Frank’s New Release- The Art of Exceeding: Building High Performance Athletes
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The following post is an excerpt from The Art of Exceeding
Prioritizing Development
The path to success in the journey from a junior champion to a leader isn’t solely about playing time and rankings. It’s about recognizing the importance of ongoing development as a player and a leader of your entourage. This chapter delves into prioritizing your improvements and crafting a personalized growth plan.
The Importance of a Developmental Plan
A developmental plan is the blueprint for your evolution. It’s a dynamic strategy that outlines goals, areas for improvement, and a timeline for achieving them. Leaders understand the significance of a well-structured developmental plan as it:
Fosters Progress: A plan provides a clear path for improvement, allowing you to track your progress and make adjustments along the way.
Maintains Focus: It helps players focus on performance, improvement, and long-term goals and prevents distractions or complacency.
Promotes Accountability: With a plan in place, you’ll hold yourself accountable for your development.
2 Customization: Tailoring the Plan
A developmental plan should be highly customized, reflecting your unique strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. It encompasses various aspects, including technical skills, physical fitness, mental fortitude, and emotional resilience.
3 Networking for Better Practice/Sparing Partners
One key element of a developmental plan is finding suitable sparring partners. Jake would actively network at events to identify possible partners. He had a goal to get two new phone numbers per tournament. His approach enhanced his competitive software skills by exposing him to different ball speeds, spins, playing styles, and strategies.
4 Strategic Tournament Scheduling
Tournament scheduling is another critical aspect of a developmental plan. Katie consulted with her parents and coaches, strategically choosing tournaments aligned with her developmental needs.
5 Balancing Competition and Rest
A well-crafted developmental plan also includes times for rest and recovery. High-performance “anything” is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. You and your team should recognize the importance of allowing time to recuperate. Balancing competition and rest is essential for long-term success and injury prevention.
6 Embracing Change
Katie wasn’t afraid to embrace change. She understood the need to evolve her game to improve and stay at the forefront. I remember working with her to develop her kick serve, the tactics to beat retrievers, and adding a weight training program after her initial success.
7 The Vision of a Leader
Jake’s focused mindset extended beyond his high ranking. He envisions a future where he boldly plays better within his tennis identity in those clutch moments. This vision propelled him to prioritize development and continuous improvement over his boy’s 14 ranking.
Katie and Jake recognized that their success wasn’t only about what they achieved today but also about the game they envisioned as college All-Americans. This mature mindset helped them realize that the athletic journey is usually two steps forward and one step back.
YOUR TAKEAWAY CHALLENGE
Take the leadership role in organizing your customized developmental blueprint. Outline goals, areas for improvement, and timelines to achieve those skills. Balancing your schedule of improvement, competition, and rest is essential for long-term success.
