vet93
08-03-2004, 09:02 AM
The C’s of a True Champion
Any team can win with great talent, but not every team can win without it. What separates the teams that achieve greatness from those that history fails to remember? Every team has potential, but only a few teams can actually exceed that potential to become true champions. It has been said that true champions are not made on the playing field…they are recognized there. What teams do in the off-season, the practice field, the weight room and away from the football field are often what turn the average into the extraordinary. Below are the C’s of a true champion:
1. CHARACTER – Character is defined in the dictionary as moral strength and integrity. A man who has character is someone that you can count on to be there when times are tough. In teams that have character, each person knows that his teammates are going to do whatever is necessary for the team to succeed regardless of the sacrifice. Teams with character study longer, listen to their coaches better and work harder than other teams. Teams with character do not fold under pressure, do not give up and make very few mental mistakes. Without character the other C’s will not get done. Are you a man of character playing on a team that is defined by character?
2. COACHABILITY – Teams that don’t listen to their coaches are not going to succeed. They may have some success due to their talent, but these teams will never take it to the next level to compete for championships. Coaches dedicate their lives to the study of their sport and the training of young people. Their years of study give them insights and ideas that others cannot see. It is arrogance for an athlete to feel like he knows more about his sport than his coaches.
3. CLASSROOM – Great teams prepare better than less successful teams. There are two types of preparation in regards to classroom: 1) Preparing for your opponent by paying attention to your coaches and knowing your assignments and 2) Taking care of business in school so that you are able to play when the team needs you. In a team sport, being able to play each week not only affects you, but it also affects every one of your teammates who have come to depend on you.
4. COURAGE - Courage is essential for a champion. Courage comes in many forms. The courage to push yourself in order to get better physically. The courage to be a leader and set the example for people around you. The courage to accept responsibility for ones actions and do what is needed to have success and finally, the courage to take on an opponent that may be stronger or faster than yourself. Without courage you will only succeed against teams who are either physically weaker than you or who have even less courage than yourself.
5. CLASS – Many teams have a great deal of talent but fail the test of true champions because they lack class. A true champion is humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Too many times athletes promote themselves by taunting, playing to the crowd or acting in an unsportsmanlike manner. These actions do far more to hurt the team than they ever do to help it. To win a game will gain you respect for your physical abilities, but to win a game with class will gain you respect for your abilities and for who you are as a person. The latter is a far loftier goal.
6. CRESCENDO – This is a music term that means, “Build to a Climax”. True champions are always improving. Their best game is always their last game. Many teams are good in August or September but fail in November and December when things really count. If you stagnate and plateau, other teams will catch and surpass you. If you are satisfied with the status quo then expect nothing more than mediocrity.
7. CAMARADERIE - To be a true champion you have to care about your teammates. You have to be willing to sacrifice for each other. When the fourth quarter rolls around and you look across the huddle at those other guys and you see how much they have sacrificed it makes you want to win the game as much for them as yourself. When you step away from the game you won’t remember the individual honors. You will remember what you accomplished together. You will remember that you were a band of brothers that left it all on the field on some cold fall night and that is when you will know that you are a true champion.
Any team can win with great talent, but not every team can win without it. What separates the teams that achieve greatness from those that history fails to remember? Every team has potential, but only a few teams can actually exceed that potential to become true champions. It has been said that true champions are not made on the playing field…they are recognized there. What teams do in the off-season, the practice field, the weight room and away from the football field are often what turn the average into the extraordinary. Below are the C’s of a true champion:
1. CHARACTER – Character is defined in the dictionary as moral strength and integrity. A man who has character is someone that you can count on to be there when times are tough. In teams that have character, each person knows that his teammates are going to do whatever is necessary for the team to succeed regardless of the sacrifice. Teams with character study longer, listen to their coaches better and work harder than other teams. Teams with character do not fold under pressure, do not give up and make very few mental mistakes. Without character the other C’s will not get done. Are you a man of character playing on a team that is defined by character?
2. COACHABILITY – Teams that don’t listen to their coaches are not going to succeed. They may have some success due to their talent, but these teams will never take it to the next level to compete for championships. Coaches dedicate their lives to the study of their sport and the training of young people. Their years of study give them insights and ideas that others cannot see. It is arrogance for an athlete to feel like he knows more about his sport than his coaches.
3. CLASSROOM – Great teams prepare better than less successful teams. There are two types of preparation in regards to classroom: 1) Preparing for your opponent by paying attention to your coaches and knowing your assignments and 2) Taking care of business in school so that you are able to play when the team needs you. In a team sport, being able to play each week not only affects you, but it also affects every one of your teammates who have come to depend on you.
4. COURAGE - Courage is essential for a champion. Courage comes in many forms. The courage to push yourself in order to get better physically. The courage to be a leader and set the example for people around you. The courage to accept responsibility for ones actions and do what is needed to have success and finally, the courage to take on an opponent that may be stronger or faster than yourself. Without courage you will only succeed against teams who are either physically weaker than you or who have even less courage than yourself.
5. CLASS – Many teams have a great deal of talent but fail the test of true champions because they lack class. A true champion is humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Too many times athletes promote themselves by taunting, playing to the crowd or acting in an unsportsmanlike manner. These actions do far more to hurt the team than they ever do to help it. To win a game will gain you respect for your physical abilities, but to win a game with class will gain you respect for your abilities and for who you are as a person. The latter is a far loftier goal.
6. CRESCENDO – This is a music term that means, “Build to a Climax”. True champions are always improving. Their best game is always their last game. Many teams are good in August or September but fail in November and December when things really count. If you stagnate and plateau, other teams will catch and surpass you. If you are satisfied with the status quo then expect nothing more than mediocrity.
7. CAMARADERIE - To be a true champion you have to care about your teammates. You have to be willing to sacrifice for each other. When the fourth quarter rolls around and you look across the huddle at those other guys and you see how much they have sacrificed it makes you want to win the game as much for them as yourself. When you step away from the game you won’t remember the individual honors. You will remember what you accomplished together. You will remember that you were a band of brothers that left it all on the field on some cold fall night and that is when you will know that you are a true champion.