When I was technical director of Softball Canada, we started true national teams. Prior to this, the national champion would represent our country, bolstered with a few players. The problem was some teams weren’t the best ambassadors for our country. We decided to pick the best players, period, regardless of what team they played for.
At our first camp for our men’s team, we had 25 or so fragile egos assembled. Most of these players were used to being the best on their teams. Suddenly they were place in a university residence competing for the right to represent Canada. It became so stressful that one player simply left the camp halfway through.
As I mentioned, we were staying in a university dorm. This meant reasonably small, shared rooms with communal washrooms down the hall. Upon waking up, the players would meander towards the toilets to relieve themselves.
One of the coaches, Terry, did something very small that made a very big difference in the attitude of the players.
Each night, after the players had turned in for the night, he put a cartoon that he had enlarged at the doorway of the washroom. Each one was a guaranteed laugh, not just a snicker, but a real belly laugh.
Can you imagine the effect that this had on each player? Players would awaken hearing the sound of laughter. What a positive start to the day!
Think about what you can do each day to start the day with laughter and positive thoughts.
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