The University of Colorado Women’s Volleyball team completed its inaugural season in the PAC-12 with a 1-21 record. On November 18, the Buffs captured their only conference win in a thriller against Washington State 3-2. Despite their dismal win-loss record, the team improved in key areas – teamwork, court coverage, spirit, and a more balanced offense. As well, many of the players elevated their skills.
With that in mind I asked Assistant Coach Tom Hogan, what he did to keep the spirits of the players up during the extended winless drought and how he raised the performance of the team despite their record. His answer was simple, “We worked hard in practices and matches to stay focused on the present. When you focus on the past or the future, your performance drops off. That is what we did and we were able to do it better than in years past.” It is important to note the emphasis on the words, “worked hard.”
These words of wisdom apply to any sport. For example, when a tennis player enters a tournament he/she should stay focused on the match at hand, rather than thinking about who they might play in the second or third round of the tournament. They should concentrate on the things they can control, such as how hard they try, proper hydration, staying focused on the present, and what they must do to maximize their performance. At the same time they must disregard the factors they cannot control, such as the weather, temperature, bad line calls, or crowd distractions.
As illustrated by Coach Hogan’s comments, the basics of sport are simple. As anyone who has coached or played a sport can testify, consistent execution during good times and bad is the challenge.