We train. We fuel. We play. We repeat. It’s more than just this endless cycle, though. How does effort in practice transfer to games? Why is being mentally tough crucial? How does treating yourself and keeping it fun ensure that athletes stay in sports?
If you want to do better in games, you have to do better in practice. As Ava Slivka, a freshman swing player for varsity and JV field hockey, says, “You practice how you play.”
If you’re not putting in the proper effort in practice, you probably won’t be the star player on the field. The work you put in ultimately determines how you perform.
There is something to be said for varying levels of talent, though. Some people are naturally more skilled than others, and of course, everyone has their off-days.
“Effort is a matter of character,” says Howie Bottomley, a former Sutton High student and famous figure here. “Effort, for me, is everything, but the maximum effort, at times, can be detrimental.”
So Howie is saying that going out super hard in every practice where you can barely walk for days after is not right. That itself won’t really make you any better. That could lead to injury.
It’s all about giving the right amount at the right time and gradually building yourself up. Would you rather see your performance slowly improve throughout the season or worsen?
And sure, there are times when you’ll put in everything you’ve got and still come up short. The difference is made when you do your best and stay resilient no matter the outcome.
Mental toughness, drive, the strength of the heart – this is how athletes keep pushing when it gets difficult.
“I think mental toughness is definitely something you gain as you get older and as you start to accomplish your goals…I think the more pressure you put on yourself, the more it doesn’t seem like a choice to do better. It seems like you have to accomplish this, which can add to more stress, I suppose,” says Vivien Bregman, a sophomore on the cross country, indoor, and outdoor track teams.
One thing that many runners do during a race is repeat certain phrases to themselves to keep running, to build themselves up when they feel like they’re breaking down.
Of field hockey, Ava says, “We all get tired, eventually, especially if it’s a hard game. My coach always says to us, just keep going, put in all your effort…I always think to myself even though I’m tired, I just need to push myself. I just want to win.”
When physical fatigue sets in during performance, beating your mind is key.
Howie says, “If you’re in a road race, 5k, marathon, triathlon, etc., when the pain starts setting in, that’s where that (mental toughness) comes into play. Do you choose to give up because of something between your ears even though it hurts?”
At the end of the day, it’s your mindset that counts, and that can only be built by you.
The topics we covered in this series – effort, drive, confidence, pressure, and being competitive – are all vital aspects of sports. But why do we do it in the first place?
At the root, it’s because it’s fun.
Vivien says, “Treat yourself after your race (or game). Our team takes treating ourselves very seriously after races. It’s important no matter if you had the race of your life or you’re kind of down on yourself to be okay and move on. What’s better to help you than a sweet treat? It’s fun, and you’ve gotta keep it fun, because what are you doing it for if it’s not fun?”
Each athlete has their own personal experience when it comes to sports and motivating themselves, but the two things they all had in common was work and reward.
Be sure to check out the short “Inside the Mind of an Athlete” video where Sutton High athletes share their thoughts on what it takes to be a good athlete and teammate.
