Sunday, March 08, 2009

APPROACH TO COMPETITION (By San Rafael coach Jason Jacobson)

For most Track & Field athletes, last week and this week mark the start of league and invitational competitions. Athletes can bring so many emotions to the line, be it nervousness, excitement, fear, ferociousness, and more. As an athlete, it is important to manage one's state, to bring a positive attitude and a desire to compete. In track & field, we often only have a single effort (in a race) or 3-4 attempts (in field events). Thus, it is absolutely critical to be fully warmed up, sweating, heart rate pumping, and really ready to give that one big effort. Unlike other sports where there are multiple opportunities, there is just that one shot in track and field. So follow the warm up plan provided by your coach to the tee and you will be ready to go from a physical standpoint.


Mentally, you need to know that you are in complete control. Your thoughts will determine the outcome of your performance. If you have negative thoughts and do not think you will do well, guess what, you will tighten up and not do well. If you have positive thoughts and are ready to roll, you will be relaxed and do great. Develop a mantra of three positive words to repeat in your head over and over again during your warm up and competition (like strong, relaxed, fast), recall a time when you had a great workout and visualize that place again and put yourself there, and listen to music to turn the outside world away during your warm up. Find your competitive state and a mental place that gets you ready for competition (with the same mindset that you might bring to an interval workout where you really bring it).


Track & field has a strong individualistic aspect and truly, the race is only against yourself (the ultimate measuring stick), what you can control, and your effort. Just give your all that day, leave it out there, and you can hold your head high and your coach will be proud. Do not worry about the competition (out of your control and they are dealing with their own issues), the "crowds" (guess what, they are not focused on you, this is not televised on ESPN, so nothing to fear there either), or the race itself (that is why we practice, to be prepared to race). Follow the race plan and be prepared for contingencies (again, practice sets you up here for success).


During the meets, try to just be relaxed, be excited, have some butterflies, and have fun with the entire experience. A lot of the best performances that have been documented occur with that mindset, when one is in that zone, (just look at Usain Bolt as a recent example of success and his complete relaxed approach to his races or read Michael Johnson's book about Slaying the Dragon and his complete control over his positive and composed mental outlook).


Believe in and trust in the work you put in. The meets are the REWARDS for that work – a chance to shine and reap the benefits of the hours put in. Each meet is also a building block and a learning experience in your journey towards peak level performances in May (during your championship season). Manage your expectations (i.e. do not come to line with heavy weights mentally), it is ok make some mistakes and take some risks, and in the end, you will learn, grow, mature and become better athletes from each experience. There was an Olympic swimmer this past summer who had tried to make several Olympic teams and had missed each time. For this Olympics, she really worked hard physically and had a sports psychologist work with her on her mental game … guess what the mantra was …. "HAVE FUN HAVE FUN HAVE FUN." The result, she made the team this year.


So, do your best to do well as individuals and support each other as a team. Fully warm up and properly cool down. Give your best effort that day. Come to the line with the right mental outlook. Then, you will all be successful.


Thank you,

--Coach J


"All of us have at least one great voice deep inside. People are products of their environment. A lucky few are born into situations in which positive messages abound. Others grow up hearing messages of fear and failure, which they must block out so the positive can be heard. But the positive and courageous voice will always emerge, somewhere, sometime, for all of us. Listen for it, and your breakthroughs will come."

--Pat Riley"


"Each warrior wants to leave the mark of his will, his signature, on the important acts he touches. This is not the voice of ego but of the human spirit, rising up and declaring that it has something to contribute. In every contest, there comes a moment that separates winning from losing. The true warrior understands and seizes that moment by giving an effort so intense and so intuitive that it could only be called one from the heart."

--Pat Riley

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