Sometimes sports is all about finding the right fit. As a youth soccer coach, a lot of parents ask for my advice when their young athlete is moving from a recreational level to a competitive level. In short, my advice usually comes down to this: find the right fit.
Ask the questions:
- -What is my commitment level?
- -What is my athlete’s commitment level?
- -What is the organization like?
- -What is the coach like?
- -What are your values? and do they match with the coach and the organiztion?
That is one of the best ways to make sure the athlete will continue to improve performance, and to ensure the experience is going to be a positive one.
This brings me to Tim Tebow and the news that he signed with the Patriots this week. Having been a life-long Florida Gator, I follow him very closely – maybe not as obsessively as some of my fellow Gators! – and still root for him as one of my own.
Here’s a guy who has gone through the right fit several times (University of Florida, Denver Broncos), to the wrong fit (New York Jets – ?!?still waiting for someone to explain to me who thought this was going to work and why?!?).
Now, with the Patriots he seems to be back with the right fit:
At its core, The Patriot Way is all about team. Where nobody wants credit, or respect, or highlights, or swag. They want results. They want character guys. There’s a higher calling in New England, where they don’t just win, but they win the right way, and then they go back to work. These are facts.
So, think about it.
Could you imagine a better fit for the kid who only knows how to win and never knew how to quit?
This quote coming from a recent blog over at Grantland from Andrew Sharp. Check out the article here.
Also, to read Tebow’s book, Through My Eyes, or other great sport psychology books, check out our Recently Reviewed Books section in the SPINw store.
