I just hadn't reached a conclusion

It is not soccer season -- certainly not with a blizzard here in Boston -- but reminders abound. Yesterday, I ran into one of my former players as she was heading home from sledding with a neighbor, and I was reminded of her remark one day during practice in 2009.

Me to 12-year-old girls: I want you to try to remember to think about what you are going to do with the ball before it gets to you. If you wait until it arrives, you will be under too much pressure to do the right thing.

Next: Ball arrives at Margaret's feet, and she boots it away to nowhere.

Me to Margaret: Margaret, you weren't thinking about the ball before it got to you.

Margaret: Yes, I was thinking about it. I just hadn't reached a conclusion.

Management lesson. People think at different speeds.