What does it mean to be an athlete? According to dictionary.com, an athlete is "a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill." According to this definition, it is not enough to just participate in a sport to be considered an athlete. Yes, you can be a 'born' athlete however, even 'gifted' athletes need to train certain characteristics in order to reach the higher levels of their sport and performance. For this discussion, I will differentiate between the general 'athlete' (normal text) and the athlete I am discussing on this topic. Additionally, this blog is called 'Strength Coach Thoughts' and are my thoughts on this topic from my background, education, and experience, using sources as needed. I understand this topic will have very different points of view, opinions, ideas, and perspectives, and I am happy to discuss those in the comments.
Being an athlete needs to be trained through skill development, strength and conditioning training, and character development. Skills and strength and conditioning are both physical skills that are determined by physical ability through genetics, anatomy and physiology, and the development of the individual, factors largely outside of their control. Character, however, are skills that everyone can and should master, with some being more tuned in to them than others. The character traits are what separates the athlete from the athlete. The athlete does what is required and expected of them, to get through their sport/career. The athlete goes above and beyond their expectations and obligations, making sure they are being the absolute best they can be. The athlete requires sacrifice, work ethic, determination, discipline, and dedication, and not only represent these qualities but live these qualities while inspiring others to live them as well.
Sacrifice is a requirement of athletes who understand that they are part of a team, a family they made a promise to that they would be there every day at their best. One definition of sacrifice is "the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim." The athlete will pass on parties, unnecessary family events, social outings, etc, with the understanding that putting off fun and games now, will yield better success in the long run. Understanding that the sacrifice aspect is what sets apart the athlete who will make their sport their priority. The athlete, on the other hand, may not be willing to make the same sacrifices and will be out partying on weekends, taking vacations or time off during a season, or scheduling appointments during practice or class time, which will ultimately set them up for failure. There have been various psychological studies investigating the tendencies toward instant and delayed gratification, to determine if there is a biological tendency one way or the other, with mixed/inconclusive results. Understanding delayed gratification seems to be a learned behavior, being taught young, in conjunction with work ethic.
Work ethic plays off sacrifice and is "a belief in the moral benefit and importance of work and its inherent ability to strengthen character." The athlete puts the work in, getting as many reps as they can, jumping onto scout or JV teams even to get the extra reps and more of a look. They not only do the requirements of the workout/practice/film review but go above and beyond putting in maximal effort every time. Just going through the motions is unacceptable to the athlete and they do not cave to that even when they are exhausted. This work ethic also drives the athlete to be the first one at practices/film/lifting, and the last one to leave, making sure everything is cleaned up and helping out every way they can. In contrast, the athlete may only put the work in when the coach is looking or when they are in, but not looking for extra reps or opportunities to improve otherwise. They likely will do the minimum or average requirement in the weight room and during film, and often don't help out cleaning things up. I am not calling it laziness because that is different, being that the athlete is actively participating in their sport which shows some effort being put forth, just that they likely do not go above and beyond.
This work ethic that an athlete displays, often stems from their determination which is "the quality of being resolute; firmness of purpose." The athlete often has a purpose to be there or feels that their sport is their purpose. This drives them to be the absolute best they can be to meet their calling and advance through the highest levels of their sport. This determination is what compiles the athlete to get to practice early to work on their craft and stay late to fix mistakes or work with other players. This determination demands the athlete to put their absolute maximal effort into everything they do because they cannot accept anything less, seeing less than their best as a disappointment or failure to themselves, or whoever they are driven by (family, better life, etc). The athlete, however, may not even be determined, and may only be motivated by being part of the team or not embarrassing themselves in their sport. For coaches, this is a hard spot to navigate at all levels. Sport is hard and competitive and without determination, it is exponentially more difficult to be successful in the sport, if that is even the athlete's ambition. It is easy to perform when you are motivated however, determination is what drives you to be your best when you don't feel like it.
Having determination makes discipline extremely important, and more approachable. Discipline is "an activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill; training." Simply put, discipline is doing the little things that lead to larger successes. The athlete will make sure they are early to practice so they are warmed up and mentally prepared when practice starts, making sure their team is ready to go and ensuring everyone is upholding the standard. The athlete makes sure their grades are not only passing but are excelling in school so they don't have the additional stress of school to worry about. This is more easily achieved through the habits they have learned through their discipline, which allows them to see success. The athlete shows discipline by knowing what is expected of them and ensuring they not only take the steps to meet that expectation but go above and beyond to ensure they are set up for success in what they do. The athlete, on the other hand, will often show up to practice on time and warm up at the beginning of practice as it is starting. Oftentimes, the athlete will do what is required of them when people are watching, but are less likely to do these things on their own.
Finally, dedication, being different from determination, is "to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose." Determination is what drives the athlete whereas dedication is the commitment that athlete makes to their sport and family. The athlete understands the commitment they have made to their teammates by agreeing to participate in their sport. They understand that it is not just an activity that they can do when they feel like it, but rather a commitment to those with them to be at their best for everyone's benefit and success. The athlete may not truly make this commitment and may just look at the fun aspects of sport and sort of fall off when they don't feel like being there. They may not understand the true magnitude of the commitment they make to their teammates and coaching staff.
In addition to the qualities mentioned above, most importantly, athletes inspire those around them be that teammates, peers, coaches, family, etc. The athlete lives their practices, understanding that in order to truly be great, it needs to be practiced and honed and can't be phoned in when they feel like it. Because of this, the athlete will radiate inspiration by showing humility with their skillset while trying to help bring others up to be their best as well, understanding that a team is a system that is only as good as its weakest link. This will inevitably lead to others being jealous, envious, or just outright opposing them from some athletes however, the athlete understands where this is coming from and still tries to meet them where they are at to help foster a connection. This makes the athlete a leader with more people looking up to them as they progress throughout their careers. The athlete understands this and works to develop leadership and character traits, by working with their coaches and striving to become a captain or leader on their teams, in their schools, and in their communities.
Although there are many other qualities that make an athlete stand out and rise through the levels, there is one thing that stands out at the higher levels. When there is an equal opportunity, the athlete goes above and beyond to do the things that set them up for success. They make the extra effort to make sure they are truly living the characteristics and virtues they know will elevate them as an athlete and as a human being. Although some of these traits can be taught and should be taught, some individuals inherently possess these qualities which put them ahead of the rest.
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