I have been hearing this sort of statement from parents and even some coaches of junior players for as long as I have been coaching juniors. (48 years thank you very much!).
What a bummer that this is an off-year in junior competitions. Now Junior or Missy will be on their off year next competition.”
In the past 48 years there have been competitions of course but the mindset of off year and on year to those of you who may be confused reads like this:
Biff or Muffy turn 14 and now play the 14 and Under division but are on the first year, thus the “on” year. Next year is their last year, thus the “off” year.
To some it means this year they may not make the USA team but next year they will-the on year! From day one I never looked at it like that. I trained juniors to get so good they would win every year, not one year. Worse yet, I did not want parents or juniors to think that way because it is a self-fulfilling prophecy! It is defeatist style thinking. Who made that rule? Who decided that?
If the junior player worked really really hard and devoted themselves to improving they would win every year or at least be in the hunt. In fact many do just that. The junior world of competition is full of what I call the “entitled ones”. These are the kids who win every year because of their amazing talent. I do know the others could take down these kids if they worked hard enough, and put themselves out there to improve. I know because I have seen it, coached kids who have done it, and worked with parents who believed it.
So here is my message to all junior players all over the world. Want to win the nationals? Get better than the world champion in your division. Read carefully-I said World Champion, not National Champion! Then keep learning and keep striving to get better. Oh, and have some fun along the way! It is possible! Go get’em Tigers!