High-performance Sport is Ruthless
My career in sport has been a diverse one, I’ve seen countless successes and have been involved in a few too. But ‘failure’ is more common. Far fewer than one athlete for every one hundred who enters a talent system at a young age makes it to the international stage. I’ve lost count of teenage athletes who have demonstrated amazing talent, only for them to fall at the next hurdle. The fact is that only a tiny percentage of athletes who get selected for performance or ‘elite’ squads make it to the next level. It gets far tougher at world level where most dreams are shattered very quickly. Little fish soon realise what faces them in the big ocean. The journey to the top is usually ruthless and collateral damage is likely even when you make it.
These facts shouldn’t prevent you from trying. But it’s important to recognise the size of fish you are in relation to the size of the pond in which you compete. Believing you can progress is absolutely fundamental to success! That's the most important factor in you retaining your motivations. Other people are usually the problem.
Being lauded as the ‘next big thing’ or celebrating successes against little fish in little ponds too vigorously is rarely helpful. It is also important to recognise that whilst you are important in your little world and many people may believe you are special, there are other athletes just like you scattered around the world. Whilst often a hard message to accept, many athletes who fail to progress are simply not good enough. This can be particularly hard to take when those around you have continually been told how amazing you are. Clubs may brag that you are or were a member and want a bit of your success. Other athletes want to be associated with you too. Mum & Dad may ‘sacrifice’ every weekend to take you to events, forgo family holidays to ensure you have the same equipment as the current world-champion and present photos of you on social media. You may like this, but it may also make you feel guilty when you 'let people down'. But if you find yourself feeling unduly pressured to perform for others rather than because you love or need it for yourself, then the battle may already be lost.
To sporting parents, coaches & clubs: Don't celebrate early success too loudly, suggest kids are a special talent or buy them 'pro' equipment too soon. It can elevate unrealistic expectations, add undue pressure, drive complacency & make losing harder when it invariably comes.
If you progress, you may be selected for a National Squad or a top team and then start receiving additional support. Performance institutes may give you access to laboratory services, strength & conditioning coaches, and other support staff. The next stage may be a funded ‘grant’, a pro contact and/or a sponsorship deal. What you get is usually dependent on you winning. Being handsome, ‘hot’ and having a great body may be a valuable asset too. That means you'll get attention, sometimes welcomed, sometimes not.
No matter what sports organisations try to do to safeguard you, by its very nature, high-performance is not about inclusivity and equality. Rather, it is an elitist environment, supported by income streams that are threatened without winning. Regardless of how it is framed, you are likely to become a commodity to be invested in and put on a pedestal when you win. Demands on your time and the consequences of failure increase proportionately to your value as an asset. Of course, you may have an amazing time if you are able to cope with these pressures. Success at the highest level may open further doors and earn you an exceptionally comfortable living. It may be worth it, but the reality of success is often greater expectation from others. However, you will be dropped like a hot potato if you fail to achieve the required performance standards regularly. This is because you will not be able to provide a sufficient return on investment. Regardless of how well the system supports you, this is a fact.
Being ditched or told you aren’t good enough is never nice, regardless of how it is done. When people continually told you how special you are, and then this ends, the consequences may be messy. Working with people that have gone through similar situations, some are angry and others attribute blame for failure elsewhere (sometimes justifiably). Too many people have said to me that they’d stopped enjoying their sport anyway, in which pressure and expectations were stifling. The end was a relief! If this isn’t putting you off, then what does it actually take to win?