Talent doesn't mean much

Last week, on our FTNS radio show, "Jumpstart," Kat and I had a great conversation with our special guest, Patrick "Sarge" Avon of Sarge Athletics. about building young athletes.

We got a number of valuable nuggets from Patrick, and a surprising revelation.


Patrick told us that the No. 1 problem he hears from school sport coaches is that their athletes come into the season out of shape —even on the college level.

 This took me back a bit, because I have known, and worked with hard-working, dedicated athletes on many levels. So hearing this from Patrick made me think that maybe the athletes in my experience are the exception, and not the rule.

But then I began to think a little more, and realized how many volleyball games I've watched since my kids have been playing. I've seen many of the girls early in the season who were out of shape, slow feet, no explosion in their jump, out of breath and virtually no hitting power.

What's going on? Are they not taking their performance seriously? I don't think that's the case, here's my take ...

 Far too many talented athletes depend way too much on their natural ability to succeed in their chosen sport.

Some of the most talented athletes in the world can also be the laziest. They're late for practice  — if they show at all. When they do show up, they're goofing off in the gym — all because they believe that their natural talent is going to allow them to coast right up to the highest levels.

What they don't know, however, is the less-talented athlete is slowly catching up with them. This athlete is practicing during off hours, training in the gym and studying the sport — all to get better.

This hard-working athlete will catch up with the less hard-working, more talented athlete right about the time when college scouts come a-callin'. This is when lazy, talented athletes get the shock of their lives when the harder-working, less-talented athletes start getting more looks from the scouts. Why is that? As a coach, an ideal athlete is an athlete they can depend on to come early, stay late and practice and train like their life depends on it.

Or the other side of it is that when the more talented, less hard-working athlete gets to college and finds that when they meet the other athletes who are just as talented, they have been outworking them three to one. They'll find themselves on the bench, wondering how this happend and struggling to play catch up.

So the lesson here is that in life, especially in athletics, talent means nothing without hard work. Because when natural talent is depended on too heavily, and discipline isn't developed through consistent effort and hard work, someone who works harder will catch you, or you will eventually be humbled by your athletic peers who put in more time and effort.

So if you are a talented athlete whose prowess on the field "comes naturally," too, don't rest on those laurels. Get your butt to the gym, put in the work that will give you a real advantage over your competition later in your career.

Get your head out of the "big fish in a small pond" mindset, and consider the entire ocean. Constantly beating less-talented athletes is great for the ego, but does nothing for your long-term athletic career.

Think about the challenges yet to come, and be prepared to face it year-round.


Chad Smith is a Hagerstown personal trainer, FTNS radio show, fitness columnist and co-owner of Home Team Fitness Training. Visit his website www.hometeamfitness.net, or find him on Facebook www.facebook.com/hometeamfitness.