Tag: Sports

High School Sports Now Worth $40 Million to Student Athletes

At times, we read irrational…ridiculous stories about how bad it has become at the youth level of competitive sports. You know…behaviors that simply boggle the mind, coming at you with what seems to be little use of one’s common sense. Some really crazy stories that, at first glance, most logical people would believe to be... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
June 3, 2013 at 8:08 am • 

A Sports Story of Character and Integrity

Before I highlight the purpose behind my title…I would like to share with you a true story from my teaching career that demonstrates an all too common thought process these days. One in opposition to the inference my heading implies. On one warm spring day, a good ten plus years ago, I was walking in... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
May 27, 2013 at 7:00 am • 

Athletic Success in Sports is all about FAILURE!!!

So…I would assume the title caught your eye? I would hope so, as it may seem, at first, that success and failure should not be combined the way they are used in the above heading. It just doesn’t really make sense…does it? Or does it?!! This brings me to a story written by John Keilman... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
May 20, 2013 at 7:00 am • 
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Youth Sports at its BEST…an Inspiration for us ALL!!!

This piece will be an emotional one for me to write. Not because of anything that happened to me, nor because I am about to retire from a career that spans 34+ years (and I will greatly miss the kids I have worked with and colleagues I call my family away from home), but because... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
May 13, 2013 at 7:00 am • 

Becoming a True Champion (#BATC) Reader Expresses Opinion

Sometime around last April (just before Becoming a True Champion was released to the public) I was sitting at my keyboard wondering how athletes, coaches and/or parents might interpret the concepts and principles interwoven throughout BATC? Would they understand what I was trying to say…what I wanted to accomplish? Would they see the same need... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
April 29, 2013 at 7:00 am • 

“42”—The Jackie Robinson Story, More Than One Message for Today’s Athletes

I absolutely love inspirational stories, especially when they lead to positive and needed change. I just can’t get enough of them. The recently released movie “42” is just such a story as it depicts the tale of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. An athlete of immense ability, Jackie is brought... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
April 15, 2013 at 7:00 am • 
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College Sports Scholarship More Challenging With New NCAA Guidelines

Early this past February, Chicago Tribune reporter John Keilman published an informative piece titled Bad grades, low test scores can scramble signing day plans. The focus in Keilman’s article was on football, college scholarship and the difficulty today’s football athletes are facing in their quest for a paid college education based on academic eligibility…or lack... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
March 11, 2013 at 7:00 am • 

Great Athletes Use a Special “Type” of Training - Part II

In Part I of our discussion, I left off with all the athletes agreeing that they had performed at least some of their skill set during that prior week’s practice, at its highest level, but had left you hanging a little regarding the more important question. That question: “Ok…good, now how many of you made... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
January 15, 2013 at 7:00 am • 

Great Athletes Use a Special “Type” of Training - Part I

This past summer brought us Olympic champions like Gabby Douglas, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, Michael Phelps, and the like. Many watched in awe over the sheer greatness of their performances. It was an awesome spectacle. Professional athletes like Derrick Rose, Roger Federer, Drew Brees, and Derek Jeter also conjure up feelings of respect and admiration as their performances... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
January 14, 2013 at 7:40 am • 
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Sports: Conversation Sparks “Idea,” Inspiring Book for Athletes, Parents, and Coaches

Over this past year, I have spent a good deal of time adding articles to my blog here at ChicagoNow. Pieces that I felt warranted a highlight, articles written to inspire thought and action, commentary (sometimes unpopular) I thought necessary, and writings with the specific purpose of building strong foundations for success…athletic success. My goal…something... Read more »
By Kirk Mango,
January 7, 2013 at 7:00 am •