This came across the desk yesterday, “Coach don’t want to ruffle feathers, but would you address players who attend Natl. Events and play Elites locally and drop two divisions so they can win a medal.”
I hate this and actually have a theory on it. The type of person who would not challenge themselves for a medal usually do not win. Playing down divisions means your self-confidence is so low you will have to “pick on” lower division players. This mentality gets a taste of a different type of mentality, called a winner mentality. These are the players on their way up. When you move up, you have the right attitude and usually will beat players moving down.
That is the difference between winning attitudes and not so much winning attitudes. If you play a division in a big tournament and get to the semis or beyond, my advice is to get out and move up. Now a word to you professional A and Elite players. Get better! Oops-that was two words. Do not languish in those divisions forever. “oh but I have so and so, local legend, in my division and I cannot win the milking cow open if I play local legend.” Are you for real? Learn your craft and get better. Identify your weaknesses and work on them. Improve and move up! Sandbagging and moving down hurts the sport and hurts your sense of achievement. Plus, it just looks bad!
Go get’em Tigers, in the upper reaches of your skills, not the lower!!