So you have a dream and a desire to be the best at what you do and to earn a college scholarship. I don’t want to minimize your dream, but there are thousands of other athletes out there with similar ability and dreams. What makes you different / better? Why should a college program invest four years into you? If you’re not already thinking about this your road to college will be much harder.
Are you the person that your teammates and coaches lean on in crunch time? Are you the one that holds the team together? Is it you that is so consistent with your performance that it is taken for granted? Are you the role player that is always there when you’re needed?
What is it that the best athletes have that most others don’t? Simply stated, it is an attitude, a mind-set that helps shape them and allows them to compete against anyone, anywhere. The best have an ability to endure more in training and competition than other athletes. The best have a willingness to sacrifice things that others aren’t willing to give up. We all make trades every day. These trades that we make define who we are at our very core. They are true reflections of our heart’s desire. So when you tell your coaches that you want to be the best, do you mean it? Do you absolutely believe in your heart that you want to be the best? What are you willing to do to become the best? What are you willing to give up in trade for more skill, experience, or accomplishment? What are you willing to do?
I understand that we will not all become Olympic Champions, but isn’t because we can’t, but rather because we choose not to make the trades necessary to become Olympic Champion.
I know I’m asking a lot of questions, but my hope is that you take notice and understand that you are the person in control of your future. You alone have the potential to become the best at whatever it is that you choose. I want you to understand that there will be things along your journey that will distract you and set you back, but I ask that you look deep within and honestly answer your own questions about what you want to become… not just in sports, but life as well. I ask that you liken yourself to a kite. Be original, be colorful, be yourself. I ask that you anchor yourself to something true and sturdy and when the winds of tough times blow, be like a kite and rise against them to achieve all that you have dreamed to be.
Adam Settle, M.Ed., USAW
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Email: adam.settle@yahoo.com