Progress over perfection

This weekend rounded out a lot of endings.

Ending winter lacrosse clinics, individual trainings, and a basketball season.

We’re finished, a time to tie bows and move on.

Allowing time to breathe before the next “thing” on the calendar appears. 

But I wonder, in the quiet that follows an ending, do we take time to look back and see how far we’ve come? 

I’ve seen incredible growth over a wide span of athletes this winter. Both in skill and mindset. These kids have done everything asked of them and then some. In and out of comfort zones. Individually and as groups.

Players were given permission to fail.

A safe space to make mistakes, ask questions, learn, & grow. Not expecting or looking for perfection. Instead, looking for and expecting progress. 

So much progress. So much growth. Zero perfection. 

Do coaches EVER see perfection? Do they ever EXPECT it? Is that what coaches think? Is that what players think coaches think? If it’s not perfect, will my coach be disappointed in me?

Those are some heavy thoughts.

I know for me, I don’t think I’ve ever expected perfection out of my athletes. Is that even possible? 

I would hate to have any one of those athletes I’ve worked with over the past 3 months walk away thinking they failed because they weren’t perfect. 

Quite the opposite, I think that’s where I fail as a coach. And I failed last week.

I had a lacrosse player shooting on goal in a session. This player had been given 5 balls and was extremely disappointed when they didn’t hit all 5 in the net. Saying things like, “I’m trash.” “I suck.” Throwing their stick.

And I realized. I forgot to tell this player that the point of the 5 shots was to learn.

With every miss we learn. And adjust. And try again. That’s progress. That’s the good stuff. To get into a mindset of failing forward allows the brain to keep going and take chances. 

So we took 5 more balls out with new expectations. And the mood changed. Immediately. Dancing. Smiling. Pride.

Because at the end of the day, it’s that progress that allows us to be proud of ourselves.

But if we never highlight that growth. We miss it. And move on to something else. The next season. The next practice. The next game. The next sport. A beginning. 

So as the endings come, take time to look back and see how far you’ve grown. You will not be perfect. But you can and should still celebrate.

Be proud of your progress.

That’s the good stuff.

In Your Corner,

Nikki