Tag Archives: athletics

Inspiration

Don’t look defeated, show determination

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Recently I attended my daughter’s volleyball tournament, and a few of the teams were more highly skilled than others.

During the tournament, Daylyn’s team played one of the higher-skilled teams. And quickly, the other team was dominating on the scoreboard.

Most of the girls, including Daylyn, were hanging their heads and had the look of defeat even though the game was only half way over. And yes, of course, they got slaughtered.

After the game, Daylyn told me she was embarrassed and disappointed with her and the team’s performance.

I told her, you will always face stronger opponents in everything you compete in, but don’t let them see you’re mentally defeated. Instead, show your opponents and teammates the look of determination.

Show everyone that you might be getting beat on the scoreboard, but you’re still going to out-hustle everyone on the court and give your very best.

Now, think about it. We all face challenging situations in our everyday lives. Sometimes, we feel like we’re getting beat up and want to drop our heads and give up. This will only make us feel more disappointed in ourselves.

Don’t let your opponents or situations know they are defeating you. Learn to create a game face with grit, determination and fight your way back into the game of life.

Just know, Daylyn was in that game situation again, but she had the look of a warrior and battled to the end.

If a 15-year-old athlete can learn life lessons, so can you.

Now, go look in the mirror, make the scariest game face imaginable, and tell yourself that no one will defeat you again. Take a mental picture and next time you’re feeling defeated, pull out that game face and win the day.

From this day forward, defeated is no longer a part of me. This world will only see determination.

Inspiration

Tap into your inner strength, overcome life’s challenges

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Recently, I visited my daughter at school.

As we were enjoying our lunch, I noticed a student with a long cane strolling along the walls feeling his way through the cafeteria. Daylyn told me he was deaf and blind, and this is how he maneuvers through school.

What was impressive to me, even though there was an adult supervisor, how he was still able to independently get his own food tray.

I told Daylyn to think about his daily routine. All the medial tasks we take for granted are his challenges, but it seems he has overcome them.

We can find unlimited stories and videos on YouTube with people who overcome their challenges to accomplish amazing feats of courage.

So this made me wonder, the only handicaps are the ones we accept of ourselves.

People we perceive as handicapped have learned how to tap into their inner strength and overcome life’s challenges.

We all have that same inner strength but chose to be complacent and lazy to glide through a boring and unhealthy life without any purpose.

I asked Daylyn, “why don’t we all attack the world with that type of determination and better our lives and those around us?”

According to Webster, the definition of handicap is “a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult.”

So, what about you? What’s your excuse? The only thing keeping you from progress and success is you. Accept it, embrace it, and do something about it.

Get off the couch and make a promise to yourself that now is the time. Take control of your life and be the person you daydream about.

Take that inner strength, bust through all barriers and make our world a better place because you’re in it. We need you.

Fitness, Inspiration

In sports or in life, what did you do next?

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2015

A common phrase I ask my children during their sport’s competition is, “what did you do next?”

We’ve all witnessed professional basketball players miss baskets and cry to the referee that someone fouled them, while the other team is hustling down the court to score. 

I told my son Dylan, who plays basketball for his high school team, that eventually someone will block your shot, and the opponent’s crowd will be screaming at you. But, it’s what you do next that will shut them up. It’s up to you to cry foul, or you can out-hustle, steal the ball back, and take another shot.

My daughter plays competitive volleyball, and sometimes she misses a block, dig, or has a bad serve. But, it’s what you do next that will determine the proceeding outcome. You can either show teammates a bad attitude or accept it’s part of the game, and make the next big play.

Over the past few years, my family uses the phrase, “what did you do next?” in all aspects of life. 

My kids have faced different levels of bullying and typical teenage drama, but they’ve become accustomed to handling those situations. 

What about you? Do you have challenging situations at work or home? When something happens to you, what’s your next action or words? Do you confront with professionalism and rationalism, or do you respond with anger and aggression? The later typically only makes the situation worse.  

Notice, people who stay cool and rational during adverse situations can diffuse problems peacefully. Also, these people typically receive occupational promotions and better life partners.

We all face challenges on a daily basis, but it’s how we respond to them that determines our true character. You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can always control how you respond.

So, next time you’re playing sports or are in challenging situations, ask yourself, “what do I do next”? I bet you’ll be the better person standing.

Fitness

Be smart but make the most of the summer heat

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Back in the 1990s, I was an assistant football coach for La Marque High School. During one of those years, another coach rented a room out of my house. Throughout the whole summer, he refused to go outside during the day. He spent most of his “off-time” on the couch, watching TV, and basically being lazy.

All summer, I kept telling him to exercise outside and get acclimatized to the heat. He would laugh at me as he chugged down another liter of soda.

Well, the first day of practice started in August, and after about three hours in the sun, two football players had to carry him off the field from heat exhaustion. I just shook my head as I watched him vomiting with wet towels wrapped around his head and neck.

Of course, there’s a lesson here, but I’m not going into detail about Texas summer heat common sense. We all have heard numerous times to wear hats and sunblock, stay hydrated, and only exercise outside early or later in the day. Hopefully, you’ve figured that out by now. 

But, I am telling you to go outside, feel the heat, and make your body sweat. We are human beings and should be a part of nature.

How did our grandparents survive the heat? They were in it every day in order to make a living. My dad was a football coach, and starting in June or July, would jog in the heat to prepare for two-a-days. 

What has happened is we are too caught up with all the indoor lazy activities and entertainment. Our children don’t play outside like we did. Growing up, all the kids in my neighborhood were riding bikes and playing sandlot football. I didn’t want to go home, mainly because my dad would just give me a bunch of chores.

Create outside projects because I’m sure there’s something that needs fixing or painting, do your own lawn work and gardening, chase your spouse or kids with a garden hose, help a neighbor, ride a bike. The list is endless to each individual’s situation.

Enjoy the beautiful sun radiating on your skin and let the sweat cleanse the impurities built up from the winter. Be ecstatic and happy with the ability to flow along nature’s path

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Inspiration

Go from good to great in your life

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2015

During my kids’ sports seasons, we had a serious discussion. I wanted them to recognize their potential skill level in order to improve their game.

I let them know that they are really good players like most of their teammates. But, now it’s time to separate yourself and become one of the great players. 

Great players fight to the end, no matter what the score reflects. Even if your team is getting slaughtered, you should be the leader that never gives up. Be the player who wants the ball with seconds left, and defend like your life depended on it.

You want to walk away knowing you put in every effort possible. That my friend, will earn you respect from players and coaches. 

We should all take that “great” attitude into our adult lives in order to truly accomplish goals. Are you a good or great employee, spouse or parent? 

If you’re trying to improve health, do you exercise and diet sometimes or every day? 

Who’s the leader in your family, work place or community? 

Challenge yourself, step up your game, and attack each day with full focus on the tasks at hand. Develop the habit of winning and not accepting defeat. You only fail when you give up. 

When life becomes a challenge, it’s your opportunity to develop strong character. 

Don’t tip-toe through life and settle on being just good at something. Learn to go from good to great. 

As the late, great Zig Ziglar always stated, “see you at the top.”

Inspiration

Paying tribute to heads of large households

By DAVID TEPERA | Posted: Wednesday, February 11, 2015

This article is a tribute to the parents of large or blended families with children in multiple activities.

I, too, am part of a modern day blended family. Between my spouse and I, we have one teenager in college and four very active teenagers in multiple sports in three different schools. Yes, our house is a crazy house sometimes.

Here is a typical day out of the week — 4 p.m. basketball game at one school, 5:30 p.m. basketball game at another school, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. baseball scrimmage and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. club volleyball practice.

And, yes, between the both of us, we make it to all of these to cheer on our kids.

Don’t forget, there is dinner, laundry and homework during and after all of this.

I’m sure there are lots of families who can relate. We chose long ago to not see this as a burden or sacrifice, but to embrace and cherish every moment. We recognize our kids will only be with us for a short period of time.

Just know, if your kids don’t appreciate you now, they will once they have their own children. Believe it or not, you are their role model and they should want to grow up and be the same type of awesome parent.

Our children’s successes in sports, academics and any other activity lie completely in the hands of parents.

I give my standing ovation to all you amazing parents because we see you in the stands with us.

Like I told my spouse, no matter how crazy and challenging the days are, we all come home together at night to sleep in our loving home.

Sometimes at the end of the day, I feel like the family in the old Waltons TV show. I lie in bed and want to shout out “good night John boy”.