Staying Humble and Connected
I think about the things that keep the best athletes in the world grounded. Out of opinion, I must assert, I’ve noticed the athletes that inevitably see some sort of downfall in their physical game or overall career often share two common truths. The first truth comes of no surprise to the common sports fan — it is that they’re extremely talented. Actually, it could be fair to say that the athlete that has fallen off could indeed be more naturally gifted than their counterpart. The second truth is that somewhere in their journey, be it beginning, middle or end, that extremely talented and naturally gifted athlete decided their status warranted them “too good” for other sects of athletes.
As the thumps of a freshly inflated ball, which belongs to the most beautiful game, reverberate in the UltraFooty facility there sits a maestro in the orchestra of the fútbol’s percussion. Dylan Evande, who I met while in my college days, stands idle and stoic, watching his clients training. Periodically — but not without reason — he breaks character, sometimes to commend and other times to correct. I expected as much of a shift in demeanor from instructing the youth academy prodigies to the already professional athletes, but I saw none. The reason being is simple. In our introductory conversation Dylan lamented his past misgivings for the toxicity of some American soccer training sessions.
The pros wouldn’t let you in — even though the young athletes were trying to get better and maybe even be like them, better than them. Dylan and I spoke passionately about this for thirty minutes and I noticed his mild frustration turn to hope. He shifted to anecdotes about the times where as a young athlete he’d be lucky enough to train with professionals who were down to earth and humble enough to not let their status change who they allowed to work with them.
He kept them grounded and they made him better. There was a fair exchange. Operation is key. Routine and system are big players as well. But they all fall short in comparison to what sets an athlete apart. Being humble and willing to learn from everyone and anyone who allows you to retain levels of information you wouldn’t previously think possible. The most cliche, but altogether complementary tag an athlete can get is that they are “a student of the game.” A student of the game reaches all mediums of support, exhausts all outlets of assistance and is on a constant search for healthy competition. A student of the game insists on connectivity with their trainer, with their coaches and most importantly, with other players, no matter the level.
