31Jul/12
Ralph LaTesta Speaks to members of the BC Leadership Council
ORADELL---Most football programs choose to only deal with the physical grind of a football season, setting up weight lifting schedules for their athletes in the off-season, while constructing daily practice plans during the season so that every physical repetition completed can push the team that much closer to?their ultimate goal. ?At Bergen Catholic, the mental aspect of the game is also cherished alongside the brute strength nature of football, and this commitment to strengthening one's mental toughness is found in the?innovative?Leadership Council which grooms the young student-athletes into the leaders of tomorrow on and off the field.
The Leadership Council is now in its second year of existence in Oradell, and much like its collegiate and professional counterparts, this council helps Bergen Catholic's football program grow from within by putting the student-athletes at the forefront of many team decisions and gives the players a chance to lead by example and help shape the overall culture of the program. ?Their feedback is truly valued by the coaching staff, and the students are taught how to deal with issues concerning their fellow teammates while also developing a strong working relationship with their coaches. ?This dual investment, made by the coaches and the players, creates greater trust and accountability on both ends, and fosters a better working environment overall.
Ralph LaTesta is the brains behind the Crusader Leadership Council, and along with assistant coach Ron Carti, has helped to institute this unique program at the high school level last year for the football program. ?A personal development and self-improvement trainer for the past decade, LaTesta understood the importance of laying a foundation of leadership in athletics, and was encouraged by Nunzio Campanile to introduce a Leadership Council at BC.
"Our goal is to develop selfless leaders that inspire others to pursue the goals of the team and serve as positive role models that demonstrate the expected behavior of a Bergen Catholic student-athlete on and off the field."
The Council itself is composed of an array of football players, ranging from 4-5 sophomores, 6-8 juniors, and 10-12 seniors. ?The players and coaches meet beginning in February and convene every 2 or 3 weeks, so that there is always constant communication between the leaders and the coaches. ?There is no off-season from being a leader, and those selected to represent the team in this group understand the responsibilities and expectations placed upon them to be of the highest character at all times.
"One of the greatest things about the council is that we don't take into account whether or not you are a "player'," LaTesta said. ?"Selection is solely based on whether or not you embody the characteristics we are looking for."
Before the real preseason practices begin, the BC players chosen to represent their team begin to file into a Leadership Council meeting in one of the classrooms in the senior wing. ?Their eyes intently focus on LaTesta at the front of the room as he speaks to each of them in a calm manner, as he touches upon each of the hallmark topics that they focus upon with each meeting: developing leadership, setting and achieving goals, mental toughness, keeping a positive attitude, and overcoming adversity.
The positive tone is incredibly refreshing in this day and age where negativity seems to rule in every?evaluation?and analysis. ?These players are told to mentally prepare themselves for the upcoming weeks of two-a-days and the grind of August before the bright lights of September. ?Each player is instructed to then visualize themselves reaching their ultimate goal of a state championship and the joy involved in that special moment. ?This is all part of the mental training that is vastly important for this 2012 edition of Bergen Catholic, because not everything this season will be a physical hurdle as there will be plenty of mental roadblocks that must be cleared along the way.
This Leadership Council has proven vital in helping Nunzio Campanile and his entire coaching staff help to program the Crusaders for success in everything that they do on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom. ?Leaders are being made not just for their time on the gridiron, but in hopes that they become leaders in their futures thanks to what they learned as part of the Bergen Catholic football program. ?The?positivism?is infectious, and the cornerstone belief that visualizing success gets you through tough times is being preached by the coaches and the players. ?BC has certainly put in their share of?physical?training this off-season, but it might be their commitment to mental preparation and leadership that sets them apart in 2012.
ABOUT DAN LONG
Dan Long graduated from Bergen Catholic in 2003 where he was the Sports Director of BCTV and coined the immortal phrase "Crusader Crazies" for the raucous BC student section. He is currently the radio voice of Bergen Catholic football, the founder of DL Sports Media, and a weekly contributor to BergenCatholicFootball.com.
Source: http://bergencatholicfootball.com/2012/0
whitney houston in casket photo resolute national enquirer whitney houston casket photo jk rowling qnexa kingdom of heaven national enquirer whitney houston
Source: http://rucakk.livejournal.com/93451.html
james van der beek dyngus day indonesia quake stephen strasburg shabazz legion baby found alive in morgue
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.