Todd VanOtterloo

Father of 4 children, Teacher at Algona, Head Softball Coach, Assistant Girls Basketball Coach

[Jordan Schultz @Schultz_Report]

Coaching at its finest: #Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald explains to his team how Michael Jordan made the ultimate sacrifice to score less — and win more…

“The secret sauce in the NFL is connection.” Outstanding stuff. 👌👌

(📹 'Hard Knocks' on @hbomax)

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Philadelphia Eagles coach, Nick Sirianni: “Effort is free. You can control your effort”

No it’s not and no you can’t!

Effort is metabolically costly. You can say ‘effort is free’ every single day and players will still slack off; drop in intensity; give into distractions; be avoidant…to name a few behaviours.

Effort is far from free. With every ounce of effort, sugars and glucose that power the brain deplete. Neural fatigue sets in throughout the course of the day. Anxiety is rife in competitive environments meaning effort can be quicker to atrophy.

Effort is far from free…

It’s also not completely under your control, not only for the very reasons above. Psychology offers us the law of least work: given a choice between similarly rewarding options, organisms learn to avoid those that require more work or effort.

A better message?

“To high perform and win, we have to put in enormous effort. And this is very, very hard. We’re going to support you to put in effort by giving you the environment, the education, and the skills to ensure that you can optimise your effort daily. By giving you this support we will be demanding. We will stretch you more than any other group of players in the NFL. This won’t be a comfortable process…but we will help you put more effort in that you thought possible…”

What can be done?

-education and support plans on nutrition; training; sleep; effective rest and recuperate; and lifestyle tools for daily planning

-daily training structures that optimise periods during the day where effort can be optimised

-engagement tools that help players engage during meetings and training…that help them exert effort appropriately and optimally

-learning skills that help players apportion effort during training…that help them self-regulate their learning and practice deliberately

-competitive mental skills that optimise player ability to compete while reducing the stress of competition

By sending the message that effort is hard, but then providing the environment and skills to train and compete with enormous effort you are helping players develop ‘learned industriousness’ where effort can be experienced as valuable or rewarding in its own right.

Effort is neither free nor controllable. But through environmental intervention and upskilling, coaches can help players take control of their effort and experience effort as rewarding.

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Life is about Choices. Here are 8 of them.

1. Attitude is a Choice
2. Character is a Choice
3. Work Ethic is a Choice
4. Leadership is a Choice
5. Consistency is a Choice
6. Commitment is a Choice
7. Daily Habits are a Choice
8. Encouragement is a Choice

Choose wisely.

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Reagan Haynes and Allison Trunkhill make All State Teams! Reagan is selected 1st team and Alison 2nd team. A great recognition for a great season . Go Bulldogs!🥎

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Are you Coachable?

Coachable: “What can I do better?”
Uncoachable: “I already know this.”

Coachable: “I’ll take responsibility.”
Uncoachable: “It’s not my fault.”

Coachable: “I’ll put in the work.”
Uncoachable: “I don’t have time.”

Be Coachable.

[Dylan Anderson @danderson3495]

Final NCC Softball Standings:

1. Clear Lake 26-7 (12-2)
1. Algona 23-7 (12-2)
3. St. Edmond 28-11 (11-3)
4. Humboldt 13-19 (6-8)
4. Webster City 11-16 (6-8)
4. Iowa Falls-Alden 10-18 (6-8)
7. Hampton-Dumont-CAL 8-15 (3-11)
8. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 3-21 (0-14)

#iahssb

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona will be playing in the regional final on Tuesday after beating Spirit Lake 4-2 tonight! A great TEAM win for these girls! Thanks to fans that came out tonight to support these girls. We hope to see everyone at PCM on Tuesday. Go Bulldogs!

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Here is the link to get your NCC championship gear.

https://t.co/7ulmDfzbRF

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona is NCC champions! Last time Algona won the conference was 1989. Bulldogs beat Hampton Dumont Cal 3-0. Bulldogs got great pitching and great defense tonight. Allison Trunkhill pitches a no hitter and Reagan Haynes ties the individual season hit record for Algona softball.

[Damon West @damonwest7]

Life isn’t about winning every fight; it’s about showing up for every one of them. Some days you’ll win. Some days you’ll lose. What matters is that you keep getting back up. Don’t quit. Keep fighting.

[Jon Gordon @JonGordon11]

The No Complaining Rule.

You're not allowed to complain unless you bring a solution.

So don’t complain just to vent. It doesn’t help anyone. Instead…

Bring a solution.
Bring an idea.
Bring a better way forward.

The most valuable people in any room aren't the ones who point out what's broken. They're the ones who help build the future.

Less complaining.
More creating.

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona gets a win on Senior Night 13-3 in 4 innings vs ELC. Thank you to Allison Trunkhill and Jillian Burns for all they have done for the softball program. It’s been a quick 5 years but we are not done yet. Bulldogs are at home vs Clear Lake! Come out and support these girls.

[AHS Student Senate @AlgonaStuCo]

SENIOR NIGHT!!
Good luck to the girls as they host Estherville Lincoln Central tonight! Go Dogs!

Live stream:
https://t.co/Kkef9OYvx0

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona wins a wild game tonight at St. Edmond 15-14! These girls battled all night and overcame adversity several times. These girls had 18 hits on the night and a big go ahead HR by Emma Spear! Proud of these girls and happy for them. Bulldogs are at home tomorrow vs ELC.

[Matt Lisle @CoachLisle]

Control the controllables.

Release the rest.

Effort, attitude, preparation.
that's your domain.

What are you wasting energy on that you can't control?

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona ends the week with a 9-1 win against Webster City. A couple highlights were Gabby Venteicher first career HR and Makenna Elsbecker HR too. Bulldogs improve to 18-4 and 10-1 in NCC. Bulldogs are at St. Edmond on Monday. Go Bulldogs! 🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Bulldogs postseason bracket is out. Bulldogs will be at home round 1 vs Okoboji. Go Bulldogs! 🥎

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona beats Clarion Goldfield Dows 18-0 in 4 innings. Bulldogs put the ball in play several times. Reagan Haynes had 2 HRs on the night. Bulldogs are back at it Friday at Webster City. Go Bulldogs! 🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎

[AHS Student Senate @AlgonaStuCo]

🩷Pink Out 2026🩷

[Algona Bulldog Softball @AlgonaBulldog]

Algona beats Emmetsburg 9-0 in 5 innings! Bulldogs executed well at the plate, in the pitching circle, and on defense. Another nice TEAM win. Bulldogs at home against Clarion tomorrow. Go Bulldogs! 🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎🥎