Authored by Rodhe Sport Athletes (RSA)
“Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. This is what it takes to become a national champion; resilience, fortitude, and a great deal of discipline. Training under Coach Rodhe, who is a national champion himself, gives us an opportunity to understand how to best prepare for the experience that is a NCAA national championship competition. We’ll share some of his insights on approaching this momentous event, and making it your own.
Familiarity
Even if you are not familiar with the atmosphere and environment of a championship meet, it’s important that you make it your own. This includes the pre-meet training sessions. It’s your time and your space, so however you normally practice should be emulated here. There is no time to worry about how competitors are training. As soon as you step into the ring, declare that time and space as your own.
Mental Toughness
Your ability to maintain a strong mental foundation is just as important as your physical preparation. This stage can be intimidating, and will swallow you whole if you allow it to. Those who have left as national champions in the past did so through mental fortitude. This involves eliminating any thought or concerns about your competitors. One of the greatest pieces of advice we’ve received from Coach Rodhe is to never watch the competition. While observing a competitor’s throws may seem like nothing, it can throw off your mental focus and even your technique during competition.
NO SAFE THROWS
It can’t be put any simpler. As a thrower, you are never guaranteed six throws, and your best mark could be your very first throw, or your very last. All the time and effort you’ve put into the season has led to this moment. You deserve to be amongst the best competition in the nation and giving less than 100% on even one throw is a disservice to yourself as a competitor. Do not be afraid of fouling and do not try to hit a ‘safe mark’. This is one of the separators between those who are great and those who want to be great.