The Fall of the American Athlete

In case you haven’t noticed, things have changed. The landscape of professional sports (and in many cases collegiate sports) no longer looks the way it once did. No longer are American sports dominated by homegrown talent. Instead, foreign born athletes are more prominent than ever and in some cases, already the majority of leading talent.

Take a look at Major League baseball, the NBA, PGA, and LPGA – just to name a few - and you will notice a very distinct trend over the last 10 to 20 years. MLB has seen a steady increase of players born in Latin American countries. The NBA has a greater number of European players as well as the PGA Tour. The LPGA has pretty much been taken over by South Korean players and how could I forget women’s tennis? A steady influx of Russian and Eastern European born talent has been streaming into the circuit each year.

I’m all for diversity in sports and realize that the world as we once knew it is getting smaller and smaller with each decade as it’s easier to travel, players have access to better instruction, and athletes never before discovered are now plucked out of school at an early age to train specifically for stardom. But what has happened to the American born athlete?

I believe the American born professional athlete is an endangered species. I also believe that unless we change the way we raise our children, every major professional sport will be dominated by foreign born players. Here’s why: We’ve lost our way.

What once made us special has now been lost. A country that was built on hard work and a desire to excel has changed into a country waiting for a free handout. A desire to be the best has been replaced by complacency. It starts at the top and has trickled down into every aspect of American life.

How do we change? We can start by the way we raise our children. The values that made our country great can and should be instilled in our children at a very early age. Hard work, discipline, and sacrifice would be a great start. Eliminating distraction is the next step. Turn off the TV. Store the X Box in the closet. Limit time spent on the Internet to a minimum. And I’m not just talking about your children! Some parents need to do the same.

Our job as parents is to recognize specific talents in our children and do our best to motivate and inspire our kids to new heights. I’m not asking for you to be a coach, but I don’t want you to fall into the trap of becoming a “best friend” either. We have to make decisions that may not be popular at the dinner table but will benefit in the long run.

I remember as a kid growing up in South Florida wanting a skateboard. All my friends had one and they seemed to have so much fun riding to the beach each weekend. I asked my Dad over and over if I could have one but each time he responded with a no. I was so mad – it wasn’t fair that all my friends had one and I couldn’t. He didn’t even explain why. He just said no.

Looking back on it, I know why he didn’t buy me a skateboard. He didn’t want me wasting time (and my talent) hanging out at the beach all weekend. Instead, I was shooting hoops, taking BP, or tossing around the football. Looking back on it I am so glad he didn’t give in to my request. He made the tough call and stood his ground when the easier thing would have been just to buy the skateboard and let me go my own way.

This is just one example of how we can get back to the basics. Our job as parents isn’t to please our kids but to do what’s best for them. Sometimes parents lose track of this simple concept. Please don’t let it happen to you.

We can take back professional sports. We can see a return to prominence. But it starts with you – the parent – and it has to start now before it’s too late.

Intentional Parenting

Intentional Parenting

A few years ago when my wife was pregnant with our first child we asked our older siblings for any parenting advice they would offer. They all had children and we respected the way they had raised them and more importantly, all their children have turned out to be really good kids. They are respectful to adults, do well in school, lead balanced lives, and are truly pleasures to spend time around (not to mention excellent babysitters as well!).

One of the pieces of advice that stuck out to me came from brother-in-law. He said to be passionate about parenting. In a nutshell he said to have the same excitement and put the same amount of effort into parenting as other areas of your life. Sounds simple right? Well, let’s look a little deeper into ways we can implement this idea.

I love to play golf. I go to the driving range to practice. I play often. I read books and magazines to get the latest news on equipment or technique. I have a passion for golf so I put a lot of energy into it. This is exactly the type of energy we should display toward parenting.

A lot of people say they are passionate about their children, but do their actions match their words? Do you spend hours reading books on raising children? Do you attend any parenting seminars? Do you follow through on things you hear from other successful parents? 

Let’s face it. Parenting is hard work. It is hard to discipline your child. It is tiresome to take your son or daughter out to play catch after a long day at work. It is tedious to correct your aspiring baseball player’s batting stance every single time! It can even be expensive to offer your child proper instruction. You may have to sacrifice some of your own desires so that your child can benefit.

I believe making some of these sacrifices and having a very intentional attitude toward parenting is what separates great parents from just good parents.

I know for me personally I have to remind myself of the long term rewards when I tempted to stay on the couch and put on a video for my daughters. I will literally have to tell myself aloud “Think of their future. Think of the outcome. What kind of child do I want to raise?” It’s pretty comical but if I don’t think and verbalize my options out loud then chances are I will not ACT.

I challenge you to take some the same sort of intentional attitude. Make the effort. Even when you are tired. Even when you don’t feel like it. One day you will see the benefit.

Home Sweet Home

After a nice long summer vacation we finally are back home and settled. As you may have noticed I took a nice long break from the blog as well. It couldn't have come at a better time for this newbie blogger experiencing my first bit of writer's block! So in the coming days I'll have some new posts including some of the following:
            -A list of must read books
            -A response to a follower who had some great feedback on one of my posts
            -The latest challenges I've faced in my own household as a parent
So, I hope everyone is having a great summer and look forward to hearing from you all in the coming weeks! I'm always open to hearing new ideas and questions. We're all in this together!

Father's Day Special

This day is quickly becoming one of my favorite days of the year. Not only do I get to express my love and admiration for my best friend and father, but I also get to cherish the role that I play within my own household to my two daughters.


First, I want to thank my Dad for the positive force he has always been in my life. To this day, he is still calling and encouraging me on whatever the latest challenge is that I may be facing. I can remember being down after rough games and he would always be there for me. He would find a way to turn the negative experience into an opportunity for growth and introspection. He would encourage me to shake it off and give it another go. Most importantly, he was always there.

My first phone call after every game I played in my professional career was to my Dad to rehash the details and get his opinion. Even if he had his own obligations covering a game for the Miami Dolphins, he would find a way to speak with me from their locker room or team bus. Growing up, he was always a quiet presence in the stands of Little League baseball games, AAU basketball games, or whatever sport I was playing at the time. He never lashed out at the officials or screamed at me or an opponent. He just picked his usual spot in the last row of the stands and rooted for his son to do his best.

My Dad set such a wonderful example for me. I can draw from all the support he gave to me and demonstrate the same to my daughters. I can only hope that I can become only a fraction of the man that he is. I owe everything I have achieved and anything I become to him because of the foundation he laid for our family.

That is the thing I learned from my Dad. The role of father is central to any happy family. He provided love, extreme amounts of devotion, encouragement, affection, and support. When I think of the energy it requires fulfilling all of these roles on a nonstop basis for an entire lifetime, I am so truly thankful for my dad.

People always ask me if my Dad plays golf. They are surprised that he does not because he is a doctor and they figure all doctors play golf on Wednesdays and Saturdays! But nothing could make me prouder than when I give them my answer as to why he didn’t play. My Dad never played golf because of the time it required and every moment of his spare time was spent revolving around his children. His spare moments were always spent at a swim meet, tennis match, or football game. His passion and his hobby were the same – his family.

This is just another example of what an unselfish man that my father is. I am so proud to call him my Dad. Thank you, Dad, for always being there and for being such a great example. I owe all that I am to you. I love you. Happy Father’s Day.

Perfect Example

This morning I read an article in the USA Today that almost had me in tears. The story really was a great example of everything I want this blog to represent. It tells the story of Daniel Nava and his incredible story of overcoming the odds that were against him his entire life.
He was "late bloomer" who weighed only 70 pounds going into the ninth grade. He was cut by several teams. No one believed in him except his parents. But after years of perseverance he finally made it to his ultimate destination - the Major Leagues.
I've often talked about telling your children about positive role models that they can look up to. Well, this is one article that should be shared by all.
Enjoy the read and use this as a reminder of the important roles we play in our children's lives as encouragers, supporters, and pillars of stability.
By the way, my favorite quote from his parents was "We'll always believe in your dream."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/2010-06-14-nava-parents_N.htm