How To Stand Out As A Player

If you are anything like me, the last thing you want to do is blend in. For better or worse, I’m used to standing out. My time as a player, and now as a coach, has taught me that in an increasingly competitive training environment – standing out in a positive way helps open doors that could be otherwise closed in a crowded field. My experiences of standing out showed me 6 actionable disciplines an athlete can exhibit to maximize chances of standing out themselves.

Put in the extra work. 

Players who want to stand out desire to get better and are actionable about it. It’s more than saying, it’s all about doing. They exhibit the habits of improvement more often and more consistently than other players. Having the desire to get better is a great start, but getting better and standing out is about doing the extra things. The little things. Most players think they work hard, but compared to what? By putting in extra work you are standing out and showing that you are willing to do what average players are not willing to do.

Key Take Away: Players that stand out exhibit habits of improvement like consistently showing up early or on time, willingness to put in extra work before and after practice, and having the desire to get better.

Be coachable. 

If you want to stand out in a positive way, know how to be coached – and value the feedback you receive. Coaches don’t want players that take critical feedback personally. Behind all coaches intentions lies a teaching spirit. We are simply trying to pass on knowledge you may not know yet or have insight on how to make you better. Appreciate that and be willing to improve because of it. Resist the urge to take it personally. Coaches most often are not “singling you out” or “attacking you,” they are simply trying their best to help. “Coach doesn’t like me” is another way of saying “Coach cares enough about my development to point out areas of improvement.”

Key Take Away: Players that stand out show up every time with enthusiasm and a willingness to improve. They are open to constructive feedback and use it to make adjustments to improve.

Exhibit good body language. 

What if I told you that 90% of communication is non-verbal. Put differently, 90% of the way you talk to me and I talk to you isn’t done by the words or instructions we use. Most of the time your good body language is driven in your mind. Goes both ways too. Not only do you communicate with your body language, but how you receive communication with good body language exponentially increased the success of the communication. Start by making eye contact, stand up straight, and stay positive. You don’t always have to be smiling, especially in situations that don’t warrant a smile, but you always want to stay positive.

Key Take Away: When you look each other in the eyes, stand up tall, smile and be positive while engaging with your teammates – you are showing the other individual you value their input, respect them, and are willing to improve.

Be a team leader. 

Every team needs positive, focused, and dedicated leadership. While the coaching staff is typically the captain of the ship, excellent player led leadership is the 1st mate of any great team. Early in the season, especially at tryouts, coaches are looking for the players that are going to step up and stand out. Who is going to lead this team? Coaches understand that great teams are self-managed. Who is positive? Who is a good communicator? Who is stepping to the front and being line leaders at tryouts and in practices? If you want to stand out as a player, you have to be a leader.

Key Take Away: Players that stand out lead from the front, by example. They communicate with their teammates in positive and constructive objectives. They hold themselves and their teammates accountable.

Be a great teammate. 

Great teammates don’t allow their teammates to get down on themselves. They help them learn from their failures and make adjustments moving forward by giving helpful, positive reinforcement and tips for improvements. They are pick-me-ups. When a teammate contributes to the success of the team in a selfless way, great teammates acknowledge their teammates when they do it. When a teammate does not meet an expectation, they raise that teammate up. And when a teammate does something great, they raise them up even more.

Key Take Away: Teammates and coaches notice great teammates who build others up. If you want to stand out as a player, be the encouraging and positive teammate that you wish you had.

Do everything at max effort. 

Standing out as a player means you don’t take plays off. If you are running, run as hard and fast as you can. Skating? You are trying to skate as fast as you can. You are throwing as fast and on target as possible with every throw. No matter the sport, Coaches are looking for players that already do things hard, with passion, and aggressiveness. Players with fuel to compete. At that speed, you could fail, but the important part is you are giving max effort.

Key Take Away: Players who stand out to coaches and evaluators play the game the right way (skills) at full effort consistently and deliberately.

Positively standing out as a player and leader is an inherent quality that great athletes posses. I encourage you to tap into the character traits that you currently posses and maximize them to their full and just capacity. Standing out should not be reserved for the few, but be made available for all. It is available right now for you, just as God had intended. Now, go stand out – starting right now.

Give everything your everything. And then some.

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