Separating yourself from the rest

In my 16 plus years of coaching in youth sport I can honestly say that one of the main differences between the athletes that made a career in sport, to those who failed to reach their self-defined goals are that they did not mind separating themselves from their peers. Let me try and explain what I am referring to.

 

Most of us that have been involved in youth sports, and/or are fortunate enough to be parents, have a pretty good understanding of physiological development, as it can be easily evaluated by simply observing physical appearance. However, mental or psychological development is harder to quickly evaluate, but in my opinion is a much more accurate predictor of long-term athletic success.

 

Athletes that achieve “success” in sport have a common bond of psychological maturity at an early, and this is what I refer to as separating themselves from their peers. These athletes can exhibit some or all of the following characteristics; they receive feedback well (very coach-able), they are intrinsically motivated, they are confident, they have self belief in their abilities, they are not afraid to fail, and they do not mind being “different”.

 

The athletes that have mental maturity beyond their years do separate themselves from their peers and are not sensitive to this fact. The separation occurs as they become higher level performers, they understand what is needed for them to be successful, and are very dedicated and disciplined in their approach to the sport. Importantly as these athletes continue to develop that they remain respectful of their peers, the coaches and the sport.

 

Analyze your own sporting environment I guarantee you’ll be able to notice the athletes that demonstrate these traits, and if I was a betting man I would suggest that they are the higher level achievers. In closing I encourage athletes to embrace the subtle differences they may have from their peers and continue to believe in your own abilities.

Craig Dalrymple

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