An Athlete's Confidence

Bigger, faster, stronger! Who hasn't sized up an athlete based on these physical qualities?

What many overlook, is how fundamentally important the mental aspect of the game is.  It can make or break you as far as long-term success, or even day to day success.  Surprisingly, your mind is something you can train, just like your body.  No, no don't picture your cerebrum doing push-ups.. Training your mind comes down to a lot more than doing Sudoku and Crosswords.. it can be complex, but also as simple as repetition.

Technically, it's not what you do that makes you who are.  It boils down to our perceptions, which shape our thoughts, which shape our beliefs, which ultimately translate into our actions.  Realizing how you perceive yourself, those around you, your environment, and obstacles (whether those be the hurdles of daily life or the mountains we seek to climb to achieve a goal), can really impact a person's happiness and success... and for an athlete, their performance.

Think about it.

Some of the greatest athletes have been no bigger, faster, or stronger than the rest.  They simply believed they have something those athletes don't, whether that be grit, heart, preparation, passion, etc., they believe in what they are made of.  As sports psychologist Gary Mack puts it, "they believe in their 'stuff'."

Talent aside; if you believe in the right things, then you have potential.  If you then do the right things, you will be successful. 

Take for example Tyler Hansbrough.  Not only is this one good-looking guy, he was also one of my idols growing up watching college basketball.  He holds a series of accolades from his days at the University of North Carolina, including National Player of the Year with the retirement of his jersey, which now waves triumphantly up in the rafters at the Tar Heels stadium.  What earned him these things (not to mention kick ass bragging rights) though, was not the size of his talent, but how much harder he worked than his more talented competitors.  When the camera would zoom in on his face as he shot at the free throw line, you would of thought there wasn't enough air in the gym.  And no, he definitely was NOT out of shape, but he worked as hard as he possibly could..every..single..game.  He believed that his preparation, hard work, and heart could match up against anyone, which ultimately allowed him to have an outstanding college career and a National Championship his senior year.

The best athletes gain confidence from preparation so that a few early mistakes won't take them out of the game.

We can all hope for the best, but seldom does anything go just how we would like it to.  That's where the crucial task of planning and preparing comes in.  What many fans don't realize is how much preparation actually occurs before the ball is tossed into the air on game day.  

"Practice" is more than just doing drills for 2 hours... it's breaking down an opponents offense and how to defend it, it's learning how to properly box out and gain position for a rebound,  it's teaching people how to move and work together in a zone defense, and so much more. There's more to sports than that stereotypical meathead, Letterman-jacket wearing jock that used to bully the puny nerd in the hallways in high school.  There's a rhyme and reason behind the players who are running up and down the court, and oftentimes it comes from the coach's office as s/he breaks down film, analyzing what their team could do better and how the opposing team works then translating that into the practice plans for the week.  The infamous John Wooden was well-known for his preparation and attention to detail, all the way down to making sure your socks were properly put on to prevent blisters.  He earned so much respect in his lifetime and is so often quoted that the things he would say are now referred to as "Woodenisms".

Woodenism at it's finest:

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out." 

The best athletes, and all successful people for that matter, chase their dreams relentlessly. 

My amazing friend Torle joined the Peace Corp this past summer.  She is a rising star in the world of unsung heroes because she has believed in the beauty of her dreams through all the trials and tribulations that have tried to stand in her way.

I hope she doesn't mind me sharing the Cliffnotes version of her incredible story, but her and her family came to the United States when she was only 10 years old.  She worked to learn a new language and culture and eventually found herself pursuing college athletics at the University of Alaska Anchorage, with - you guessed it - this girl.  There I watched her silently struggle through the brutality of our coaches and the major set back of a torn ACL and meniscus.

All of that said, what amazes me most about Torle's story, is that through all the adversity she remained true to herself and always remembered what she was working for, which was not just to bring pride to her family by being the first to graduate from college, but to be back in Nigeria giving back to her people.  Her ultimate dream is to work for the United Nations and now she still relentlessly works towards that goal and is making a difference in Lesotho (South Africa) today.

Torle, if you're reading this, you're one of my heroes :) and I'm proud of you!

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."  - Eleanor Roosevelt 

Panther Update

In other news, we have narrowly won our last two games against Hannover and Wuppertal.  The league is shaping up, and it looks like their are a strong 8-10 teams that can compete with anyone.  Last year in the Bundesliga South, there were probably about 5 top teams and the rest weren't anywhere close.  Now we are battling to hold our first place spot, which we recently got knocked off from after our loss to Göttingen.  But, the heart of our team is strong and we are all working daily to pursue our one common goal: to be the best in the league! 

Last week, we also received our draw for the next Pokal game.  Turns out we will be playing (drum roll pleassseeeeee) HANNOVER! Again.  This time at their place on December 6th.  Our next game features Phoenix Hagen at home, who we beat earlier this season in our first Pokal game.  To see how the league is shaping up, click on this link! 

http://www.dbbl.de/de/meisterschaft/2-bundesliga-nord