Early in my coaching career a wise old coach told me that
many are called and few are chosen. We were talking about potential. In my 41
years of coaching I have seen so athletes with potential that has been
unfulfilled. They were labeled early as the next great ones. What happens? How
can we get that the athlete to realize their potential? In so many cases potential,
especially to be identified as a prodigy early can be a curse. But isn’t it our
jobs as coaches to help athletes understand and reach their potential. We can
do this by focusing on the process rather than the outcome. We are better off
praising efforts rather than results, which is right out the Carol Dweck Mindset
playbook. I know over the years I struggle with athletes who have been
identified early as the next great one. I guess I identify more with the average
athlete who has to fight and claw their way for everything they get. Potential
seems to dull the persistence. I saw this the last couple of years with the
team I am working with now. The player with the most potential did not achieve
at the same level as her less talented teammates; in fact they began to pass
her. I am not sure what the answer is here. I do know that it is a major part
of my job as a coach to help translate potential into performance.
