We’ve ramped up our annual Camps & Clinics guide, and it has us excited for so much more.     Sometimes everything falls into place. The very week that the days grew longer, and the sunshine and 75-degree weather arrived, we found ourselves compiling our biggest Camps & Clinics Special... Read more

I ran cross country in the fall and played JV basketball. Now I want to run track but I’m really, really tired (and a little behind on my schoolwork). But I’m afraid to ask the track coach for some time off – she’s pretty scary. What can I say... Read more

Current CIF Open Division seems to do more harm than good to NorCal basketball     I’m trying. I am.     Nearly a year ago, at the conclusion of the CIF State Basketball Championships, I wrote in this space that I may have been a little too harsh on the... Read more

Achieving your goals can be a lot easier if you have a strong, calculated method of setting them.  Get Mental : Erika Carlson     As athletes, I know you hear about goals — A LOT. I know you set them, but the truth is, most athletes fail to accomplish... Read more

It’s the triathlete’s tune-up month. Here are some tips to make getting to February that much easier. TriSTEPS : Liz Elliott    Happy New Year, and new triathlon season! Triathlon season is February through September, and officially begins February 1.        Most of you have been working out... Read more

   Coaches who universally enforce their team rules may be hurting the team in the process.    My sister’s orthodontist appointment took a lot longer than expected, so my mom was late — and then she had a flat tire. By the time I got to practice, there were... Read more

With several stages of commitment, an honest self-assessment can go a long way GET MENTAL : Erika Carlson    Commitment matters.  It’s a factor in your sport enjoyment, in your long-term sport success and your life skill development. Research tells us that long-term participation in sports help is more... Read more

You can keep out of the cold and still train for the upcoming season TriSTEPS : Liz Elliott    Strength work done with good form helps support your joints, and helps your muscles perform better as a team. In less than two months there will be plenty of swimming, biking... Read more

Three tips to help you prevent lifting injuries.     I recently made a trip to Russia, where I spent seven hours teaching at a huge fitness convention in Moscow. While there, I met trainers from several countries and learned a great deal about strength training and its uses around... Read more