ATHLETE:A Different Breed

Coach Savage posted a picture of Bo Jackson last week and he briefly described what an Athlete was & is. He said, "an athlete has the ability to perform in & out of various sports at a high level with ease in transition!" Bo Jackson was the IDEAL ATHLETE in our opinion. Today, we want us to further discuss what an athlete is and why ATHLETES are a "different breed". 

 

Athletes come in two forms, one is blessed with God giving talent and dominates the playing field with just pure athleticism. The other, has no special abilities and has to work twice as hard as the former in order to perform at the same level. However, both have the love of preparation (training) & competition through sports which in the end, makes them a "different breed". 

We want you to see yourself as a modern day gladiator. No matter what your sport may be, it is usually played in an arena, stadium or field atmosphere. People gather in order to watch, support, and cheer you and your team on as their past time. Athletes are worshipped and idolized by their fans due to the amazing feats they can achieve while making it look so easy/effortlessly. You, as an athlete prepare for "battle" with the opposing team through practice and depending on your sport you might have film to study*. Practice is where you sharpen and improve your skills (weapons) and abilities (physical and mental abilities aka "That thing") that you will eventually take into battle.

 

"Battles are won before they are fought."

-Sun Tzu. 

Athletes understand that they have to prepare not only physically but mentally before competition in order to perform to the best of their abilities. There is a reason why we play music before competition. It not only puts you to ease and it caters to your right brain, meaning your inner creator, problem solver, and versatile being that lives within you that will be on display during competition.

 

The physical part is done on the practice field where focus, repetition, an inner drive that has no limits, and a hunger for perfection; just to name a few, come together and is EMBODIED through the athlete. The mental part comes from being able to calm down and listen to "that thing" we discussed in our previous post. This mental calmness comes from self confidence and an aspiration for domination!

Aspire to dominate is our motto and we ourselves embody that motto. We want our athletes to dominate on and off the playing field. We want YOU to dominate all aspects of your lives so YOU can be in tune with "that thing" and when this occurs there is a remarkable change that happens within. Stress, anger, frustration, and worry turns into love for the game, hunger for perfection, self confidence (*warning don't confuse this with cockiness) and an unexplainable joy when victory is achieved.

 

Now you take that focused individual and put him/her in any arena or playing field and they will amaze you with how easy they adapt. Adaptation is what separates ATHLETES from the rest. What do we mean by adaptation?

 

Adaptation: a characteristic or modification in an Athlete's body that helps it survive in it's habitat (sport). #savageteamEncyclopedia

 

Which brings us back to Bo Jackson, he didn't just play in the NFL and MLB. He dominated! Sadly, King Bo reigned for a short period in sports history but we got a glimpse of what an IDEAL ATHLETE can achieve. We, The Elite Athletic Program are ATHLETES! You put us on the soccer field and we'll go to work. Basketball court, track and field, VOLLEYBALL etc. we know what we can achieve! It's a sense of confidence, thrill for battle and thirst for SERIOUS competition that allows us to pick up anything and make it ours! We know how to ADAPT and we know ourselves. We train our ATHLETES in the same manner as we were brought up. We understand not all athletes are the same but the simple fact that you ARE an athlete, no matter where your current skill level may lay, THAT simple fact makes you a "different breed".  Embrace it!

The best way I think I can summarize this one up would be with a quote that I love. Shakespeare (Yea, we know. Shakespeare?! Yes!) and he said, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." In order words, some are born with that gift of being a natural athlete and they don't fear greatness, some have to work SAVAGELY to reach the top, and some are thrown in the "sea of competition" where they can either sink or swim and come out on TOP! 

We would like to thank you for taking your time to read this and inspire your inner athlete.

-Aspire To Dominate 

 

 *Film study is key to success. If you have film to watch then do it! Film study is a place where you get the BLUEPRINT to your opponents. You get to see their tendencies, habits, and skills before you even face them. In college, I learned how to study and watch film so I could better myself and my team in the long run. It's an art and it can only be mastered through practice.(The answers before the test)