Values that you want your athletes to have – Supporting your Sports Club
February 2022
Aspiring Australian athletes have some amazing Australian elite athlete role models to look up to.
You don't have to look further than Ash Barty, the World Number 1 tennis player currently through to the quarter finals in the 2022 Australian Open. The way Ash carries herself on and off the court is something that all Australian's can aspire to embody. She views being a good human first and foremost the most important thing. From a young age Ash's father Mr Barty says she has been taught to "One, be a good person; two, have fun; three, be happy; four, show respect and be respected; and then number five was, if you can play tennis after that, it's an added bonus." These values are also upheld by the likes of Pro Surfer Stephanie Gilmore, Australian Test Cricket Captain Pat Cummins, Basketballer Patty Mills, Wheelchair Tennis Player Dylan Alcott and Soccer player Sam Kerr.
One thing these athletes mentioned above are very good at is staying in the moment of their sporting competition. Watching Ash Barty play in this year's Australian Open is impressive watching. Ash stays present in the moment, focused on the task at hand and even when her opponent is putting the pressure on, she keeps her cool and develops a solution to win. Off the court Ash is incredible humble and focuses on being the best person she can.
Australian Test Cricket Captain showed respect and integrity when the Australian Test team won the recent Ashes series against England. Usman Khawaja a practicing Muslim in the team stepped off the podium and away from the champagne shower Pat noticed this, stopped the champagne shower and brought Usman back into the celebrations. A clear show of respect, and integrity
Matilda's Soccer player Sam Kerr has recently kicked the most goals of any Australian soccer player at 54 goals. An impressive feat in itself let alone all the hurdles she has faced in being a female athlete.
Basketballer Patty Mills in the recent Tokyo Olympics was the heart and soul of the Australian basketball team particularly with the way he led the team on the court and his performance in the Bronze medal match. Patty went on to be the Australian flag bearer at the closing ceremony. A true leader for his sport and his country.
Wheelchair tennis plater Dylan Alcott had an impressive year last year achieving what no other tennis player has ever achieved in winning the golden slam (all of the Grand Slam tournaments plus the Olympics) a remarkable achievement. This Australian Open is his last before he retires from the sport. He has made it through to the final where he hopes to go out on top. Dylan has increased the profile of people with a disability and providing them all an incredible role model to look up to and see what is possible.
All of these athletes uphold the following values of honesty, integrity, humility, professionalism, discipline, toughness, work ethic, enjoyment, passion and respect. Strive Sport strongly believes in working with athletes to identify the values that are important to them and how they wish to live these values not just on the sporting field but also off it.
An approach that Strive Sport consultants likes to use is the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This approach is about accepting what is out of your personal control and commit to action that improves and enriches your life. The aim of ACT is to maximise human potential for a rich, full and meaningful life. It does this by helping you to deal more effectively with difficult thoughts and feelings to reduce their impact and influence over you and helps you to clarify your values. You then use these values to guide, inspire and motivate yourself to take action.
Strive Sport would love the opportunity to talk to you and your athletes on helping them identify the values that are most important to them so that they can be the best that they can be on and off the sports field.
Strive Sport would like to acknowledge the work of Dr Russ Harris and his book The Happiness Trap.
