Rodeo Life

Category: A Higher Standard

  • Our success depends on the success of our students.

    Our success depends on the success of our students.

    Coaching students that want to get better is fun and for the most part it is easy. Students that are eager to improve show up to practice ready to learn and ready to work. If you have any doubts, go watch a practice of a college team.  I’m not talking about rodeo practice, go watch a good college football or basketball team practice. Within a few minutes you will be able to see the student athletes that are different from the rest.

    For coaches it’s easy to spot.  Athletes separate themselves by what they do and how detailed they do their work. It’s noticeable and they are coachable. Coaching is fun and exciting when you have students that are willing to embrace practice. Coaching is exciting to see students reach their full potential.

    Believe it or not—after a few practices every year I can tell you the students that have a chance to make the CNFR. I’ll repeat that, coaches can tell very early in you have what it takes to take your abilities to the next level. For everyone wondering what I am talking about, championships are won by the work you do in the practice pen. How coachable you are in the practice pen. Your attitude and effort that you bring.

    Coaching is easy when students listen to improve. That is becoming more and more rare. Now many students are only listening to reply. Instead of hearing what the coach has to say, they are just waiting to reply with an excuse or an explanation. As a coach—this is when coaching becomes difficult. How do you help someone improve when they can justify excuses to themselves and to coaches? Student athletes that have this attitude become very difficult to coach and honestly take the fun out of coaching.

    To be an elite athlete, students need to embrace being coached.  Hearing the things that are uncomfortable to hear. Making changes that are not easy to make. The old cliché to be different than everyone else to have to do things that others are not willing to do. Coaches want to see you do well.  Trust me.

    What most students don’t understand about coaching is that as a coach our success depends on the success of our students. For us to be successful we need our students to be successful. We need our students to be coachable. Coaching is fun and rewarding when we see our students be successful.

    For all the athletes out there remember your coach wants to see you be successful. Don’t take it personal when they hold you to a higher standard—they know what you are capable of.

  • Advice for Incoming Freshman

    My advice for incoming freshmen across the country. As a student athlete, let your actions speak louder than your words! College coaches make a million promises during the recruiting process, understand it won’t be as easy for you as they’ve made it sound. There will be adjustments and tough times, but they brought you there for a reason and believe in you!
    Some first-year tips for your first year on campus…
    Embrace your team as your family: Whether you are moving across the country, crossing borders, or staying close to home, things are about to change. Treat your coaches like your parents away from home, they are there to support, encourage, and discipline you. Your team mates are your siblings, there is bound to be some sibling rivalry (expect that) but your team mates will be your support system as you adjust to this new life. Other than your family, coaches and teammates no one cares how you do.
    At some point you will need help. If you are feeling overwhelmed, seek out support from your coaches or your teammates. There are tutors to help with classes, there are people to talk to if you are home sick. If you are having trouble adjusting, you are never alone. Seek out help when you are feeling swamped and let your community support you through the first few months. The home sickness will pass as you get more comfortable with your new schedule, and surroundings.
    Time management will be the toughest obstacle when you arrive on campus. Between class, practice, homework, rodeos, study hall, travel and a social life, your time will be spread thin. You need to prioritize your tasks and have good time management skills in order to manage and enjoy it all.
    Have a great attitude and enjoy the daily process, be someone that your teammates and coaches want to be around. Too many freshmen get frustrated and bitter too quickly over their struggles. This is a process, enjoy the ride. Your freshman year will be over quick! It’s not about how quickly you start your career, but what you are able to accomplish over your entire career. Have a great attitude while developing during your first year as a student athlete!
    Understand there are opportunities to learn and improve every day! Practice is your biggest opportunity, take advantage of it. Every Single. Day
    Film your practices and at rodeos, let it be a great reflection of your skills, speed and maturity. The film doesn’t lie. Watch it with your coaches, seek to improve through watching film.
    Do the work that others won’t do. There are many ways to improve, but most of those involve hard work. Do the drills on the dummies that others won’t. Put in the work in the weight room that others aren’t willing to. Go to study hall when others go out.
    Surround yourself with positive teammates. As a freshman with few friends, choose your circle carefully. The people you choose to surround yourself with will go a long way in determining your success in the classroom and in the arena. Keep your distance from those who don’t have the same goals and dreams as you.
    Your college experience will be as good as you make it.

  • June & July Are The Months of the College National Finals Rodeo

    June and July are the months of the College National Finals Rodeo, The National High School Finals rodeo, the Best of the Best, the National Little Britches Finals, and the International Finals Youth rodeo. For many of the young contestants that are coming up through the rodeo ranks, these are the biggest youth rodeos they will have ever competed in for national championships. Today I had a parent ask me what my best advice to get a student ready to compete at one of these events was. How would I prepare a student to go to one or more of these events?
    Every year since 2007 I have helped college students prepare to compete at the college finals in every event. In every case, there is a difference in the competitor, but I do believe there are a few things that students can do to better prepare themselves to compete at a high level.
    The first thing I see is that students who continue to compete are usually better prepared. Practice is great and you need to continue to practice, but there is no substitution for competition. Find rodeos to compete at, find jackpots to compete at, but make sure you are competing. You should be willing to step out of your comfort zone and compete against a higher level of competition than you usually compete against. Enter an open roping, enter a pro rodeo, the top contestants you will be competing against at any of those events listed above are competing at these events.
    The other main thing I see is that most contestants spend the majority of their practice time and efforts practicing on the physical side of their event. The majority of contestants I know put in plenty of time in the practice arena working on the physical elements of their game. Where most of the money and championships are won are with the mental side. I will say it again most of the championships are won by those contestants who are strong competitors mentally.
    Focus should go into practice to prepare yourself both physically and mentally if you want to compete at a high level of any sport. Most people like to practice with ideal circumstances and their choice of livestock; that’s great in a perfect world. Most rodeos are won by contestants and competitors who can win on what they draw and do not need the proverbial luck of the draw to win. Mentally strong people seem to always find ways to win consistently. Work on your mental game.
    And the final advise I give to all of my student competing—You can’t win it on your first one, but you can lose it. Very seldom does anyone remember who won the first round of the CNFR or the High School Finals, but they all remember the champion. Most of the rodeos I mentioned are three or four head averages. You have to do well on three or four head to win. Have a game plan and be able to execute your game plan on each individual animal you have drawn. Good things happen when you can execute a game plan.
    Good Luck!