The 5 lines… @SRUSA_Official

New article from E. D. Hirsch and me on (1) the evidence for the importance of knowledge in reading; (2) why it’s taken so long for people to acknowledge the evidence; (3) what we predict if the role of knowledge is taken seriously. educationnext.org/rediscover…

In football, the best way to beat a defender isn't to outrun them—it’s to make them commit. The most dangerous players in the world don't just move the ball; they move the defender. A world-class body feint is a masterclass in physics and human psychology. Here is why the "drop of the shoulder" is the most effective tool in a winger’s arsenal: 1. The Low Center of Gravity 📉 A feint begins in the knees, not the feet. By dropping your hips and leaning into a fake direction, you force the defender to mirror your center of gravity. If you go low, they go low. * The Goal: Get them to plant their feet. A planted defender is a stationary defender. 2. Selling the "False Step" 👟 The best feints aren't just a lean; they involve a hard step with the lead foot. This triggers a "threat response" in the defender. They see the weight transfer and instinctively shift their entire mass to cover the lane. * The Physics: Once a defender’s weight is on their heels or shifted to one side, they are trapped by their own inertia. 3. The "Snap" Back ⚡ The feint is only half the job. The magic happens in the acceleration phase. The moment the defender bites, you push off the "fake" foot and explode into the open space. * The Timing: You don't wait for them to stop; you move the instant you see their hips turn. 🧠 The Competitive Edge In football—and in business—predictability is a weakness. If you always take the most linear path, you’re easy to mark. The "body feint" is a reminder that sometimes you have to move one way to go the other. It’s about creating space where there was none by manipulating the expectations of your competition. How do you create space when the pressure is on? #FootballStrategy #PlayerDevelopment #SoccerSkills #PerformancePsychology #Agility #1v1

If you can walk into a club, lay out a set of cards with your coaching language on them, and the players can pick them up and explain what each one means 70% of the time, then your language is in a good place. Your terminology should be simple, clear, and understood without you needing to explain it every time. Simple words. Smart football.

My daughter played 2 mins vs USC… She ran at 6am that morning She shot over 500 3’s the day before She did PT after and ice bathed After the game, she got in the sauna and ran 2 miles to offset lack of game run. Staying ready is a mindset. It’s not for the weak minded. It’s for the dedicated who see a bigger future ahead and the few that believe they can do the job when called upon. This girl will see the fruits of her labor! No doubt! #StayLockedIn #EarnIt #WinTodaysBattle

What distinguishes the best players is not so much what they can DO, but what they can SEE. “The study found that perceptual-cognitive skills were considered the most important attribute for most positions”(Kelly et al, 2024).

🌎⚽️📈 theguardian.com/football/ng-…

“In 2015, researchers at the University of Sussex in England asked a group of 20 English teachers in Year 8, the U.S. equivalent of 7th grade, to change their practice for 12 weeks. During that period, they would read two novels back to back, with all of the reading done in class—a much faster pace than these students, who usually read two books over the course of a year, were used to. At the end of the 12 weeks, average reading comprehension for all students—as measured by a standardized test—improved by the equivalent of 8.5 months of regular instruction. The effect nearly doubled for struggling readers, who made 16 months improvement during that period.” @s_e_schwartz explores the issue of books disappearing from US curriculum. Including evidence like this study, in favor of work with whole books.

if animals played football, who would play in which position