Mastering The Fundamentals

In Today's Post, Paul Lubanski Delivers A Powerful Message To Youngsters Across Globe As It Relates To The IMPORTANCE Of "MASTERING THE FUNDAMENTALS" Of Any Sport Or Business Endeavor ... Another MUST READ!

By Paul Lubanski

From my perspective as a two-sport professional skills instructor, the single most poignant declaration from an elite-level athlete I have ever heard came from former Detroit Red Wing netminder Chris Osgood, as he sat mired in an unusual and uncomfortable playing-slump about 10 years ago. It was about that time when he said the following:

"I just have to get back to executing the basics--you know--the fundamentals that brought me here in the first place."

Wow! Amazing!

Those few words honestly uttered by Chris could be the most educationally powerful of any for young aspiring athletes attempting to battle and/or jockey his/her way into the big-time "show" --in any sport--anywhere around-the-world.

Furthermore, his message transcends sports and melds directly into our daily personal and business lives as well.

Let's take a moment and analyze just why what Chris had put forth is so, so profound. Brilliant really--most especially in its simplicity.


First, Chris reminds us that in order to excel we must have first mastered the fundamentals related to the task at-hand if we harbor hope of rising to best-in-class within that respective competition. Again, regardless of the sport or personal business pursuit--Osgood's message is dead-on.

Now consider accomplished artists, musicians, MBA's or even bricklayers whom all had to pay the price to build the muscle-memory necessary (i.e. ingrain-the-fundamentals) to forge ahead with their careers. If they had not, there would have been nothing to have fallen back upon or as it  were "right-the-ship" and re-direct their paths to stardom when disarray arose. ( As Chris has demonstrated the importance of and ability to do so-so many times throughout his--in  my opinion--Hall of Fame playing career.)

Again, the aforementioned individuals all put in the requisite time and dedication to hone their craft/particular expertise in such a fashion so as to outshine the average competitor by building a magnificently sturdy skill-base. There-in lies the true magic of what Osgood was referencing and delivers to us precisely why it is so profound.

Of course, specific to hockey, we are talking about mastering a wide range of core building-blocks such as posture, puck handling/control, shooting and all aspects of the skating game including balance, agility edge control, stopping and starting, crossovers and stride.

In closing I thought it most appropriate to leave you with the following quotation and it comes to us courtesy of boxing legend Muhammad Ali--who most acknowledge as one of the finest athletes of all-time. His words closely parallel Osgood's regarding how critical it is too have devoted the energy and grit to erect the framework mandatory to  propel a person to greatness. Ali said this:

"Most people think I won the fight out there in the ring, under the bright lights and in front of millions. No--not true. I had already won the fight-- weeks. months and even years earlier sparring in an empty gym and training on a lonely back road."

Best of luck.

BONUS TIP

The subject matter of today's column should convince youth ice hockey coaches across-the-world that having their youngsters work on enhancing their skills throughout the ENTIRE season is tantamount to superior leadership. In fact, I would submit that 90% of each practice clearly be devoted to such--each time on the surface--ALL YEAR LONG!


Connect with Paul directly via:  The PPP/Paul's Puck Pathway's Youth Hockey Consulting Company he formed in partnership with partnership with THE CHICAGO YOUTH HOCKEY BLOG.


You can find his children's books--"Bonky, a Moose and the Magic Hockey Stick" and "Just Leave it to Coopie" on www.amazon.com--keyword Lubanski.



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