Practice Perfect

Rules for developing talent with disciplined, deliberate, intelligent practice We live in a competition loving culture. We love the performance, the big win, the ticking seconds of the clock as the game comes down to the wire. We watch games and cheer, sometimes to the point of obsession, but if we really wanted to see greatness—wanted to cheer for it, see it happen, understand what made it happen—we'd spend our time watching, obsessing on, and maybe even cheering the practices instead. This book puts practice on the front burner of all who seek to instill talent and achievement in others as well as in themselves. This is a journey to understand that practice, not games, makes champions. In this book, the authors engage the dream of better, both in fields and endeavors where participants know they should practice and also in those where many do not yet recognize the transformative power of practice. And it’s not just whether you practice. How you practice may be a true competitive advantage. Deliberately engineered and designed practice can revolutionize our most important endeavors. The clear set of rules presented in Practice Perfect will make us better in virtually every performance of life. The “how-to” rules of practice cover such topics as rethinking practice, modeling excellent practice, using feedback, creating a culture of practice, making new skills stick, and hiring for practice. Discover new ways to think about practice. Learn how to design successful practice. Apply practice across a wide range of realms, both personal and professional The authors include specific activities to jump-start practice Doug Lemov is the best-selling author of Teach Like a Champion A hands-on resource to practice, the rules within will help to create positive outliers and world-changing reservoirs of talent.

The road to a championship season begins long before the first pitch of the opening game. It begins before a player even steps onto the field. In Practice Perfect Softball, the game’s premier coaches share their approaches, experiences, and philosophies of every aspect of practice. This authoritative guide goes beyond the stretches and drills, straight to the heart of winning—effort and attitude. From structuring sessions to evaluating practice performance, you’ll find proven and practical recommendations from the all-star lineup of contributors: • Julie Lenhart • Rachel Hanson • Beverly Smith • Rachel Lawson • Lisa (Sweeney) Van Ackeren • Dot Richardson • Ken Eriksen • Connie Clark • Celeste Knierim • Bill Gray and Melissa Chmielewski • Lonni Alameda • Jo Evans • Jen McIntyre • Donna Papa • JoAnne Graf (editor) Inside, you’ll identify and establish practice ethics; assess team strengths; and develop players’ skills in the field, on the mound, and at the plate. Developed by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Practice Perfect Softball is your guide to developing champions on and off the field.

"Young lady, I've known you and your brother from the first day you both sat in these very same chairs as I told your mother why she was having trouble tripping over things. I know you're strong, Wendy, and you are going to need this strength in the next few years. You do have the very early stages of Neuro-Muscular Dystrophy, the same disease that affected your mother." As the doctor told her what to expect and how longt it would take for each stage to progress, there was no shouting or jumping up and pounding the nearest thing to her. Wendy sat quietly on the edge of the chair and listened as tears silently rolled down her cheeks to her lap. Once she reached over and took Randy's hand and held it tight as Doctor Bricker explained the things she should be aware of in the coming months and years.

Foreword by Skip Cohen Translating the chaos of the real world into a breathtakingly simple, beautiful photograph can often seem like an impossible task. With busy, cluttered backgrounds and subjects who don’t know how to pose, how can you take control and get a great shot no matter the situation? In Picture Perfect Practice, photographer Roberto Valenzuela breaks down the craft of photography into three key elements–locations, poses, and execution–that you can use to unlock the photographic opportunities lying beneath every challenging situation. Valenzuela stresses the need for photographers to actively practice their craft every day–just like you would practice a musical instrument–in order to master the art of making great images. With chapters that offer practice exercises to strengthen your photographic abilities, you’ll learn how to approach a scene, break it down, and see your way to a great photograph. The Location section features chapters that cover symmetry, balance, framing, color elements, textures, and much more. The Posing section includes the Five Key Posing Techniques that Valenzuela uses every time he’s shooting people, as well as a complete list of poses and how to achieve, customize, and perfect them. The Execution portion, with sections like “Lighting through Direction” and “Simplicity through Subtraction,” reveals Valenzuela’s overall approach to getting the shot. The book also includes an inspiring and helpful chapter on deliberate practice techniques, where Valenzuela describes his system for practicing and analyzing his work, which leads to constant improvement as a photographer. If you’ve been frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges of real-world locations, posing your subjects, or executing a great image–or if you simply want to become a better shooter but don’t know where to start– Picture Perfect Practice gives you the tools and information you need to finally become the kind of photographer you’ve always wanted to be: the kind who can confidently walk into any location, under any lighting condition, with any subject, and know that you can create astonishing photographs that have a timeless impact.

The man with allergies never gets the girl, at least according to the movies - and Portland restaurateur Ian Zamora wants to be the guy who gets the girl. So to rid himself of the sensitivities brought on by his sometimes-girlfriend's cat, he makes an appointment with allergist Petra Lale. But he suddenly finds himself acutely attracted to the very woman who is supposed to be helping him take care of his problem. Petra's intrigued by Ian's quiet strength and sexy body, but her solo practice is new and struggling. She can't afford to compromise her ethics - or risk her medical license - by dating a patient. Falling in love certainly wasn't this doctor's order. She tries to stay away from Ian, but fate, and her weak willpower, keep bringing them back together. Do two career-driven people with inexperienced hearts stand a chance of finding the right prescription for love? Sensuality Level: Sensual

Collegiate coaches from the American Baseball Coaches Association team up for Practice Perfect Baseball, the ultimate guide to organizing, running and evaluating baseball practices. Their advice will help coaches from youth leagues through college ball prepare players in the field, on the mound, at the plate and on the bases. The book covers every key aspect of preparing players for competition, from session organization and assessment to establishing work ethic and providing tips for improvement. Original.

Life can be exceptionally gratifying when we realize that our thoughts create interactions and our interactions create relationships. To truly relate is what living is all about. This resource for life is meant as a seed offering inspiration for living an authentic and transparent life. It unites what is seen as separate and heals what is wounded.

One of the most influential teaching guides ever—updated! Teach Like a Champion 2.0 is a complete update to the international bestseller. This teaching guide is a must-have for new and experienced teachers alike. Over 1.3 million teachers around the world already know how the techniques in this book turn educators into classroom champions. With ideas for everything from boosting academic rigor, to improving classroom management, and inspiring student engagement, you will be able to strengthen your teaching practice right away. The first edition of Teach Like a Champion influenced thousands of educators because author Doug Lemov's teaching strategies are simple and powerful. Now, updated techniques and tools make it even easier to put students on the path to college readiness. Here are just a few of the brand new resources available in the 2.0 edition: Over 70 new video clips of real teachers modeling the techniques in the classroom (note: for online access of this content, please visit my.teachlikeachampion.com) A selection of never before seen techniques inspired by top teachers around the world Brand new structure emphasizing the most important techniques and step by step teaching guidelines Updated content reflecting the latest best practices from outstanding educators Organized by category and technique, the book’s structure enables you to read start to finish, or dip in anywhere for the specific challenge you’re seeking to address. With examples from outstanding teachers, videos, and additional, continuously updated resources at teachlikeachampion.com, you will soon be teaching like a champion. The classroom techniques you'll learn in this book can be adapted to suit any context. Find out why Teach Like a Champion is a "teaching Bible" for so many educators worldwide.