Embrace the opportunity to learn, lead, and find an abundance of reward in personal growth.
Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.”
The last few weeks have been learning experiences for the young North Florida Sneads varsity football team. The season has started out a bit rough with a lot of injuries and some of the athletes have been sick. Not every season is perfect, but every season does have a learning curve.
It takes a lot for a young team to become a great team and this year is a work in progress, but success is at the top of the list for the Sneads Pirates, and it will come to them in due time.
It takes dedication, preparation, hard work, consistent focus, strong leadership and most of all commitment for a team to come together in a successful program that continuously shows improvement.
What is it like for a team like Sneads to prepare for a new football season? The mental and physical aspects are challenging but learning to adjust to everything is a key part of learning. Preparation starts in January and continues through the summer months until the official season starts in August. Physical training, weightlifting, dynamic stretches, conditioning, film study, enhanced focus on nutrition, maintaining strict schedules, playing in spring football games and participating in summer camps are just some of things that are involved.
What makes learning easier for new athletes that are just beginning the varsity football experience? Planning. The coaching staff strives for excellence and works hard to always have a plan in place that will help any athlete adjust both mentally and physically during the transition process.
Being new to the team can seem daunting for some aspiring athletes and that is why the older and more experienced athletes are encouraged to mentor and help the younger athletes face challenges head on and learn at a quick pace.
Dedication is the foundation of success, skill development is the mastering of fundamentals, physical conditioning builds the athlete, mental toughness helps overcome challenges, and teamwork and leadership are the importance of collaboration.
Athletes must learn to have resilience in the face of adversity because setbacks are inevitable but learning from mistakes can help keep a positive attitude because pushing forward is of the utmost importance.
What is learning by example? Leading by example means to lead by your actions because it’s not the words that count but what you do as an athlete to back those words up. One must prove their strong work ethic, dedication, and hold a positive attitude to be a great leader and mentor for the team.
Football is a contact sport that teaches crucial character development, discipline, and the importance of hard work among many other things that will serve a learning athlete in all aspects of life. It is important to remember that football is not just a game. Football is a journey that will lead to endless opportunities, strong foundations, and a future of success. Athletes who strive to go the extra mile, develop skills, work hard on their techniques, be consistent performers, and show enthusiasm are amazing individuals who understand that learning and teaching is the true win.
If there was ever an important message to send out to the Sneads football team perhaps Chantel Sutherland said it best when he said, “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got this.”
Patricia Smith – Gadsden County News Service
