Adria Tour and its impact on tennis amidst the COVID-19 threat

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The Adria Tour organized by top player Novak Djokovic became more than a sporting topic around the world after a number of people involved in the event—including Djokovic and his wife—had tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Novak Djokovic and his team of organizers, the Adria Tour only had good intentions for the exhibition, which had Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem, and other players around the globe as part of the player lineup. Djokovic mentioned during the press conference of the exhibition that all profit from the event would go to humanitarian causes, with focus on COVID-19 relief, wherein his 24-year-old brother, Djordje, was announced as the tour director, says tennis fan Vijaya Prakash Boggala.

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10 days after Novak and his wife first tested positive for the virus, the two announced that they had received negative results. Other participants on the tour such as Djokovic’s coach Goran Ivanisevic, Grigor Dimitrov, Viktor Troicki, and Borna Coric had tested positive of the virus as well. While Croatia and Serbia had no major outbreaks unlike other countries in the world, health and safety guidelines were still expected to be observed, mentions Vijaya Prakash Boggala.

Other professional tennis events held the same time as the Adria Tour had adhered to strict guidelines set by authorities, which resulted in no new cases of the virus. The top player expressed that they were wrong and the tour happened too soon. He encouraged everyone who attended the event to get tested. Top tennis players such as Andy Murray and Nick Krygios were among those who criticized Djokovic’s decision to push through with the event.

Vijaya Prakash Boggala has written medical abstracts for published medical literature and have contributed to a study titled “A mortal case of moonshine,” which was published in 2011. In his spare time, he watches live sports such as tennis, basketball, and cricket. Head over to this blog for more from Vijaya Prakash Boggala.

PSA: Safety should be a priority in sports

For a number of years in school, Stephen Varanko III was both an athlete and a leader. Many of the things he learned, he brought with him later on in life. And many of the things he learned, he used to great success.

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He says that probably the most important point when it comes to competitive sports is safety. Safety is the one thing that should never be compromised in sports. In fact, most of the rules and regulations in all sports are there for either safety or fair play. Most of the equipment and gear outside of uniforms are also for safety, and as such need to worn at all times.

Many sports are contact sports, and are high-impact. Practicing safety protocols dramatically reduces the risk of getting injured (or worse).

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For many athletes, injuries are nightmares, especially if being an athlete is their way of living. Injuries keep athletes from reaching their potential, and ultimately their goals. Being safe is a huge part of keeping their dreams alive, adds Stephen Varanko III.

Stephen Varanko III has behind him a storied list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments from his high school years in Randolph Macon Academy. For more reads on leadership, visit this website.

Giannis Antetokounmpo: A leader young people should aspire to be

What a season Giannis Antetokounmpo had. The Greek Freak led the Milwaukee Bucks to the overall best record in the NBA Regular season and the Eastern Conference Finals, where they unfortunately fell to the eventual champs, the Toronto Raptors.

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Stephen Varanko III has always put great value on leadership and he recognizes just how ideal of a leader Giannis has become at such a young age.

With the present crop of superstars in the league, a player would have to be extra special to get noticed. With Lebron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and all the other top-tier athletes still dominating, Giannis Antetokounmpo has in the 2018-2019 regular season, risen above them. And what’s more surprising is that he doesn’t let any distraction get in his way, which is one of the most admirable traits of leadership.

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It’s been well documented just how Giannis has emerged from poverty to become one of world basketball’s elite. There was a time when he couldn’t even afford his own shoes or a ride to the basketball games. But all these were overcome through sheer will. Instead of allowing all hindrances to weigh him down, Giannis stayed focused on the goal and molded himself into an unstoppable force of nature on the court.

And the scary thing Stephen Varanko III sees is that this young leader still has a lot of room for improvement.

While the NBA world was more or less in unison in naming Harden the most-deserving of the coveted award last season, LeBron James could have also taken it. The same case may be built for Anthony Davis of the Pelicans and the champion Warriors’ Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. But Giannis Antetokounmpo was just waiting in the corner; had he taken the Bucks deeper in the playoffs, he’d have likely entered top contention.

With the 2018-19 season starting, and with teams in the East becoming more stacked with talent (as is the case with the top-seeded, star-heavy teams like Boston and Philadelphia), it may be the year Giannis takes the individual award. After all, he is now in his prime, and he is the top offensive and defensive option in his team.

Antetokounmpo has likewise proven himself steady in the clutch, evidenced in the Bucks’ opening, away-game victory over the Hornets where he hit all-important free throws in the end-game to seal the one-point victory. He finished with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists to lead his team. Giannis has definitely started the season well; if he maintains this near-triple-double performance throughout the regular season, he’d surely be a frontrunner and a solid 2019 MVP contender.

Stephen Varanko III has had an impressive list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments since his high school years at Randolph Macon Academy. For more of Stephen’s writings, go to this page.

How to be a good team captain in any sport

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In any team sport, being team captain doesn’t mean you’ll be the only person that matters in your team. It also doesn’t mean you are the most talented member playing in the field or the court. Being a team captain means taking on a lot of responsibilities that can help your team win games and strengthen the entire unit. According to former basketball varsity player Stephen Varanko III, all team captains can more or less expect the same responsibilities. Here are some tips on being good team captain:

Know how to communicate properly

When playing team sports, you get to interact with different people with their own set of temperaments and quirks. What’s effective to one person may not work well with other members in the team. Likewise, communication is also about listening and making sure everyone’s voice is heard.

Play to your team’s strengths

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As a captain, you should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your team mates and yourself when playing. By doing so, you can avoid disadvantageous situations and set your team mates up in positions where they can shine. If you know that your forward is excellent with an outside shot, create space and let him do his thing.

Create opportunities

According to Stephen Varanko III, captains should also be able to perform well. If the team is in a tight spot, the captain should be able to score and create opportunities for the team to pull through. A team captain should also know when to control the tempo of the game.

Stephen Varanko III has had an impressive list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments since his high school years at the Randolph Macon Academy. He ranked 12th in his class and was the recipient of the All-American Scholar Award in chemistry. For more reads on sports, visit this website .

Student leadership skills you can bring to your future workplace

From a young age, students are given several chances to become leaders. These opportunities could range from small group projects to clubs as well as social movements. Leadership skills may not be taught directly but they are acquired through experience. Students can then take these skills and use them later on in life.

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According to student leader enthusiast Stephen Varanko III, employers generally seek applicants with good academic backgrounds as well as leadership skills. Leadership skills are highly valued in this stage in life. They represent a great deal of experience an maturity in interacting with and managing people. Here are some leadership skills you can bring to your future workplace.

Communication

One of the many challenges student leaders face is communication. They often have to talk to different types of people. But it’s not just about talking. Good communication skills also require listening skills and comprehension skills. It’s not just about speaking out. It’s about listening to team members and understanding their needs. It also has to do with knowing the right words to use when explaining, presenting, or answering simple questions.

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Delegation

A good leader doesn’t do all the work but is knowledgeable enough to delegate tasks to the right people. Delegation becomes a crucial skill later in life as the higher ranks in corporate offices do not have time to micromanage or to seek individual strengths in a department. A great leader can either find the right people for particular tasks or ensure that they properly delegate.

According to Stephen Varanko III, students shouldn’t look at leadership skills as mere tools for later employment. Rather, they should focus on using skills to improve their community and gain as much experience as they can.

Stephen Varanko III has behind him a storied list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments from his high school years in Randolph Macon Academy. For more reads on leadership, visit this website.

Key leadership skills we all should cultivate

The qualities of a leader cannot just be called upon as needed. They must be honed and developed in time and applied consistently in various scenarios. Stephen Varanko III, who has held various leadership positions, lists down some core leadership skills we’ve to cultivate to become effective and respected leaders.

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One is a clear sense of communication. In success, it’s imperative that leaders’ ideas are communicated clearly. This encompasses written and oral communication, from instructions and suggestions to feedback. Nothing beats a well-disseminated message. It’s not so much about flowery and emotionally charged language as it is about conciseness, clarity, and direct.

Conversely, listening intently is crucial in building respect and trust. It’s not always about your own vision as hearing out the opinions of your team members who are specialists in their own right. The ability to listen likewise reflects your self-awareness and empathy. As you listen more, you develop your influencing skills, too, aligning the efforts of your people and customers with yours and building a new level of commitment.

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Establishing authority over others requires coming up with engaging, compelling, and logical arguments. But always remember that this is a give-and-take scenario. Again, you’ve to harness your influencing skills over time, if you are to gain respect and steer your company to focus on long-term objectives, adds Stephen Varanko III. A crucial part of this is learning from your mistakes. No one is infallible; you’ve to take every opportunity to learn and respond better to any setback.

Randolph Macon Academy graduate Stephen Varanko III is an avid athlete who served as the captain of his school’s varsity lacrosse, cross-country, and basketball teams. Visit this blog for related posts.

Basketball and leadership: Why Lebron James deserves everyone’s respect

Stephen Varanko III puts a premium on leadership when it comes to team sports, being a basketball captain himself during his younger years. He believes that aspiring athletes have dozens of role models to look up to. One such role model is Lebron James.

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While James is incredibly polarizing, one thing is for sure – he is one of the greatest talents the basketball world will ever see. He has amassed and broken a number of records during his 15-plus years in the league and looks to set all-time numbers before he retires, which at the rate he’s going, won’t probably be in the next three years.

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James is a physical specimen. He’s strong, fast, and agile. James has often been described as a basketball genius in a footballer’s body. He can bang on the inside and handle the ball as impressively as the best point guards to ever play the game. James can do it all.

While the common criticism about James is his mental toughness (or lack of it), he has led his teams to the NBA Finals on way more occasions than most of his peers. That would not have been possible if he didn’t possess any semblance mental toughness.

James has often been compared to the likes of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, and will forever be mentioned in the NBA’s top five players of all time.

James has given his life to the sport and has dominated in for most of his tenure as a player, making champions out of players who would otherwise never win titles in their lifetime. To Stephen Varanko III, that’s worth respecting.

Stephen Varanko III has had a storied academic background. Having ranked 12th in his high school class standings, he had also been an active participant in many extracurricular activities, being both class president and president of the honor council. He had also been the captain of the varsity lacrosse, cross-country, and basketball. Click here for more on Mr. Varanko.