The Last Athlete
There’s a young man who holds the distinction of being the Last Athlete to work with Coach Dan Potts. I still remember the first day I sat in the living room with you and Dan, glove in hand, not knowing what to expect that day let alone the years to come. His name is Lukas. He was a tiny little thing, just on the verge of turning fourteen, when and he and his mom came in for a consultation four years ago. His dedication and commitment to baseball was apparent. Those first few sessions in the garage were the first time I had really ever learned to push myself. My…
The Ripple Effect
It was the summer of 2010 and my sister had left me a voicemail. In her typical stoic way she informed me that she was on her way to the ER as she had woken up that morning with one leg twice the size of the other! She lived in Albuquerque and I was here in Edmonds. She’s my only sister, younger than I, just mid-30s at the time. She could have died from that blood clot in her leg, and she needed surgery pretty quickly. They placed a couple of stents in her arteries and kept her in the hospital for three days to recover. She was on blood…
Boosting Low Morale
For reasons I won’t bother expanding on, I have been physically unable to walk for seven weeks. I am talking about my daily four-mile-long fitness walks through my Edmonds and nearby Woodway neighborhoods that I have been doing almost daily for about as long as I have lived in Edmonds. Not only does my career revolve around fitness and health, but one of the ways in which I personally define myself is through my own exercise program. Most especially walking, which I consider to be crucial for my overall health and well-being. Walking is also particularly good for helping me stay grounded and purposeful in my life. My walks are…
It’s Mine To Choose
It’s Friday evening and my last client just left. I head toward the door. I’ve been on my feet all day, my stomach is growling and there is a glass of wine with my name on it in the near future. The very NEAR future! Then I stop at the door, because I just remembered that I haven’t done my workout today. Today, I’ve designed and implemented personalized strength programs for each of my clients. Today, I’ve motivated, energized (I hope!) and entertained each client while making sure each of them had a safe, effective and enjoyable workout. Today, I’ve kept in mind specific and individual injuries and limitations for…
For Young Athletes, Play More Important Than Competition
By Coach Dan Potts Remember lying on the carpet with your infant? How innocent was that? More so than you know! The endless crawling and chasing on all fours allowed us to play at our child’s level of development. Their development depended upon a supply of endless wonder and new stimuli. As they grew and eventually walked, we chased them even more, playing hide and seek, throwing Nerf balls at endless targets, hiding, ducking dodging, until we were exhausted. Do you remember how fast the development occurred? On a daily basis to be exact, and it was fun. But the fun part was that it changed every day for the…
