National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.
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At National Scouting Report, our on-the-ground scouts are attending summer tournaments every weekend. You name the sport and our scouts are there watching prospects. Evaluating talent in person is the foundation of our 36-year success story.
When NSR scouts observe young athletes, there are a plethora of things for which they are on the lookout. None is more important than mental toughness.
Athletes who consistently demonstrate this attribute separate themselves quickly from the also-rans who may want to advance to the next competitive level, but are mentally incapable of staying at the top of their game over time. This is especially true during grueling, summer tournaments and showcases, where they may be pressed into action two or three times a day.
NSR scouts are trained to recognize athletes with excellent fundamentals. But many prospects, parents and coaches don’t realize that mental resiliency is included in those fundamentals.
A prospect who looks great early in the day can fall off precipitously by day’s end. NSR scouts know that drop in performance is usually due to one or more of the following:
- Poor physical conditioning.
- Poor mental readiness.
- Lack of caring.
Interestingly, both No. 1 and No. 3 can be compensated for by No. 2.
Tough-nosed athletes can, and normally will, push through poor conditioning with added effort, even if it is painful. Their inner drive to win keeps them from giving anything less than 100 percent of what they have in reserve. We can see this when it happens and, for the most part, it doesn’t hurt an athlete’s chances to be approached, interviewed and enrolled by an NSR scout.
In addition, if an athlete properly prepares mentally to compete, he or she never will submit to the worst characteristic any serious athlete can display — not caring.
As parents and coaches, it becomes extremely important to teach your athletes about the mental part of competing. Falling victim to teammates’ poor attitude and play is no excuse for the college prospect. He or she must rise beyond the inadequacies of others and continue putting it all on the line until the end.
Many really good athletes come by mental toughness naturally. It is in their DNA. Others, however, need a hand on the back and carefully communicated instruction on how to remain focused at all times.
Mental toughness is what NSR scouts see as a difference-maker, and you can be assured college coaches look at it the same way.
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.