Athletes are constantly looking for every way possible to get ahead of the competition. Gone are the days of playing on a high school team and hoping to get recruited by a college based on talent alone.
Nowadays, outside of a select few incredibly gifted individuals, athletes need to take advantage of additional camps, one-on-one training, and other opportunities to maximize their skills and potential.
If you are an athlete looking to unlock all your potential, below are some unconventional ways that may help.
Online Classes
Just as doctors and other professionals take online CEU classes to stay current on the newest practices and medical discoveries, athletes can learn much by utilizing online resources and courses.
Whether watching Youtube videos on perfecting a triple jump form or joining an online discussion board to share ideas with other athletes on maximizing a workout, online resources can be hugely beneficial.
No matter which sport or skill you are trying to perfect, with so many resources available, finding something beneficial to help you gain an edge won’t take long.
Reach Out to College Coaches
Unless you attend a large school that has a history of sending athletes to the next level, it can be hard to get noticed. This is particularly true if you play a team sport such as soccer, football, or basketball. You may have the talent to play at the next level, but it can be hard to stand out if the rest of your team isn’t quite at that level.
Young athletes often believe that reaching out to a coach, particularly early in high school, can look bad. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Coaches want to recruit athletes who are eager to play for them. By reaching out, you are already showing interest in joining their program, which can be a great way to get your foot in the door. Talk about your experience, skills, and what you are working on. Ask for tips or areas of improvement they would like to see. Doing this can show you are teachable and looking to improve in the way they want.
However, one piece of advice is to make sure you are on pace to be on the level of the school you are contacting. If you run a 5:20 mile, it may not be good to reach out to a college that recruits high schoolers that run 4:20. Instead, look for schools that are taking athletes in the 5:00-5:10 range.
Play Another Sport
Playing multiple sports is nothing new for millions of young athletes, but playing another sport to improve in your primary sport may sound odd. There is an idea that basketball players must play basketball 12 months a year to reach their full potential. However, studies show that this may not be in an athlete’s best interest for the following reasons.
a. Coaches: Athletes who go through high school with only one coach often struggle at the next level or with specific skills. For example, a soccer coach may have a philosophy of endurance but may not focus on other aspects like explosiveness or agility. Playing a second sport may hone the skills that coaches at the next level are seeking.
b. Burn Out: It doesn’t matter how much an athlete may love a sport; at some point, everyone goes through burnout. When this happens, athletes get lazy, which leads to bad habits and could negatively lead to long-term issues. Taking a break and playing another sport can help prevent this.
c. Skills: Similar to playing for only one coach, playing one sport also generally leads to a specific set of skills that can leave an athlete limited. An athlete who plays a second sport learns skills and abilities that were never taught or focused on while playing the primary sport. These newly learned skills can often be used in the primary sport to make an athlete more attractive to recruiters.
Conclusion
Any athlete who is hoping to play at the next level needs to do more than the bare minimum of playing for a team. By training hard, utilizing online resources, reaching out to coaches, and playing another sport, athletes can be confident that they are setting themselves up for the most success possible.
