As I have mentioned before, it is a grand time of year. Football is nearing a great point of the season: high school playoffs will be here soon; college is at its peak before the bowls; and the pros are in mid-season form. Baseball just had a classic, well-played World Series between two well-deserving teams. Basketball is nearing the tip-off point of the season (already here for the NBAers). High school tennis just ended, the running/endurance sports (both rec & competitive) are about to move inside, and soccer is nearing its only slow time of the year. Plus, there is that ever-refreshing change in the season and temperatures called fall. It's just one of my favorite parts of the sports calendar.

So why did I entitle this post "Next Season.."? I think, with the exception of the hoopsters, that this is one of the best times of the year to analyze your performance. If you are an athlete wanting to play again next season, it should go without saying that you should want to get better. Ask yourself these questions: (1) Could I have been better this year?; (2) What areas of my performance were weak this year? What areas were strong?;  and (3) What is expected of me for next year? What are my goals for next year?

An athlete, no matter the level, should always be thinking ahead and looking for ways to get better. Areas to improve on: increasing overall speed, improved explosiveness and first-step, better agility, better conditioning, more strength, more mental toughness, and better skill and position work. Is your mind focused on these things? If not, I would say you are in one of two categories: (1) you are about to retire from sports, or (2) you are complacent and lazy and maybe just relying on your natural talent.

If you are not working hard, rest assured that in today's sports world, someone else is working harder. That person may be your opponent, or worse yet, your teammate about to take your spot. Extra work is the key to improved performance.

Come see me or call me about what it will take to meet your goals.

"The more I train, the quicker I get.

The quicker I get, the slower they seem.

The slower they seem, the easier the game.

The easier the game, the greater my threat.

The greater my threat, the more attention I draw.

The more attention I draw, the tighter they play me.

The tighter they play me, the more I train."

 

This article is a product of the Arkansas Sports Performance Center. 

BJ Maack ATC, CSCS. BJ has over 17 years experience of directly helping athletes be the best they can be. He spent six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals professional baseball organization as an athletic trainer, and over 14 years working for one of the most highly respected orthopedic groups in the South. He also has organized the annual FCA High School Football Combine. He has owned Arkansas Sports Performance Center (ASPC) since 2003, and has helped thousands of athletes reach their full potential.