Principles of Principals

I hear a consistent demand for empathy and caring.  "Whatever men expect they soon come to think they have a right to: the sense of disappointment can, with very little skill on our part, be turned into a sense of injury." - C.S. Lewis My Drill Sergeant was screaming in my ear, "When I say get down, you get down! You don't pass go! You do not collect $200! You grab your ass and you get down and stay down until I call all clear! Nod that giant cranium of yours so that I am sure you hear me!" Nodding as I stood there, his breath hot in my ear, round brown tapping my temples and my heart pounding , I had a deep sense of regret and responsibility wash over me.  That particular day, hot and humid like all the others, soldiers were receiving training on the hand grenade range. The safety briefing was understandably intense, instructions concise, clear. My instructors rapid fired scenarios at us to test our reaction times. They left out empathy. No sympathy. Nothing bu

  Another post about wrestling? Sheesh! Yes. Dear readers, though you be few, indulge me if you will. I've written about how wrestling teaches equity through diversity . What about good conduct and character? Well, imagine you've done all you can to prepare for your competition. On match day, you are sitting in the weigh in queue, pondering the sacrifices - skipped meals, extra hours of fitness, tutoring sessions, just one more switch or take-down drill...and it hits you that you've done all you can.  Your coach comes over and let's you know what your bracket seed number is, and as you look down at your name on the pig-tail bracketing, you see the word BYE. Your heart sinks. All of that preparation, and all you get to do is shoulder your singlet, walk out, and let the referee raise your hand. Empty victory. Wrestlers know that their opponents have gone through the same preparation, sacrifice, sweat, blood and tears. They know. Wrestlers want their opponents to make weig

  6th grade, remember your experience? Do you remember your teachers, or just one in particular? I do. I have an uncanny memory for all of my teachers, first and last names, the when, the where, and most of all, how they made me feel. My sixth grade year at Basalt Middle School wasn't out of the ordinary for the first half. I was learning to wrestle, figuring out some of the dynamics of family and school life, learning who my friends were...and weren't. Mrs. Palmer was my teacher. She remains a fixture in my life. In fact, she attended our thirty year high school reunion. As is the case with every teacher, she had her sayings and things she would do that are memorable. Shutting the lights off if class got too rowdy meant we would all retreat to our desks, heads down, and wait for her gentle voice to guide us back to reality.  Firmly calling out, "Cool your jets!"  The non-negotiable of all rules, we were never allowed to utter the words , " Shut up ". Ever.

  They do. If you dispute this, stop reading. Move along. When I coached, my focus was in three areas; Fitness of the body - overall physical conditioning preparatory to successful wrestling. Fitness of the mind - overall mental conditioning preparatory to successful strategy. Fitness of the character - well-rounded humans who oozed humility off the mat. My wrestlers were very familiar with physical, emotional and mental struggle so some of this came with relative ease to them. Building habits of fitness was a challenge. All of it we measured by our behaviors. For example, we conducted weekly grade/eligibility checks, we counted our mat time and pushups, we stayed out of the principal's office and out of detentions. Fundamental to creating habits of fitness was dealing addressing my mindset. First.  First, I made a conscious choice to see them as humans with goals, hopes, and dreams. Humans who were completely capable of excellence. Capable of achieving their highest potential.  Ne

As a man who believes in Christ and strives to understand how I process those beliefs in my life, my actions, and my words; I often turn to modern philosophers to help me make sense of things. In my own weakness, I don't always understand scriptures. My faith often falls short. My prayers could be on repeat. I love to read, think, and write. I often come across gems that strike me as relevant. One such philosopher who's words captured my young heart, C.S. Lewis, gives me pause. Here is his take, on the atomic age, my additions and emphasis embedded, no disrespect intended. “In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic [ covid ] age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer,

  I grew up in the Rocky Mountains, and now reside there as a middle-aged man. God's country. My family has lived here for six generations, founded to towns, owned gold and silver claims, timber, farmed and ranched here. My father was killed and is buried here.  All around me are these beautiful and majestic trees. For a time, my business was trees. Well, commercial landscaping. Purchasing, planting, cultivating, trimming, and growing trees. I can look at a tree and tell you if it is healthy, I can tell how it's been cared for, and when/where it should be trimmed. Over the course of my life I've learned a few things about these beautiful creations. Aspen trees are known for their breathtaking Fall colors. But did you know that they are the world's largest living organism? Their root systems are connected and when one member of a grove is sick, the others support it with nutrients.  Because Aspens are a united grove, they aren't as susceptible to disease and insects