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Get Scouted Scouting CareersPractice is where you hone skills and improve mentally as well as physically for competition. Duh, right? Who doesn’t know that? Well, what’s missing in the process for young student-athletes is a clear understanding of how to approach daily practices. It’s not the repetition that counts, though. That may sound offbeat, but in truth, lackluster effort in practice shows up at game time. It’s the striving for perfection before, during and after training, which pushes athletes to be better and faster than expected.
Why are some high school teams great year in and year out? It’s because coaches focus on the little things at practice, which makes them perform at their best during competition. A particular step here, a specific movement there, anticipation versus reaction — all these play an integral role in winning formulas.
And the best coaches know that it happens one athlete at a time. Coaching staffs that stop practices to hammer home the nuances of a play or a throw or a strategy are the staffs which continually groom their kids and watch them grind their way toward excellence. Athletes who are lucky enough to be part of these type of programs learn that just being at practice isn’t enough. They learn that practice is where genuine improvement happens but real change is done in addition to practice.
But, not every athlete has a coach that cares about the little things or pushes them to pay attention to detail. Some coaches out there aren’t detail oriented and because of that athletes fall short. Coaches that don’t care about the little things miss the opportunities to develop each athlete to his or her full potential.
Perfect Practice is the Ultimate Goal
However, athletes dedicated to reaching the college level can still motivate themselves to achieve success. In these less-than-ideal scenarios, it’s easy to get discouraged and lay down. Character, work ethic, and personal drive have to take over.
Regardless of the circumstances, there are practice fundamentals all high school athletes, who genuinely want to play college sports, should adhere to every day. Here they are
Focus
Several minutes before taking the field, court or track, turn off the distractions in your head and set goals. Minor goals are fine. Quicker first step. Better follow through. Perfect technique. Strive to perfect that one deficiency which has held you back.
Prepare
Proper preparation requires ample time to get set for practice. Don’t lollygag. Get to the locker room ASAP. And, then get to the practice area right away. Being there early will help you to achieve #1 consistently.
Practice with intent
When you step foot onto the practice surface, determine that it’s time to get to work. No interferences allowed. Today is the day you will get better, not just go through the motions. Know that today, this practice, you are competing with thousands of other hard-working athletes for the college roster spot you want. So, take training seriously. Get 1% better at every practice or training session.
Stretch
Injuries happen, but some can be avoided, in most cases by correctly warming up before practice. Resist the temptation to mess around with teammates who aren’t as focused as you are. That’s when unnecessary injuries occur. Hit the floor, grass, court or track and stretch everything, head to toe. Also, during warm-ups is the ideal time to think about your practice plan.
Love it
To get better, you have to love practicing. Recognize its valuable to you and your teammates. Vow to make the most of every minute. Push yourself and others will follow. Push yourself consistently, and you will become a leader.
Be a student
What do excellent students in the classroom do? They ask questions. Practice is your classroom. Be smart. Ask questions. Listen. Repeat the advice over and over. Ask for feedback. Then, when you have it right, repeat, repeat, repeat. That’s how you reach perfection.
Finish with purpose
Be mentally tough in practice, from start to finish. If you are mentally tough at practice, it will show up in your performance when it counts. As fatigue creeps in during practice, recognize it and fight it off. It’s your enemy. Although you may be physically worn down, your ability to mentally push through and beyond fatigue will show up for you when times get tough in competition. And, you can confidently look across at your opponent and know that you have more in reserve than he or she does. That confidence will give you a huge advantage.
Recap
After every practice or training session, take note of what you worked on and what you got better at today. You could and probably should take note of the things you need to improve on as well. Once you’ve recapped everything, you did think about how you are going to improve next time? What drills are you going to do to improve the skills? Writing these things down, recording them helps you to focus on the little steps forward you want to take. It allows you to see your progress every day and that is a valuable tool to possess.
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.