On this episode, the SOS team dials in on the importance of the “middle” phase in both sports and life, comparing it to the toughest stretch of an 800-meter race. The discussion explores how staying consistent and focused during this challenging period can shape overall success. The true value of success depends not just on showing up at the start or finish, but how you handle the monotony in the middle.

---------------------------------

Website: LCC Athletics

Related Podcast: Coach Cut’s Corner

It's time for Stars on Sports. A podcast radio show dedicated to sharing stories about our athletic program at LCC, past and present. Lansing Community College athletics has a strong tradition: 25 national championships, over 190 All Americans, 19 MCCAA All Sports Trophies. Stars on Sports will introduce you to individuals that have contributed to our program success and give you the backstory on what it takes to develop it. We'll also dive into and break down the topics and issues facing athletic departments across the nation and right here at LCC. This is Stars on Sports.

Hello and welcome to another episode of Stars on Sports. I'm joined today by our assistant athletic director, Steven Cutter and our producer, Brendan.

And gentlemen, I was a track coach and I was a distance runner and I always compared everything in my job, my life, sports seasons to the 800 meter race. I always thought it was a great race in track because it's longer than a sprint but shorter than a pacing event.

So I always focused on that 400 to 600 mark, that first lap. Everyone can go out fast in the 400 and then everyone can usually finish strong that last 200. But it's also, how soon do you start? Is it 300 or so?

I always worked on that middle part of the race and I always compared it to seasons and many things in life that most people, if you have the motivation to start something, you usually get off to a good start and if not, you can make up for it.

But a lot of people work on the start and then you're always counting on finish that you know, whatever you have left in the tank or whatever you have that you can finish.

But when you go through a season, most seasons you have a slump or you're in that middle of the season where, you know, you've been practicing every day, games are starting. So you know, and I'm not sure I think there is way to practice and prepare for it.

But I think you know that 400 to 600 part of the race and I would argue it's an any race in the 100 or the two mile at that, you know, fifth or sixth lap. It's that over halfway point ever. And we're starting track this season. Our baseball and softball team that just come from the south.

So I mean technically they're getting close to the middle of their season and it's, you know, no on the ground this morning. Our basketball teams are the other end. They're finishing up at the national tournament this week and trying to finish strong.

So again, I want to just talk a little bit. I Mean, a lot of my examples will be that 400 to 600 mark in the 800 rate.

But I do think it applies to a lot of things in other sports seasons and life too. Coach Cut, any quick thoughts before we dive into it?

Yeah, for sure. I think the middle is really important.

Whether you're talking about like races or your environment or your culture of your team, the middle, you're always going to have the kids that are really bought in, you know, at the top. And then you're going to have the kids that are least bought in at the bottom.

And those middle, those are somewhat called fence sitters and they're going to go which way the wind blows. So if you have a great environment, they're going to go towards the top and you'll have a great culture.

But I also think of it in terms of like us as human beings. It's not so much where we start. The middle ends up being the most important.

If we do a great job of taking care of our bodies and our minds in the middle of our life, then the end ends up being a little bit better than if we don't take care of the middle. And the same thing applies in sports or anything else. If you're not taking care of the middle, the ending doesn't end up as well as it could be.

Very good. We'll hit more, though. More. Brendan, what about you? Anything quick to add?

I was going to say playing lacrosse as a midfielder, the middle is actually the most important aspect of the team because they play both offense and defense. I actually played long stick middy, which goes even further into how hard do you play the middle.

Great perspective because I had not thought about positional persons in this. And you're right.

Even in soccer, I mean, you got your forwards that just really play up top and are ready to score and you got your defenders who are more back for the goalie at the midfielder that got to go up and down.

And some people are hard on them because sometimes they're just standing there in the game, but they're not really standing there, they're resting or goes back to things we've talked about before, of choosing your battles, of how you know when to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive to your point, Coach starting and it is important and we forget that everyone worries about when you have starters in a sport like who's the starter. You know, we all focus on the starters and, you know, the good coaches always said it's not who starts the game, it's who finishes the game.

And I believe in that. I mean, there's people that have earned starting spots for a reason, but at the end of the game, it is how you finish.

And you got to have the right people in there, the right people that can't handle pressure in the middle is the connection between the two.

And where role, like you said, the people that are bought in, where role players step up or where people fill the roles, even such as midfielders, between scoring and being defense.

And again, I just think it gets lost in the shuffle because, you know, in the sports world, you already thought, oh, they're off to a fast start or, oh, they've won their last 10 games. And I think we forget what it takes to get them there. And, you know, it's a mental game, too.

I mean, I, I do believe most teams go through a little slump in a long season, and I think you have to, as a coach or leader, have to work on that because, you know, like, do you go out too fast or, you know, do you save enough for the end? And it's also like comparing yourself.

And I know we don't like talking about comparison, but most people, like in the, between the 400, 600 settle in.

And I think a lot of teams settle in in the middle of the season that not necessarily speed up, but maybe maintain more than the other team or maintain more than what you were doing previously. And I just think that is such a huge component of being successful is what your pace is or how do you maintain or.

Or not letting complacency get in, which I think applies to the things you said about life and, and other things and you said about even being a midfielder in lacrosse. So, I mean, you're getting ready to head into the middle of your season. I mean, and I think like, in track, it's easy to figure out. In track, it's.

And to me at that, you know, 400 to 600, 2/3 of the way through, over the hill kind of a thing.

But you're also, you know, settling, like even at the start of the season, you're learning who your players are, where they fit in, how are they doing, where are they going, the lineup, where are they out on the court, where are they out on the field? And again, you're still making changes that if you don't capitalize on that middle part. And again, many teams maybe don't.

But I think the teams that are successful are the ones that, that maximize middle part of the season. And I, and I truly believe that's the same in the 400 to 600 and the 800.

And I would really like work at being in that spot to coach our student athletes to mentally and physically prepare or be at that part of the race.

So do you have like, as you go through a season, do you feel like that or are there certain, I mean, or that more just after tough losses or do you, do you feel like the middle can be a grind a little bit?

I think it's definitely a combination of both.

But Brendan and I were talking before we came into the studio and we were, and Brendan brought up consistency being one of the secrets to success as we were talking about some stuff in the podcast studio and it really makes me think about like, you know, once again I'll transcend out of sports and go to life.

You know, we think about like those really great days and us showing up in those really great days and we think about those not so great days, the bad days. But it's the middle days that end up being the most important.

If you can stay really consistent during those middle days, those ho hum days, then that's where you see the massive growth with your life and with happiness and stuff like that. And that ties it back into the middle. In the normal, the middle of the season.

If you can stay really consistent with what you're doing with your processes and not get lost in how you started, whether that was positive or negative, because positive you'll get some complacency and things like that in there. Negative, you're going to be lacking confidence and all those things.

So the middle ends up being just as important as the finish and just as important as how you start.

Yeah, I think that's a great point. It made me think of when you talk about good days and bad days, our work day in general.

I mean, most people get to work and might take a little bit to get going, but then they get a lot done and then they, you know, usually try and finish strong at that lunchtime area that do you work on. And, and you're right, consistency is, is huge.

And I think, you know, when you train for like track or the season, it's, it's about maintaining and about avoiding complacency, about slowing down and not doing that too much and knowing when to surge because like with 800 now, the athletes are actually probably pretty good enough. They do probably sprint the whole thing pretty much even up to the mile now.

But your body's not naturally, you know, trained to sprint that long that you have to. The word pace is in there. And again, you got to pace Through a season, you got pace through life. And you're right. The.

The good days you remember and build your confidence. The bad days are the ones where you grow from and you learn and you handle things. And those are probably few and far in between.

I mean, we have probably more middle day than we do good and bad days. That they do define you and how you handle them and can lead if you handle those middle days.

To your point earlier, they can lead to better days or they can lead to the tougher days if you don't take care of them. Business. And that is so true in the race and in how you do that.

If you handle that 4 to 600, it prepares you for the end, either kick or be in a good position to keep your lead. And the same for the season because, you know, how do you handle adversity? How do you handle that slump?

How do you handle, you know, again, you guys have just played, what, 24 games in 25 days, so I'm sure there's some tiredness there. And this is that middle part of. Between that and getting into your regular conference schedule.

So how do you regroup yet also move forward at the same time without losing anything?

And I do believe the best team find a way to minimize that loss during that part of the race, during that part of the day, during that part of the season, or during that part of life. And I hadn't thought about either, but people go through midlife crisis and, you know, it's again, that strong part of their career now.

You know, they're realizing that the end is near. And, you know, how do you manage? And, you know, some have not done very well at managing that part of it.

And some, you know, you see nowadays people that have started new businesses like McDonald's was started and when he was in his 50s and such. And it was managing that middle and realizing. And that's what I work hard towards every day is, you know, like what's left of me.

I mean, I've been in this business for 30 years. I want, you know, can I go 20 more? You know, can I go 30 more?

And, you know, and we have a veteran coaching staff that has put in a lot of time and has had a lot of success. So the nice thing about our business is you're usually doing something you love, you have a passion for you to do.

But it's constant, it is a grind, and it is good days and bad days. But when you look back at it, there's actually a lot of middle days in there that you really do need to bite through.

So have you ever run an 800 before?

Yes, in middle school.

Okay, middle school.

I was very active in track in middle school and realized that wasn't my.

Best hardware in baseball than the same season. So what about you, Brandon?

No, but I did play lots of running sports.

Okay.

So I probably ran the equivalent and,.

And just thinking again quickly of that middle part like halftime or you know, in baseball they have the seventh inning stretch. I think that the little far.

Not in the middle though.

No. Right. And again the 400, 600 is in the middle. But I actually think it's right past that middle point that is important.

But halftime coming out of halftime, you know, Bill Belichick in football, you think the last two minutes of the first half and the first, you know, trying to gain a possession there, the first two minutes in the second half and you know, actually both of our basketball teams played yesterday and had a difficulty in the last few minutes of that first half that might have led to a different outcome. So again you go through the half and you know, think, well, I got a minute left. Let's just, you know, settle down where you can.

Some teams can do a great job of doing a little run before the half or coming out and doing a little run.

And many people attribute to what they're, you know, if the team comes out at halftime that bad halftime coaches talk or something or don't even come out because sometimes if you do have momentum going into that middle part of the season, you don't want it to stop. But can you maintain it for another 50% of the season?

Like some teams like going through the season undefeated, other want to loss so they can teach and train and, and learn from and regroup and refocus. And I really believe though, you don't need that loss.

It's more just, you know, breaking down the season and dealing with adversity because each team is going to have adversity. So anything else on the track 400, the season or anything?

Well, I think our middle in baseball, especially at the junior college level, we play double headers for the most part. And so the middle is in between.

And what we found over a few seasons is that we would have players that were really locked in and really up for the first game. And then you get 30 minutes after the game's over. It's usually pretty cold. They're usually hungry. We're about four hours in at that point.

An average double header. We're at the field for eight hours, a little over eight hours. So we're about halfway in at that point.

And so we ended up, because we found that we were kind of falling flat when we come out in the second game, at least in the first few innings, that we were pretty flat. We ended up putting in a double header reset for our players. So we use that 30 minutes, really intentionally. And they're going through a.

Basically a process, you know, that's. With time constraints on it, to get them ready for game two. And we found that that has helped immensely on how we start games in the second.

So once again, that middle for baseball, it's not a halftime, but it's in between games, ends up being, like, incredibly imperative of what you do with that time.

Very great example, because that is, you know, and you do play a lot of double headers. And that is a middle point. And it's even a little different because you had an outcome of the first game that could.

You could be on a high from winning or you could be on a low from losing, and then, wait, you got a whole nother game. And I think that's a big part of that success in the. In the 800. Don't panic.

How to handle, you know, that the rest apart and train and teach what you're doing intentionally of how to handle that time from the 400 to 600 in the double header time and teaching your body and your mind to deal with that. And again, I think we've come a long way in mental performance in sports, and it seems to be an emphasis now, but it's also still a separator.

And I think that the key phrase of that 400 to 600 in the track and what we talk about is it can be a separator. It can be a separator for your season and your success by how you prepare and handle that middle part of the race, that in between.

Double header, halftime, the midpoint of the season, but you hit it right is preparing for it, practicing it, being intentional about it and not getting complacent, not slowing down, but being consistent.

The ability to stay present.

No different than in running where you see somebody start out super fast, maybe faster than what they're going to finish, and the ability to not compare yourself to that person that's starting out really fast and the ability to be present and know, like, if you're consistent, you will pass them because they're going to slow down because that super fast was not sustainable. The same thing about, you know, maybe you lose the first game of the double header.

Well, that's in the past that's, that's in the past and now we need to be present and be right here in the future and focus on what's up next.

And so it comes down to the middle being, you know, one of the more important factors beyond the consistency and the other stuff is just the ability to be where your feet are and be present.

And I think even the media plays into that because they get the tip off or they get the game winning basket that they don't cover the middle very much. Maybe the last part of the first half or second half if there's a great shot or something. But.

But you're right, it is because it is, I believe, one of the toughest parts of any part of life in that that's when again, everyone has a plan until they get hit. And that how do you handle that part that will make you better to finish? And it is training physically and mentally.

And I think if you don't work on it, it's going to cost you.

Yet those that do, it's going to be that thing that takes them to the next step and creates, I think, memories because you will, you hit it right on the beginning, you will have a stronger finish, you will have a better result and that's what everyone else will focus on. But in the end, it'll be what you did in the middle to get you to the end of the race. What about you, Brendan? Any final closing thoughts?

I was gonna say that's a really good way of putting it is that the middle is a moment for reflection. Can you get through all of that, keep your composure and what do you need to do to maintain that?

And I think reflection is a good word that you practice beforehand so that you know how to handle when you're in the middle of it. But you're right, most people have the motivation to start something. That's usually why you start it. So you get going.

And most people think, well, it's Friday, you know, even the middle of the week, it's Friday, I can make it to the weekend. Well, how are you doing on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and again reflecting on it so that you're prepared for it.

Being consistent is a huge part of it.

But in the end I think it was what makes it a great week or a great day or a great season is how you handle that middle part where a lot of people hit the status quo, yet we're going to try and be better and then get me better. Yes. And another thing I think of too, when I think of this real quickly is the 40%. Your mind is only at when you think you're tired.

I was at a conference this last week helping run it, and one of the guys that was helping me goes, man, I'm done. My body tired. I said, no, your mind's only at 40%. You still got 60% left. Then an hour later, we joked, you, I'm at 55% or whatever.

But if that mindset, too, that you. You know, people save some for the end. People always have something left for the end, usually unless you really went out too fast or you died.

But it's working that middle part just right that allows you to use that again to have the best finish possible. Good stuff. I love it. I mean, that I. I would have liked to, you know, dive into that even more.

And we might again, because I just think that's so important. I don't think it gets enough emphasis in the 800 that. That time between the 400 and 600, but.

But I do think it applies, as we found out, positions, game, doubleheaders, and in life in general. So let's get to our food question.

And Coach Gutter, you weren't here last time, but we had talked about chili before on this podcast, and we all love chili here, so we're going to take it a step further and talk about chili dogs. And I remember, Coach, you said you wanted your chili that would also be able to go on a hot dog, too, so. And we all kind of agreed with that.

But what else do you put on a chili dog?

Why, I immediately think of, like, cheese, you know, so that. That's. But, you know, beyond that, I don't need a whole lot else on my chili dog.

But, yeah, the chili itself can't be so soupy and runny that it ruins the bun, because then at that point, it's just. It's done.

You know, you gotta set it down and use a fork and, you know, like, you're three years old with your little hot dogs and, you know, your little fork. So the consistency of the chili is by far the most important.

That's a good point, because some chili dogs, I've had to have to use a fork or something. So what about you, Brendan? Do you like chili dogs?

Oh, yeah, they're great. I would say the one thing I really enjoy in a chili dog is a banana pepper.

Ooh, okay.

Slightly sweet, but a little hot.

Okay.

Adds a nice bit of crunch. Cuts through any of that sense of sog. So, yeah, all right.

Yeah, I'm not a big banana pepper, but that again, you're right when people are the mixes of nowadays of sweet and sour or adding to it. My chili dog, obviously a good chili, but I go with cheese, onion and mustard.

And it's interesting because I wouldn't put onion and mustard on any other hot dog or hamburger. Actually, I prefer them not on there, but on a chili dog I actually kind of maybe it's because of that giving that added taste.

But you have to be careful because it's got to have, you know, too much chili or too many toppings makes it even more messy and you want to clean it up. But as we head into again, spring season, baseball hot dogs are a main part of our sports season. And why not kick it up a notch and add chili to it?

So until next time, go Stars.

Stars on Sports is recorded live at the WLNZ studio. Engineering and production assistance are provided by Daedalian Lowry and you can listen to the episode and other episodes of Stars on Sports on demand lccconnect.org to find more information about our athletic program, visit lccstars.com thanks for listening. Be sure to join us next time for more Star on Sports. Go Stars!