Be Ready for the 1-2-2—and for Life

I have heard preachers say that every day you are either headed into a trial, in the middle of a trial, or just coming out of a trial. That is a sobering thought. I once listened to a former Navy SEAL who said life is going to knock you down. It’s not if, but when. Everyone is going to face difficulty of some sort.

Disease, tragedy, financial struggles, relationship challenges, emotional health issues, or job loss can, and will, hit any one of us at any time. That Navy SEAL advised us to prepare for the battle.

SEALs put themselves through incredible torture and discomfort, preparing for whatever battle or difficulty they may encounter. Their belief is that it’s better to be prepared than surprised. I can’t disagree.

Coaching is no different. We must prepare for whatever scheme, talent, or circumstance is thrown at us. We must be ready for a 1-2-2 trap, even if we only see it once a year. It might just be the biggest game of the year. Be prepared for the battle!

Sports provide a controlled environment for overcoming life’s battles before the real ones knock us flat. We train our athletes to be comfortable being uncomfortable, to persist through difficulty, and to solve problems before the problems even arrive.

Statistics overwhelmingly show that high school and collegiate athletes are less likely to become entangled in drug or alcohol abuse, unwanted pregnancy, or criminal activity. That’s powerful preventive medicine. But what statistics don’t measure is the strength and resiliency these individuals carry into adulthood when faced with inevitable challenges and setbacks. Again and again, we are reminded of the power of the human spirit when someone faces an incredible battle with courage and fight. Often, that preparation comes from the lessons learned in athletic training and competition.

Athletic competition rarely produces an undefeated champion. Over the course of a career, every athlete will taste defeat, injury, or obstacles that force them to dig deep into their reservoir of training and preparation. The athletic arena is a training ground for beating life’s difficulties.

Our job as coaches is to use this arena to prepare our athletes for life. Sure, we want to win and hear the crowd cheer while the band plays our fight song. But the true purpose of athletics is life preparation. We must not forget, or take lightly, the task we are given as coaches: preparing kids for the battles of life.

Life will smack each of us sooner or later. We will either be prepared or stunned. I prefer to be prepared. How we respond to adversity in the middle of the battle is all that matters. There is no time for preparation then—it’s action time.

Prepare your athletes today for the battles they will face in life tomorrow. Yes, focus on the 1-2-2 trap. But also put thought into how your athletes will respond when a doctor delivers a grim prognosis, or when a new boss hands them their walking papers. Will they crumble, paralyzed by fear? Or will they stand with toughness and grit, ready to fight with courage?

Life’s battles are coming. Be prepared. Just like in sports, life’s champions are made in the off-season—in the repetition of skill work when no one is watching—so that when the battles do come and all eyes are on the outcome, you can post a “W” in the left column.