One way to examine the difference between good and great in sports is to measure an athlete’s level of efficiency. Efficiency is defined as the ability to minimize making mistakes or wasting energy while successfully performing a task. Notice, being efficient does not require being “perfect,” but instead directs our thinking and behaviors to synchronize in the best ways possible. For athletes, it is important to think and train in efficient ways in order to maximize productivity, as well as minimize stress, frustration, and failure.
Maximize productivity
The message around efficiency is a great one to teach kids, and here’s why. For many kids, when training in a specific sport, they are often drawn to the fun plays they see on television — including half-court three point shots and Hail Mary touchdown passes. Unfortunately, the time goofing on these things steals time away from more mundane (yet far more important aspects) of the game. For example, for kids who play basketball, it is more important to practice layups and boxing out than launching half-court shots that are far less important. Granted, mimicking Steph Curry bombs might be fun, but time spent trying to be Steph Curry rather than mastering the basics is not a very efficient use of practice time.
Every sport has a set of incredibly important skills to master. Getting down on ground balls at a baseball or softball practice may not be a ton of fun, but it is also one of the most important skills a baseball or softball player can master. In order to strengthen muscle memory, kids may need to take ball after ball after ball, and they may not see this kind of drill as nearly as much fun as trying to launch home runs off a tee. Still, it is an incredibly efficient use of time of eventual fielding mastery is the goal.
Work smarter, not harder. One way of accomplishing this is to plan your workouts, and be efficient with your time and effort. When kids master the basics, the physical movement becomes a part of their muscle-memory, thereby allowing for synchronized mind-body movements. As athletes master basic skills, their confidence increases while their anxiety decreases, all leading to maximized athletic potential.
Final thoughts
There are countless athletes who show great potential, but potential is not enough if the goal is to maximize athletic abilities. Instead, athletes — including young athletes — need to work efficiently by mastering basic skills to the point where they become automatic. While it may not always be fun to do routine drills, the return on this investment of time and energy is immeasurable. Encourage kids to learn the value of efficiency, and show them the many ways that efficiency helps toward success — including in school!
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