Trained or untrained ... there is no try!

Today's facebook question from the Cairns Taipans - "OK folks, what's your theory on our road demons?"

Well for me facebook doesn't give me quite enough room, so here's my response.

Let me start by saying that my 2.6yr old son is the biggest Taipans supporter in Cairns and lives, breathes, eats and sleeps Taipans and basketball.  At 2ft nothing he has the hoop set at 6ft and gets it in on average about 90% of the time.  (WOW!!!)  I am the second biggest fan and cannot shoot a hoop to save myself.  A few weeks ago I tried and achieved 5/50 from the free throw - woeful, to say the least.

What's the difference - my son practices with his basketball everyday in the morning and the afternoon, and he continues to practice, celebrating his success everytime the ball goes through the hoop, reinforcing that he can do it.  POSITIVITY PLUS!

Back to the Taipans, our local heros ....

People fulfil expectations, good or bad - it's a subconscious thing.  At home the team and the crowd expect a win, and usually we get it.  New Zealand Breakers are the exception - once -  ... but that' a whole other blog.

The public, Australia wide, have watched Taipans fail on the road for the past several years, and so now have an expectation of this, regardless of recent home game form.  Negative thought is a powerful tool.

And yet, Taipans SMASHED the Wildcats early in the season in Perth.

The public expectation for Taipans to fail on the road is currently higher than the Taipans expectation of themselves to succeed.  It's up to the players and the coaches to position themselves in the positive with the knowledge that so far this season they have beaten every team, with the exception of New Zealand.  The Breakers have some interesting tactics ... but like I've said already - that's a whole other blog.

I am a fitness trainer and this morning I have seen the power of the positive at work in the (extra)ordinary individuals that I trained. A 52 year old client could not do 4 reps of a chest press with 25kg; he came back to me about 4 minutes later and said, right let's try that again, I'm feeling strong.  He smashed out 8 solid reps with 35kg.  I knew he was trained to do it, he just need to remind himself of that and focus on the task at hand.

The greats have said it ...
"Can or cannot - there is no try" - Yoda in Empire Strikes Back
"Trained or untrained - there is no try" - Denzel Washington in Man on Fire

Taipans need to simply answer these questions before each game and focus on their goal - put the ball in the hoop.

Can you win - YES - you have defeated 90% of the teams in the league
Are you trained - YES - you are hardworking professionals that practice your craft
Do you believe you can do it .....?

I have my tickets for Friday night and am looking forward to another home court victory.

LET'S GO TAIPANS, LET'S GO!