Saturday, October 20, 2012

It’s In The Details

It’s In The Details

Soon your next competition will be upon you.  And when you step out onto that stage there will be dozens of factors out of your control.  The surface might not be right.  You may not agree with the pace or the officiating or your opponent may be playing better than you expected.  None of these factors can be helped and fretting over them is worthless.  More importantly, it’s unnecessary if you took the steps beforehand to prepare.  What you can control day in and day out is your effort and attention to detail!  At each practice, each training session and throughout the day how focused you are on completing each repetition and each drill with the utmost diligence and urgency will pay dividends in competition.

We should move often and we strive to move well.  Doing this means not just going through the motions.  It means attacking the ball as hard as you would if your opponent was on the other side.  It means hitting every line you need to hit in conditioning and executing each rep and each movement precisely and with vigor.  Focus on what coach is asking of you and focus on how you are moving through your space.

Aim to do more than what is expected of you.  Reach the line ahead of time and when you do, turn around to help your teammates do the same.  Together as we train we can be stronger and faster than our opponents or we can stay stagnant and leave it up to the factors that are out of our control.  Be detailed in your execution on and off the field.  Know that the precision we have in our nutrition and on rest days will help us reach further in training.  Don’t let anyone decide who will win but you and your teammates.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Performance Culture

Creating a Culture of Performance

As student athletes at George Washington we all strive for Respect, Determination, and Commitment in our lives.  We work hard on the field, in the weight room, and the classroom.  But what happens when we get home at the end of the day? When we wake up in the morning and when we go home at the end of the semester.  Great athletes and great teams often find success through creating a culture around their sport and this should extend to athletic performance as well.  Don’t let your hard work go to waste because you neglect your body when you aren’t engaged in your sport.  This year let’s all strive to create a culture of performance in our lives:

Eating Right   

Maintaining good nutrition is critical for human performance, not only in athletics but in the classroom as well.  It should be a focal point for every one of you, and something we can achieve together.  Absorb the information you read in this blog, throughout our facilities, and always seek out the healthy option.  In doing so let’s make sure we are their to support each other in making these decisions as well.  As a team find ways to eat right.  Have team dinners, meet for breakfast and lunch at healthy restaurants and always make sure everyone is held accountable for what they’re eating.

Rest and Recreation

Like nutrition, proper rest can significantly improve your ability to succeed in life.  Life as a student athlete is demanding and resting and recovering properly will help you stay strong throughout the year.  Seek out recovery strategies, ask your coaches for advice on how to properly recover and help ensure you and your fellow Colonials are recovering right.  On weekends and school breaks find or create social activities that promote recovery NOT impede it.  Get moving, go hiking, dancing, bowling you get my gist. Finally find or create activities that avoid alcohol. It is one of the most detrimental substances to rest and your health around.

Ultimately we are all here to succeed and help each other succeed.  Don’t lose the determination to do so, respect your bodies day in and day out, and stay committed to working hard and improving at your sport and within your lives.