Team Sports and Consistent Performance

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Often I hear team sport athletes talk about how difficult it is to perform their skill set in competition on a consistent basis. I have frequently witnessed many of them (team sport athletes, and even entire teams) ride a wave of inconsistency playing well one night and completely opposite the next.

It is during this up and down performance rollercoaster that I find myself asking questions like, What if?, How come?, Why is that so? and Is there a better way? As a former athlete, coach, and teacher, it is simply part of my nature to ask such questions.

So what is it that seems to make it difficult for many team sport athletes to achieve the consistency that eludes them? In order to try and answer that question it might be best to take a look at sports where consistency is king.

In sports like figure skating, gymnastics, and diving, athletes must perform flawlessly if they are ever to succeed. One mistake, just one, can spell the difference between first and who knows what place. They do not have the luxury of saying, “Ok I will get the next one” as do many other athletes. When they falter, they must hope others falter or they’re done, out of contention.

As I contemplate asking how they deal with this, because the best of these athletes are exceptionally consistent in their performance over time, I reflect on the fact that these are athletes that do not have an opponent firing an object at them nor are they competing directly against their opponents.

Hmm, that is true, however, they do have the added pressure of that “one mistake and you lose” type of situation to deal with and no second chances. That sure is a lot of pressure, really tough pressure I would think.

In addition, there are athletes who do have objects fired at them and do compete directly against an opponent, and the best ones are still able to consistently perform well under pressure. Tennis is a game like that with 140 mph serves coming at you and you have to return them over a net. Tough to do that is for sure, and there are athletes in that sport that are known to be deadly at returning serve. In fact, they are so good it strikes fear in many a server’s mind, increasing the errors they make.

So that brings up another thought. All four sports I mentioned above are individual sports and do not really carry a team aspect to them.

Hmm, that is an interesting point. However, that point in and of itself raises a very fascinating question that I believe is at the center of this discussion.

What would happen in a team sport if an athlete playing that sport brought to the table the same perception, attitude, and focus that the individual athlete brought to their table (into practice and competition)? Would there be a change? I mean does it really matter whether the skill set a person is working on is for a team sport or individual sport? Is there really any difference between the effort and focus one needs to train or compete a double or triple axle in skating,  a 2 ½ somersault with 2 twists in diving, a return of serve in tennis, a free throw in basketball, or a pass in volleyball.

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