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How to compete at a high level: A Liberty North coach’s perspective
Courtesy: Mark Krause

How to compete at a high level: A Liberty North coach’s perspective

LIBERTY, Mo. — Since returning to the high school ranks as a football and track coach, I have noticed that more athletes are participating in multiple sports at one time than I can remember. There has been a shift in regard to the pressure that is placed on young athletes in terms of what success looks like and how we define it as a society. To be clear, I am not against athletes playing multiple sports. But coaches and parents need to be wary of the influences we place on young athletes, both physically and mentally, as we prepare them for what’s next.

Courtesy: Mark Krause

In terms of athletics at the high school level, there is a tremendous amount of prep work that goes into competing at a high level. Competitors are looking for an edge both mentally and physically. It is up to us as coaches and parents to partner with our athletes on their journey and to aid them in obtaining the goals. Oftentimes there is a fine line that must be navigated to identify the best pathways an athlete should take in order to reach their defined level of success.

I believe that the parents and coaches’ relationship must be built on a foundation of trust, and this partnership should not be taken lightly. It is a tough ask for parents to relinquish their child’s athletic careers to a single coaching staff. As a coach, we have to have faith that parents believe in our message and that we are competent in our abilities to develop and mold their athletes. There must be a balance in order to do what is best for our athletes in the long run.

One problem that occurs is when an athlete is hearing multiple coaches or voices on what should or could be done in order to obtain success. This can hinder an athlete’s performance. I have observed a strong correlation between mental and physical execution. I have seen this issue with athletes that are competing in different sports at the same time or athletes participating in the same sport, but for different entities. Regardless, this has led to a varied amount of obstacles that I have encountered and had to navigate throughout my career.

A second circumstance I have dealt with is the number of overuse injuries that have occurred in my high school athletes. These are injuries that occur due to athletes being in constant training and competition. Injuries of this nature are tough to work through for everyone involved and happen often for athletes competing in multiple sports at one time. Prioritizing rest and nutrition for athletes is a point of emphasis.

Lastly, we must ask ourselves what type of pressure we are putting our athletes and be cautious how we are modeling for them. I value hard work and believe that nothing great was ever accomplished without it. I want the athletes that I work with to see that as well. At the same time though there is a fine line that must be walked. If we as parents and coaches are putting constant pressure on our athletes to be successful in sports, then there are inevitable sacrifices that are being made in other aspects of their lives.

Both as coaches and parents we have similar goals in mind for our athletes. It is our job to help guide and mold them into successful members of society. We must also be aware that our athletes’ goals may not necessarily correlate to our own. At the end of the day we should all have the same goal in mind, that we want to help mold our athletes into being the best version of themselves.

 

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