A great athlete is someone that is going to go the extra mile in everything they do. They are someone who is a team player. They are a leader, both on and off the field. A great athlete outworks everyone on a regular basis. 

Becoming a great athlete isn’t easy, but it is possible. It takes time, and often means doing the same things over and over and over again. It takes overcoming failure and learning from your mistakes. 

At Warren Academy, we have had the opportunity to train many great athletes. In our sports performance programs, our goal is to unlock every athlete’s full potential. Below, we go over some of the qualities every athlete must encompass if they want 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 is similar to work ethic, in a sense, but it also goes beyond that. It’s the ability to push past obstacles and failures that get in the way of you achieving your goals. Grit is necessary in more than 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? 

• Work to become better each and every day. 
• Do more than is expected of you. 
• Be confident in yourself and your work.

Consistency

Another thing all athletes must have to become great is consistency. Consistency is the combination of patience and grit. It’s not just working hard, it’s staying motivated and putting in the work every day. It takes time, but consistency is what sets great athletes apart from the rest. 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 yourself day after day. Without a consistent work ethic in the weight room, consistent focus in school or consistent dedication to reach your goals, it’s very hard for athletes to truly become great.

Adaptability 

Lastly, a quality all great athletes must have, especially youth athletes, is adaptability. Many times in sports, both at youth and high school levels, athletes are asked to adapt to different situations. They may be asked to play a different position or take on a different role on the team. Having adaptability means having the ability to adjust to different situations. Whether it be before the season, during a game or in practice, great athletes must be able to adapt quickly to the most unexpected situations. This isn’t something that comes easy to athletes, but it is something all athletes need to focus on to stay prepared at all times. 

Great athletes are those who excel both on and off the field. They are the first ones to show up to practice and they are the last ones to leave. While all great athletes look different, there are certain qualities that are the same. Start practicing these qualities, and you’ll become great in everything you do. 

At Warren Academy, our sports performance programs focus on building functional strength and speed needed in youth sports. Visit our website today to learn more about our sports performance programs!