by Stella Whalen
I was at track practice when someone close to me once said, "Become a student of your sport." I was in middle school at the time and took this to mean watching YouTube videos of the things I wanted to be good at. Although visual learning is a very necessary part of understanding technique, it is only a fraction of the things you need to know when it comes to perfecting your sport.
It is only now that I have begun to understand what becoming a student of my sport truly looks like. It means asking questions, understanding your body, when to eat, when to rest, what techniques work for different body types, how to personalize your warmup, how to control your mind, etc. There is a never-ending list in an athlete's mind consisting of all the factors that could serve useful or detrimental to their performance.
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| Art illustrating a man finishing his race and running to the cross. |
A proven way to better oneself is by reading and understanding other's perspectives that have similar goals in life to your own. I recently read the book
Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith by Sydney McLaughlin. As I previously mentioned in my blog post
To Be Kingdom Minded, McLaughlin currently holds the world record for the women's 400-meter hurdle race and became very passionate about her faith shortly before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
This book provides readers with a personal look at McLaughlin's testimony, how she has overcome anxiety, made a new identity in God, and gone on to succeed in her sport on the biggest stages in the world. She shares how putting her ultimate truth in God's plan for her life has given her comfort in whatever trials she faces in her career whether they be medical setbacks or mental blocks.
After winning gold in the 400-meter hurdles and the 4x400-meter relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Sydney McLaughlin gave all glory to God saying, "Records come and go. The glory of God is eternal." Not many of us will be world record holders in our lifetime, but all of us have daily chances to glorify God in the way we live our lives and participate in our sports.
Works Cited:
Sports Psychology Football: Becoming a Student of the Game
Amazon: Link to Far Beyond Gold
Photo Credit: Thegospel07
ReplyDeleteThe concept of an endless list is really a cool phrase. In a way, we are living towards a life with no apparent end. The fact that there are so many things to do in the journey of life means that there are abundant opportunities for personal growth, right? I believe every job is a pro. Being a pro means satisfying certain conditions and getting rewarded for it. However, even after becoming a professional in the world of work, what's important is to continually provide oneself with opportunities for growth. It doesn't matter what it is, but if not, life is likely to become boring. Failure is tasting something because I've tried something, and even in that, there is great value. Whether it's success or failure, both are precious in the perspective that they provide opportunities for personal growth.