Hot Take on Becoming a Better Athlete
- Apr 27
- 2 min read
If you ask me for one advice on how to become a better athlete:
Be Coachable.
Whether you're a rookie stepping onto the field for the first time or a seasoned veteran with years of experience, the willingness to learn and adapt is what makes the difference.
Being coachable means having an open mindset, ready to absorb feedback and adapt to new techniques. It’s not merely about nodding your head at a coach’s instructions; it’s about actively engaging, asking questions, and striving for improvement. This quality leads to continuous learning and progress, which is vital in any competitive environment.
"I have coached a variety of athletes, from very beginner who wants to learn everything and ask for clarification, to beginner who thinks they know everything and ignore my comments and seasoned athletes who is willing to listen."
One of the beauties of sports is that there are always new skills to master and strategies to explore. For novices, the learning curve is steep, but seasoned athletes can also benefit immensely from remaining coachable. They often encounter different coaching styles, opposition training methods, that require adaptation. Staying open to new perspectives can dramatically enhance their performance.
Here are some qualities I identified in athletes who are coachable:
Attitude - stay humble, accept feedback, and view mistakes as part of the process.
Body Language - stay engaged, maintain eye contact, and move with purpose.
Willing to listen - absorb feedback, ask questions, and apply corrections.
Do the Work & Trust Your Coach - Coaches will often see potential in athletes that they don’t see themselves. So if a coach decides to take the time to train you, you should be willing to do the work.
Have a desire to learn - I love it when an athlete comes to practice with lots of questions and is ready to soak up any new advice or tips to improve their training.
It's acknowledging that you don't know it all,
despite whatever success you may have had in your past.
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