Big Rocks under us...

Sometimes social media CAN provide us with inspiration, education and reflection that isn't callous, misguided or banal. This week, under the stars of some big sports happenings, we got lucky.

Fred Duncan, a licensed speed coach for the NHL, NFL and Olympians showed his disgust with the current training regimens of youth athletes at a seminar he was presenting at.

The big rock? "You see so many training youth athletes like they're pros!" Youth athletes are NOT small adults, they are children: with the physiology of a growing body. They need to be treated as such.

Madison Keys overcome obstacle after obstacle until she stood alone at the podium of the Australian Open. She defeated the #2 seed in the semifinal and the #1 seed in the final, despite being the #19 seed- an upset for the tennis ages.

Here Madison talks about the mental chains she unlocked going into the tournament.

The big rock? "I think I've done a lot of work to no longer need this, I really wanted this but it was no longer the thing that was going to bind me, and letting go of that burden."

How often are our athletes defining themselves by winning and losing? How often are our parents feeding that narrative by social media posts ONLY when the team wins but nothing when they lose? 

Winning and losing is random in sport: ask the #1 and #2 seeds at the Australian Open this year. Support your athlete, win OR lose, for competing, working hard and doing their best. 

Finally, Nebraska's head volleyball coach John Cook retired this week. In a tearful news conference, he told the story of the new Nebraska coach, Dani Busboom Kelly who used to play for Cook.

The big rock? "She was going to do everything possible to help that team. Whatever role she was asked to do, she would do."

For the good of the team, Busboom put aside what she wanted, did what the team needed and they won a National Championship on her back. 

These stories become more rare with each sunrise. Players trained and convinced to do one thing on the court, liberos and middles tagged at 10 and 11 years old because of their size THEN and not learning the rest of the game because they are locked into those positional cages. 

As coaches we need to teach the game. Not just one position but the whole game. Give middles the chance to get better at serve receive. Teach your setters to block and your libs to attack. Give them the tools to succeed like Dani Busboom was able to do.

Big rocks make a mountain, the ones Coaches and athletes climb everyday. Here's hoping these big rocks make a difference in your climb.