Type of members - competitive spirits
If you check out a practice session for just 5 minutes without knowing anything about the team, you will be able to spot the athletes with competitive spirits. They are the ones who see everything as a competition and being second is nothing short of a loss to them.
Let’s dig a little deeper into one of the most challenging athlete types if we look at it from a coaches point of view.
What defines them?
To them, second place means first loser. That’s why their intensity and focus are second to none. They bring this intensity to every training session and match they take part in and they always keep an eye on performance and how to constantly improve it.
They have an insatiable appetite for success. To take first place isn’t the goal, it becomes a necessity and that’s why their drive pushes them to surpass limits whenever possible.
They are also incredibly resilient. Hard training sessions are executed to perfection and even a little harder than prescribed. If something doesn’t go their way, they can bounce back and learn from setbacks effectively.
Where they excel?
Every training session is a chance to improve their skills. Once they master something, they are looking for the next 1% improvement that will give them an edge in competition. This attention to detail pays of in the long run with consistent performance.
They are also very good at analyzing their competition before and during an event, always trying to capitalize on their opponent’s weaknesses.
Tough matches don’t affect them too much because of their ability to focus on their own execution. This is all due to their mental resilience and their ability to get into a flow state where external factors that aren’t important during competition are simply ignored.
Where they have problems?
As you may have guessed it. You can’t always be in high gear all season long. If their over-competitiveness isn’t kept in check their desire to win can overshadow sportsmanship. They can become overly aggressive and lose sight of fair play.
Sometimes even the best athletes in the world go through a period where things don’t go their way. If a coach isn’t careful, an over-competitive athlete might start working even harder by adding additional training sessions to catch up. This can then lead to burnout and injury. It’s extremely important for coaches have an honest relationship with these kind of athletes and make sure they trust the process their coaches have laid out for them even if it doesn’t look like that on the surface.
Losses hit them hard and this can lead to emotional struggles. Just as with their physical well-being, it’s important to have regular conversations with them to make sure their emotional stability isn’t in jeopardy.
Competitive athletes elevate their teams, push boundaries and inspire others. It’s important to harness their fire while making sure they are always in peak shape, physically and emotionally.
