A great athlete is one who is willing to go the extra mile and do whatever it takes to get better. A great athlete is someone who can combine their love for the game with athleticism. A great athlete is someone who prides themselves for their game, but will also help make the player next to them better as well. So, what does it take to be a great athlete?

To be a great athlete takes years of hard work, patience, practice and failure to master the skills of your sport. Great athletes aren’t made overnight but over time. No matter your skill level, anyone can work to become the best athlete they can be. 

At Warren Academy, our youth athletic training programs are designed to help athletes become the best they can be. However, it’s ultimately up to the athletes themselves to dictate their legacy. Below, we discuss some things every athlete needs to be great. 

Grit

If you ask a professional athlete something that any great athlete has, you are sure to get someone who responds with grit. Grit is the combination of passion and perseverance to work towards and achieve goals. Grit in a sense is similar to “working hard” or “work ethic”, but goes beyond that. It’s the ability to push past obstacles and failures that come in the way of you and your goals. Grit is needed in life far beyond just sports. In life, everyone fails at some point. In sports, every athlete fails at some point. Having grit is being able to fail and become better because of it. 

So how do you encompass grit? 

• By working to become better each and every day. 
• By doing more than expected. 
• By becoming confident in yourself and your work ethic.

These are all ways in which any athlete can instill grit into their character. 

Consistency

Another thing all athletes must have to become great is consistency. Consistency is the combination of patience and grit. It takes hard work and time, over and over and over again. Consistency is what sets athletes apart from the rest when it comes to youth athletic training. When athletes train in the weight room, they don’t see results overnight. It takes consistency to truly reach your full potential. In both sports and life, you have to consistently show up to be the best version of you each and every day. Without consistent work ethic in the weight room, or consistent dedication mentally, it’s very hard for athletes to truly become great. 

Adaptability 

Lastly, a trait all great athletes must have, especially youth athletes, is adaptability. Many times in sports, especially at the youth and high school level, athletes are asked to adapt to different situations. Having adaptability is having the ability to adjust readily to different situations. Whether it’s joining a new team, playing a different sport or position, or having to compete for a starting job when they didn’t have to the year before, great athletes must be able to adapt quickly to the most unexpected situations! This isn’t something that comes easy to athletes, but instead is something all athletes need to focus on mentally to stay prepared at all times. 

Although there are many other traits that athletes need to become great, having grit, consistency and adaptability are what will set youth athletes apart from the rest. All of these qualities are not only needed to become great in sports but great in life as well. 

At Warren Academy, our youth athletic training programs are designed to improve the fundamentals, strength and speed of all of our athletes. If you are interested in learning more about our sports performance programs, visit our website today!