Recently I have started a position as a substitute teacher, and I interact with student athletes of all ages between kindergarten and seniors in high school. This morning, I had a conversation that has stuck with me with one of the 8th grade volleyball players. I asked her about her game tonight and she told me “We’re going to get killed, they ‘re better and beat us by 20 points last time.”
My immediate response was “so what!” Everyone can lose! Just ask Tom Brady and the rest of the 2006-07 New England Patriots about their 18-1 season. They went undefeated in the regular season before Eli Manning and the New York Giants beat them in the Super Bowl. FYI, the Patriots had just beat them about a month before to give them the final win they needed for that undefeated season proving just because they beat you once, doesn’t mean they will beat you every time.
Her principal was there with me and dropped a perfect piece of advice was to just do your part and get the ball over the net and let them make the mistake. That’s all you can do is do your part and let them make the mistake.
But more importantly, what EVERY athlete needs to know is this – NOBODY is better than you! They are simply further along in their journey than you are. (Something that would’ve been nice for me to learn before I was 40 years old, but we never stop learning.) I wish I could take credit for that saying, but I must give all credit to another coach, AJ Carter (IG: @ajcarter44), who despite being younger than I am, is further along in his journey as a wrestler and coach. PRACTICE, TIME, EFFORT, AND KNOWLEDGE will help you get caught up to others who may be further along than you are.
So, the next time you are thinking your opponent is better than you, just remember: EVERYONE can lose and they may be a little further along in their journey than you.