For young athletes, inspiration comes from all places, watching their favorite pros on ESPN, their parents and teammates, and their coaches on the sideline. Let’s be real, coaches do a lot more than just teach the game, they build physical skills, confidence, and shape the future for these athletes. The best athletes focus on what happens both on and off the field, blending strong habits, strength and problem solving skills!
So we went straight to these experts! We asked our favorite professional athletes the big question:
What is the most important piece of advice for young athletes?
Turning “I Can’t” into “I will prove you wrong”
Obstacles in life tend to come out of nowhere, but the key is to keep pushing forward.
He is a Professional Lacrosse Player, a NLL 2x League MVP, Team Canada Gold Medalist, NLL Record Holder, and a 2x NLL Champion! Through all of hischallenges, he says, “you’re going to have obstacles, whether it be injuries, not making a team, or people telling you that you can’t. If you believe in yourself and use those hindering factors as motivation, it will turn those “I can’ts” into “I will prove you wrong”. Everyone starts from somewhere, be the reason you turn obstacles into triumphs!
Just ask Dhane Smith, who has an impressive professional sports career background.
Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
One of the best things about sports is creativity. Why not try a trick shot? It worked for Kaitlyn Colemen, who is the Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Methodist University. Her best piece of advice would be “to not be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. Play different sports, go for the behind the back pass, don’t be afraid to fail. You’ll never know what you’re capable of, if you don’t give it a shot!” Just go for it and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone: take risks, have fun, and push your limits.
Fall In Love With YOUR Journey
People learn and excel in sports at different times and paces. The key to handling that is to enjoy the process. Dan Soviero, St. John’s Men’s Lacrosse Alum, University of Tampa Men’s Lacrosse Alum, and Signature Athletics Inc. Founder was able to find this balance.
“Everyone’s journey is unique, and it’s important to focus on your own progress, comparing yourself only to who you were yesterday.
For me, the key was falling in love with the process. When athletes enjoy all areas of training and producing results, they naturally reach their full potential. If you don’t love what you’re doing, that’s okay, find something you’re passionate about and go all in.”
Control The Controllables
It can be extremely frustrating dealing with things you cannot control. Whether it be in life or sports, you are not alone in that feeling. Brittany Lamele, Florida Southern Women’s Lacrosse Alum and Communications Coordinator for Eckerd College Athletics, swears by the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone. She says, “I think stepping out of your comfort zone and focusing on what you can control is huge! Young athletes can get easily frustrated when it comes to playing but learning to focus on what is in your control is huge!” Sports aren’t just about winning, it is about resilience and finding what makes you love the game.
Make The Most Of Every Opportunity
Not every practice, every game, every team is going to go your way. A great career always has some bumps in the road but there is always something to take away from it. What Hope Steuerwald, Monmouth and Coastal Carolina Women’s Lacrosse Alum, took away was this: “Make the most out of every opportunity. Even on an off day, a bad practice, or a tough game, always have fun and always walk away with something positive”.
Have Fun!
Finally, as you grow up, competition will get harder and worrying about outcomes becomes a big part of your life. At the core of it all, though, is that sports should always bring you joy and be an outlet. Professional Field Hockey 
Player, Julianna Toretta, shares her best piece of advice: “Remember to have fun. As you grow into your sport, it’s easy to stress about opportunities, coaches, and teams. But at the end of the day, it should still be something that brings you joy.” Whether you are training for the A team or just playing for fun, loving the journey and what you do is what sports is all about!
All of these coaches and professionals have been through the ringer time and time again. They have felt the highest wins and the lowest losses. Finding what fuels your passion is where you will find the most rewarding feeling. Whether it’s proving doubters wrong, stepping outside your comfort zone, falling in love with the process, or controlling only what you can, every piece of advice points to one thing: Making the most of every opportunity and having fun while doing it.
What better way to have fun and elevate your game than at a Signature Overnight Sports Camps session this summer? No matter where you start or how you get there, every moment or lesson will stay with you forever.
Register HERE to learn lessons on the Signature field this summer!
