One can record a maximum break in snooker in less than five and a half minutes. So why not make 147 every time? Since the balls are always arranged identically, how did the first player in this clip botch the break so badly, without potting any balls, so that Ronnie O’Sullivan was able to easily run the table, averaging one shot every nine seconds?
Why does a curler slip pushing off the hack at the Brier and therefore compromise their release? How does a collegiate wrestler lose their first match against an unranked opponent when expected to win the national championship?
The key characteristic is the formation of good habits. Whether the situation occurs during the General Preparation phase or a Peak during the Main Season, an athlete’s mentality should be the same.
The Carleton Ravens never overwhelm a team with skill. Winners of six of the past seven Canadian National Championships, it seems logical that they would have a much higher talent level than their opposition but they rarely win in a rout and often put forth poor shooting performances. However, the Ravens’ defence is always consistent and carries them through tough games.
It is evident throughout the game – from warm-up to post-game, during all of the huddles – that they don’t find the circumstances out of the ordinary. Even after they won a tough National Semi-Final against Western on a buzzer beating shot, stars Aaron Doornekamp and Stu Turnbull still took the time to clean up their bench area, showing respect and responsibility.
Coaches should continuously promote Intensity and Quality in practice in order to simulate games. Athletes must always display this work ethic during workouts (individual or team). Coaches should instruct effective emotional and attentional control in addition to sport-specific physical performance factors. Athletes should spend time finding their Ideal Performance State before all competitions, from the N.C.A.A. Tournament to Intramural Playoff Games.
Coaches could call timeout and tell athletes to “calm down” but both groups have responsibility. Mike Krzyzewski, in his cursory work Beyond Basketball, talks of the importance of visualization for himself as a youth growing up in Chicago and for players at Duke. Some of the advice in that particular book may be incredibly obvious to anybody with a quantum of common sense but the anecdotes may inspire fans with higher aspirations.
For example, Krzyzewski relates how diligent Michael Jordan was regarding his individual workouts during the preparation for the 1992 Olympics. Although Jordan was the best player in the world, he was still respectful and allowed the college coach to work him out at game-like Intensity and Quality. Even the best must invest time to maintain their physical and mental levels so that they do not slip or stumble during a critical moment.