THE HUDDLE
Calgary, AB -December 30, 2020. After each on-field or on-floor session at ELEV8 Lacrosse, we bring the student-athletes into a “huddle” and discuss topics relative to not only athletics and sports but life. Periodically, we will share with student-athletes and their families pieces on adversity, growth, leadership and mindset, and working through the day to day challenges that life can throw at us.
People do not decide their futures. They
decide their habits and their habits decide
their futures.
- FM ALEXANDER
With the holidays upon us and 2021 right around the corner, it is a perfect time to reflect on the past year. For most, January 1st is a time to recalibrate and refocus on the next 12 months ahead. A reset button for some and a way to put our attention to new initiatives helping us re-evaluate our short and long-term goals.
At ELEV8 Lacrosse, we continuously discuss the importance of setting goals. Whether these goals are in the near or distant future. ELEV8 Coaching Staff focuses on spending time with focused student-athletes discussing academic and athletic pursuits and the importance of both. For the most part, student-athletes’ goals, in various ELEV8 Lacrosse programs, is to play lacrosse, train, learn, have fun, and strive to compete at a higher level; whether in Calgary, Alberta, or Canada, to achieve their own athletic, academic, or personal goals.
Once a goal is determined, be it short or long-term, it can be tricky to decide where to start and focus our attention. The most basic task one can accomplish is determining a foundation that will help in achieving ones goal. This is where habit-building becomes vital.
Habits can influence us both negatively and positively. Staying up too late when we have school at 8 am might be considered a bad habit. We need ample amount of rest to be efficient in the classroom. Committing to an hour of homework and studying each day, regardless of the workload, could be considered a good habit. More time focusing on the specific subject matter will reinforce essential concepts. Staying active daily, with aerobic conditioning, skill work, and building strength will help us perform in both practice and competitive settings.
It can be a simple, yet mundane task to write down a goal and talk about how we will one day achieve it, but, once the goal has been established taking that first step can be unfamiliar. If we focus on the big picture, it can be overwhelming. The exercise of breaking down our goals into a step-by-step process, reinforced by good habits, will assist us in accomplishing the desired objectives.
What are your short and long-term goals this coming year? Break-down the steps necessary to achieve these goals. Identify the habits required to accomplish each step and where you will need to focus your energy to progress forward. We can achieve great things, but we need to focus on building a strong foundation to accomplish our goals. Reinforcing good habits will help construct a foundation necessary in this process.
