New Mexico Activities Association

Rudy Aragon - NMAA Assistant Director

Office Phone - (505) 923-3270

E-Mail: raragon@nmact.org

Welcome to the 2007 New Mexico High School Cross Country season. My name is Rudy Aragon and I am presently in my third year as an Assistant Director with the New Mexico Activities Association. I will be replacing Mark Koski as your NMAA representative. Mark has taken a position with the National Federation of High Schools which is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are sorry that Mark is leaving us but, at the same time, are excited to watch him grow into a national figure within the administration of high school athletics throughout the United States.

My first experience with the sport of cross country came during the 1976 season, my first year as a teacher and coach. I can say, without a doubt, what I experienced during that season truly elevated my perspective on the definition of mental toughness. I was blessed with the opportunity to coach my younger brother, Chuck, during his senior season at Los Lunas High School. Chuck went on to a stellar career at Notre Dame University, eventually becoming one of the world’s premier milers. What made this season so special is that the Grants Pirates had Andy Martinez and Gary Lewis and the Laguna Acoma Hawks had Meldon Sanchez. Together they comprised four of the nation’s top ten high school harriers and they competed against one another every Saturday! To watch these young men run themselves into delirious exhaustion was truly a humbling experience. Those of us who were fortunate enough to witness these races were forced to look at ourselves and evaluate what it meant to “put it all on the line.”
To this day, Chuck will tell you that throughout all of his travels and big time races, he has never experienced suffering like he did during that season. The mental toughness that he developed has been a major catalyst to the many successes that he has experienced throughout his lifetime.

I have always felt that cross country is the purest of high school sports. Since most teams run against one another consistently, there are all kinds of races within the race, resulting in a myriad of successes. The runners in the back of the pack are working hard to beat someone who might have beaten them the week prior or whom they have never beaten before. Where other sports look to their stars to pull them through, the fourth and fifth runners on a cross country team are oftentimes the most important runners for their team during a particular race. What could be better than spending a Saturday morning during New Mexico’s beautiful fall season with great kids and colleagues from throughout our great state? Fortunately, this is what awaits you! So work hard, have fun and above all, “Pursue Victory with Honor!”

Please place the following in order of importance. I am most proud that my son or daughter is known as a:
•    Great Athlete
•    Great Student
•    Great Kid
Your response will determine your focus as a coach!

The Definition of an Athlete
From a Sportsmanship Point of View
By Rudy Aragon

As a sporting society, we have a tendency to label an individual with superior physical ability as a gifted athlete. Unfortunately, many of us fail to acknowledge the fact that becoming an athlete involves so much more than skill. In fact, the mental and emotional characteristics developed and exhibited by an individual or team are indicators of true athleticism. By definition, an athlete would be a player who contributes positively and consistently, to the betterment of a team and a sport. Society’s definition of athleticism involves God given abilities, where as in truth, becoming an athlete is not a skill but a choice; a choice involving two character traits over which we have control, effort and attitude.

In his book “Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy”, Mr. Bruce Brown speaks of eight character attributes practiced by true athletes, each of them a matter of choice. True athletes have great confidence and a teachable spirit. They possess a tremendous amount of team pride and integrity. They are disciplined and have a positive competitive perseverance. Finally, they are accountable and have a team first attitude. For the purpose of evaluating how each of these character traits apply to the development of an athlete, I will compare the characteristics exhibited by true athletes with those who need remediation, meaning those who participate in sporting events but have yet to grasp what a practitioner of sportsmanship would consider to be the true meaning of athleticism.

Confidence
True athletes possess a quiet inner confidence that is based upon preparedness. They realize the value of working tirelessly to accomplish their goals. They understand that consistent practice and repetition away from the spotlight are major contributors to their development. Like students who are fully prepared for an exam, they know that they are going to be productive. True confidence is contagious within teams. Those who have acquired it have an air of being at ease and comfortable with whatever situation is presented to them because they know that they have earned the right to win.

Athletes needing remediation have a tendency to be self absorbed and arrogant. They are fully dependent on their God given skills and see life in terms of me as opposed to us. They believe that because of their athleticism, they are deserving of special treatment that does not warrant conformation to the same rules, attitudes and efforts as their teammates. Unfortunately, in times of adversity, their lack of true confidence becomes increasingly evident.

Teachable Spirit
Successful athletes are hungry to learn. They take correction as a compliment and understand that the emotion which may accompany it, at times resembling criticism, really means that they are cared about. They react to correction by providing their coach with both physical and verbal cues indicating that they are listening and that they are open to suggestions on how to improve.

Those who don’t quite get it, view correction from their coach as being critical of their abilities. They feel like they are being “picked on” and react accordingly. They are quick to rationalize why they are not being successful and tend to blame anyone and everyone for their shortcomings or those of their team. Their body language, when being corrected, shows frustration and indicates that they are not willing to listen.

Pride
The pride exhibited by a true athlete is based on unselfishness and accountability. It is shared as opposed to individualistic and shuns arrogance and entitlement. Their pride comes from the euphoric feeling that accompanies being part of an “unselfish band of teammates.” This form of pride involves a desire to become as good as possible not only for themselves but more importantly, for their team.

The words and actions of an athlete possessing false pride indicate “Look at me, I am special.” These individuals are quick to point out that although their team has not been successful, they have. They will never feel the magic of being part of a great team, even in victory, because they place both individual ability and winning above character.

Integrity
Integrity is a staple of a true athleticism readily displayed in every daily decision. These athletes’ mode of operation is synonymous with their stated values. They are conscious of the welfare of others and willing to do whatever is necessary to enhance their team’s productivity. They are men of their word and their handshake can be counted on to confirm a deal.

Those not truly committed to becoming special athletes will sign what is required and then do what they want. They have been led to believe that their physical skills are their “ticket” to success. Unfortunately, their lack of integrity has a tendency to be exposed at the wrong time and at their team’s expense.

Discipline
Successful athletes understand that the ingredients for discipline are simply focus and effort. They see the big picture when it comes to discipline and realize that sacrifice is paramount to individual and team success. They possess the strength of character to overcome temptations and always do what is right during the moment of truth. They value respect and responsibility and make it a point to be attentive and enthusiastic, regardless of the situation.

Those who have not quite grasped this concept see discipline as a dirty word, often associated with punishment. They lack self control and are resistant to the intention of the discipline. They are short tempered, often frustrated and can easily become sidetracked. Their need for immediate gratification causes them to “live on both sides of the tracks.”

Positive Competitive Perseverance
One of the more admirable characteristics possessed by true athletes is their adherence to the WIN (what’s important now) acronym. They have developed an uncanny ability to recover quickly from mistakes and refuse to remain discouraged. They possess a mental toughness which allows them to remain confident, enthusiastic and positive, regardless of the situation. They refuse to have their spirit broken and can be “knocked down but not out.” They thrive on competing with their opponent on their opponent’s best day and realize that the choices they make will ultimately control their destiny.

Athletes who have not mastered this concept become easily discouraged and often drag their teammates down with them. They allow yesterday’s failures and disappointments to interfere with today’s efforts and attitudes. They are dominated by a fear of making a mistake, which in turn, profoundly affects their ability to perform. They are quick to lay blame for ineffectiveness and are constantly seeking allies for consolation.

Accountability
Winners take personal responsibility for whatever happens to them. When things are not going well for their team, they look to themselves first to evaluate what they can do to positively impact the situation. They always have a plan as to how to bolster their strengths and address their weaknesses.

When things are not going well, athletes lacking accountability have a tendency to lay blame on sources that are out of their control. The focus of their attention is directed at the coach, referee, size of the opponent, etc. They are seldom honest with themselves regarding their weaknesses and are often too distracted to direct their energies toward improvement.

Team First
Athletes with a true understanding of and belief in team, focus on doing whatever is necessary to ensure that they do not let their teammates down. They realize that on great teams, all roles have equal value. They fully embrace the character traits of team players and hunger to be part of something bigger than themselves. They realize that teamwork is a rare gift that allows ordinary people to produce extraordinary results.

Selfish athletes are selective participants when it comes to effort, attention and behavior. They see roles as being limiting and are often selfish within theirs and jealous of the roles of others. They do not value consistently being the hardest worker on their team and, if given a choice, would take being a high profile player on a fair team over a less publicized role on a great team.

If we as coaches were to consistently focus on developing athletes of character, we would have a profound effect on both the sporting society and the futures’ of those who participate. Since only a small percentage of athletes will ever compete at a level beyond high school, it stands to reason, if our goal really is to “develop champions for the future,” that we place our energies where they might have the greatest effect. For those who have been blessed with the physical skills to play at the next level, understanding and embracing issues of good character are paramount to becoming truly special athletes that we can all admire.

Citations
“Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy” by BruceBrown

PROCEED TO UNIT II