An athlete's code of competition

1. Athletes  must  always  respect  themselves,  their  teammates,  their competitors, the officials, and honor the game.
2. Athletes must believe that confidence comes from within and not from others or external factors; that’s why it’s called self-confidence!
3. Athletes must understand that under pressure they will perform to the level of their training not their talent.
4. Athletes should maintain a “growth mindset” – always striving to improve and to consider mistakes as a normal and a necessary part of development.
5. Athletes can build confidence with repetition and drills, but they must believe they can carry these skills to competition.
6. Athletes need to take charge of their confidence before competition and must trust their skills when they go from practice to competition.
7. Athletes must interpret pregame jitters as normal signs of adrenaline which will help not harm their performance.
8. Athletes must focus on the process of playing the game not the outcomes.
9. Athletes must trust their training and do what the situation requires in competition so they do not tighten up and play safe when they feel pressure to succeed.
10. Athletes must have a “mistake ritual” so they do not hold on to mistakes during competition.
11. Athletes must understand that just because they lose does not make them losers. Effort, improvement, and the journey matter much more than the outcome; it’s how they react to winning or losing that determines whether they are a Champion for Life.