It’s common sense that every athlete needs consistent practice. However, what type of practice is good practice? There are two types of athletes; those who show up to practice and those who show up to practice with intensity and desire. The athletes who just show up to practice will not get worse but will never reach their full potential. The famous quote goes, “80% of life is just showing up” and we are not discounting attendance. The athlete who shows up to practice with intensity and desire will grow each and every practice in both physical aspects as well as mental aspects of the game.
Goals:
Before every practice each athlete should establish a specific self goal for the day. When selecting a goal for the day athletes should focus more on big picture aspects of the sport instead of certain skills such as- mental strength, speed, overcoming fatigue, or communication. After practice, athletes should take a few minutes to reflect on how they did versus their goal. Athletes can also create long term goals to work on throughout the season, writing up pre season goal sheets can help a ton.
Balance:
Consistent practice does not mean you have to practice 365 days a year. Every athlete needs to find balance. It is extremely important that every athlete has 1-2 rest days every week. Without rest it is impossible to perform at your highest level for competition (both for practices and games).
Tip of the Week:
Before Practice: Select a specific goal they would like to achieve.
During Practice: Practice with the highest intensity and push your body.
After Practice: Reflect on how you worked to achieve your goal.
