Have a Plan!

As college students begin to get in their cars today to return to campus for the start of a new semester, most have a plan.  No one simply gets in the car and starts driving aimlessly, hoping that they arrive to campus at some point later that day.  Some have better plans than others.  Where to stop for food or a bathroom break?  Where to fill up with gas?  How long it will take?  The best route to avoid traffic or poor weather conditions?  Unfortunately, GPS has ruined a lot of the planning and has resulted in a lot of people to simply use the Waze app as their "plan".  Showing up to practice and simply doing things (ie - following the coaches directions) with the hope of "arriving" at a specific destination is as flawed as getting in a car and simply driving without a direction or destination in mind.  As practice begins, athletes should come to each practice with a plan.  What do you want the result to be at the end of practice?  Work harder than you have ever worked before?  Learn something new?  Do things more intentionally?  Be more focused?  Be more coachable?  Be more encouraging to TEAMmates?  Believe in yourself more and take risks and accept failure is not failure but a step closer to success?  Simply wanting to be "better" is not a goal and is more of a wish than a plan.