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For those who are becoming more serious about moving their game up to the next level, please bear with me here as there’s a sound lesson offered in this analogy.
This past Monday we got a well-deserved respite from politics and the usual daily grind. It was ALL about college football – the National Championship – a face-off between two hard-working, well-guided teams who were fiercely determined to win. The expressions on the players faces left no doubts about their intentions, as did their level of play on the field.
Dabo Swinney – the Clemson Coach – had a year of resolution building to make up for last year’s loss. He AND his team knew THAT loss would not be repeated this year. Clemson seized control over momentum at the kick-off and let Alabama borrow it only briefly. Mind you, while it was a hard-fought match to the end – with kudos to both sides – Clemson dominated play on the field with an intimidating game plan and a crushing ferocity to win.
Here’s what we could and did see on the big screen – and what we couldn’t.
We saw the brilliant plays on the field. We saw the resolve, the grit, the never-back-down stance of each team. Every play – looking into the eyes of those joyous and pain-filled faces – made each player’s hunger to win all too clear. A long year of inspired motivation visibly unleashed on the field.
What we could not see was the physical and mental, the intense year of preparation before the game. One team did this well. The team that won did it better. Yes, it’s true, we cannot in good faith overstate the importance of heart in competition. And while heart can and often does separate winning from losing – and should never be underestimated - it is also impossible to overemphasize the importance of preparation.
Hard-earned skill on the playing field – PREPARED IN ADVANCE – always has and always will have the advantage.
They say hope is not a plan. And yes, heart can make up for some of our shortcomings. The win does not always go to the strongest or fastest. But drills in the shooting box – relentlessly executing and reinforcing the basics and fundamentals – will effectively minimize errors and put more X’s on a scorecard. That’s a simple, timeless proven truth. There is NO substitute for doing the NECESSARY work to prepare. Last Monday evening – Clemson was the better-prepared team.
Understandably, we all want to perform well in the shooting box. And personal determination will count. But, in the end, those who prepare in advance – who do the push-ups and sit-ups correctly – will carry the day. And by that, I do NOT mean standing in a knee-high pile of empty shells after sending an untold number of unguided rounds downrange by the end of the day. This approach typically results in doing the same things over and over again – repeating our mistakes, reinforcing our set-up and swing errors. Which benefits us how?
Common sense tells us, there is a better, far more productive way to prepare. Learning how to correctly assemble and practice the basics will create a swing that is consistent – the same every time – repeatable, uber-dependable and trustworthy. It will be this preparation – this swing – that we can safely bank on to raise our X count. There is NO other way to reliably escalate our performances – to see some real traction in our shooting and raise our scores.
Heart is always admirable but on its own too often leads us to disappointment and unmet expectations. Add preparation and now we have a formidable threat in the shooting box. Target after target, this is exactly where planned and dedicated preparation will be the deciding factor on our scorecard. These are the reasons why the Scout motto earns its keep.
Don’t forget your thermos and hand warmers. Be safe and I hope to see you out on the course.
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Dan Schindler is one of only 60 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors (UK) and is one of the most highly respected Sporting Clays and Wingshooting Instructors in the US. Dan is an NSCA Level III Instructor (since 1995) and founded the Paragon School of Sporting with one goal in mind. Whether it be for the advanced competitor or providing the basics to the entry-level shooter, Paragon provides the simplest, most practical and most effective Instruction, Coaching and Mental Training for the Sporting Clays & Wingshooting enthusiast. Dan Schindler helps shooters alleviate a lot of their frustration by taking the mystery out of breaking targets, calling their own misses and make their own corrections. Lessons are fun, enlightening and our clients learn to shoot better in minutes!
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