“Kick-off…”
Shared by Breanne Smedley
Today, I woke up with some butterflies in my stomach.
That excited/nervous feeling that I would often get before my soccer or volleyball games.
But today, I’m not playing in front of parents and fans.
Instead, I’m kicking off a mental training program this afternoon with an intimate group of athletes who do.
“I’m just going to go to my office for a bit to prep for tomorrow” I told Brett last night after Charlee went to bed.
30 minutes later, my desk looks like a small bomb went off.
Books opened to highlighted and dog-eared sections.
Papers strewn about with images, outlines, and notes.
Multiple tabs up on my browser.
To put this in perspective, I had already planned the outline of the program a week prior.
A rough outline of topics and progression of skills players need in order to develop confidence and resiliency on and off the court.
I leave room to be guided by the athletes, based on their needs.
I had already meticulously planned our first meeting.
Activities.
Specific, bite-sized information.
Visualizations.
But, I’ve discovered, when I’m about to do something important, I get nervous.
And planning is what I turn to, to try to calm the nerves.
Then there’s the task of making sure that what I’m teaching makes sense and can be applied to 12-18-year-old athletes.
I put myself in their shoes.
I imagine the struggles they are going through.
I try to feel what they are feeling.
The pressure.
The stress.
The negative self-talk that they may not be conscious of yet.
The inability to recover from mistakes.
The loss of confidence.
Then, I pair that with the concepts and skills that I am trying to develop in these girls.
To cultivate real confidence.
To empower them to be resilient in the face of challenges.
To give them tangible skills to fall back on.
And it’s hard, sometimes.
“Does this make sense?”
“Will they understand this activity?”
“How can I make this more accessible?”
In digging for the answers to these questions, I know I’m on the right track.
This program serves 10 athletes right now.
10 girls who I have the pleasure, but great responsibility to be a small part in their journey of developing into strong, confident, resilient young women.
This program is small now, but it’s only the start.
And I’ve been reminded, time and time again, how great things work.
They take time. They take discipline. No quitting. Setbacks are expected.
Part of the process.
This kick-off today is the first of many.
Which is, in part, why I feel the nerves.
Because I know the plans and vision that I have.
It’s bigger than me.
To help young women cultivate confidence in themselves.
To equip them, early, with the skills to be resilient.
To feel empowered to face whatever challenges and setbacks come their way.
I imagine what our world would look like, if all women grew up with unshakable confidence.
And the magnitude of that thought overwhelms me.
For that reason, I’ll keep planning.
Keep building.
Keep inviting girl athletes into this community, this program of Elite Competitors.
Because they will change the world.
And it starts this afternoon.
4pm PST.
Kick-off time.
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#InspirationallyImpactful
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