Learning Experience or Skills

 Learned experiences come from many different elements of life. Learned skills (physically or mentally) can come from a lesson, your league or tournament activities. They could be from the new associations you create and it could be from just a friendly gesture that makes you feel comfortable with and within yourself. Whatever they may be, learned experiences or skills are there to add encouragement and reinforce your overall efforts and methods of play. 

      We all know the key to success in sports, as in many facets of life, is CONSISTENCY and this is what the word can mean:

• "Consistency is the truest measure of performance. Almost everyone can have a great day, or even a good year, but true success is the ability to perform day in and day out, year after year, under all kinds of conditions. Inconsistency will win some of the time; consistency will win most of the time."
• Knowing this, means that you must be more aware of ones-self, physically, mentally and emotionally to maintain this consistency. Consistency requires the same concentration, determination, and repetition on every shot and every attempt. To be at your best all the time, you must:
• Take nothing for granted. If you aren't "up" every day, something or someone, will knock you down.
• Take pride in what you do and how you do it. The things you do well are the things you enjoy doing.
• Take setbacks in stride. Don't brood over reverses; learn from them.
• Take calculated chances. To win something, even if it's the battle with yourself, you must risk something.
• Take work home (visualize and use imagery) to help your performances. To get ahead, plan ahead. Think out the shot before you make it.
• Take the extra game. Condition yourself for the long run, the grind out. The tested can always take it.
• Don't take "no" for an answer. You can do what you believe you can do.

Remember, celebrate, just make sure it's after the victory.  Tom Blasco