The Law of Attraction + H.E.A.R.T = SUCCESS

To be successful, there are truly only two things a person needs to accomplish their goal(s); an understanding of the Law of Attraction and H.E.A.R.T, and how to implement both at the same time.

The Law of Attraction is placing a goal in your mind and not letting anything get between you and your goal.

H.E.A.R.T is defined as Having Enough Attitude Resilience &Toughness.

For a better understanding of this relationship and how it can lead you to success, check out our latest podcast; and listen to one of our real life stories about how the Law of Attraction and having H.E.A.R.T led to accomplishment of a long term goal.

CLICK HERE for the link to the H.E.A.R.T Athletics LLC, Podcast 0003 


#PlayWithHEART

Manogue Miners vs. Hug Hawks (1st Round Nevada High School Tournament)

Februrary 15, 2012

This past Wednesday was the start of the Nevada High School Boys Varsity State Tournament.  As far as tournament go, we all know that no matter what your seed is, NOTHING is guaranteed.  The only guarantee is your seeding.  But the only thing your seeding can do for you is offer a home game.  It's ultimately up to the teams to duke it out and see who moves on to the next round.

During the last part of the Boys Basketball season I have watched several teams play and I have a little bit of working knowledge on who's who.  So when the 1st Round started, it only made sense to go watch the Hug Hawks (they're close, they're pretty good and my young bol Rian Narra plays for'm).  First I want to say that the Hawks are real...I mean, you have to bring your A++ game if you don't want to get run out the gym.

With that being said, Manogue played hard in the 1st quarter.  It actually looked like the game could go either way (I actually tweeted about it during the game).  Once the 2nd quarter started, that's when the depth and speed of the Hawks started to take its tole on the Miners.  But I have to give credit to the Miners for playing with a bunch of H.E.A.R.T.  I've watched about 3 or 4 games at Hug...and that is one rowdy ass crowd!  It's the high school equivalent of playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium.  You not only have the students to deal with...you have to deal with the parents as well!

Long story short (as short as I can make it...I tend to talk alot) both teams played hard, they hustled, they contested shots, drove the lane on the big men and dove on the floor for loose balls.  Hug ultimately came away with the "W" and is moving on to the next round while Manogue's season is over.  Below are just some of the pictures that spoke to me personally, embody the spirit of competition, and display the H.E.A.R.T that I love to see athlete's play with!

Douglas vs. Hug Varsity Boys Hoops

January 13, 2012

Tonight's game was a good one.  And the funny thing is, I wasn't even going to go to it.  I was going to go the the Wooster game instead for a couple of reasons:
1. It's closer (can't front, sometimes I'm lazy)
2. I've already seen Douglas and Hug play
3.It's closer
moving on....
So being that this was my second trip to Hug High School in about a week, I was privy to their pre-game, pre-warmup routine.  You can watch it here ----->CLICK ME AND WATCH.  If you have never been to Hug, this can be kind of intimidating, and it gets the crowd going.  *BLOGGER NOTE* If you are the visiting team, you always want to get the crowd out of the game, it then basically turns into a neutral court instead an away game...The game started off great for Hug.  Sam Williams owned the paint and Douglas had a hard time defending the 3 point line

The "battle" that I thought would happen between Williams and Meyers never happened.  Meyers never had enough touches to make that happen.  Also Hug went up 19-4 at the end of the 1st quarter.

The funny this is, most teams being down by that many, on the road, would probably start to mail it in.  Douglas kept on fighting to get back in it.  I know, I know, everybody goes on a run in hoops.  True...but how many teams come back against the number 1 ranked team in the area (on the road) to make it a game again?

You had guys driving and kicking out to open shooters....

You had guys turning turnovers into fast break points...

But in the end, the thing that really killed Douglas's chance of winning the huge lead they gave up in the first quarter.  Trying to come back from 15 down on the road is tough.  I can't front on'm though, those boys played their H.E.A.R.T's out, but there is only so much you can do in any situation.  And that's not to take anything away from Hug.  Hug was hot, I mean Hades hot in the 1st quarter!  Both teams played hard and as a former competitor, that's all you really can ask for.  With that being said, below are a few points from the game that are just my opinion.

Point 1

If you are playing a hotly contested game and the score is close, DO NOT give up an alley-oop fast break dunk.  It's not a good look and the crowd will go nuts...

Point 2

Number 10 for Douglas was doing work and getting buckets...we should probably give him the ball more.  He's a bigger guy, running the breaks, grabbing boards and defending a dude at least 6 inches taller than he is.  Throw him a bone and hope he gets to the freebie line.

Point 3

My man Nate can score...so Nate...SCORE.  Don't wait 'till the end of the game to go get buckets...

Point 4

Sometimes you're the hammer...and sometimes you're the nail.  If the Big Man is on, and tonight he was (in the paint defensively) there is NOTHING wrong with settling for a jumper...just saying.

All in all, I'm glad that Nate convinced me to come to this game.  A simple box score would have done this game absolutely NO justice.  This was one you had to see yourself.  Douglas came back from a 15 point deficit to tie the score in the 4th quarter, only to claim defeat in the end.  But it's not the end of the world.  They can take it as a learning experience, while Hug can take from it that they can't let off the gas pedal when they're hot.  But I'm glad I was there to see it for myself.  Both teams played hard and played with H.E.A.R.T.

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Douglas vs. Reed Varsity Boys Hoops

January 6th, 2012, I went to a High School Boys Varsity Basketball game in Sparks, NV.  Being from New Jersey/Maryland, I have no background in Nevada High School hoops.  I don't know who's good, who sucks and who is just having a good/great/crappy year.  I am COMPLETELY out of the loop.

This is where my man Nate Vonahsen, makes his very first appearance.  As I try to spread the word about H.E.A.R.T Athletics (the company that I own and run), my goal is to contact student athletes that I feel embody the characteristics of the values that are dear to me and my company.  Being that H.E.A.R.T Athletics is still a "start up" company, we are happy to provide FREE products to the public representing our gear.  This is one of the reasons why I attend the Douglas vs. Reed game, to give Nate his shirts and to see what Nevada hoops is all about..

So I show up to the Varsity Boys game on Friday not knowing what to expect.  All I know is that after the first quarter of play, the visiting team (Nate's team Douglas) is down 21-8.  And to put it nicely, this was not an easy 13 point deficit to overcome.  Reed H.S. had not only hit a variety of 3 pointers, but they were harassing the hell out of the ball and putting on a 3/4 press as well.  In all honesty, it DID NOT look good for the Douglas Tigers.

This is why I'm not a Basketball coach
                                                        End of the 2nd Q
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Beginning of the 4th....

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And by the end of the game.....
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                                                                           \/

                                                                           

The point of the story is this, no matter what your "history" says about you, you are able to change it in one day.  It's all about your attitude.  I still do not have a definitive idea on who Douglas and Reed are when it comes to hoops, but I know that Douglas will NOT give up no matter what.  This may be an outlier, but it could also be who they ARE.  All I know is that I can only go by what I see.  The Douglas Tigers took the Reed Raiders best shot, and still came back for more.  Although Douglas didn't give up, neither did Reed.  Both teams played their H.E.A.R.T's out and I couldn't be more proud of the effort put out by both teams.

H.E.A.R.T Series, Part Three: Andre Coard

I've known Andre' Coard ever since I moved to Lawnside NJ, in 1987 (yeah, 1987).  And to this day, Andre has to be one of the toughest people I've EVER met.  Plain and simple, Dre' doesn't get punked and he doesn't give up.  Andre is one of those guys who if he says he's going to do something, it's either going to happen, or he's going to make it happen.

When we first started playing Pop Warner football together, Dre' was so tough and fearless that his nick name was Herschel...as in Herschel Walker.  He ran tough, he played tough and he would hit anything in another jersey that moved on two feet.  As a youngster, this is not the norm, but there also really aren't any huge players at this age either (that are good).

The biggest thing with Dre' though is that he never lost this passion or H.E.A.R.T when he got older.  By the time we went to High School (Haddon Heights), we (BOTH Dre and I) were not what you would call the "biggest" cornerbacks you've ever seen.  In fact, we were quite small, but frankly we didn't give a sh!t.  Our motto was, "Water covers 2/3's of the Earth...WE cover the rest".  And on top of that, we LOVED to hit.  Opposing ball carriers may not have felt our hits, but they knew we were there, and we were going to be there ALL DAY LONG.

Dre's H.E.A.R.T sticks out in my mind in one game in particular.  As Sophomore's, we started Varsity against Sterling High School.  Sterling at this time had a Tailback at 220 lbs and a Fullback at 250 named Joe Miller.  We watched tape and the coaches would continuously remind me and Dre that we should tackle low so we don't get injured.  Before the game, Dre tells me, "F that...if either one of them comes my way I'm going head to head and we're going to see what's really good".

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for getting hyped up before a game...but Dre' REALLY meant what he was saying!  The very first play of the game was a dive to Joe Miller.  He and Dre met head to head on the sideline and long story short...Joe won...that battle.   Dre NEVER gave up.  At 140 lbs, Dre took on a 250 lbs Senior Fullback head to head.  He just would not give up or even think that that was a possibility.  That first play of that game had a huge impact on me that I never told Dre' about.  I saw him get in the mix and it made me want to not only get in on it too, but to NEVER fair catch a punt...ever.

Andre' Coard was and still to this day is one of the toughest dudes I ever met or had the opportunity of knowing that played his H.E.A.R.T out.  Dre', you inspired me then, and you continue to do so now.  You probably didn't know this, but you do now, and it's meant alot to me and helped me to get to where I am today.  I wish you the best in everything you do, and I'll see you at the top man!