Friday 26 February 2016

Craig Markham - Building Confidence in Young Athletes

Professional athletes get to be the best at their positions because of their desire to improve and the effort they put into their game. As Craig Markham knows, work ethic and commitment are paramount to continuous improvement, but everything is tied together when players have one important characteristic: confidence.
Craig Markham
Regardless of your skill level, confidence is what sets you apart on the playing field. A lack of confidence can hamper your growth and performance, thus reducing your ability to improve. When you feel confident, you play better. Just like physical skills, growing your confidence takes practice.
As a children’s judo instructor, Markham knows the importance of building confidence in young athletes. The following are some ways to do so.

Failure is part of the game

Well-rounded players know that things won’t always go their way. They understand they will make mistakes once in a while, but because they are confident of their abilities, they keep going. Young athletes should not fear failure.

Do your best

Whenever a player steps on the field, his/her desire is to emerge a winner. The desire to come out on top, however, should not overshadow the need to do your best. It’s usually the player/team that plays the best that wins.

There’s no shame in losing, especially if you played your best.

Invest in the team

You can’t play every position on the team, so appreciate the need to trust your teammates and have faith in them. If you want to be more confident in your game, help others get better.
With a police career behind him, Craig Markham volunteers to instruct children’s judo.