Leadership

     "Leadership is the art of getting others to want to do something that you believe should be done."  I read this from a book I am reading for class this summer.  The class is about Project Management and it has a lot of great information about leadership.  As the summer is well under way, leadership is a big deal.  Summer is voluntary, and as the years have gone by it seems like more players are getting bigger egos, resisting to join their team, or giving excuses and not coming.  It is hard to get 120 different players, from different backgrounds, and different values to focus and commit toward achieving the same goal and vision.  Still 99% of our team is there grinding to get better, but it takes a leader to gather the team together and focus them towards our goal.

     Ever since I began playing football, coaches told me I need to be more of a vocal leader.  But, as my high school DB coach Kevin Wilson would say "don't talk about it, be about it!"  This has been my motto ever since.  The coaches however want a vocal leader. Screaming, yelling, and enthusiasm looks and sounds good to a coach, but that doesn't mean it is effective to the fellow players.  I personally hate people who scream and yell, then fail to back it up.  There has been plenty of these type of players in my football career.  That is why I choose to lead by example and try and make my words count.  I don't say much, and when I do it's in a calm manner telling people what they should do and why it is important.  I want my words to carry weight... when I say something I mean it.  That is my role as a leader and that is how I play.  Everyone has their own style.  Thankfully we have a strong set of leaders this year and I believe we have the strongest leadership that I have seen since I have been here.  That is attribute to my fellow teammates.  Hopefully we will continue to work and grow leadership to focus this team and accomplish our vision and goals...

-Student of the Game

Getting Back in the Groove

     The May break... although I enjoyed my off time away from football and school, I don't like getting out of my workout routine.  I have been getting stronger and had just gotten into the grove of offseason workouts when the break hit.  When I don't have set workout times and a good place to workout I have to work that much harder to stay in shape.  Also, as one could imagine, it is very hard to push yourself to the edge like the strength coaches do.  Their organized workouts are high tempo and the workouts are designed to flow well in the Texas Tech weight room.  This is an added challenge when working out on your own.  No trainer is there to tell you what to do next which adds time between sets.  There is also a possibility of someone using the machine in the public fitness and rec centers.  That's why people like getting trainers at their local fitness place...they work them harder!

     This being said, I'm not waiting to be catered to.  I enjoy the challenge of finding a workout in a different environment.  My parents live in Whitney on the lake (see picture above) and I am originally from Stephenville; both of these small towns don't have the best workout equipment by any stretch of the imagination.  In Stephenville I enjoy working out at the high school and getting to see my old coaches.  There is also a couple fitness places where I can get a short term membership.  Whitney doesn't have hardly anything except the high school, so I have to improvise.  There is a pretty big hill down to the lake that I use to run and I also utilize the lake to do some long distance swimming.  This past week I got in a little blow up boat and swam with my arms about 2 miles total going from in front of my parents house to the bridge and back on Lake Whitney.  This was a long hard journey that nearly sunk the boat that was only design to carry up to 190 pounds.  I also got a nice sun burn!  But whatever the circumstances, during the break it is hard not to slack on staying in shape and enjoy the off time that we rarely get.

   The break is at an end and I am back in Lubbock, Texas.  I enjoyed seeing friends and family, watching my fiancee graduate, watching my cousin Jordan graduate, camping, and relaxing.  However, I'm glad to be back and ready to get back into my groove.  The routine of school, homework, football, workout, blogging, and social life is back in action!

-Student of the Game