D.C. Divas Exact Revenge on Undefeated Pittsburgh, 21-13 Full Story and Highlights

Neal Rozendaal

Landover, MD – After starting the season with a 1-2 record, the D.C. Divas were reduced to playing the role of a spoiler.

The past two weeks, the Divas have played that part to absolute perfection.

D’Ajah Scott scored all three of the Divas’ touchdowns – including the game winner with under three minutes remaining – and the D.C. Divas sent the Pittsburgh Passion down to defeat for the first time this season by a 21-13 score. In consecutive weeks, the Divas avenged their two losses on the year and positioned themselves for a shot at home field advantage throughout the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) playoffs.

The Divas (4-2) started the game on offense with a promising drive. The Divas picked up four first downs on their opening possession, the last coming when running back Shelly Freeman took a swing pass 11 yards to the Pittsburgh 28-yard line. But another huge gain by Freeman was wiped out by a holding penalty, which stalled the drive. After ten plays, the Divas were forced to punt the ball to the Pittsburgh 27-yard line.

The Passion (6-1) threw three incomplete passes on their first drive and punted to the D.C. 38-yard line. The Divas initially picked up a first down on an 11-yard pass reception by Lois Cook, but the catch was wiped out by an illegal shift, which brought up third and 15.

Pittsburgh then capitalized on the Divas’ first big mistake of the game. D.C. quarterback Amanda Congialdi’s pass was picked off by Pittsburgh’s Angela Baker on third and long and returned all the way down to the Divas’ 13-yard line. Two runs by Pittsburgh running back Ashley O’Neil brought up first and goal at the one-yard line.

The D.C. defense almost made a dramatic goal line stand, stuffing Pittsburgh on three straight plays for no gain. But on fourth and goal, Ebony Montgomery beat the D.C. defense to the pylon and scored on a one-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick was successful, and the Passion took a 7-0 lead with 3:27 left in the first quarter.

The Divas gained some momentum back on the ensuing drive. Congialdi kept the drive alive with a 13-yard run on third and five, breaking into Pittsburgh territory as the first quarter came to a close. The Divas trailed after one quarter, 7-0.

But once again, the drive stalled. Three straight plays for no gain forced the Divas to punt for a touchback, and Pittsburgh took over at their own 20.

Both defenses then took control in the second quarter. D.C. linebacker Tia Watkins came up with a nine-yard sack on third and 13 that resulted in a Passion punt to midfield. But the Passion defense proceeded to force a four and out, sacking Congialdi on fourth down near midfield to give the ball right back to Pittsburgh.

Not to be outdone, the Divas’ defense responded with their own four and out. The Passion decided to go for it on fourth and 15 from their own side of the field, and Pittsburgh quarterback Lisa Horton threw incomplete on fourth down to turn the ball over on downs at their own 42-yard line.

Blessed with great field position, the D.C. offense powered through for their first score of the game. Kentrina Wilson made one of the key plays in the drive, catching a 13-yard pass from Congialdi on third and six at the Passion 13-yard line. D’Ajah Scott blasted through the defense with a 12-yard run to advance the ball down to the one, and Scott then finished the job with a one-yard score. Stephanie Nealis booted the extra point through the uprights, and the Divas tied the game, 7-7, with 3:10 left in the first half.

The Passion tried to respond immediately with a great kickoff return to the Divas’ 31-yard line, but the D.C. defense was up to the challenge again, forcing another four and out. Genaya Davis made the tackle two yards short of the first down marker that gave the Divas possession again at their own 23-yard line. Davis led the Divas with five combined tackles, while Watkins and Dex Walker added four combined tackles each.

The Divas bled most of the remaining time in the first half, punting with six seconds to go in the second quarter. One final desperation pass from Pittsburgh fell incomplete, and the Divas and Passion were deadlocked at halftime, 7-7.

The second half began as a defensive battle. Both teams went three and out and punted on their first possession of the second half. The Divas’ punt was partially blocked, which gave the Passion possession at the D.C. 38 to start their second drive of the half.

The Divas defense rose up again, leading to yet another Pittsburgh four and out. Tia Watkins pressured Lisa Horton into an incomplete pass on fourth and nine, and the Divas took over at their own 25-yard line.

With nine minutes left in the third quarter, the Divas began to flip the field position on the Passion. The drive started when Kentrina Wilson caught a 21-yard pass near midfield. Wilson ended the game as the Divas’ leading receiver, with eight catches for 73 yards on the evening.

Two long runs by Congialdi set the Divas up with a first and ten, 11 yards away from the Pittsburgh end zone. Scott ran for seven yards on first down, giving the Divas second and three from the Pittsburgh four-yard line.

Then the Passion defense engaged in some clever gamesmanship. The Pittsburgh front seven all began screaming in unison as the Divas’ offense came to the line, drowning out the snap count. The result was three consecutive false start penalties on the Divas, turning their second and three into a second and 18. The Divas would proceed to turn the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth down at the Pittsburgh 25-yard line.

The Divas’ defense had gained control of the game, however. For the third straight series, the Pittsburgh offense was unable to muster a first down, going three and out and punting to their own 44-yard line.

The D.C. offense faced fourth and three from the Passion 37-yard line as the third quarter drew to a close. The Divas and Passion were still deadlocked at 7-7 with one quarter left in regulation.

Amanda Congialdi made one of the key plays of the game as the fourth quarter began, rushing for three yards to open the period and narrowly picking up a first down. Three plays later, she found Wilson on a nine-yard pass on third and nine to move the sticks again.

Shaquanda Gainey then got in the act, catching an 11-yard pass from Congialdi to give the Divas first and goal from the two-yard line. Scott carried it over the goal line from there, giving the Divas their first lead of the contest, 14-7, with 9:07 left in the game.

Staring at their first deficit of the game, the Passion took to the air on their next possession. The Divas’ pass defense stood tall; seven straight Pittsburgh passes fell incomplete, and although a pass interference penalty briefly sustained the drive, the Passion turned it over on downs at the Divas’ 37-yard line with 7:19 left on the clock.

On the Divas’ next drive, Congialdi threw the ball deep on third down and was intercepted at the Pittsburgh 38-yard line. The Passion could not convert their second turnover of the game, however; after one first down, Horton threw incomplete on fourth and eight from near midfield with just over four minutes remaining in the contest.

D’Ajah Scott inserted the dagger two plays later. Taking a short pass from Congaldi, Scott weaved through the Passion defense and scampered for a 52-yard touchdown reception. Scott’s catch put the Divas on top, 21-7, with just under three minutes left in the game. D’Ajah Scott finished the game with 13 carries and three receptions for 108 total yards and three touchdowns, two on the ground and one receiving. Amanda Congialdi completed 13 of 26 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown through the air, and she also led the Divas in rushing with 60 yards on 12 carries.

The Divas now had a two-touchdown lead, but the Passion made a final desperate push to cut into the deficit. Horton found Rachel Wojdowski for a 46-yard touchdown pass with 1:07 left in the game, and although the extra point kick attempt was blocked, the Divas’ advantage was trimmed to 21-13.

The D.C. special teams sealed the game, recovering the ensuing onside kick attempt and allowing the D.C. Divas to run out the clock on a 21-13 win over the Pittsburgh Passion. The victory over the previously undefeated Passion helped the Divas narrowly move into the #1 ranking in the nation with two weeks remaining in the regular season. The Divas will host their regular season home finale on June 9 against the New York Sharks.

Fit At 45 Fitness Model Mom

Karen is 45 and FABULOUS!!

I’m so proud of today’s Fit at 45 Fitness Model Mom Karen! Karen has been a vivacious part of the Hitch Fit family for quite some time (she began her transformation with in person training with Hitch Fit Transformer Amy Gipson in Overland Park!), so I was thrilled when she decided she wanted to work with me through the Hitch Fit Online Fitness Model Plan! An injury had her sidelined for quite some time, so she was ready to get back to great shape! Her “after” photo shoot with photographer Brandi Wisdom, was SO much fun. This hot little mama has so much positive vibes and love for life that impact everyone around her, and it was a COLD day in Kansas City, so we had a blast getting her fun, inspiring and beautiful photos. Karen’s daughter Vivi cheered her on throughout this entire journey! Amazing job Karen! You are crushing 45, and what an inspiration to the moms out there who want to get in their best shape, and also an example of being resilient and coming back after injury!! So proud of you!

Karen’s Before and After Weight Loss Stats:

Starting weight: 126

Ending weight: 108.4

Starting body fat: 24.78%

Ending body fat: 18%

Karen’s Before and After Fit at 45 Fitness Model Photos:

Karen’s Story and Hitch Fit Online Personal Training Review:

“My journey to a healthy life style started four years ago when I was diagnosed with Pre-Cancer. After going through this scary situation I knew I had to make a lifestyle change and take good care of my health. I started researching what healthy programs were available out there and did several online programs until I was referred by a good friend to Hitch Fit. In 2016 I did a bikini model program one on one at the Hitch Fit Gym in Overland Park  with beautiful Hitch Fit Transformation Trainer Amy Gipson.

As I was on week 7 of 12 I went through a knee injury and could not complete the program as I had to focus on my knee recovery. I took a long break and obviously I wasn’t feeling my best. I got side tracked and it hit me in 2017 that I had to do something about it and commit. I was determined 2018 I was going to be MY BEST!! My best meant physically, emotionally,  career wise and spiritually.

It was so inspirational listening to Micah  and Diana in December when they set huge goals for themselves for 2018. I said to myself, “If they can do it I can!”

That’s when I decided to register to an online personal training program with Diana.

I started my 12 week Fitness Model Program with Diana mid January.  Huge goals were set forth and I knew if I follow her instructions and not cheat I was going to be successful.  I trust Diana and week to week she was there for me. One thing that struck me was I was getting ready to travel to Roatan and was not sure my gym options and without even asking for it, Diana sent me a strength workout that I can do anywhere.  That meant no excuses for not working out while on vacation  .

Besides her support I received support from my co-workers who never complained of the smell of brussel sprouts when having lunch in my desk! LOL!  My manager gave me boxing gloves to wear on Cardio days at Title boxing, his wife gave me a beautiful red bikini, I met a wonderful man that has been very cognizant of where we go out to eat and has never asked me to give up the gym to hang out with him. Big heart and great listener too. He may not know it but his support is huge.

My daughter Vivi is my biggest fan. From time to time I also trained with Amy and when I was getting tortured with heavy weights and about to fall to the ground Vivi would say ” You can do it mama!” ” Don’t give up! ” , ” You are strong!”

I love the Hitch Fit family! I call it a family because we all support each other and I really enjoy surrounding myself by positive wholehearted friends.

It’s only May of 2018 and I look back to the first week of Jan and I feel I reached my goals. I feel I’m the best version of myself. Career wise I am where I always wanted to be, emotionally and spiritually I have so much inner peace . I’m so grateful and feel very blessed. As we speak I’m going to keep going and set myself new goals.”

Program Choice: Fitness Model Over 40

How to Increase Sales Volume Significantly Through Local Online Advertising

Presented on US Sports Net By Yahoo Small Business

By: Erik Welker The success of any local business depends solely on sales volume. It’s been said in business time and time again that "volume fixes everything." And these days your advertising dollar is more important than ever. If your current marketing budget is not returning a high enough sales volume to churn out a decent profit, then it's time to make a change. The first question for most business owners is "where do I begin?" Let's start with a few facts. Most local business owners have a limited budget, very little free time and extremely limited knowledge of how the Internet works. But they know for certain they should be advertising online within their local community. Many local business owners have already taken the plunge into the online community but are now scratching their heads trying to figure out why their website is not working as well as they thought it would. And that brings us back to the question of "where do I begin…" The entire online advertising process begins with your website. Over 90% of the websites on the Internet today are not geared properly for success. These days it's very easy to find a web designer to create a nice looking website but, unfortunately, a nice looking website is only the tip of the iceberg. Your local business success depends on a lot more than just a pretty website. At the very least, your website should contain some sort of "call to action" as well as professionally written ad copy. Most web designers are not business oriented and therefore do not understand what a call to action is. Most web designers are also not professional copywriters. Get accurate business listings across top directories with Localworks from Yahoo If you are not properly educated on at least the basic fundamentals of how the Internet actually works, then it's going to be extremely difficult for you to shop around for a web designer that not only builds a great looking website with a call to action, but also has the ability to make sure your website is optimized for top performance on major search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. If your website is built on an old platform like HTML, then it's going to be nearly impossible for you to compete with other business owners in your local area who are using a more advanced platform like WordPress or Joomla. A "platform" is simply the type of construction that was utilized to build your website. You could actually take two identical websites that looked exactly the same, and if one was built on an outdated HTML platform and the other one on a WordPress platform, they would perform very, very differently on the Internet. And even if you are using a platform like WordPress, there are still over 1 million plugins to sift through to make your site optimized for the search engines. In other words, a Web designer who is not skilled and proven in business and/or who does not understand the intimate details of Google and Yahoo's algorithms is not qualified to work for you, hence the reason why so many local business owners have websites that are costing them money month-after-month rather than bringing in additional revenues and a significantly higher sales volume.

If your local business already has a website and your website is not helping to attract more customers and increasing your sales volume significantly month after month, then unfortunately your web designer has very little knowledge of business and/or search engine optimization. As a local business owner, your job is to save money every chance you get, but your website is something that you should not try to cut corners with. Your website, along with proper advertising, can be more effective than any form of off-line advertising you can possibly think of including the yellow pages, newspaper ads and even radio advertising. The world is changing rapidly, and so is the way that most consumers find products and services in their local marketplace. If you cannot be found, you are losing valuable sales volume that could mean the difference between profits and bankruptcy. There are several techniques available to help you decide whether or not to utilize a particular advertising company to help you promote your local business online. The first thing you should do before choosing an online marketing agency is to look at their overall ranking. There is a Google owned website called Alexa.com that ranks tens of millions of websites on the Internet based on their quality, value and traffic. If you visit Alexa.com and type in the website address of the company you are contemplating using to build your website properly (both on the front end and the backend), they should have a good "Alexa ranking." If they are not at least in the top 1.5 million and they have a copyright date on their website of more than one or two years, then look for someone else. Yahoo Small Business Web Hosting - Build a great web site with our easy-to-use tools If you already have a website and you want to determine how well your site has been constructed by your web designer, simply visit websitegrader.com and type in your website address to see what kind of grade your website gets. If your website has a grade of lower than 75, then once again it's advisable that you have another, more qualified company redesign and/or reconstruct your website. Even if you like the look and feel of your website, it's possible to "migrate" your website to a better platform with the right plugins that will optimize your performance. Erik Welker is the Founder of SteadyStreamOfCustomers.com, a company that specializes in WordPress migrations and Local Online Advertising.

CoachTube Presents: Bailey Brown (Men's) Basketball Recruiting Video - Class of 2019 and How can I improve as a coach?

Bailey Brown (Men's) Basketball Recruiting Video - Class of 2019 [Video Below]

Presented on US Sports Net by CoachTube Basketball!

How can I improve as a coach?

• By Tom Kelsey
 

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The coaching profession has always been intriguing to me. Coaching is different than other occupations because there is not an exact playbook. Nothing on what to study in college, how much education is needed, what to look for in a first job, what level or if there is a need to specialize in a particular area.

During my career, I have been able to have different roles and different levels. From the NBA to the NCAA, women’s professional basketball, the NAIA and high school and middle school. From across the world to across the country.

What I have learned is there is no set path and no set step 1, 2, 3 for coaches to follow. What I also learned early in my career was to seek out and get advice from other coaches. I became a head coach in college at the age of 26. There was no internet, no social media, no online training.

I was on a quest to find out How can I improve as a coach?

I had to figure it out. I asked questions. A lot of questions. I started to pick as many brains as possible to get as much information as possible. From academics to marketing, to running a camp, to communication skills, to how to beat a press, how to attack a trapping zone, to what to do late in the game. I asked coaches and others involved in the game of what does it take for a coach to advance in the profession.

Now, later in my career I still ask a lot of questions. But my goal is different now. I want to find out not only for myself, but for other coaches as well.  

How can I help a younger coach, a frustrated coach, someone looking to making a career change into coaching or a veteran coach like me who just wants to learn?

Recently I asked individuals I knew who were either in the profession or had been in the business for input. Here is what I asked them

“If you were to give advice what would you tell a young coach about how to advance in the coaching profession?”

This advice could be how to prepare for the next job or how to improve in their craft to be the very best where they are right now.

Take the advice from coaches who have been there. They say experience is the best teacher. Not always true. You can use someone else's experience to help make your path more smooth. If you can avoid pitfalls and wrong steps why not take the advice of someone who has already walked the path?

Enjoy the input from those from all levels and all roles across the country.

“Communicate, be confident, prepared and precise. Players will see a lack of confidence and preparation as uncertainty. Therefore they will not trust you. Tell them your plan and the time in which you will work. Players work harder when they know the beginning time and most importantly the ending time.  

I keep a quote in the back of my mind from Bear Bryant: "I cannot treat all players the same, but I can treat them all fairly."  No one is above the team. Every player will have responsibilities, some more than others. Those that have more are required to do more. It is important that this is communicated. It is very important to listen to your players, be willing to learn from them and implement their thoughts.

If a coach is a former player, it is important not to compare players to himself or his playing days. Players resent comparisons and the coach will become frustrated.”

Keith Askins

Miami Heat

Director of College and Pro Scouting/Assistant General Manager

“I’m a pretty good story when it comes to this topic…   I didn’t play college basketball and was a self-starter in the business.

1.      Network, Network, Network…  with the right guys.  Drop notes in the mail, best way.  Texts are so impersonal.

2.      Work hard. People will see your hard work and appreciate it

3.      Be humble. You may have to sweep the floor, I still do that’s ok.

4.      Get coaching experience no matter the level.  I was an assistant HS coach when in college

5.      Get your Master’s degree so that you can apply for all jobs, no limitations on your degree.

6.      Work the camp circuit.  Camps are a great way to meet coaches in a comfortable environment.

7.      Don’t worry about the money … only a very few make the millions.

8.      Attend Clinics and learn as much as you can.

9.      Be willing to relocate…”

Joe Esposito

University of Memphis

Assistant Basketball Coach

“Best advice I was ever given -

"Make yourself invaluable to the person you work for."

"Be able to do or handle things in every part of a program, so you always have a job regardless of the level."

"Don't wait or ask for a coach to tell you why to do. Bring ideas to them and seek them out."

Steve Prohm

Iowa State

Head Coach

“Young coaches should expose themselves in as many basketball activities as possible and develop a network of friends and associates that will promote you to others.  One of the best ways to position yourself to college coaches is working their summer camp.  Great camp workers impress coaches and are hired more frequently because of it.  Go visit with coaches in the summer and talk X's and O's.  Start your own coaching clinic.  It doesn't matter how small, it shows initiative and giving back to the game.  Run your own summer basketball camps, which displays leadership and organization.  Make the rounds at HS State tournaments, SEC tournament, Final Four, AAU tournaments, etc.  If you want opportunities to present, themselves get out there and meet people and show them what a Stud you are.”

Joe Dean

Birmingham Southern

Athletic Director

“Imagine a house. First is your foundation… and that starts with your passion. Your passion NEEDS to be for helping young men/women grow as a person. It all stems from that. If that is not the reason you are coaching, then your run in this business will be short. It may be good (or even great) for a few years, but it will never be prolonged. If your passion stems from helping young people grow and to become the best version of themselves, you have a fighting chance to be in this for the long-run. If that is the foundation, everything else is built from there.

The walls of the house are the answers to the following questions: 1) Do you have a passion and love for the game of basketball? 2) Are you able to be great teachers (and listener) to individuals, not just a collective whole? 3) Are you willing to sacrifice? 4) Are you a moral and ethical person? Those four questions will determine how sturdy the walls of your house are. If you have a passion for the game of basketball, you will immerse yourself in studying the in’s and out’s of the game from coaches at all levels and you will embrace studying tape of games, opponents, workouts, etc. That will drive your knowledge of the game, which will make you a better teacher of the game. Being able to dissect tiny bits of information on the fly to help teach the game to an individual and not just what is “suppose” to be said. Each player will hear your message differently based on their IQ, your tone, your temper, your distance, their fatigue, their mood, etc. Can you accurately communicate (verbally and nonverbally) and teach them so that they can learn?

Moreover, you need to sacrifice. You can’t just rise to the top of the coaching ranks without having to sacrifice quite a bit. Sometimes it’s time, money, relationships, distance, different opportunities, etc. What are you willing to sacrifice? Sometimes you will have to draw a line for family and your career, but when will that happen? Figure out what you are willing to give up to maybe make it in this coaching business?

Finally, none of it will matter if you don’t have morals or ethics. Your walls will crash to the ground faster than you can get out from under it and you will be crushed, along with the people surrounding you. It’s not just knowing right from wrong, but acting on right vs. wrong. Doing what’s right and that’s often hard to not do when the glamour or fame tempts you otherwise.

Last, but not least, every house needs a roof over their head. Your roof is your mentors. Who is willing to take you under their wing and advise you and keep you safe & warm until you are ready to leave the house? Who is willing to protect you from some bad storms and do their best to make sure you have what you need (IQ, advice, experience, etc.) to be the best version of yourself (like you do for others)?”

Andrew Farrell

Southeast Missouri State University

Assistant Coach

Rising Coaches Elite Founder

“First piece of advice comes from our friend and mentor Coach Meyer, and that advice is too "suck scum." In other words, be willing to do anything and everything in your current job to make yourself invaluable and seemingly irreplaceable.  Too many young coaches (and even seasoned coaches) spend so much time working on their next job that they don't do their current job well. "Own" your current job and your reputation will open other doors.

Second, it is important to network. The more people you network with, the more opportunities that will come your way. Regarding networking, be open-minded and willing to meet, get to know, and stay in touch with all.  I was once told a story that Rick Callahan, who was at the time a manager at NAIA Salem College worked Jim Boeheim's camp at Syracuse where he met and become friends with North Carolina's third assistant Eddie Fogler. Later, when Fogler took the head coaching job at Wichita State, he hired Callahan as an assistant coach -- from NAIA manager to Division I assistant. Callahan followed Fogler to Vanderbilt and South Carolina becoming Fogler's Associate Head Coach.

Regarding networking, I'm also a big believer in note writing -- something I learned from the late Stu Aberdeen. While email is effective, a handwritten note still goes a long way.

Third, have a social media plan. Social media is a way of creating your brand. Those serious in rising in the profession should invest time and even some money to meet with specialists and map out plan. Social media is not something to take lightly and a poor tweet or Facebook post and cost you a job down the road. Everything from your content to who you follow speaks volumes about who you are and what you stand for and more and more athletic departments will research this in the vetting process.

Fourth, avoid being a specialist coach -- aka. "Recruiting Coordinator," "Post Coach," etc.  be well versed in all phases of the game. Being a specialist will limit your opportunities.

For those at the high school, don't get all caught up on being a DI coach. There are great jobs and head coaches on the NAIA, DII and DIII level. These are great places to learn and develop your craft.

Finally, you must be a continual learner. Always look to grow your knowledge. Attending clinics is a great to expand your knowledge and make contacts at the same time. Visit with other coaches, attend their practices.”

Bob Starkey

Texas A&M

Assistant Coach

“Be the first coach to the office and last coach to leave.  Never let the head coach beat you in or you leave before he does!

Your job is to take care of everything for your boss and take it off his plate - do things before he asks you to get them done so when he asks you can say already taken care of!  Be a self-starter

Loyalty to the head coach you work for is the most important thing - he hired you!  You want the same respect when you become a head coach!

Spend all your time making the program you work for better - not working to get the next job - it always catches up with those guys!

Don't negative recruit - coaches that have to talk bad about other programs obviously have nothing to brag about on their own!

Get to know people on campus outside athletics - custodians, housing, cafeteria, admissions, campus police, business office, student life - they will help make your life easier and can get things done quickly for you if you treat them right!

You can't have a MILLION DOLLAR dream on a MINIMUM WAGE work ethic.”

Jeff Moore

Northwestern State University

Assistant Coach

“Go to as many coach related things as possible. Take your wife when you can, because she needs to be a solution, not another problem. Take notes, ask questions and enjoy the fellowship of the people you meet. It doesn't last long.”

Larry Bagley

Retired High School and College Coach

Current Louisiana State Representative

“Be around good people and be the best you can where you are. You are most likely to get your first job from someone you have worked with so you are really interviewing every day. Every job I've gotten is due to a tie from my time at Clemson at my very first job.”

Will Wade

LSU

Head Coach

“Pick a successful coach and program from a different sport (and different school) and study them..effective leadership and ability to manage a program is critical”

Brian Ayers

Belmont University

Assistant Coach

“First, make yourself irreplaceable in the current role.  Be someone who can get things done.  Second, have a passion for recruiting.  Third, network up, sideways, and down.  Up to where you want to be, sideways with people in the same situation, and down to others.  Lastly, be a great person who has a positive attitude and would never hurt the program with off the court issues."

Erik Konkol

Louisiana Tech

Head Coach

“I think the number one piece of advice I would give them is to develop a skill set or a specific skill that can allow them to add value to staff immediately.  Whether that's being good with video, operations, player development, scouting, being knowledgeable about recruiting and knowing players, photo shop, social media/marketing, etc.  Some are going to have more experience/knowledge in these areas than others but if they want to

A) gain entry into the profession

B) last and advance in the profession... Then focus on acquiring and developing skills that can help you be a difference maker for a program.

To truly do, so you must have an insatiable work ethic, a keen attention to detail and a desire for continual improvement/learning.

And the last thing I would say is...  Be loyal to your head coach.  Serve and support his vision. "

Bryan Tibaldi

Depaul

Assistant Coach

You see there is no blueprint in the coaching profession. But there are a lot of ways to get from where you are now to where you want to be.

Maybe you want another role in the profession, or to coach at another level, or you just want to maximize your ability. Hopefully, the advice here can help you in those areas.

If you would like to see other questions asked to coaches who have been there before or any other topic, please email me at coachkelsey@coachtube.com.

DISPELLING KETO MYTHS

Presented on US Sports Net By BPI Sports! 

When something becomes popular, it’s usually not long before naysayers start to tear it down. Such is the case with the ketogenic diet, a low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat approach to nutrition that has risen to popularity in the last year.

In our opinion, part of the reason for the haters is a lack of understanding. People seem to think of ketosis as a form of magic, when really, the biology is quite simple. Let’s use a car as an example. Today, you go to the gas station and fill up with diesel. Your car recognizes diesel as fuel and burns it to perform its regular functions. Tomorrow however, you decide it’s time to give your car an upgrade. You replace the diesel with super unleaded fuel. Your car recognizes this new fuel source and goes about business as usual.

Similarly, on a ketogenic diet, you are simply teaching your body to replace its regular fuel source, glucose, with a new fuel source, ketones. Poof! You are now a fat-burning machine! No magic needed. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s tackle some of the most common myths.

MYTH: AS LONG AS IT HAS FAT, YOU CAN EAT IT

The most common misconception about the keto diet is that it’s a fats free for all. As long as you hit your macros, you can eat all bacon, all the time, right? The truth is, all fats are not created equal. There are four types of fats: monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, trans fats and saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are known as the “good” fats. They can help improve cholesterol levels, lower your risk of heart disease and control insulin levels. Trans fats and saturated fats are the “bad” fats that can raise cholesterol, clog arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Try to base your keto diet around “good” fats and avoid animal fat (bacon, ice cream, cheese) and processed or deep-fried foods.

MYTH: HIGH-FAT DIETS ARE BAD FOR YOU

In the 80s, there was a phase when fats were completely villainized. As a result, fat was all but removed from many products and diets. Today, we know better. Your body needs fat. “Healthy” fats give you softer skin, protect your organs, produce important hormones, support cell growth, keep your body warm, encourage absorption of nutrients and vitamins, and are a great source of energy.

MYTH: THE BRAIN CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT GLUCOSE

The brain does, in fact, run on glucose, but it only requires about 30-50 grams per day. Although the easiest source of glucose is carbs, it can also be synthesized from protein. When you remove these sources of glucose, your brain starts to run on ketones. The brain of a fully keto-adapted individual gets up to 75% of its energy needs from ketones. The remaining 25% is obtained from the glucose synthesized from dietary protein.

MYTH: YOU’LL LOSE MUSCLE

Your body starts to break down muscle when it cannot find an energy source, normally glucose. So it could then be reasoned that on a low-carb diet, without glucose, your body would start to burn your muscle as fuel. However, that reasoning does not take ketones into account. As explained above, once you’re in ketosis, your brain is able to use ketones for 70-75% of its energy needs. The remaining 25% is supplied by the protein in your diet, which means your muscles are safe!

MYTH: THE KETO FLU IS UNAVOIDABLE

By committing to a keto diet, you are essentially switching from a water-retaining diet to a water-flushing diet. As you decrease glycogen, you drop water and as you lose water, you lose electrolytes. This is one of the main reasons people transitioning into ketosis sometimes experience flu-like symptoms. However, there are ways to mitigate your water and electrolyte loss. Drink at least a gallon of water a day and eat foods rich in the key electrolytes: sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Keto Weight Loss™ & Keto Aminos™
Supplementing your keto diet with Keto Weight Loss™ and/or Keto Aminos™ is another way to fight the keto flu. With both medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) salts, these products supply a “healthy” fat source and exogenous ketones to keep your body and brain sufficiently fueled.

SOURCE:
Ketokrate.com

Bhb salts Carbohydrates Carbs Diet Electrolytes Energy Fats Glucose Glycogen Keto Keto aminos Ketogenic Ketones Mcts Protein Saturated fats Trans fats Unsaturated fats

The Truth About Cancer Featuring: Why You Need a Strong Immune System to Fight Cancer - Dr. James Forsythe

---------------- Summary ---------------- In this video [below], cancer researcher Ty Bollinger speaks with Dr. James Forsythe, MD, HMD, Oncologist and Homeopath about the importance of a strong immune system to fight cancer. The full interview with Dr. Forsythe is part of "The Quest For The Cures Continues" docu-series. -------------------------------------------------- About The Truth About Cancer -------------------------------------------------- The Truth About Cancer’s mission is to inform, educate, and eradicate the pandemic of cancer in our modern world. Every single day, tens of thousands of people just like you are curing cancer (and/or preventing it) from destroying their bodies. It’s time to take matters into your own hands and educate yourself on real cancer prevention and treatments. It could save your life or the life of someone you love.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Inside The Truth About Cancer Docu-Series --------------------------------------------------------------------- Doctors, researchers, experts, and survivors show you exactly how to prevent and treat cancer in our 3 original docu-series: "The Quest For The Cures”, “The Quest For The Cures Continues”, and “The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest”. In our docu-series you’ll travel with Ty Bollinger who lost both his mother and father to cancer (as well as 5 other family members). Ty travels the country and the globe and sits down with the foremost doctors, researchers, experts, and cancer conquerors to find out their proven methods for preventing and treating cancer.

------------- About Ty ------------- Ty Bollinger is a devoted husband, father, a best-selling author, and a Christian. He is also a licensed CPA, health freedom advocate, cancer researcher, former competitive bodybuilder, and author of the best-selling book "Cancer - Step Outside the Box," which has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide. After losing his mother and father and several family members to cancer, Ty’s heartbreak and grief coupled with his firm belief that chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery were the NOT the most effective treatments available for cancer patients led him on a path of discovery. He began a quest to learn everything he possibly could about alternative cancer treatments and the medical industry. What he uncovered was shocking. On his journey, he’s interviewed cutting-edge scientists, leading alternative doctors, and groundbreaking researchers to learn about hidden alternative cancer treatments. What he uncovered help to create The Truth About Cancer and its 3 awe-inspiring docu-series’:”The Quest for The Cures”, “The Quest For The Cures Continues”, and “The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest.” Ty has touched the hearts and changed the lives of thousands of people around the world. Ty speaks frequently at conferences, local health group meetings, churches, and is a regular guest on multiple radio and TV shows and writes for numerous magazines and websites.

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D.C. Paramedic Fitness Test and Prevention

D.C. Paramedic Fitness Test [Video below]

Prevention

By: Michael A. Morales

The pediatric chain of survival is different from the adult for some very good reasons. Lets take a look at the first link; prevention. Unintentional injuries are the number one cause of death in children and young people in the United States. Most of these injuries can be prevented with proper education and information. If we can prevent an emergency from happening in the first place, we are that much more effective in saving the lives of our children. In an adult, child, and infant CPR First Aid class, it is the responsibility of the BLS instructor to not only teach students how to effectively respond to pediatric emergencies, but also how to prevent them from happening in the first place. It is not enough to just teach CPR. Since most of the students in our class will never actually have to do CPR on an infant or child (some will), it is important that prevention issues that have daily significance are addressed. In this manner instructors and training programs make the most of the time and also are able to effectively deal with emergencies before they even happen. Police Officer Drops 55.8 lbs and Feel Great For example: As I write this article I am at the park with my one and half year old son. A gentleman has just arrived to use the park to run his rather large Pit Bull Rottweiler mix....with no leash, around a park full of kids. Hmm… I have nothing against family pets, but animals by nature can be unpredictable, and in my own personal experience when someone says "he doesn’t bite" he usually does just that. This is why there are city ordinances made to "prevent" issues. That’s like riding in your car with all 5 of your kids, rushing through traffic because you’re late and no one is wearing a seat belt. I have seen my share of animal attacks and certainly am not interested in visiting the ER this morning. So I will take my son far out of any potential harms way. This would be prevention. Prevention in this situation might mean bringing the family pet at a time when there isn't so many kids. But today, for me and my son it means find a place to play with less of a risk. I like 0 risk factors. Prevention is a proactive way of dealing with emergencies, whereas CPR, bleeding control, etc., would be reactive. The reactive measures have there place, but the proactive measures give us the much more effective silent victories over emergencies and that is why prevention is the first link in the pediatric chain of survival. Early CPR The second link in the pediatric chain of survival is early CPR although a critical skill, its application is not necessary for every pediatric patient in an emergency situation. Those who are providing care should assess the victim to determine the most appropriate course of action. The pediatric chain of survival in not the pediatric "cardiac" chain of survival. Children are less likely to suffer from cardiac arrest due to heart disease and most often are found to require emergency medical assistance due to another type of circumstance that has caused them to stop breathing. In any case what is important to understand is that children cannot survive very long at all without oxygen. For this reason it is important that a lone rescuer who finds a child unresponsive assess the need for rescue breathing or CPR even before spending any time calling 911. Of course when multiple bystanders are present, calling 911 and the assessment of the child’s airway breathing and circulation can be performed simultaneously. Effective CPR is best when started immediately after the victim’s collapse. Studies consistently show that bystander CPR is most effective at producing the desired result when it is started immediately and has a significantly positive effect on patient survival. The keywords here are "immediately" and "effective". Poor CPR is almost as good as no CPR. Chest compressions need to be fast and hard in order to do the job right. Tactical Workouts  Revolutionary Tactical Strength And Conditioning Program Provides A Simple Training Blueprint To Help Cops, Soldiers, And Prepared Citizens Gain Tactical Muscle CPR includes chest compression and breaths. Currently as of this article, the ratio of compressions to breaths for CPR for the pediatric victim is 30 to 2 (30 compressions for every 2 breaths). CPR keeps oxygen rich blood flowing to the heart which keeps vital organs alive, buying the victim some time before advanced personnel arrive and take over. This can make the difference between a victim going home brain dead (if at all) or going home in a neurologically sound condition. We like success in dealing with emergencies when is comes to our children. We want to respond correctly and effectively when the time comes. This is done by correct training and education. Training is in the prevention link of the pediatric chain of survival. In the event that CPR is needed for a child, training can keep us from doing the wrong thing and quite possibly give someone’s child the best chance of survival. EARLY ACTIVATION OF EMS Early activation of Emergency Medical Service is one of the most critical elements of the pediatric chain of survival. If there is more then one bystander or rescuer the call should be made immediately upon recognition of a potential life threatening problem. It is preferable that the call be made from a grounded line as opposed to cellular phone, if the option is available. Many cities have an enhanced 911 system that enables the dispatch center to trace the location of the call almost immediately when a connection is made. Cellular service quality varies by service provider and location and should be used if there is no other alternative to activating the EMS system. When asking someone to make the emergency call for you, you will need to verify that the call is made and ensure that help is on the way. Have the person come back and tell you that EMS has been called. If you are the caller, speak slowly, and clearly so that the dispatcher can understand what exactly the emergency is. In some cases when there is a high call volume or disaster has taken place, there may be a busy signal or a caller can be put on hold. If it is a busy signal you will need to hang up and call back. If placed on hold, it is best to wait until a dispatcher is ready to take your call. Most of the time a dispatcher is available to take the call without any problems. However, it is important to understand that these problems can and do occur. Dispatchers are trained to ask questions in a way that helps them to determine what the priority is and decide what resources are needed. Depending on the region where the call is made, the fire department may respond to medical emergencies. This would account for a fire truck showing up instead of an ambulance. Most metropolitan cities where the fire department responds to medical calls, engines and trucks are staffed with paramedics and the appropriate equipment to provide immediate care as need. Remember in medical emergencies the closest available unit is what is needed. This could be a fire truck with a hundred foot ladder on it. However, the experience of the providers and the equipment and medications is what is needed and being made available. Dispatchers generally ask a lot of questions. The call will run smoother if the caller expresses what kind of emergency they have, and then let the dispatcher ask the questions from that point on. Taking a basic level CPR or First Aid class can help the community with understanding and recognizing emergencies and accessing emergency services. EARLY ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT ALS is the EMS acronym for advanced life support, which is a service provided by EMS. ALS services are also provided by emergency department and intensive care units. ALS providers have special training providing advanced emergency interventions that are often needed for patients that are critically injured or ill. ALS is highly dependant on BLS, which is basic life support. The skills taught in a CPR class are basic life support skills. If BLS is not provided, or is done poorly prior to the arrival of ALS care, the chances of the survival of the critically injured or ill decreases rapidly. Therapies like endotracheal intubation, administration of drugs and other advanced interventions will often be found to be useless if the victim has been without oxygen for some time. This is why the basic life support (CPR) class is so important. Providers of ALS have to maintain advanced level certifications like, advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and pediatric advanced life support (PALS), every twos years in order to understand the current guidelines and to have their competency evaluated. Some EMS systems and agencies require ALS providers to have and maintain multiple certifications in order to qualify for employment. This is not only in the best interest of the public, but the ALS provider as well. Science is constantly progressing, and newer and more effective methods of providing the best patient care are constantly being developed. So it is important that providers are brought up to speed with the most current changes in emergency medicine. Those who work in emergency services must also maintain a minimum amount of continuing education hours in order to maintain licensure and certification. The amount of hours varies by region but is generally between 48 and 60 hours every two years, in addition to being actively employed in patient care. Today, emergency care really excels. Paramedics, emergency department staff, and surgery teams, working together save many lives on account of there dedication and commitment to excellence. Emergency teams are constantly being pushed to higher standards, and those who have been in EMS for along time will agree, we have come along way in just a short time. Although ALS care is the last link in the pediatric chain of survival it is a vital one. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and when all of the links in this chain are intact, this will give the pediatric victim of injury or illness the best chance of survival. Michael Morales EMT-Paramedic Michael Morales is an EMT paramedic and director of education for Vital Ethics Inc., providing basic and advanced life support training and certification programs.  http://www.vitalethics.org/acls-classes-nm.html http://www.vitalethics.org/acls-classes-ge.html http://www.vitalethics.org/