Coaches often talk about how athletes need to “take care of the little things.” This sentiment goes without further explanation far too regularly, and becomes a lesson learned over time through repetitious reprimanding. With no context from your coach about what exactly the little things are, it is difficult to improve upon them. While every coach has a unique philosophy and way of going about things, there are some generally standard meanings of these little things that we will go over here.
What are the little things and how to “take care” of them
In sports as in life afterwards, every achievement is accomplished through a meticulous process. There are no overnight successes in any walk of life, and even the most talented of individuals need to take the appropriate steps in order to win. When your coach starts talking to you about the little things, they are referencing each of those steps.
We all want to work out hard, practice harder, and play as well as we can, but the little things are far bigger than just the effort you give to doing a good job. The stuff that you do outside of the gym and off of the field—things like getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, and keeping up with school work—are the ingredients to success that your coach is calling the little things.
Without a good night’s rest, you won’t be able to get up in time to make a balanced breakfast; without a balanced breakfast, you won’t be able to get a good lift in for the morning; if you burn yourself out during that workout, you’ll fall asleep in class; and if you fall asleep in class, you’ll become ineligible. The little things have a way bigger impact than you think.
The product you see on the field from your competitors—both on other teams, and within your own—is the bar you have to reach in order to play and win. If you truly take care of the little things, and you do it better than anybody else around you, then you can become the standard. And if you are the standard, you stand the best chance at achieving your loftiest of goals.
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