Sport is a competitive environment where winning has become the most essential aspect.
Winning impacts team success, coaches' and players' jobs, and revenue.
In youth sports today, many people have ditched the idea of focusing on the journey or trusting the process and focused on the result - Winning.
Like everything in life, everything is a process in sport. Learning a new skill is a process, being on a team is a process, and growing and developing with sport is a process.
But what do coaches mean by "Trusting the Process"?
There is no magic potion to success, and to achieve success, parents, athletes, and coaches need to focus on long-term development to see success.
It can sometimes be difficult, but trusting and focusing on the process is essential. Sometimes we get so caught up in the results forget that the journey is long-term.
Here is a short clip from Basketball Legend Kobe Bryant on youth athletes and trusting the process:
As a coach, I understand that mastering a new skill or game strategy will take time and won't happen after one practice.
We are always looking to improve players and team culture, and yes, we would like to win, but we need to focus on what is in the best interest of the players and team.
For example, when coaching my son's u7 Rugby team, the main goal amongst the coaching group was to coach them to be on the side once, making a tag and getting into a defensive line (Wall).
This proved challenging initially, but we kept at it, and by the end of the season, all the players knew to get onside and into a defensive line (Wall) once they made a tag.
We lost games along the way, but who cares? The fact that they mastered the area of the game will stand them in good stead in their long-term development as rugby players.
Through the process, players will go through ups and downs to reach the ultimate goals. Parents must support and encourage players to continue trusting the process.
Trusting the process will empower youth athletes. They will go into games without panic and pressuring themselves, and trusting the process teaches them the value of hard work and patients on their way to their final destination.
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