Christie Jenkins

THE MVP PLAYBOOK: CROSSOVERS, CURVEBALLS, & PIVOTS Here's the thing. If you aspire to a career with longevity and work in sports long enough, you will experience professional plot twists in the form of crossovers, curve balls, and pivots. This is a not a maybe, it's a certainty. Just like coaches and players have to switch up organizations/teams from time to time (sometimes by change, sometimes by choice). The team behind the scenes has to have the agility, capacity, and flexibility to do the same. Free agency is real! Maybe you aspired to one thing and decided to do another. Maybe you took on a role and missed your goal. Maybe you did everything right, but the leadership/ownership changed and they want to build their own athletic department and/or front office. Maybe life (aka personal plot twists) forced your hand. Maybe this, may that. If you get ready and stay ready, you'll always be ready to make your next move, your best move. Just because the career ladder morphs into a career lattice, you can still move upward and onward. I've been there, done that, and aspire to do it again. Change is inevitable, but growth is intentional! So, I'm excited to give back by paying it forward as a presenter/speaker at the Black Sports Business Symposium in the A! Game on! Hope to see you there!

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For years, clients have said that we wrote the book on Optimal Performance. Well, now we have. Literally!! So excited to be just weeks away from launching my new book "The Optimal Performance Formula", the go-to playbook of the fundamental variables, tools, and techniques for driving optimal performance for professional athletes, business leaders, and performing artists who aspire to reach their maximum potential and guide their organizations to elite status. Watch this spot.

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Another rondo idea for mid-week micro-cycle warm-up progression; Rondo Progression - -15-20 minutes high intensity -11 players (starting eleven for the up-coming game) - 4 minutes per round (3 teams) Rules and Objectives: This rondo has two objectives in possession of the ball: 1) Find a player from width or 2) penetrating pass to depth. Blue square has 3v1 rondo where three blue players strive to get 12 consecutive passes before advancing to either player in the red-coned triangle who has two touches to get the ball to the other square or find a pass to the yellow square to the yellow players. Red players try to block the pass in the "no-man's land" zone and can also intercept the pass to the players in the red-triangle zones. If for example the blue team gets the ball to the yellow square through one of the players in the red-triangle, they earn 2 points. If they get the ball directly through the no-man's land to the yellow players, they earn 1 point. Coaching moment(s) can be to observe if players have the correct body position to enable optimal reception of the ball. Furthermore very likely challenge for players is to force the pass after the 12th pass when there is no immediate need to move ball forward if no opportunity presents itself. Therefore, by asking the question "who is in a hurry when we have the ball?" (The opponent). Who is in trouble when we have the ball? (the opponent). Therefore, why are we in a hurry to get the ball to the control/creation zone?

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Getting reps in of: 1) Researching something deeply. 2) Sharing that knowledge with others. Looking forward to doing this talk tonight on the current state of fitness in China, where it's going and how local business owners and managers can jump on these trends for improvement in their own life. #fitness #Asia #china

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🏅 In sports, negotiation is just as important as performance. Learn how athletes can master deals, secure their future, and build lasting success on and off the field. 1️⃣ Understand Your Worth 2️⃣ Prioritize Preparation 3️⃣ Build a Strong Support Team 4️⃣ Know When to Walk Away 5️⃣ Emphasize Long-Term Goals 6️⃣ Leverage Technology (highlight: Analytics FC use data analytics to provide valuable insights into player performance and market trends. For example, Arsenal defender Ben White and Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne benefited from advanced statistical analyses to negotiate their contract) PS. If you enjoy learning about athletes’ business ventures, investments and impact, follow Forefront Runners. We post content like this every day!

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The CEO of a company I have worked with closely for many years quoted Peter Drucker recently. “Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast” He said it with pride looking at the way the company under his stewardship had come through some real challenges over the last few years with great aplomb. And proud he should be. Markets have been ruthless recently and the ability to rethink, unlearn and pivot has become almost as frequent a necessity as quarterly board meetings. The driving factor that has spurred this particular company to success through difficult times is the care, dedication and teamwork of its people, all based on a sense of loyalty and belonging to their workplace. In a word - CULTURE. Most companies these days seem to understand just how important culture is for a business. The issue I see is that many of them still get it the wrong way round. They see culture as an add-on. It isn’t. It can’t be. ❌ Culture needs to sit at the core of your being, sprouting from your deeply embedded values. If the boss asks at a senior management meeting “So, let’s discuss what our culture should look like”, they don’t have any culture. I exaggerate of course, and hope such a ridiculous question doesn’t actually get tabled at companies. You can’t just make up your culture based on latest trends. It’s part of who the leaders and founders of a business are, what is important to them personally at a human level and, if managed correctly, it trickles down, permeating every corner of the workplace and every fiber of each member of staff. That’s why you often see very likeminded people coming on board the same company. There’s an alignment there in culture and values. People feel “at home”. And that sense of feeling “at home” is a greater retention tool than any paycheck. (Well… not ANY paycheck… but you get my point). The CEO of the company I talk of here is a good friend and someone I admire greatly for his ability to speak his truth bravely and instill a deep sense of integrity and alignment in his team of over 200. It’s great to sometimes sit on the sidelines and witness something really that positive that simply works. And to learn from it too. With a strong culture at your company, you can pull through difficult times. You can overcome incorrect strategy when you realise in hindsight that’s what you had. It also allows you to have staff that may not be superstars individually, but pull together, one for each other. You always want a team where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A strong culture will do that. And yes. It eats strategy for breakfast, lunch and dinner. #corporateculture #corevalues #corporatestrategy #culturefirst #Leadershipskills

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YouTube feedback wanted! We are going to 8 CFP games including all 4 CFP home games. What do you think we should do? We’re deciding between doing 1 video (we’re going to 4 CFP games in 24 hours) or breaking them up into 4 separate videos and then creating a series for the whole playoff since we’re doing rose bowl, peach bowl, semi final and national championship What should we do and why? #youtube #sportsbusiness

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Some really interesting research here from PARITY | A Group 1001 Company. Not so much for telling us things we didn’t know or suspect but for putting the weight of careful research behind it. A lot to digest in this, and very useful if you’re looking for regional data. Those of you toiling at the coal face of women’s sport will not be surprised by most of the data here - but then I don’t think Parity want to preach to the choir. So hopefully some of you out there, especially brands and agencies will look at this data carefully and make some smart decisions! It certainly helps support the case for more and better commercial funding in women’s sport. More than Equal #sportbusiness #roi #womeninsport

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"Why are we releasing him?" Is it truly a lack of ability? Are we overlooking the challenges of physical growth? Players typically have their most significant growth rate during puberty (11-15 years) which can have significant impacts. Should retain and release at U14s sill happen? Here are 7 reasons why this should be questioned: ↓ 1. Physical development variability ↳ Reason: Adolescents experience growth spurts at different times. ↳ Impact: Early release may overlook late bloomers who develop physically and athletically later than their peers. 2. Emotional and physical impact ↳ Reason: Rejection at a young age can be demotivating. ↳ Impact: It may lead to a decrease in self-esteem and a loss of passion for the sport, affecting their long-term potential. 3. Technical skill development ↳ Reason: Technical skills continue to develop significantly during adolescence. ↳ Impact: Releasing players early may prevent talented individuals from reaching their full potential as they miss out on crucial development opportunities. 4. Long-term athletic potential ↳ Reason: Early evaluations may not accurately predict future success. ↳ Impact: Players who are not standout performers at U14 may still have significant potential to excel in their later teenage years or adulthood. 5. Holistic development ↳ Reason: Development is not just about physical ability but also includes tactical understanding and mental resilience. ↳ Impact: Early release may hinder the comprehensive development of young athletes who need time to mature in all aspects of the game. 6. Encouraging a growth mindset ↳ Reason: Continuous support fosters a growth mindset. ↳ Impact: By keeping players in the academy system, they learn to persevere and improve through effort. 7. Diverse pathways to success ↳ Reason: Not all successful athletes follow a linear or early success path. ↳ Impact: Allowing players more time within the academy system acknowledges and accommodates a more diverse rate of development between players. ↓ Remember. "The player you see now is just a snapshot of the player they’re capable of becoming." P.S. Who is one player you can think of who benefitted? (Repost ♻️) --- Want more from your coaching? I've got something for you... Join 2600+ coaches and sign up for FREE to The Coaches Newsletter for your weekly coach growth content https://lnkd.in/eJQy4xfY Join over coaches receiving mentoring for FREE on The Coach Accelerator community with exclusive content and weekly Q+As. https://lnkd.in/er5X8DMK

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I highly recommend listening to this episode with Ryan Harrison. He shared some great advice on making better decisions, and developing your game to improve your results. It was great to hear this from a young coach who has experienced professional tennis at the highest level. #tennis #tennisiq #mentaltraining #mentalperformance #sportpsychology

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You'll know no boundaries if you think out of boundaries. _____________________________________________________ Utilizing the consecutive Pn'R actions on offensive end after a switch (in order to provoke another switch which would lead into further advantage) is a strategy that has been arround for quite a while (regarding the Euroleague basketball, dating back all the way to Panathinaikos days with coach Obradovic). The basis of this offensive concept lies in fact that most teams on defense will switch all of subsequent ball-screens once they are caught in the mismatch situation after the first pick (some of these falling into Automatic Switch category). But... Since every action in basketball requires a thorough and meticulous thought process, time to time we come across some very creative solutions like the one in our example. Here we have a situation from 2024 Eastern Semifinals G2 between Boston and Cleveland. #42 Horford (defended by #4 Mobley) starts the sequence with High Ram Pn'R with #9 White (guarded by #10 Garland) as a primary ballhandler. Seeing that his guard White didn't get any advantage on that pick, Horford pops and pitches the ball to wing for Dribble Hand-off with his SF #7 Brown as secondary ballhandler. This side DHO is switched by #4 Mobley on defense, and we are getting into the O3/D4 matchup between Brown with a ball and Mobley. And this is where magic happens. Although on paper considered a mismatch between SF with a ball and PF on D, #4 Mobley is a versatile perimeter defender, with great footwork and shot conversion ability. Brown calls for next pick with White, aiming for another switch where much smaller #10 Garland would become a primary on-ball defender. But Garland (completely counter-intuitively) hedges the screen instead of just naturally switching, and stays with his original match White. This gives defending 4-man Mobley an opportunity to stay with Brown, succesfully following him into the paint on penetration and converting a shot for the missed layup by Brown. _____________________________________________________ Clips assembled by Synergy Editor Video-editing: Adobe Premiere Pro 2024 Photo-editing: Adobe Photoshop 2024 Post-edits and compositing: Adobe After Effects 2024 3D Renders: Element 3D Plugin/ Blender #basketball #basketballcoach #basketballtactics #NBA #NBCA #defense #basketballXsandOs

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Effortless VELOCITY Doesn't Happen by ACCIDENT 🚨NEW YOUTUBE PITCHING LESSON🚨 👇WATCH HERE 👀 https://lnkd.in/e934pseM As a Thrower of Baseballs there's nothing more that catches the attention of Coaches more than when a ball player can effortlessly throw a baseball fast. Some will say "man that kids got great arm speed" or "God gifted this dude a lightning bolt for an arm" which could all be very true but the simple fact is this, my friends.. Doesn't happen by Accident. Throwing a baseball fast at MAXIMUM EFFORT is one thing. But to throw a baseball fast while it visually appears as if the individual isn't really even 'trying' to throw the baseball fast is a whole different level of efficiency and optimization. Today's lesson will dive into a series of "Pitching Specific" Drill Progressions that i'll use with my athlete's to solidify the necessary "time sensitive" movements that have to occur if we want to increase our velocity. You'll see a few of these throws towards the end of the video that really embody this dynamic. Doesn't happen by accident. Always on purpose and always intentional with each rep we perform. Hope you guys enjoy and as always be sure to reach out to me personally on my question platform if there's ever any questions! 👇ASK ME YOUR QUESTIONS HERE 👇 https://lnkd.in/gFVQphv #pitching #pitchingdrills #pitchinglesson

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Close the gap between the best and worst players at younger ages to watch your elite player pool expand. Focusing on the top end elite levels alone is a challenge for many countries. Copying high-performance elite programs without addressing basic skills can hinder player development. In visiting 35 regional football associations in the Philippines, it's clear that fixing the entry-level of the sport is crucial. Mastering fundamental skills early leads to mastering complex movements and technical strength. Strong technical skills enable players to scan the field, assess opponents and teammates, and position themselves effectively on the field. #PlayerDevelopment #YouthSports #FootballSkills 🌟⚽

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Picking a niche player source market. First question to answer: where are you based? We are about to step into 2025 and football is truly global. Most markets in world football function in a structured and coordinated way. It doesn’t matter if you are in France, Senegal, Uruguay, Thailand, Australia… Representation opportunities are everywhere. Now, to break this down further. This is simple exercise I use: - List all the top performing academies in the region. - Look at the transfer flows from these academies (where do they sell their players? Do they act as a feeder club for other bigger clubs?). - What is the club’s transfer revenue over the last 5 seasons? - What is the average transfer fee received? (If it’s only training comp, calculate how much per player).  - Identify the top performers at u15/17/19. - Find out if these players already have representatives. - Contact these players (social media, in person at games, parents etc). - Identify who the decision makers are at these clubs.  - Make a note of these and contact them asking for a sit down (you’ll be surprised at how many will say yes). Breakdown and simplify this process further if possible (maybe choose just one club at first). It will make you productive and help save time and money. And you will become a ‘specialist’ in your market. Lean is better. ✌️ #football #business #fifa #agent

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Over 3,315 players entered the transfer portal in 2024. What does this tell us? That the grass looks greener through this lens. And for some, it may be. However, the rising number of unhappy transfers may tell a different story. A story with a much farther reach. —------------------------------------- The allure of the other side. We’ve all felt it. That nagging itch, tells us that life is better somewhere else. Whether it’s a new career, a new city, a new body, or a romantic partner. But what usually happens once we’ve obtained these things? Are we happy with contentment or are we drawn to the next shiny thing? The truth is that the grass is rarely greener on the other side. It’s simply a different shade of green. —------------------------------------- So instead of constantly transferring to new situations. ↳ Focus on transferring to a new 𝗬𝗼𝘂. Instead of chasing external validation. ↳ Cultivate internal peace and self-acceptance. Instead of seeking happiness outside of ourselves. ↳ Learn to find joy within. —------------------------------------- Unpopular opinion: Success takes struggle. ↳ So struggle where your feet are. What’s wrong with being unhappy? ↳ Unhappiness drives you, it pushes you. If you’re feeling like you’re not good enough. ↳ Look inward to get better. Success comes only after a period of struggle. ↳ Not running from it. Tend your yard, because it will always follow you, no matter where you try to hide. Create a verdant oasis where no other greenery can compare. ♻️ I’m John Bryan and work with high-achieving men beat burnout and push through making lasting change. 🗓️ it’s September 3rd: You’ve got plenty of time to start watering your grass before 2025. Don’t wait for January 1st. PS. DM me if you’re curious if I might be able to help partner with you to unlock an area of your life where you’ve been stuck.

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