So here’s the thing, it is very easy to show up to games and practice and be there, but actually showing up with intention is very different. Anyone can show up, but only by having intention will you actually take something away from what you are doing. Showing up is step one. Having intention and desire is step two. Step three is to state your intention
Step one is to show up. All you have to do here is be physically present. Anyone can show up, but not everyone will show up. That is what makes it step one. When you show up to practice or games it shows that you have an interest in being there. That interest though could be anything from wanting to work harder and get better to just wanting to show face. What you do next is completely up to you, either you do nothing or you put work into being there.
This is where intent comes into play. Intention is what encourages change and improvement. When you show up with intention you are actively working to get better. At practice this could mean that you are asking questions of your coach to better understand the reason behind the drill, working harder to get more out of the drill or working on things on your own outside of practice. A coach will see which players are showing up with intention and which are not. They will see which players are actively working to get better and learn. This in turn will help some coaches determine who plays and who doesn’t.
When a less skilled player shows up to practice with intent to learn several things are bound to happen. First they will continually get better. By showing up with intent to learn they will inevitably learn and improve their skills. Second, this will force more skilled players to work harder.
Step three is to state your intention verbally and or in written format. Showing up with intention is a great start, but if you never state your intention it is very easy to overlook and or ignore it. If you write it down it will be there to keep you on track. For practice you could state that your intention is to improve or focus on certain skill. For a game it could be winning. By stating your intention not only are you showing up with intent, but now your mind is focused on your intent. This will help you stay on task and focus on what you wish to accomplish.
Showing up with intent breeds success.