I am often asked my opinion on things that involve football. The questions range from how to find which player position best suits a child to who I think will win the Super Bowl, and pretty much everything in between. I have many thoughts on the game, on coaching, and on improving performance, so I am starting Passing Thoughts to share some of those thoughts. I welcome your comments and conversation. –KR

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Adversity Adds Value

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader  on July 20, 2015.

Adversity is a reality in sports and in life. Every game has a winner and a loser, and every athlete experiences highs and lows, both on and off the field. One of the things I see all too frequently is parents working very hard to prevent their kids from having to experience adversity. 

As parents, we try to give them every opportunity to succeed, we support and encourage during competitions, and we drive young athletes all over the country to help them have a great experience. But we also work hard to disguise adversity. 

We do not want our kids to experience challenges and disappointment, and we hide it from them in many different ways. We blame officials, we question coaches, and after the game we create excuses for why our team did not win or why our child did not get to play enough.

I would encourage parents to shift their thinking and let adversity be a valuable teacher for their kids. Young athletes need to remember that in every game there is a winning team and a losing team. Kids often only focus on winning and playing time, and when their team loses a game they are not sure how to handle the loss. We need to help them find value in learning the game, bettering their skills, and turning adversity into an opportunity to improve. An athlete who develops a mindset to face a challenge and find a way to overcome it is one who will go far in the sport and in life. As Dan Reeves said, ‘Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter.’

There are key factors in developing a mindset to overcome adversity: 

Adaptability. Especially in the game of football, we are teaching athletes to respond to whatever comes their way. They need to be able to make quick, smart adjustments and adapt to continually changing situations. Much of what happens during a game isn’t within an athlete’s control, so he needs to focus on the things he can do and work with the team to overcome difficulties. They also may be asked to play out of position, or step aside in certain situations to allow another athlete to perform. If athletes can learn to fulfill their role, rely on their teammates, and be smart in the face of changing conditions, they will find ways to overcome those challenges.

Solid skill foundation. When the going gets tough, athletes simply must possess a solid skill set to fall back on. If athletes have a solid skill foundation, then a coach can always find a place for them on their team. Those skills need to be reliably present in every situation, so never lose sight of reinforcing fundamentals with your athlete. Young athletes need solid skills in every situation that they may face.

Positive mindset. One of the greatest aspects of athletics is the challenge that we face with every practice and game. We continually push ourselves to set goals and reach new limits. We do not always reach these goals right away, and many athletes will quit at this point. Positive thinking is the key to creating mentally strong athletes who can overcome any challenge they may face. A positive mindset will help the athlete turn disappointment into an opportunity to get better. Losing will never deter an athlete with a positive mindset!

Work ethic. Not every athlete has the God-given ability to go out and run the fastest or jump the highest. However, every athlete has the ability to develop a solid work ethic that will allow them to succeed. Talent can take an athlete to a certain point of success, but it’s the work ethic that really separates good athletes from great athletes. Teaching our kids to work hard for something they want to achieve is a benefit on the field and in life.

As we worked with athletes at SD Junior Football Camp last week, I was reminded of the difficulties kids face in learning the game, finding their place on the field and on a team, and facing the numerous challenges that come their way during a season. Those difficulties present many teachable moments for parents and coaches who are interested in the overall success of young athletes. 

We will make them better in the long run not by sheltering them from challenges, but by helping them develop skills to overcome the adversities they face.

No comments:

Post a Comment