Approximately, every family has at least one kid that partakes in an organized sport. However, out of those families, how many kids go professional? The answer: hardly any. So, what are the kids that go professional doing differently than all of the others? While there may be many ways to answer this question, the one that sticks out significantly is the amount of work that the athletes put into their sport- on and off the field.

There is a notable difference between a truly committed athlete and an athlete that is just playing for the fun of the sport. The difference being how much time and effort that they put into their sport. As athletes grow older and the level that they play starts to develop, many start to realize how much they have to do in order to reach their full athletic potential.

If you were to talk to any high school athlete who is just playing their sport for fun, then you would probably find that outside of their practices there is not much work being done to improve their game. But, if that athlete were to be going to college for their sport, then you would probably find them in the gym practicing often, if not everyday, to continue to develop their game.

By putting in the work needed to succeed, opportunities that were not there originally might start to come into perspective for you. Those college and professional athletes that you look up to may be getting ready to see you on the field in the perceivable future.

Finding the extra time in your schedule to practice could be a difficult task, but it’s all the more reason to push yourself to your limit when you actually have the time. To give your all is to be able to say that you gave everything you had in you and that you went home feeling exhausted. This is greater than anything else.

I have realized that over the past few years of being a dual sport athlete that I have inquired many life lessons to take away. One of the ones that I found to be most important is that when other coaches are watching you, they don’t always look at the level of skill you have. The most important aspect of the game to them is how hard you work, no matter how much of the game that you play.

In the way that you play, coaches can determine how much effort and time you put into your sport. That is what draws coaches into making their decisions because, at the end of the day…

“Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard.”-Tim Notke