How To Develop Effective Judoka Part 2: “Making A Change: What’s Required For Success!”
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010If you haven’t have the opportunity to read yesterday’s transmission, please check it out here: http://www.thejudocrusader.com/?p=1254
If you have…. Let’s begin..
Staying right where you are is so comfortable. And to be honest with
you, that’s why so many do it.
I remember one person telling me how they had to change churches after
going to one for 10 years. I asked them why.
They said, “well, I needed a new perspective. A new way to look at the
philosophical premise which I subscribe to.”
I immediately thought about judo and how so many people fight and
argue about what they think judo is and what they think it isn’t.
The silly thing about such arguments is this - everybody is right and
everybody is wrong.
To me, in my profession, judo is a sport. Nothing more, nothing less.
I am hired and called upon to provide results, and most of the time
immediate results.
I have been accused of providing “quick fixes” and I will admit to
that without hesitation and I’ll tell you exactly why.
When I am hired, more often than not, I am hired for a tournament, a
match, a fight and/or to have a positive impact on an upcoming event.
I don’t usually get 12 and 18 month contracts where people can wait
for results. People come to me because they want to win and they want
to win NOW!
And guess what?
I’m in business because I DELIVER!
One of the best opportunities that I had was an opportunity to train
Taraje Williams-Murray for 3 years from 2005-2008. It was good to be
able to develop a 3 year macrocycle for continuous improvement.
I also have the greatest and most fulfilling challenge in front of me
as the Head Coach for the Bahamian Judo Federation.
This due to the fact that I’m not only coaching athletes but creating
a paradigm shift culturally within and about the sport nationally.
I’m creating a foundation for success by”selling” the parents,
athletes, families and federation on what is necessary for success.
In a year’s time we have created a team that has gone from practicing
judo 2 times a week to practicing judo twice a day for 6 days.
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Let’s Be Honest
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If you are a parent, you know how stressful this can be with the commuting and the travel. But let’s face it. There’s a difference between being a recreational judoka and an elite level judoka.
Sometimes its not the kids that can’t hack it…… It’s the parents LOL!!
I’m sure you know that my initial attrition rate was high.
Parents thought, and some still do think, that I’m crazy.
People thought such practice was abusive but yet and still they would welcome 2 hour track
practices in 103 degree heat in order for their kids to have a chance
to grab a spot on the Bahamas track and field 4×400 meter team.
Or 4 hour baseball practices in the heat.
Why?
Well….culturally these are acceptable and judo just was not.
But that’s part of being successful in judo.
You MUST sell judo everyday.
You have to sell it to the parents, the kids and quite honestly sell yourself on the idea that you are doing the right thing
for “the program”.
As the National Team Coach, it is also my charge to make sure that the
grassroots program has multiple channels of inclusion and 2 of
exclusion.
Meaning, we must make the grassroots programs available for all and
create activities, teachable moments and learning activities to keep
the students in the program. If they want to remain as grassroots
players they should be able to do so for life. With 2 exit option but
3 real ones. Those are to:
1.) Continue as a grassroots player
2.)Quit
or
3). Move to the elite level program.
The educational process of all of this is difficult but amazing.
Making quality choices so that the practitioners have options is
important as well as educating them on what it means to be a
grassroots level player (club player) and what it means to be an elite level player.
Simply put, you have to change the minds of the parents and the players.
What they thought was “good” before, in terms of being REALLY GETTING GOOD, is not “good” at all.
And then whats even harder to get people to buy into is that we don’t really want to be “good”. We want to be GREAT.
Well, being good sometimes comes with getting kicked in the “teeth” being great….. kicked in the neck!!! LOL
Everybody wants the SUGAR, but nobody wants to eat the s–t! LOL
Kinda like what they say in church…..”everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.”
WE had to kill and are still killing the old way of thinking about judo…. (for the elite players). WE LEAVE THE RECREATIONAL PLAYERS ALONE!!!!! YOU MUST!!!! (I won’t get into that but I cover that in Judo Success Secrets for the school owners).
Tomorrow’s topic: “How To Develop Effective Judoka: Teaching Invisible Judo”
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Closing
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I am in the process of re-releasing Judo Sucess Secrets. It will be
here in August. These emails are setting the tone, foundation and
conversational landscape so that I may answer your question with the
re-release of Judo Success Secrets. Many people are finally
understanding what I mean when I say that being good at judo has
nothing do to with judo. Nothing at all. Its about governing yourself
professionally and KNOWING what to do.
Take care and have a great day.
Dedicated to your success,
Dr. Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
http://www.GripToWin.com
http://www.UndergroundGripfightingSecrets.com
http://www.NewazaMadeEasy.com
