Stronger, Faster, Better …
Coaching Tip #3
Athletes grow up with these words. While they may not always be spoken, they are integral parts of daily training in all competitive arenas. At the heart of competition someone WINS, which fundamentally means some other person or some other team LOSES. Young athletes understand this. To excel through a sports system, the athlete needs to be in the WIN column.
As a young athlete, this comparative analysis shapes their perspective. Comparative analysis occurs within all of us at all stages of our lives, however, in sports it happens every day – at every practice and every competition. Comparative analysis arises from a coach challenging the athlete, or a parent comparing the child to someone else. It is shouted from the bleachers, and happens during car pools. It is there between teammates on and off the field, and is it used to analyze past feats, for current or future performances. And it ultimately defines certain athletes who are promoted and others are left behind. It is incredibly powerful, but not always positive.
Comparative analysis can embody how athletes view the world and how they see themselves in that world. It is a part of how they judge themselves. It can boost or destroy self-worth. It is a foundation for athletic identity. One might even argue that some athletes feel it is necessary to be the best.
But what are the implications of this for the post-sport athlete?
When athletes exit their athletic arena, what will they compare themselves to?
Post-sport, those on-field demonstrations of athletic ability become irrelevant. But the athlete has been conditioned to habitually look for comparisons to demonstrate self-worth and identity. For the post-sport athlete, it is still a race.
The effect of this will vary from athlete to athlete. An awareness of these implications can help transitioning athletes. I believe this new time of post-sport pursuits is not a time for comparison, but instead a time for discovery and self-compassion.
Curiosity and discovery help develop a new sense of self, unearthing new interests and the start of a new a journey toward new expertise.
I encourage post-sport athletes to interrupt their well-worn athletic habits of comparative analysis that may create negative thoughts or feelings, and that no longer serve their new circumstances. They can ask themselves:
1. Does comparing myself to anyone else right now serve my future self?
2. Is my next pursuit a competition, or can I allow myself time to discover new things about myself?
3. What actions and thoughts do I need, to ensure I am being compassionate in this transition from being a high-performance athlete to my new post-sport life?