The Empowered Beginner's Mind: A Key Component to Reaching Your Greatest Potential Both On and Off the Field

I’ve been involved in athletics since I was able to walk.  I’ve played field hockey since the sixth grade and have had the opportunity to play at the Division One level as well as participate in the NCAA field hockey Final Four in 2001.  Also, I’ve been coaching since 2006 at the middle school and high school level.  I guess you could say I’ve been involved in athletics throughout my life.  It’s in my blood.  Now in my thirties, I can look back and recognize how athletics (especially field hockey) have helped shaped my personal approach to and way of being with life.  One key component I notice is what I would like to call “the Empowered Beginner’s Mind.”

So, let’s break down this idea of the Empowered Beginner’s Mind:

What is the Beginner’s Mind?  A term coined by Zen Master Suzuki Roshi, Beginner’s Mind is an esoteric concept that refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and a lack of preconceptions, even when the student is advanced, just as a beginner in the subject would.  How does this relate to field hockey?  We cannot continue to grow and excel as players on the field (and in life) when we are so solid in our preconceptions.  Certainty builds walls, creates hardness.  Beginner’s Mind is fluid and open.  I have seen how I have done this throughout my life (on and off the field) and understand how only we have the power to create walls or dismantle them for further growth and evolution.  I have also witnessed this in teammates, coaches, and players I’ve coached.  Olympic field hockey players practice the basics of the sport every time they step on the field.  This demonstrates how there are necessary foundations to be valued, but we must remain open to the unknown as well as our own personal evolution.  There is always room to grow from our foundations, but one obstacle that prevents us from this growth is our own unwillingness to let go of the idea that we have all the answers and that we have mastered the field. 

The idea of the Beginner’s Mind does not indicate lack of confidence.  This is where the empowered Beginner’s Mind comes to play.  What is empowerment?  Empowerment doesn’t mean that you are the greatest player in the world.  Empowerment means that you are giving all of yourself.  Empowerment means decide what to be and go be it!  Even that alone is empowering.  It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake on the field.  Be open to learn from it and, with all of yourself, adjust and do something about it.  Empowerment is knowing you can do something about it.

Strictly from a coach’s standpoint, there is nothing more beautiful than working with players who are open and receptive to information AND who are grounded within their own power to apply what they’ve learned in a myriad of different ways.  I’ve had players who mastered the skills and knew the fundamentals but were not completely open to applying them on the field.  I have had players who had so much potential but lacked the confidence to apply themselves on the field.  Then, there are the players who just think they know it all, no matter what.  All of these scenarios are ways in which we can limit ourselves.  By bringing a texture of an Empowered Beginner’s Mind, we create space for our knowing to grow (our skills and understanding of the game) and for ourselves to step into our own power (believe that we are boundless and capable). 

I hope that, in some way, this was beneficial to you on (and off) the field. 

Cory Terry, M.A.

Ocean City Field Hockey Coach

Transformational Life Coach

CAMP RECAP

We would like to thank all of the amazing athletes that we worked with at Xplosive Sports Academy the last two weeks in July.  We had a great two weeks of hockey, selfies, weather and the X Games.  We hope that you and your team had a fantastic time, learned something and will be able to take what you learned and apply it to your season.  We enjoyed working with each and every one of you and can't wait to hear about how your team does during the season.  If you have any questions about training, hockey or anything else, please don't hesitate to ask us.  We have included the videos from both slideshows for you to enjoy and can't wait to see you next summer.  Seniors, please let us know where you decide to play in college so we can follow your collegiate career as well.  Good Luck with your season and give us a shout out on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!

XOXOXO

TEAM XPLOSIVE

JULY 20 - 23 

JULY 27 - 30

THANKS FOR A GREAT SUMMER!
CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR! 

TRAINING TO WIN

Get into the gym.  Running around at practice or on the track might keep you in shape but it won't help you get stronger.  If you want to beat an opponent to every ball or get that starting position on Varsity, get into the gym and build some muscle.  That doesn't mean "bulking up".  It means forming a strength base so your body can move efficiently through space and help to prevent injury.  Don't be intimidated by the weights or the male dominated atmosphere.  BE CONFIDENT in your training goals and maybe find a training buddy that is as motivated as you.

Don't just "fake it 'til you make it".  In the gym, there is the typical group of people who just hit 1 set of 10 reps on 3 or 4 machines, not even breaking a sweat.  This is pointless.  Don't just walk around and stick to the machines because you are unsure or insecure about what to accomplish.  Field hockey players need to train full body, ground-based movements; machines cannot accomplish this specificity of training.  If you're going to make the effort to get to the gym then have a plan that will at least accomplish the following:  1. Train total body and full range of motion, 2. More free weights than machines, 3. Makes you break a sweat. 

Free weights!  Why are free weights more beneficial for athletes than machines?  Free weights require more balance, coordination and stability; 3 things that you will need to become an elite athlete.  Athletes need to learn how to control their muscles in different planes of motion, so when they need to change direction their body is prepared and strong enough to recover without losing speed or explosiveness.  Machines limit your ability to train for powerful, multi-directional movement.  Prepare your body for what you would encounter during practice or a game; therefore, train multi-directional and get your butts off those machines.

Get some help.  As much as I encourage using the gym more often, I would highly recommend seeking some help,  It can be hard to know what your body is capable of and how hard to push yourself.  It can be confusing trying to understand what exercises to choose and how to plan a workout to reach  your peak performance.  There are many variables to consider when planning a strength or speed program that you shouldn't have to worry about if you find a coach.  Xplosive Sports Academy offers camps and individual training to teach field hockey players the right and safe way to train.  So, after you decide to get into the gym and train like a champion; then the next step is finding a coach to help you become a champion. 

Leave your comfort zone.  No one got stronger, faster or more athletic by training in their comfort zone.  The basis behind building strength is progressive overload on the muscles.  Simply put, you must stress the body.  Don't be afraid of pit stains and muscle soreness.  Training is meant to be hard but there is no better feeling than accomplishing a goal that seemed impossible to reach a few months ago. 

Personally, I did not become a serious field hockey competitor until I started to train like every day was a championship game.  So get ahead of the pack by training hard on and off the field today! 

Guest Blogger:  Bridget Settles

PLAYING DIVISION I FIELD HOCKEY: NOBODY SAID IT WOULD BE EASY...

You hear former athletes say it all the time… “I wish I could go back and play”.

 You listen to them reminisce, listen to the memories they made with their teammates and hear about all the grueling workouts and years of training that they endured. And while it’s just all a little too nostalgic for you, you think…”what’re you crazy”?

I remember my first couple years of college at The University of Michigan like it was yesterday. I specifically remember alumni coming back to visit and listening to them talk about wanting to get back on the track, or go to early morning weight lifting and conditioning workouts. They missed the 4 hour off season indoor practices…and I would quietly think to myself, “Are these girls nuts?! I’d do anything to be finished!”

Isn’t that the way it always seems…you know that old cliché saying…you just don’t know what you have until it’s gone…

I want to help change that. Maybe you’ll find a little inspiration from my words, maybe you won’t. But if I can get at least one young female athlete to change her mindset just a tad sooner than I had, I’ll be happy.

Whether you’re currently in college or still enjoying middle school and high school hockey it doesn’t matter. I still had the same dream to play Division I Field Hockey from the time I could understand what exactly Division I meant, up until I officially signed my letter of intent. It was my dream to go to a wonderful school and to compete at the highest collegiate level, and with some hard work, dedication and the right support group I was able to make that dream a reality.

Sure Division I may not be something you want and that’s okay! I want girls to find what works best for them from an athletic and educational standpoint. Girls should not feel pressured to go on to play at any particular level – whatever they want they should go after. I just so happened to chase after Division I.

It was not easy by any means but I have always said, what’s life without a challenge?! And a challenge it was!

I remember the adjustments I had to make (just like every other college athlete). I was 9 hours away from my family, learning how to be on my own, take care of myself and become independent. I remember having to create even more of a balance between school and hockey – college classes were no joke and I needed to maintain a certain GPA to remain eligible.

 You truly had to find a way to make it all work - your studies, your training and competing, along with your social life…hey, after all, I did want to experience college for all that it was meant to offer!

Don’t get me wrong, I loved my school from the second I walked onto campus for the very first time my junior year of high school. However my first and second year there weren’t the easiest. In fact I found myself miserable with school and even more so with field hockey. I dreaded going to practice, seeing the coaches, and was always paranoid with what was coming next. Workouts gave me anxiety (as if I hadn’t been prepared enough from my Eastern High School Field Hockey coach). It all just seemed like I was in slow motion, in fact it seemed like I was just going through the motions, trying to get from one day to the next.

I knew I wanted more for myself and that I needed to change my way of thinking.

My sophomore year offseason is when things started to look up. We actually had a coaching change and our team really came together that offseason and I had felt bonds that I had never experienced before. In college I really understood what being a team meant – these girls became my closest support system – we were living the exact experiences, struggling and fighting for a common goal day in and day out – there was no other choice but to hold onto one another – we had all needed each other more than ever and the second I finally realized that I began to see a change in myself.

The second I realized what hard work meant I saw a change. The second I understood what it meant to give more of myself, for a cause that was bigger than myself was when I saw a change. It was like something had snapped within me. I no longer viewed weight lifting, conditioning workouts, practices, and games like they were all one big chore. An early morning conditioning workout soon became a motivator, “let’s do this, let’s get after it and kill it”. Weight lifting sessions became my all time favorite as I constantly would increase my weights and continue to get stronger and stronger. Field hockey games were more like, “Ok, who am I gonna lay out today?”

It was like a complete transformation. Working my tail off with my teammates was fun! Yes I said it, it was freakin’ fun! And my Junior year when my teammates and I captured the Big Ten Conference and Tournament Championship we felt unbreakable. It was like hard work had never felt so good and it was addicting, a natural high.

My senior year I went on to lead my team and was selected co-captain. We clenched another Big Ten Championship and made our way to the Elite 8. Although our journey ended there, I was so proud of my girls, the girls that I fought with day in and day out. It wasn’t training, it was fighting – fighting to keep the dream alive, to striving and never, ever, giving up for what we wanted to accomplish.

My big take away from my college experience – I wish I found the mindset sooner. My saving came from my teammates – those that picked me up, slapped me around, gave me that tough love and said, hey it’s time to start living because this is all about to pass you by!

Whenever I look back on those 4 years I get pumped up. And here I am – the former athlete now telling you, I’d give anything to go back and do it all over again and to compete. Not because I have regrets, but because when I finally understood what it all meant, I had truly felt like I was living the dream – my dream, and it couldn’t have been a more rewarding feeling.

I take all of those lessons and experiences with me every day – and I encourage you to do so as well. Those lessons will stick with you for the rest of your life and they’ll make you better for it.

So my advice for you, if you’re chasing the Division I dream, or any dream for that matter – Get over it now! It’s going to be hard, it’s going to hurt. You will struggle and you may fail one or two or even three times – but that’s the beauty of the journey…getting back up and growing and learning and living!

Go into your college experience with the mindset that you can’t be broken, that every day is an opportunity – an opportunity for anything – growth – hardship – dependability – leadership – hard work – commitment – learning – experience – pleasure – fun! Realize now how satisfying it will be to give yourself to a cause bigger than yourself. Basically what that means – it’s not all about you anymore, and instead it’s about each individual bringing their own piece to the puzzle. It’s a collection of hard work, fighting spirit, ride or die attitudes from each individual, and putting it all together to battle for that common goal.  So stop going through the motions and start fighting for your dreams. Live the legacy that so many before you have worked hard to build and always think of ways that you can leave it behind for others. Remember if it was easy they wouldn’t call it life! Change your mind, get right and just get EXPLOSIVE!!

 

~Jess Allen

TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Hear from Xplosive Team Member Geena Lesiak on how to take YOUR game to the neXt level!

Take Your Game to the NeXt Level from Trae Tol on Vimeo.

THE PROPER WAY TO TRAIN YOUR CORE

Athletes everywhere are looking for an edge.  For me, as a doctor, I love being able to tell athletes about tools that get them the performance they want while reducing injuries.

One set of tools in particular is shown to reduce major knee injuries in female athletes while also improving vertical jump height by an average of 3 inches.  These same tools are associated with improving a pitcher’s performance (lower WHIP) while reducing elbow and shoulder injuries.  When I use these tools with field-sport athletes I see more powerful and accurate shots on goal and passes.

So what are these tools? They are core and balance training.  You need them because a stable core keeps the many joints in your spine stable so you don’t lose power as you run, jump, pass and shoot.  No, this isn’t about just making your abs more “ripped”. I’m talking about the core muscles that are deeper than your six-pack muscles and the small muscles deep in your hip that keep you stable.

Every coach will have their favorites, but these three exercises need to be part of your routine.  Do each for one set before you warm up and for two sets after your work out as your part of your cool down.

Belly breathing:

When we breathe a weak core can cause our backs to arch.  Belly-breathing can help you feel your deep core muscle working.

Step 1 – Lie on your back with your knees flexed.

Step 2 – Put a hand on your chest and another on your belly.

Step 3 – Breath in through your nose so that your belly expands, your chest doesn’t rise and your back stays in contact with the ground.

Step 4 – Breath out through your mouth while trying to bring your belly-button down toward your spine.

Step 5 – Take five breaths.

This isn’t how you usually breathe, but it helps you feel a muscle deep in your belly, the transversus abdominis, that expands and tightens your core.  If this muscle gets stronger, all the muscles that stabilize your spine work better. Stable spine = less energy lost in sports & fewer back injuries.

Bridges:

After belly breathing, bridges help get the deep hip and back muscles to fire correctly.  If these muscles are weak, then every time you take a step in running you lose momentum as your hips sag.  This means you’re slower and less powerful.  This also puts your back and knees at major risk.

Step 1 – Lie on your back with your knees flexed.

Step 2 – Activate your core with one deep breath out through your mouth.

Step 3 – Lift your bottom up off the table followed by your low back and mid back.

Step 4 – Hold this position without sagging for 5 seconds.

Step 5 – Return back to the ground slowly starting with the mid back, low back, then bottom.

Step 6 – Do five repetitions.

Anti-rotations:

A lot of people train their cores with moves like crunches and resisted rotation.  However, most have trouble remaining stable and balanced during simple movements.  In a game, having better balance will translate to more accurate passes and shots. Try this exercise with a partner.

Step 1 – Stand on one foot.

Step 2 – Have a friend take elastic bands or tubing and hold it on the same side as the leg you are standing on.

Step 3 – Hold the band out in-front of you with straight arms.

Step 4 – As they tug the band, maintain your balance and resist rotating your body.

Step 5 – Do ten repetitions on each leg.

Dr. Leon Scott is the owner of Sporti Pediatrics, Sports and Dance Medicine in a suburb of Nashville, TN.  He is a leader in youth athlete development and injury prevention.  He completed all of his sports medicine and pediatric training at Harvard, Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis after attending college at the University of Virginia.  He has been the team doctor for groups from the Boston Ballet and various University programs in Boston and St. Louis.

GOALKEEPING TIPS

1. Footwork: Just because GKs don’t run up and down the field doesn’t mean we don’t have to be just as fit as the rest of the team! Working on quick, small footwork and explosiveness will take your skill—and your confidence—to the next level. Speedy ladder exercises and short sprints should be included in every practice or training session!
2. Vision: While a speedy forward is bringing the ball down the right side of the field, her teammates on the left side are quickly setting up to deceive your defenders and you behind your back. Make sure you’re aware of what’s going on in key places in the circle—the top of the circle, the stroke mark, and the far post—and use those communication skills to call out which players need to be marked ASAP!
3. Patience: It’s crucial to know when and how to engage with a player 1v1—especially when forwards are being trained to make GKs commit too soon only to pass to an open player while the GK is down and/or out of position. Down-numbers situations and 1v1s with your teammates at practice are great ways to hone your decision-making skills so you can choose when to hold your angle and when to challenge a forward—and do it with confidence!
4. Short-Term Memory: No matter the score of the game or how weak the last goal was, GKs need to know how to bounce back and get our heads back in the game before a defensive pity party or blame game snowballs into a several-goal deficit. Reset your mind and your determination after every goal, and if need be, call your defense together for a short huddle to regroup before play starts again. Few things are more detrimental to a potential comeback than a down-trodden defensive unit. 
5. Communication: as the quarterback of the defense, it’s crucial that GKs know how to effectively command their defense. Get together with your defense & discuss phrases and words you’ll use so they know exactly what you mean when you yell “Mine!” or “Off your left!” Here are some key calls that all GKs should use when directing their defense:
1. “Laura, you’ve got #18!”: The most simple but important calls to make in the circle is telling your defenders to mark specific players. Rather than alerting all your teammates that a player is open, choosing the one in the best position to mark the open player takes any guesswork or hesitation away from the group.
2. “Sophia, you’ve got ball!”: Calling players to go to the ball goes hand-in-hand with calling them to their marks. Forwards taking open shots under no pressure can be dangerous—both for the score of the game and the safety of the players in the circle. Make sure someone is pressuring the potential shooter before she winds up for a shot; once the shot is being taken, call “shot” or “mine” instead to avoid deflections and injuries.
3. “Shot” or “Mine”: Both of these terms mean the GK is set & ready for the incoming shot—it alerts the defense to stay on their mark, to box them out to avoid tippers, and, importantly, to stay out of the way of the shot to avoid getting hurt. Choose your buzz-word and make sure your defense knows what you mean when you call it!
4. “Off your left/right!”: In down-numbers situations, it is crucial that defenders know where open players are in relation to the ball and to their own positioning. Letting them know if an open player is “off their right shoulder” or “off their left shoulder” tells them if they should hold their current defensive position or shift one way or the other while their teammates recover to mark the open player. 
6. Confidence: It happens to all of us—we commit too soon to a 1v1 only to realize midway there’s an open player on the opposite post, or we call our defender to keep a player to the left, when keeping her to the right would have probably been the smarter choice. No matter the mistake, nothing’s worse than changing your mind midway. Once you decide to engage a player 1v1, do it with confidence and don’t turn back—getting stuck in “no man’s land” between your angle and the ball takes a GK completely out of the play. Once your defender is working hard forcing a forward to one side, calling her off or telling her to switch sides will only weaken her defensive positioning—and her confidence in you. A confident GK who owns her circle can be an intimidating force for the opposing offense! 
   

GUEST BLOGGER:  Briana Pereira 

Briana played 4 years at Georgetown University.  She finished her career with 421 saves and led the Big East in 2011 in saves.  In 2012 she was ranked 17th in the nation in saves per game.  In high school, Briana was a Goalkeeping star from Shawnee High School in Medford, NJ.  Briana was 2 time Goalie of the Year in South Jersey and a Regional All American.  Briana attended Holly Shores Field Hockey Academy (now Xplosive Sports Academy) and has coached at the camp! 

HOCKEY BAG ESSENTIALS

It's all about preparation!

 Showing up to practice, training, or camp without the essentials can not only be a bit embarrassing, but it might also stop you from participating and getting the training you're supposed to! After all, that's why your going isn't it..to train and get better?!

 Xplosive Sports Academy knows just how important it is for athletes to be well prepared…from nutrition, to stretching…to yes - even packing your practice or training bag. So to help you out, check out your field hockey bag essentials below. Make sure you're prepared so you can maximize your training or practice time to get XPLOSIVE!

 Practice bag:

Chances are you have practice right after school and if you forgot something you're most likely not going to have time to head home to pick it up. Here's a tip…pack your practice bag at night before you go to sleep. The mornings are always a rush and you just may forget to put your shorts or sports bra into your bag! Write a list of everything you need and tape it to your door - it'll make packing easy, just like it should be.

 

Here are some things that should be on your list - practice clothes (that includes your hockey socks!). Make sure the clothes you're packing are appropriate for the weather. Remember, there's nothing wrong with wearing layers towards the end of season - you can always take things off. It's better to keep your muscles nice and warm and loose. Oh, and if you're field hockey team has issued pinnies, be sure not to forget that!

Shin guards! Mouth guard! Your coach might make you sit out or run laps around the track if you don't have these two important pieces of gear! You don't want an unnecessary emergency trip to the dentist anyway!

Do you practice on turf or grass? Maybe both? Have your turfs and cleats ready to go and if you're school was like mine, you should have your sneakers packed too - you never know when your coach is going to pull a pre-practice conditioning session!

Your water bottle is a definite. If you like to mix it up and drink a flavored sports drink too, throw a propel or Gatorade in your bag. It's also not a bad idea to pack a granola bar, or my personal favorite - a Clif bar. Clif bars have about 10-12 grams of protein packed into each bar. If you need a boost or something light to eat before training, these are great to have in your bag.

 

We may be athletes but we are girls after all! We still like our hair lookin' good! Make sure you have enough hair ties, bobby pins and headbands packed - so your hair stays in place and you're still able to get work done and look fly!

Last thing….uh-h-h your HOCKEY STICK! What's practice without it?! Now, this next item doesn't have to be something that's packed in your bag but I'm gonna' throw this at you anyway while we're talking about your hockey stick. Ever heard of a shammy? These things are great and I wish I knew about them back when I was in high school. Shammies wrap over the grip of your hockey stick, they're soft and help prevent blisters from most of the tougher grips that your stick is made with. When I started playing with them it was like my hands were touching heaven! You can order a bunch online and they come in all different colors - usually about $5.00-$10.00.

Camp bag:

Your camp bag is most likely going to consist of the same things as your practice bag (that is if your not doing an over night camp) but you might want to throw a couple more things in there. Camp might tend to last longer to where it's an all day type deal. Make sure you have some healthy snacks that you can munch on if you need them throughout the day. It's important to keep your body fueled with energy…and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Most camps will have their camp store where they'll sell a bunch of cool gear and apparel. If you see something you like, run it by Mom or Dad and see if they'll throw ya a few bucks! I remember my famous line…"But Mom, I really need it!"

Camp is fun! You're meeting new trainers, coaches and other specialists. You'll be making some great memories with your team or other players that you'll attend with or meet along the way. Throw your camera in your bag to snap some shots throughout camp. Xplosive Sports Academy loves to see you making memories and having fun while you're training hard and playing the sport you love…you should too!

 And last, but certainly not least….

You're not training right if you're not training with your XPLOSIVE wrist band! If you read the blog post about our bands you'll know why athletes train with our XPLOSIVE wrist band. It's your constant reminder of how important it is to form good habits, on and off the field - form good habits and train XPLOSIVE!!! There's just no other way!

 

Jess Allen

 

 

Jess Allen earned a full scholarship to University of Michigan where she was a three year starter. After a stellar career at Michigan she moved to Brussels Belgium and continued to play abroad for a division team there. She is very passionate about field hockey and we are proud to have her as part of the Xplosive Team!