“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is” – Vince Lombardi
“I hated every minute of training but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now
and live the rest of your life as a champion” – Muhammad Ali
Being the very best goes far beyond natural ability, talent,
hard work and enjoying the game.
What makes Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, and Buffon that much better
then everyone else? For me it isn’t where they were born, what team they
followed or even the coaches they had through their respective career. Instead
it is something deeper and more meaningful.
For me the most important factor that defines an athlete
between the best and the rest, is their intrinsic motivation to strive for
perfection, the focus and the personality not to be influenced by external
factors and above all the absolute willingness and desire to win and compete. This
does not mean that they have a win at all cost attitude, instead these players
strive to be and perform better than other players within football through
their actions both on and off the field
“What does it take to be a champion? Desire, dedication, determination,
concentration and the will to win” – Patty Berg
For me this plays a significant role in how a player is
selected, especially during the years of youth development. Yes current and
potential ability as well as decision making play a significant role in
selection. However the mentality and the mindset of a player and athlete is the
most important factor as it is no something that can’t be coached. This
mentality stems from the individual and what drives them to strive them towards
excellence.
No comments:
Post a Comment