWAR.

Arraez makes his first top ten appearance, and he is currently the National League leader in Hits (83), Batting Average (.450) and On Base Percentage (.450). He also has a very impressive lugging Percentage (.495) for a player with only one Home Run.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette fell out of the top ten.

Our next update will be the morning of June 12.

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Melbet sports live for fans of sports competitions

Live broadcasts on the bookmaker's website allow one to follow sporting events and always be aware of what is happening. And if one makes a bet, there is a thrill to get not only the pleasure of watching but also to make money. This is what the bettors of the Melbet sports live service claim. Here one can bet on the result of a match or other sporting event and win money. But, of course, the amount of winnings depends on the bet and the player's ability to make truthful predictions.

How to make a live bet on the Melbet website

To make a bet, one must register and verify on the bookmaker's website. Then it is necessary to make a deposit to the player’s gaming account. Then, in the "Live" section, one can find the desired sporting event and go to its page. Afterward, a player must select the desired outcome and click on the appropriate odds. Finally, a user should choose the tab "Coupon", specify the bet amount and click "Make bet".

The live line at Melbet bookmaker

Betting today allows one to get fast money. On the Melbet website, users can watch the confrontations from the world of sports in live mode. More than 15 kinds of disciplines are presented here. Players can bet on soccer, basketball, tennis, or hockey and watch cybersport competitions in real time.

  1. Soccer. The lines on top European championships and youth tournament matches are available. Players can bet on the exact score, the number of goals, the player who will distinguish himself in the game, time slots, and more.
  2. Basketball. Every registered Melbet user can bet on basketball competitions of any level on dozens of markets. One can make good money here if one understands the sport.
  3. Tennis. Melbet's live line features all the major tennis tournaments on the planet. In addition, it is also possible to bet on various niche competitions, namely on the outcome of the competition, exact score by sets, combined variants, and so on.
  4. Hockey. There is everything: from the world's leading leagues to amateur competitions. Bets work often and can enrich the bettor in the shortest possible time.

Experts recommend that beginner bettors not make too big bets, not lose too much money, and not be disappointed in betting. It is better to start with small single or double bets, study the statistics of the competitions on which you will bet, and develop your strategy. Read reviews and tips from experienced players. And gradually increase the amount. If you can analyze and have good intuition, your winnings will be significant and regular. And luck will undoubtedly turn to you.




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The 5 Best Players Never to Have Won a Trophy

With Tottenham’s Harry Kane finishing the season without a trophy yet again, it seems as good a time as any to review the best players in the sport of football to go their whole careers without picking up a piece of silverware. Of course, Kane is being strongly linked with a move away from North East London this summer and if he does go to a bigger fish, crypto sports betting fans might fancy putting a big stack on the No. 10 righting that particular wrong. But for the clutch of unlucky retirees below, such a switch is not an option. Without further ado:

Matt Le Tissier

Known by many as ‘Le God’, Le Tissier was once regarded as the finest English midfielder of his generation. However, the staunch Southampton fan turned down the opportunity to move away to a bigger club on numerous occasions and once said: ““I knew I probably wouldn’t win any honours, but when you’re at a club that size, staying in the Premier League for 16 years gave me as much pleasure as winning a medal if I’d gone somewhere else.” Sure, Matt. Sure.

Antonio de Natale

De Natale is another supremely talented player whose loyalty to Udinese cost him when it came to the honours list. The prolific striker netted an incredible 227 goals in 445 appearances for his beloved club, while his 209 league goals made him the sixth highest scorer in Serie A history. However, the closest he came to getting his hands on a trophy was watching Italy get spanked 4-0 in the final of the 2012 Euros by Spain – he clambered off the bench but could do nothing to help.

Stan Collymore

After rattling in 41 goals in just 65 appearances for Nottingham Forest between 1993 and 1995, Stan Collymore was widely regarded as the hottest prospect in English football for generations. He duly secured a big money move to Liverpool and returned a respectable 28 goals in 64 matches, but he fell out of favour at Anfield and was eventually replaced by boy prodigy Michael Owen. A measly three England caps were all he had to show for a career that fizzled out soon after.

Luigi Di Biagio

The early 90s were the peak of Italian football, when Serie A attracted the finest talent from all over the globe. You’d think, therefore, that someone who played for four years at AS Roma and a further four at Inter – as well as amassing 31 caps for a wildly talented Italy team – would have bagged at least one gong. Di Biagio came runner-up numerous times and although he did win the Serie C1 Coppa Italia, it’s such a diddy trophy that we’re comfortable including him.

Sir Tom Finney

Sir Tom Finney’s Preston was the very definition of a one-man club. The prolific striker (30 goals in 76 appearances for England, then a record) spent the entirety of his career at Deepdale, playing an incredible 596 games for the team and single-handedly keeping them in the First Division. They finished second twice and came runners-up in the FA Cup once, but were relegated as soon as Finney retired – and didn’t return to the top flight for almost four decades.

Will Kane still appear on lists like these when he finally hangs up his boots? The man has countless individual accolades, but diddly squat in terms of team honours. Time will tell if he can overcome that issue with Spurs (or someone else) in the years ahead.

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The 2023 IIHF HOF Class is inducted

Yesterday, the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2023.

The newest members are:

Sandra Dombroski (Official, Canada).  Dombroski becomes the first female official to enter the IIHF HOF.

Jimmy Foster (Player, Canada).  Foster was the Goalie for Canada’s 1936 Olympic Gold Medal winning team.

Cristobal Huet (Player, France).  Huet played 242 Games in the NHL (Los Angeles, Chicago & Montreal) and he represented France in between the pipes on 87 occasions.  He has a Stanley Cup Ring with the Kings in 2010.

Kalvero Kummola (Builder, Finland).  Kummola was a former Goalie, who would serve as the Finnish Ice Hockey Association President from 1997 to 2016. 

Brian Leetch (Player, U.S.A.).  Leetch was a two-time Norris Trophy winner, and Stanley Cup champion with the New York Rangers.  A member of the NHL 100th Anniversary Team, Leetch represented the United States in 77 Games, winning a Silver Medal at the 2002 Olympics.

Kimmo Leinonen (Builder, Finland).  Leinonen was a co-founder of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame and would also serve the IIHF in various capacities for years.

Caroline Ouellette (Player, Canada).  Ouellette is one of the most successful international players in Canadian history, having won four Olympic Gold Medals and six World Hockey Championships.  

Viktor Svelig (Player, Hungary).  Svelig is this year’s recipient of the Torriani Award, given annually to the player who had an outstanding career from a non-top hockey nation.  Winning this, gains automatic admission to the IIHF HOF. Svelig, who played defense, competed in 23 tournaments for Hungary.

Henrik Zetterberg (Player, Sweden).  Zetterberg won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2009, and collected Gold in the 2006 Olympics and World Hockey Championship.  He also won Silver in the 2014 Olympics and 2003 Worlds along with Bronze in the 2001 and 2002 Worlds.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our congratulations to the newest IIHF inductees.

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May 29 Update: Notinhalloffame MLB Cup Standings.

It is with great pleasure that we continue the third annual Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Season Cup, and let us explain how this works:

With every single regular season game, we anointed the best five players in the game with descending points, 5-4-3-2-1.

We knew the following:

-       The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points easier that elite players on loaded squads.

-       In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, and overall favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing less innings than in previous generations. This also is true for closers, which is not made for this process.

-       Please remember, that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year, and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way did, as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

At present 761 (up from 740 last week) Players have generated at least one Cup Point.

So, MLB players! Get your agents to work winning this into your contracts!

This is the fourth update, with standings as of the morning of May 29.

1. Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher: (Ranked #1 last week)

75 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.44 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 32 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .269/.342/.507, 2.8 bWAR & 5-1, 2.91 ERA, 90 SO, 0.954 WHIP.

The Notinhalloffame Cup is built for Ohtani, who can compile points in two different avenues; the only one who can do so.  This was his arguably his weakest week of the season, and right now his Angels have a winning record. Ohtani is off to his best pitching start, leading the AL in Strikeouts (90), SO/9 (12.5) and H/9 (8.9), and he is his usual self with the bat, where he is sixth in Home Runs (12).

2. Juan Soto: San Diego Padres, Outfield: (#9, Last Week)

64 Cup Points, 53 Games, 1.21 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 24 Runs Batted In, 5 SB, .261/.422/.506, 2.0 bWAR.

Rocketing up seven spots, Soto is the National League leader in Walks (41) and is second in OBP (..422) and fifth in OPS (.927).

3 (TIE). Jorge Soler: Miami Marlins, Outfield: (Nor Ranked, Last Week)

63 Cup Points, 53 Games, 1.19 Cup Points per Game, 17 Home Runs, 35 Runs Batted In, 5 SB, .254/.329/.583, 1.0 bWAR.

Soler powers his way into the top ten, with a surprising spot at a third-place tie. He is second in the NL in Home Runs (17) and seventh in Slugging (.563).

3 (TIE). Pete Alonso: New York Mets, First Base: (Ranked #6, Last Week)

63 Cup Points, 54 Games, 1.17 Cup Points per Game, 20 Home Runs, 46 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .243/.341/.569, 1.9 bWAR.

Alonso is on fire with his power metrics lately, and is the current National League leader in Home Runs (20) and RBIs (46).

5. Ronald Acuna: Atlanta Braves, Outfield: (Ranked #2 Last Week)

62 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.20 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 30 Runs Batted In, 37 SB, .333/.415/.571, 3.1 bWAR.

Acuna leads all National League batters in bWAR (3.1), Runs Scored (48), and Stolen Bases (37) and OPS (.989), and is in the top four in all three Slash Line components. He is arguably the current NL MVP front runner.

6 (TIE). Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers, Shortstop: (Ranked #4, Last Week)

59 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.13 Cup Points per Game, 8 Home Runs, 43 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .298/.368/.486, 3.0 bWAR.

Semien is having an outstanding 2023, and is the current AL leader in Runs Scored (43) and is third in bWAR for Position Players (3.0).

6 (TIE). Aaron Judge: New York Yankees, Outfield: (Ranked #9, Last Week)

59 Cup Points, 44 Games, 1.34 Cup Points per Game, 15 Home Runs, 35 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .291/.398/.633, 1.9 bWAR.

Last year’s NIHOF Cup winner and Home Run leader makes his first top ten appearance. Judge is leading the AL in Slugging (.644) and Home Runs (15).

8. Rafael Devers: Boston Red Sox, Third Base: (Ranked #2 Last Week)

58 Cup Points, 50 Games, 1.16 Cup Points per Game, 13 Home Runs, 44 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .242/.283/.500, 0.9 bWAR.

Devers dropped six spots and did not accrue a Cup Point this past week. He is still third in RBIs (44) and fourth in Home Runs (13).

9 (TIE). Yordan Alvarez: Houston Astros, Designated Hitter & Outfield: (Ranked #5, Last Week)

57 Cup Points, 41 Games, 1.29 Cup Points per Game, 14 Home Runs, 48 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .291/.402/.612, 1.9 bWAR.

Alvarez is entrenched as one of the game’s premier hitters, and is at present second in Slugging (.612) and third in both OBP (.402) and OPS (1.014). Alvarez is also second in Home Runs (14), and RBIs (48).

9 (TIE). Bo Bichette: Toronto Blue Jays, SHortstop: (Not Ranked, Last Week)

57 Cup Points, 54 Games, 1.06 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 37 Runs Batted In, 2 SB, .338/.375/.537, 3.1 bWAR.

Bichette is back in the top ten, and has been playing excellent baseball as of late. He currently leads the AL in Hits (78) and Batting (.338).

Chicago’s (AL) and Los Angeles’ (NL) Mookie Betts fell out of the top ten.

Our next update will be the morning of June 4.

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The Buck Stops Here -- Hall of Fame News -- Season 4 Episode 12

Kirk Buchner & Evan Nolan look at the latest HOF related news. They congratulate the second class of  Pirates  Hall of Famers. Kirk announces (though poorly) the newst members of the FIctiitious Athlete and Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Evan says the  Bucks  are in trouble for the future, and Kirk says that the side pieces will never get into the Hall. All this and much more.

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