Expect More "Full Movie"

As we enter the Holiday Break and end the first semester of the 2012-13 school year, you can now watch a full video of the "Expect More - The Dunk" experience.  Compiled in this movie is the August Pepfest, images from our mission/vision, workout samples, and the December Pepfest.  So if you have 15 minutes of free time and want to see how we are moving forward at EVHS...watch this video.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH "EXPECT MORE - THE DUNK" FULL VIDEO

Well...here are the results!

So for more than a month I have avoided blogging about the topic of my impending Dunk Challenge.  As the date drew near and my progress slowed I because a little depressed that my message would be lost once the PepFest came and I would be unable to dunk. 

Well today was the day...December 5th!  In front of the entire student body I put my best foot forward (literally).  The results were....

I ended up grabbing the rim with full authority.  This was somthing that I had not done previously during any of my workouts.  Without a doubt I was feeling the adrenaline of the moment.  Based on my early baseline tests I increased my vertical from 16" to 24" which represents 8inches of improvement!

The best part was the fact that I could not handle the ball and truly dunk did not matter.  My hope was that I was able to deliver a message that I set the bar high...really high.  I fell just short of my goal but still improved by 50% over what I could do before.

What are the takeaways?  With hard work and dedication you can achieve great things.  You cannot high jump over a low bar.  Having the support of your friends, family, and colleagues is incredibly valuable.  Jumping 8" higher is a demonstration that you can improve at anything you set your mind to...including doing better at school.

Below is a video of the attempt with a slow-mo replay.  A huge and sincere thank you to the entire EVHS community for your support.  THIS IS NOT OVER.  I will continue to train the DUNK will happen.

My latest excuse...I'm not beautiful enough to dunk.

So it turns out I have another factor to put on my list of reasons why my dunking may be a very hard challenge to accomplish.  I already had the following three listed....

1. I'm old = 37 going on 38
2. I'm white = old stereotype
3. I'm lazy = enough said
4. Here is the new one....I'm not beautiful.

Turns out I neglected the fact that I am not "beautiful".  There is a theory that people are better athletes when they have body symmetry.  To borrow from one of our geometry classes, symmetry is when you take an object and it is identical on either sides of an axis.  People with balanced body symmetry are considered to be more beautiful becuase their features are balanced and proportional.

A couple of years ago there was a TV documentary and articles in magazines like Sports Illustrated that covered this topic.  In short here is what they said....

"In The Learning Channel's four-hour special The Human Face, biologist John Manning of the University of Liverpool contends that there's a link between facial beauty and athletic ability. Manning, who says that "people rate symmetric faces as being more attractive than asymmetric faces," performed tests that found runners with asymmetric ears to be slower than those with symmetric ears. Why might this be so? Manning argues that facial symmetry reflects symmetry in the body: A visage mat's off by as little as a millimeter from one side to the other—the left eye slightly lower or smaller than the right eye, for instance—can signal a similar shortfall in coordination and speed." (Green Morse, 2001)

So let's take a popular and beautiful athlete such as NFL quarterback Tom Brady (the guy is in GQ and married to a supermodel).  Here is what he looks like compared with myself using facial symmetry....I'm hosed!  The repeat of the left side of my face looks like an ogre.  The left side turns into a pencil necked geek.  Tom on the other hand stays pretty handsome throughout. 

So now if I fall short of my dunking dream I blame my lack of beauty.  It's a cold cruel world...but somehow I will perservere.

Green Morse, K. (2001, September 03). Face facts. Sports Illustrated, Retrieved from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com
/vault/article/magazine/MAG1023490/index.htm

Time is getting short...progress still slow

This week I had the chance to start working with a parent who works professionally as a physical therapist.  She offered her services to see if getting more specific with my workouts and having someone monitor them for me would help out.  I have to say that after doing the workouts twice that I am pleased with the rigor of the workouts...we will have to wait and see if the results come with it.

I am still stuck on a 20inch standing vertical and being able to touch the rim with a running jump.  I know that I need about 6 more inches to make the total goal happen....here's to more hard work!

You had me at "El Diablo"

Last week EVHS completed a tremendous week of Homecoming events.  In a nutshell it was a joyride of one event after another. 

A group of 10 seniors went around to every feeder elementary and middle school to spread the word about what Homecoming is and how they could all be involved.  We took the opportunity to hand out some free swag (t-shirts, footballs, and tattoos) and at the same time taught them some of our best cheers. 

From there our school put on one of the biggest parades we have had in years.  People lined up on Valley Road to watch the band, elementary & middle schools, DADD club, LULAC, Homecoming Royalty, class floats, and Football team come down the road.  It ended with a Chili Feed in the cafeteria and Powder Puff Football finals in the stadium.  Energy was everywhere that evening.

Friday ended the work week with a terrific Pepfest in the gymnasium complete with performances by the Dance team, Cheer squad, and Senior Football players.  Although the football game on Friday night was a very soggy affair the rain did not deter our team from getting their 6th win of the season highlighted by a showstopping rendition of "Party Rock" by the band and the crowing of the Homecoming Royalty. 

Saturday finally ended everything with our Volleyball team taking to the court and the Homecoming Dance that night.  Whew...even going through it all is an exhausting list of activities.

The energy and spirit of our student body and staff this year was like a tidal wave of support.  I am super proud of what they have come together to accomplish.

With all of these obvious signs of support, it was a subtle act that reminded me of how good it is to be at EVHS.  When we were working to tear down the facilities towards the end of the football game, I was taking down a tent that was protecting our ticket takers.  One particular leg was giving me trouble when a couple of parents walked by and asked me if I needed help.  I graciously declined their offer and explained that I could handle it on my own.  Unbeknownst to me a student was nearby escorting his girlfriend to her parents car.  He approached the tent and said, "You just lied to those people didn't you...you could use some help."  This young man is completely unassuming and someone I say hello to often in the hallways.  He had read the situation perfectly and more importantly acted in a manner that could only be described as chivalrous.

As proud as I am of our student body spirit, victories on the field of play, and all of the pomp and circumstance that comes with high school events...it was this simple gesture that typifies what is common at EVHS.  Students who are respectful, responsible, and genuinely caring individuals.

"Jerry McGuire" is one of my favorite movies.  I think the emotional peaks and valleys of that film parallels a lot of real life situations.  At the end of the movie Jerry McGuire is trying to express how much he loves Dorothy.  All I can say to EVHS is....

"Shut up...just shut up...You had me at El Diablo"

5 Levels of the Hand

So tonight I added a new workout routine.  Thanks to Mr. Mandeville, who provided some of Men's Health articles, I integrated the "Blake Griffin" workout.  Blake is a 6'10" NBA player with a 38" vertical (from a standing 2 foot jump).  So I figured I cannot go wrong emulating his workout tactics. 

It consisted of 3 supersets of exercises where you do one with weights (to build strength) followed immediately by an explosive exercise using a medicine ball.  I did it all with my new strength shoes and found it to be really challenging.

Most recently I have been frustrated by a plateau from my workouts...but I still am seeing some small progress.  Thanks to a couple of senior basketball players who are also seeking to increase their vertical we have talked about the 5 levels of getting a dunk.  When you look at your hands your fingers are naturally divided into three parts by the creases from your joints.  The palm of your hand can be divided in half.  So the goal is to go from level 1 (the finger tips) to level 5 (the wrist).

Before I got to the meat of my workout I did get my longest index finger to the top of the rim.  This is a small point but one that continues to give me hope.

All the other kids with their pumped up kicks....

I have been using my new Strength Training shoes that the EVHS staff bought me.  According to the shoes manual...yes they came with a manual and training video..."when athletes train properly with the strength Shoe, the calf muscles support 100% of the body weight.  Following the systm, athletes can expect to increase vertical leap by us much as 5 to 10 inches."

Right now I am doing everything within my power to make this happen.  I am working out my legs 3-4 times per week, using the special shoes, and even trying some new health supplements and diet.  I have a goal and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

What happened to all of us?

I had the opportunity to travel this weekend to NYC.  Being in a city that large, with so many people, is a spectacle in and of itself.  We live on such a diverse planet when you think about NYC being a place where one square block of steel and concrete can house more people than probably all of Eagle County.  Time and again I just noticed people...more and more of them...pouring out of subway stations, running in central park, eating food from streetside vendors, taking a cigarette break, police officers, skateboarders, etc.

The crush of people only continued all the way through our flight back to Denver.  It was while I was waiting at Laguardia that I had my epiphany for this upcoming weeks training.  I had my headphones on and was doing some people watching during the wait for our departure.  When I was looking at people I noticed that they were all adults.  Business travelers, tourists, foreigners, retirees, flight crews, and just about anything in between.  It made me think about what each of them might of been like when they were in high school.  As I look at each person I thought to myself....was this a former????

• prom queen
• lunchroom loaner
• star quarterback
• voted most likely to succeed
• partier and drug user
• band geek
• class president
• social outcast
• debate captain
• class clown

What quickly became appearant to me was that in all of these anonymous people there was no way to gaurantee a match between my stereotypes. 

• Was the well dressed business man a former quarterback or social outcast?
• Did the guy with all the tatoos receive the most likely to succeed votes or was he a drug user?
• Was the beautiful woman a prom queen in her day or a band geek?

The more I thought about it I became facinanted with the potential of what high school back story existed for each person. 

• Did they go to a private school or public school?  Did they even go to school or graduate?
• Where they challenged or bored out of their minds? 
• Was their experience with teachers overall positive or negative? 
• Did they have the support of their parents or have to do it all on their own?

Ultimately what I decided was....What matters was the fact that all people are living the life that they have right here and now in front of them.  Why not sieze the moment and make of it what you will or what you want.  High school is one of those moments that is the story of most of our lives.  It does not define you forever but it is the moment that you have to live here and now.

2nd Street Basketball Court (Lesson - Patience)

This is a picture I took of the 2nd Street basketball goal...
there was something idyllic about the clouds, mountains, and sun-rays
that made it very photogenic today.

So I was driving home from the grocery store yesterday when I intentionally went out of my way to drive by the 2nd Street basketball courts in gypsum.  I got out of my car and decided to test my vertical right then and there.  I had already worked out for the day and could not help myself from testing out my vertical skills.  It's kind of funny because every time I see something that is either a basketball goal or around that height I immediately think....could I jump and reach that.
A valuable lesson I am learning is one of patience.  I really want to jump and reach and dunk the basketball....NOW.  Not two days from now, not two weeks from now, and definitely not two months from now.  Although I am seeing progress I cannot help but feel that the goal in mind becomes more frustrating when progress is not obvious or documented.  (Hold your breath because here comes the obvious educational parallel.)  In education we are often faced with a similar dilemma.  We want kids to change their behavior...NOW.  We want our test scores to improve...NOW.  We want to see implementation of new curriculum...NOW.  What is most important is to have a plan in place to achieve change and stick to those plans even when you face adversity or become frustrated with a lack of results. 

It is the patience to see through the entire process and work on all the components necessary when real change will occur.

Did I jump any higher at the 2nd Street basketball court than I had earlier in the day at my workout?  No, I did not.  However, I know that with continued hard work and patience I still believe I can achieve my goal.  I have a good plan in place and I cannot lose sight of how being patient when you have a good plan in place is a key part of achieving success.

Free Hug Friday!!!

Best day of the school year so far...FREE HUG FRIDAY!!!!

So the Pitchforks got out and greeted students as they entered the building by opening their car doors and offering free hugs.  The energy was awesome and the effect of having everyone do something that makes you feel good to start the day was infectious.  They then went around and hugged every teacher during first period. The students of EVHS love their teachers and it was great to see that.

I touched the Rim...I BELIEVE

Today was a tremendous day at school.  I had the chance to meet one-on-one with a Senior and interview her about who she is and what EVHS has meant to her.  By the end of our conversation I was buzzing about the work that we do here for kids and our community.  That energy continue when I met with the soccer team and talk to them about their 1st victory of the season and where they are headed as a team.  I also met with the "Pitchforks" and we planned their next major spirit event for the school.  This all fits with a meeting I also had today with the Administrators and Counselors at EVHS about what we can do to further push our agenda for College and Career Readiness. I BELIEVE EVHS is on a precipice and about ready to explode with EXTRAordinary achievement in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and in our community.

Tonight I came back to EVHS at 9:00pm to complete my workout for the day.  Before I got into my plyometric training I wanted to test myself in the gym with my jumping.  After several attempts I was falling short and not jumping very high.  I decided to just go into the workout and see what would happen later.  The plyometric training is 60 minutes of constant jumping, leaping, hoping, and anything else that gets up up and down.  It is by far the most strenuous on my lower body and cardiovascular system.  After completing the workout I stepped out into the gym and looked up at the goal.  It was staring me down...almost taunting me because of my earlier defeat.  I decided that I needed to try again before I would let myself leave.  After another failed attempt I gathered myself....gave a full run up...and touched the rim!  I did it three, four, five more times.  It was a huge validation that I am progressing.  The sacrifices and training that I am doing are having the desired effect that will ultimately lead to greater achievement.

I BELIEVE in myself and that all of this hard work is going to pay off.  In a literal sense I am talking about my working out and the vertical jump training.  In a bigger sense I am talking about EVHS and the students and staff that work here.  I BELIEVE in our kids and that they are capable of great things when given the opportunity.  I BELIEVE in the staff of EVHS and the lengths that they go to in order to provide those opportunities.

Running Sidebar

So this weekend I took a little detour from the intense jump training to participate in the RAGNAR relay.  I was invited to re-team with a group of collegues from Rock Canyon High School for this annual event.  We first did this event 6 years ago and I was not a part of the relay last year as I had left the school.  Because of a late dropout from the team they needed my services again.  I have to say I am very greatful for the invite as it was just as much fun as I remembered it.

The basics of the relay are that you have 10-12 people, 2 vans, and 188 miles of running to cover between Breckenridge and Snowmass.  The vans take 5-6 people and run their legs of the relay, pass it off to the other van of 5-6 people, and drive forward for the next leg.  We did it with 10 runners this year so we averaged 18 miles a piece over 3 different legs of running.  It is a physically demanding event as you run over major mountain passes, cram yourself into a car, sleep on the ground at rest stops, empty your body of its contents several times over, and get up to run all over again.  However, the comraderie and exstasy of completing the task in 24+ hours (including some incredible scenery and unforgettable runs) make it all worth it.

So thanks to Tony, Erica, Tyler, Emy, Karly, Brent, Jenna, Lauren, and Matt for including me in on the fun.  It was great to connect with some old friends, make new ones, and have another relay under the belt.

Tomorrow...back to lower leg lifting for explosive strength!

Pepfest Dunk Footage - August Trial

Here is the footage of my first attempt to dunk at the August 30th PepFest.  After challenging the student body and staff to EXPECT MORE this was my demonstration of where my vertical currently stands.  I have given myself until the December 5th PepFest to be able to dunk a basketball and fulfill a personal lifelong dream.  Can I do it?  Time will tell but right now I am working my hardest to get to that point and prove to everyone that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Phi Slamma Jamma

The last time I played basketball competitively/regularly was during my college years at Kansas State University.  I lived in a fraternity and we regularly played pickup games on the goal in our parking lot when the weather allowed.  Some of my favorite memories are from playing with my best friends and pledge brothers in winner stays/loser goes competitions.  They were always fierce with nobody calling any fouls and occasional injuries from rough play.  How could you not have a good time with guys named Hams, Saw, Waldo, Vibe, Clitch, Elmo, Sode, Solo, Fish, Bait, Yoda, Jed, Sunny, Splash, and Chester.

The ultimate however was my participation in intramural 3 on 3 basketball.  During my Junior and Senior years I teamed forces with brothers Taz and Walt to form my last forray into basketball specific training.  We were not just a team...we were PHI SLAMMA JAMMA.  Although the name was borrowed from the University of Houston team from the early 80's that featured Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, we were convinced that we could emulate our basketball heroes on the court. 

Taz was the slasher with a quick first step and ability to finish at the rim.  Walt was the distributer who made the offense flow.  I took on the role of defensive stopper and generally annoying little white guy (think of every Duke gaurd you ever hated).  As a unit we trained at the gym and worked on the skills the would make us better.  Specifically we would do squats and call out the rebounds we were getting with each rep...Box Out...Snatch It...I Own You Fool...

Although none of us were ever varsity level players in high school...as a 3 on 3 team we were pretty formidable.  In my junior year we lost to a team called the Vanilla Gorillas who actually won a national tournament of college 3 on 3 intramural teams.  My senior year we made it to the quarterfinals and lost to a team in what I remember as an epic battle that went down to the wire.

As I trained today for my Expect More Dunk challenge I actually went back to those days almost 20 years ago and thought about what they meant.  Through comraderie, communication, hard work, and passion I was a part of something that made me really proud.  I hope that the EVHS community takes on these same characteristics as we work towards greater goals.

-kai-
(this is for you Beta Brothers and Phi Slamma Jamma)

I Love Statistics

I always like to think of myself as being an informed individual.  I like to be armed with as much information as possible to make the best decisions possible.  In the case of the “Expect More Dunk” challenge my information gathering is starting to show me that I am going to have to really achieve greatness to accomplish my goal.

 After doing some research on the internet on vertical jumping I was able to come to the following conclusion…Right now I am the exact definition of average!  Remember these are the numbers that I am starting my challenge from…

• Age = 37 (will turn 38 during training)
• Height = 6’1”
• Reach = 8’0’
• Vertical = 16”
• Goal Vertical to Dunk = 30”

According to an article from www.menshealth.com, men have an average vertical jump in the following age ranges. 

AGE     HEIGHT

20-29    19.7"

30-39    16.9"  I am right at the average on this one.

40-49    13.8"

50-59    11.0"

 

So this puts me at a starting point that makes me exactly average.  I kind of knew that going in but it also shows that in order to achieve my goal I will have to far out jump even the average for someone 10 years younger than myself.

I also found another resource that gives a more general overview for vertical jumping (Top End Sports, 2012).  This one includes males and females, doesn’t break it down by age, and has jumps categorized from very poor to excellent ratings.  Again I am starting in the average category.  It verifies again that I am going to have to reach well above average in order to be in the running to dunk the basketball. 

	males		females
rating	(inches)	(cm)	(inches)	(cm)
excellent	> 28	> 70	> 24	> 60
very good	24 - 28	61-70	20 - 24	51-60
above average	20 - 24	51-60	16 - 20	41-50
average	16 - 20	41-50	12 - 16	31-40
below average	12 - 16	31-40	8 - 12	21-30
poor	8 - 12	21-30	4 - 8	11-20
very poor	< 8	< 21	< 4	< 11

With all this data there is one more piece of information that I found fascinating, inspiring, and mostly intimidating.  According to a vertical training website called jumpshigher.com, here are some elite comparisons for vertical leaping.

Average Vertical Leap of NCAA Div. 1 Football player: 29-31 inches.

Average Vertical Leap of NCAA Div. 1 Basketball player: 27-30 inches

Michael Jordan had 48" vertical

Kadour Ziani is the unofficial world record holder at a 56" vertical

So I now have multiple sources confirming that it will take the EXTRA-ordinary for me to accomplish my ambitious goal of dunking the basketball.  Right now I am taking this as inspiration that not if I do it…but when I do it…I can truly relish in what is hopefully an inspiring accomplishment.

As a shout out to the Language Arts Department I want to point out that I tried to cite all of my sources for this post =)

Bibliography

Brant, J. (2012). Look great at any age. Retrieved from http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/build-strength-at-any-age/fit_standards.php

Top End Sports Network. (2012). Fitness testing: Vertical jump height norms. Retrieved from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/vertical-jump-norms.htm

Vertical Jump Research Blog. (2012). Average vertical jump by gender. Retrieved from http://jumpshigher.com/average-vertical-jump

The Master Workout Plan

Feeling like I am in pretty good shape.  I have been doing parts and pieces of some workouts and now I am going to focus on doing a lower body workout every other day.  I am going to mix some of the P90X videos with weightroom and court work.  The plan is to do the following....

Day 1 - Lower Body Weight Training (high weights, low reps, maximize explosion)
Day 2 - Kempo X and Ab Ripper X (core & aerobic strength)
Day 3 - Plyometrics X (possibly the hardest of the P90X workouts)
Day 4 - Basketball drills and Ab Ripper X (get in some court time)
Day 5 - Legs and Back X (another round of strength leg drills)
Day 6 - Stretch X and Ab Ripper X (bit of a recovery day)
Day 7 - Hill Run (I just can't give up the running and I hope the hills pay off)

So this is the optimistic plan.  Obviously it requires 7 days of work and I know already that some weeks will get blown up.  However, I am motivated to work on the legs and want to stick to the every other day plan and see if I can start to get some more results.

The other thing I am excited about is using my strength training shoes.  The gift from the EVHS staff was amazing.  I did return them to get a smaller size, but once they come in I want to start using them to see if they pay off with the training of the right muscle groups.

If anyone has any suggestions for what else I can do let me know.

An Amazing Start to the DUNK Challenge

Today's Pepfest could not have gone better.  It had awesome energy and the student body was fully engaged in our Devil pride.  The performances by the Cheerleaders, Devil Dancers, Choir, and the Pitchforks were all top notch.  Additionally the classes totally rocked it when it came to "Marching" and introducing our new cheer "DO IT".

 

Officially, the EXCPECT MORE DUNK challenge is on!  After presenting some evidence of student achievement data and growth I went into my personal challenge of trying to dunk by December 5th.  Thanks to the incredible support of the EVHS staff they even purchased me a pair of Strength Shoes.  I know with the help and support of the amazing teachers and students of EVHS I can achieve more and actually make the height necessary to dunk the basketball!

EVHS Mission+Vision+Commitments

T-Minus 2 days to PepFest

In two days we will have our Back to School PepFest with the entire student body.  At this event I will be revealing my goal to hopefully inspire and motivate the EVHS student body to "Expect More" out of everything that we can do.  It will be interesting to see, hear, and feel the student reaction to my objective of trying to dunk a basketball.  With my training the last two weeks I have increased my vertical to almost 17".  This puts me within about 10" of what I thought I would need to dunk the basketball.  Getting these first couple of inches I know will be easier than the last ones that I will need. 

The countdown clock is ticking and I have about 14 weeks left to acheive the goal.  Do you think I can do it?

Bill Snyder 16 Goals & EVHS Mission/Vision

So I know that I am a little bit biased because of my alumni status...but I just had to share a link to a site dedicated to the 16 Goals that are the benchmark of the coaching success of Bill Snyder and the K-State football team.  It is a compilation of videos explaining the application of the 16 Goals within the program....http://www.kstatesports.com/16goals/

The following is an excerpt from a description of the 16 Goals....
"The 16 goals form the foundation for success, and create the work ethic and discipline that goes with them. With players and coaches from all backgrounds, having a single set of core values unifies them under one vision. If each adheres to the goals as individuals, then team success will follow.
Snyder believes the 16 goals are not only critical to success on the field, but also in everyday life. Once someone has dedicated themselves to doing things the right way, their chance of success in any field is dramatically increased."

I believe that EVHS has a direct parallel with what is going on with K-State football.  Our development of a mission and vision statement last year gives us the capacity to build the same kind of success that happened at KSU.  By having some straight-forward and consistent principles in place we can move our organization forward.

Our Mission:  (What are we here to do?  What is our purpose?)

“Educating Every Student for Success”

Our Vision:  (What are our dreams, aspirations, vision of the future?)

“Expect More”

Core Values: (What does our community represent?)

1.       Ethical Behavior – we shall conduct ourselves by virtues such as honesty, trust, integrity, and mutual respect.
2.      Excellence – we will not back down from the expectation that our achievements can reach the highest of standards.
3.      Relationships – we believe that a school functions only when we are here with the purpose to support each other in our common endeavors.
4.      Experience – we want to offer the chance for everyone to engage, set goals, and move forward in experiences that maximize their potential.
5.      Enthusiasm – school spirit can take many forms and we want to embrace an environment defined by friendly, polite, uplifting, and cheerful interactions.

Commitments: (What will it look like if we are doing our job?)

1.       Serve the Students, Families, and Staff who make up our community.
·         We want to do our best to meet the needs of a diverse population by including everyone from our community in our process and outcomes.
2.      Achieve excellence in the areas of Academics, Athletics, and Activities. 
·         We are focused on a balanced approach that provides opportunities for students to connect and experience success in everything we offer.
3.      Build programs designed to provide Rigor, Relevance, and Results. 
·         What we are doing here is preparing students for life beyond high school and the only way to do that is with high expectations that produce results.
4.      Expect Respectful, Responsible, and Accountable behaviors.
·         We believe that this commitment can be achieved by following three simple rules.  Know Right from Wrong and Do What's Right!  Always Do Your Best!  Treat People with Respect!

An open letter of thanks to the EVHS Staff

The 2012-13 school year is off to a great start. We have designs and plans in place to continue to push EVHS forward and "Expect More" out of what we offer as a school community. It is easy to make such a lofty declaration when you know you are doing it with such a strong staff.

It would be nearly impossible to cover fully the appreciation I have for the faculty and staff of EVHS.  I know that many teachers put their heart and soul into EVHS and the students that they work with every day.  The results from some of our assessment data last year are measurables of how hard everyone has worked to provide the best educational experience possible.  From in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and at all of the activities we offer there is a dedication to excellence.  We are a community and team that works together.  The list of thanks goes to....

• custodians who make our building look amazing
• security who make our building safe
• secretaries that provide support and help to all our community
• cooks that prepare meals and great kids with a smile every day
• nurses who look after our kids when they are hurt or sick
• maintenance workers the keep things running
• paraprofessionals and special education teachers who support our students 
• master and mentor teachers who lead our professional development
• counselors and mental health team members who offer guidance and support
• technology support that helps us stay connected
• the Booster Club and EVHS Foundation that provide support to our school
• transportation drivers that get our kids to school and events both near and far
• Assistant Principals that guide and plan every aspect of the school

One of my favorite quotes is from Sir Isaac Newton..."If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."  We are constantly using the understanding and efforts gained by those who have gone before us in order to make progress.  I consider the staff of EVHS to be the giants and we will continue to see further because of their efforts.

Sincerely,
Greg Doan
EVHS Principal

P90X...Ouch!!!!

So the last two days I have started the cycle of the P90X workout system.  After Day 1 (shoulders/back & ab ripper) and Day 2 (plyometrics) all I have to say is "OUCH".  I have always considered it pretty easy to get in distance running shape, which is my preferred method of working out.  Doing these other muscle groups has been tough on my body.  I must admit that I know that I have to make a shift in my thinking.  After talking to one of our PE/Health teachers I was reminded that all the long, slow, distance training is not what I need for this goal.  It is the explosive, plyometric, speed intervals, and weight training that I have typically avoided that will get me to my dunking goal.

Right now I am setting a course to use the P90X workout routine because it has an overall philosophy of muscle confusion.  I am going to continue running, but only use it for warmups/cooldowns and hill running on the weekend.  In addition I am going to try a specific vertical jump training program I found online for 2 days a week.  Finally, I actually need to pick up a basketball and just play some hoops.  Right now staring up at the basketball rim in the gym can be very intimidating.

"EXTRA"ordinary

The life that we live can be filled with many ORDINARY events.  Get up, get ready, go to school/work, come home, watch some TV, go to bed....repeat it all again tomorrow.

What if you took the opportunity to do something EXTRA with the ORDINARY.  Say hello to somebody new.  Try a food you have never tried before.  Play a board game with your family instead of watching TV by yourself.  Surprise someone with a personal contact (card, phone call, or visit).  Challenge yourself to do three more than is required (run three more steps at the end of a workout, do three more math problems than the teacher requested).

The word EXTRAORDINARY can be intimidating; however, doing something EXTRA with the ORDINARY can be accomplished at any moment.

So how will we achieve EXTRAORDINARY results with our students at EVHS?  We aspire to having 80% of our students proficient or advanced on TCAP results.  Perhaps that will come from some of the EXTRA opportunities that will be developed during our Zero Hour.  I also know that we have some EXTRAORDINARY staff members that will go above and beyond with the lessons and experiences that they offer their students.  Perhaps a student will get some EXTRA guidance that provides them better focus and belief that they can achieve more than the ORDINARY.

EVHS has already embodied this with the commitment to the All-School Community Service Day.  It is inspirational to watch 700+ students and staff go out and give their best efforts to improve the community that we live in.  Volunteerism can be such a ORDINARY yet profound act.  Raking leaves, painting lines, walking dogs, washing cars....all in and of themselves are ORDINARY acts.  However, the scope and scale of an entire school participating is something EXTRA.  Collectively when we do something together we can achieve great things.

The vision to "Expect More" out of ourselves is just the beginning.  What I can guarantee is that it will take the collective effort of the students, parents, and staff of EVHS to achieve the results that we desire. 

What will be your new EXTRA to the ORDINARY to help us achieve EXTRAORDINARY results?

Red Hill Training Run

 Today I ran to the top of Red Hill  Beacon Road.  It has 1500 ft in elevation from my house to the top.  As I was running I was thinking about the comparison of the vertical gain I need to make in my training.  I think I will keep this as a Saturday training ritual.  I know that hill running can be good for your vertical and I really like th solitude and challenge of getting to the top of the hill.  Today I ran it in about 4 minutes faster than my previous time.  As I get in better shape I feel more confident about increasing my lower body training routine to really work on the jumping.

Dunks provide Thrills & Concerns

Check out this article from ESPN.com that came up today.  It describes how dunks in basketball games become an event of adrenaline and emotion.  I am hopeful that my dunking ambitions do the same thing.  ESPN "Dunks Provide Thrills & Concerns"

The concept is fascinating to the general population because most people can't dunk. The elite slam artists take the craft to a different level. They also experience a unique rush. "You feel more manly. You feel empowered. It's just really cool being able to affect the game just by being able to jump high," said Florida forward Patric Young.

Power of Public Accountability

Day 2 - 16 weeks left....vertical still 16"

So last night I was exhausted after all the back to school presentations.  I actually went home and passed out for about 45 minutes.  However, the first thing that I did when I woke up was think about how I had just made a public declaration that I was going to do a feat that would require exreme physical training.  I felt compelled...almost pushed...out of the door to go for a run.  It really helped me clear my head and start formulating a plan for what I need to do next to train for vertical jumping.

I am super pleased with the staff reaction so far to the idea of my quest to dunk a basketball and how it parallels our "Expect More" vision for the school.  Our PE teachers and coaches have offered their help and commented that they are talking to their teams about setting their goals high.  I also like the comments that there may be an office betting pool on whether or not I can do it (....I'm betting on myself doing it by the way.)  Finally, the accusations that I may be sandbagging my actual jumping abilities is an interesting concept as well.

Right now I am researching different potential resources for vertical jumping programs.  Even though I am a cheapskate...there is one online program you can purchase that does a pre-assessment of your skills, designs a workout program specific to your needs, and tracks/adjusts what you need as you progress through the workouts.  Hmmmmmm....for all of us educators you replace the words vertical workouts with grade level content and you have exactly what we are being asked to do for our kids.

Tonight I may run to the Rec Center and play around with some jumping/plyometric exercises and see what happens.

Here are the physics I will need to accomplish the goal of dunking.  Currently my vertical measures in at 9'4".  In order to have the ball clear above the rim I figure I will have to jump to approximately 10'6".  This calculates out to needing an additional 14" make the necessary height.  I think I can do this!!!!

"You can't high jump over a low bar."

This image embodies my belief that "You can't high jump over a low bar".  We set our own expectations and deal with limitations every day in life that could keep us from achieving our goals.  I love this picture because as a para-olympic athlete this athlete could clearly have excuses as to why he could not and should not clear the bar...however, here he is doing something others may think is impossible.  As I embark on my own journey it would be easy to use excuses as to why I cannot achieve my own goals and dreams.  Setting the bar high may give you a sense of setting yourself up for failure.  I believe that setting the bar low is even worse because you limit yourself on what you may be able to achieve.

08/15/12 Today The Journey Begins

Today was the first step by making public my plans to use my lifelong dream of dunking a basketball.  My hope is to inspire others to take on the work necessary to achieve more in everything that you can do.  At our morning faculty meeting our team presented information about the current status of our school (academic, athletic, and activities achievement).  Now the work begins to formulate plans to make sure that all of our students are College and Career Ready by the time they graduate.