Times have changed a great deal since I last put on pads and a helmet back in 1990. I guess I’m becoming an old man because now I look at these lazy kids and think, “back in my day...” However, no matter how old these thoughts make me sound or feel, my analysis has much truth to it.
Athletic Engineering is about “building the ultimate athlete.” We expect those who walk into our facility to be committed and dedicated to the task at hand. The majority of our clientele are animals in pursuit of their athletic goals. They come in when they’re supposed to come in, and they bust their asses until it’s time to leave.
It takes a special individual to commit to achieving the highest levels of personal excellence in sports. These individuals must have a laser sharp focus on what they want to accomplish. They must work harder than everyone else...and then a little harder to ensure that they are, indeed, the best. A true “athlete” is always in search of a better performance, better conditioning, and better preparation. A true “athlete” lives to accomplish goals through every action, every day.
Over the course of working with hundreds of clients from different backgrounds and sports, I’ve noticed a disturbing phenomenon. I’ve become even more aware of this phenomenon since I started scouting and training athletes. More often than not, the “talented” players don’t put forth a fraction of the training effort that their less talented counterparts do.
If you’re an athlete or a coach, pay attention to those around you and even yourself and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about. Usually, the “stars” of a high school team are already fast and/or naturally gifted. They already perform well in most of the school’s outdated “testing” because they’re already fast. This means that for their body mass, they're already explosive, which means that they already have a decent base of strength. But how many of them actually push themselves to get better, faster, or stronger?
Many of the naturally gifted high school athletes that I’ve seen and have heard about in the local school district seem to believe that they’ve already arrived at a state of greatness. This is because everyone around them has been telling them how great they are. Every single one of the “Division-I prospects” that I’ve trained, proclaimed that by themselves, their parents, or their coaches, has wilted under the strain of true hard work. They have opted for the safety of their weak, field house workouts where they can excel in front of their weaker teammates and bask in the praise of their greatness.
I can’t blame these athletes for their “Hollywood” view of themselves. For their entire young lives, their parents and coaches have been lying to them about how “great” they are. The concept of “hard work” has been stripped away, and everyone has become an ‘expert” on what needs to happen in order to attain a successful outcome. I’ve seen and heard of “stars” whining, talking back, and even slapping their coaches. The “slapper” not only gets to finish the season, but he also gets a ride to a D-I college. How can I blame the athletes though when they’re rewarded for their actions by the very people who are supposed to be teaching them the true lessons of the gridiron?
I’ve also seen athletes who don’t have the natural gifts and/or parents to kiss the coaches’ ass with accolades, gifts, and “perks” go unnoticed and unpromoted. I’ve seen workhorse athletes who paved the way for the “superstar” go unmentioned and unappreciated. I suppose that’s the politics of youth sports that won’t ever go away.
In the battle of training versus talent, I’m talking about raw materials. I’m talking about athletes who are willing to bust their asses training to become the best versus athletes who are naturally talented and do the bare minimum, if any, actual “hard training.” In this battle, I’m going to take the “training” athlete every single time.
“Training” beats “talent” if “talent” doesn’t train. Most of the above referenced “high school D-I Hollywood” athletes are getting by on pure, natural talent. For a very small portion of that population, this will be enough to carry them through into college. However, the majority of these lazy “stars” will be exposed and/or broken if/when they move to the next level where everyone was a “star” in high school.
Those whose work ethic in training earns them a ticket to the next level will always be successful. That’s because these athletes want to improve, and they won’t accept anything less. Their mental toughness and drive make them dangerous and steady. A team of this type of athlete doesn’t lose, regardless of the physical obstacles in front of them. The number one, nationally ranked Southlake Carroll in Southlake, Texas, is a perfect example.
In my opinion, the most dangerous combination is a naturally gifted athlete who has the work ethic to match the gifts. These athletes have the ability to set the bar as high as their will to achieve it. These athletes are truly the “great” ones.
As an athlete or a coach, you should measure yourself along this scale. If you’re a coach who has coddled your “stars” at the expense of your team, perhaps you should reevaluate your program. If you’re an athlete who has fallen into the category of “lazy” and content, perhaps you should find a warrior’s heart and challenge yourself to take advantage of the gifts that you were blessed with instead of believing your own hype. Even Michael Jordan strived to get better over the course of his career. What would make you believe you were any better?