It has been my experience that many athletes undersell themselves. For whatever reason their opinion of their game is way too low. Why? Athletes tend to see results, not ability. I see what could be, not what is.
This creates a problem for the athlete. It is hard to believe in a coach if you think you are not improving. All of my athletes improve if they do the work. Improvement might mean the results may take time! When I watch my players it sounds bad but I’d rather see them miss in practice trying a new skill, than make a shot with poor technique. Over time, the shots will go down and consistency will go up!
Once you hit the next level of play, you are encountering tougher players. Things like gamesmanship, bad calls, bad bounces, and strange styles of play throw the player who is learning their craft, for a loop. An example of this would be a player i work with who has really only gone up about five spots nationally but who is losing to players who win events in tie-breakers, or close games. To this player she or he is losing. To me, they are improving. Improvement is sometimes more important than winning.
I see a lot of athletes quit when it gets rough at the top. Some of them for good reasons and some just to get out of the grind. The athletes who continue to work hard on their sport and stick with it, go to places they never dreamed of when they started. The journey there is what makes the athlete a better person!