Gold Medal Showdown
Can you imagine…
Playing in a game that you have been dreaming about for decades,
that only comes along once every 4 years and you’ve been training
for full-time every single day for the past year?
You might be in the playoffs right now or heading into big season end
tournaments. You might even be in a league championship game in
the next few weeks or be in a position to win a state, provincial or
national championship.
But none of that even comes close to the size of the game that you’re
about to watch.
The entire women’s hockey world will be eagerly watching this much
anticipated showdown to see which country gets bragging rights for
the next 4 years. It goes without saying that this is the opportunity of
a lifetime for the players and coaches involved.
So given how BIG this game is – what can these players and teams
do to ensure success of the world stage?
I was listening to the radio just before writing this and a few medalists
from Sochi were being interviewed and asked how they prepared for
what could very well be the biggest moment of their sporting career.
And they all said something like this…
::: By sticking to the game plan :::
There is no question that the coaches for both countries have a very
specific game plan ready that they’ve created to win this game. The
teams have done the training and now they must trust the training,
the plan and each other to put it all together.
Both teams know exactly what they need to do to win.
And the team who wins the gold medal in a few short hours will be
the one who executes the plan the best on the world’s biggest stage.
So although you might not be lacing them up to play in a game quite
of the same size in the next few weeks, keep this is mind the next time
you’re getting ready for your next big game:
::: Stick to the game plan
::: Trust your training
::: Trust your teammates
::: Trust yourself
Enjoy the game!
Your friend and coach,
Kim
Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS
Director & Founder, Total Female Hockey
Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes
