Motivation 

Got Grit???

Grit, defined as "self-discipline, combined with a passionate commitment to a task and a burning desire to see it through" is an essential factor in competitive athletics.  Much of how we coach and structure our program is tied to this concept.  

So what fuels true grit?  There are 4 pillars that build upon one another, each one more in depth than the previous...

1. GOALS: Short and long term goals both matter.  These are what drive and motivate the individual to put the work in day-in and day-out.

2. RESILIENCY: Your ability to 'find the silver lining' in a bad situation and to 'bounce back' quickly.  The more resilient the individual, the 'grittier' they tend to be and the harder they tend to fight for their goals.

3. INTEGRITY: Much like character (What you do when no one is looking), integrity means taking pride in yourself, your practice and performance (BOTH!) and your team.  Those with gritty integrity always choose the right thing, do the right thing and commit to the right thing.  Ex: Practice with a purpose, injury prevention at home even if not injured (ice baths, rolling out).  

4. TENACITY:   This is the heart of grit.  This is the sheer determination and perseverance to reach your goals and beyond - your fullest potential.  Your ability to 'chew it up and spit it out' because you set your mind to it.  This is doing the extra 5% each day because YOU want it, not because anyone asked or told you to.  

Nobody is perfect, but we all have made a commitment and are making sacrifices to be part of our team and program.  Grit is not an overnight thing, not limited just to the hard workouts or competitions.  There is grit in the long run, the weights, the leg prep, the base mileage.  It is everywhere and the 'grittier' we can all be, the more we will accomplish as a team.  Each girl on our team impacts the next - from the back of the pack to the front and everywhere in between.  GET GRITTY, DUKES!  

Want to watch a great TED Talk on the person who coined the term and has researched the topic?  Watch here (6 minutes):  http://changingthegameproject.com/the-missing-ingredient/

GRIT & The Crow

Grit and Crow both have 4 letters. Is this a coincidence? No, no it is not. Just as GRIT plays a role in the girls cross country team, so does CROW. The CROW is a symbol for audacity and bravery. Although Tammy Duckworth may think that GRIT is what makes an athlete great, she is sadly missing out on the new, modern and hip acronym- CROW.   

Courage- girls on the cross country team are NOT like the lion from the Wizard of Oz. We HAVE courage and we DO NOT need that weird green liquid that the lion gets from the Wizard of Oz to have such courage.

Rigor- Never in my life have I seen such a hardworking team that exhibits such rigor as we do.      

Optimism- The key to success on the girls cross country team is optimism. Without optimism, improving on this team would be physiologically impossible

Wisdom- The seniors on the team this year are AMAZING. They have the wisdom of 1,000 buddhas combined.

       A picture of a York XC athlete at a water fountain during a long run