Youth/Junior World Team Trials. these are the races i have trained all year for. they seemed so far away at the beginning of the summer. well, i suppose they were far away at that time. but i guess it seems like just last week that i was thinking about how far away they were. and now, here they are. next weekend. 9 days. they are not far away anymore. summer and fall training went by so fast. back at the very beginning of summer training, i was feeling very confident in myself, in my shooting, in my training; all around confidence. i visualized myself making this team over and over again. but as the races get closer, those feelings of confidence are beginning to...not dwindle, but be put in the back of my mind, and other, less important thoughts are coming to the front. its almost like now, i am visualizing myself
not making the team, which is backwards, i know. nervousness, second guessing, doubt, thoughts of "well, what if i don't make it"...all things that should not be even in the general vicinity of my mind. normally, i wouldnt touch those thoughts with a - 39 and a half foot pppooollleee. :) but for some reason, i can't get them out of my head. going into these races, i need all the confidence i can muster. i need to be focused on my goal. this has been the centerpiece of my training all year long, and last year too, and i would be very disappointed in myself if
i am the reason i don't make this team; if my thoughts are standing between myself and my goal. has anyone ever seen the move "the peaceful warrior"? if not, go watch it, and you will see exactly what i am talking about. my coach, my family, my teammates, they have done all they can do. now it is up to me to finish the process.
i chose to write about this topic because i wanted to make it easier for all of you to see, and even for me to see, what my train of thought is like going into these races, and if it changes at all as the races get closer. i will make another post a few days before my first race, and write about what i am thinking then. and i will write a new post after my races are done, and see what i think about these thoughts now, and analyze them. i think this will help me become a better athlete, and i think it will be interesting for all you readers to see what my thought process is. i dunno. it might be kind of cool. stay tuned. all that jazz.
p.s. - check out my sweet slideshow in the top left corner. :)
p.p.s - i am definitely open to suggestions on what to write about. if there is anything that you want to hear about, just leave me a comment, and i will write about it.
Andie ~ At first I was surprised by your entry. Then I thought that it was good. You got it out of your head put it in writing and now you can move on. Bottom line is this. It won't be the end of the world if you don't make this team. You are in this for the long haul. I believe in you and so does your family. But you need to believe in yourself. You go out there next weekend, give it all you got and if you fall short that is ok because you left it all out there. This is your time...now go out there and take it~ Some famous coach made that statement.......
ReplyDeleteDon't stress too much. Just focus on the fundamentals and do the best that you can, that's all you can ask. You have the skills, ability, and desire so just relax and "be the ball".
ReplyDeleteHey Andie Bandy. Self Doubt is okay. It's the fuel that keeps the fire burning in the Mayo's. If you always believed that you were "the shit" (excuse my language everyone), and that everything was going to happen the way you wanted it to, what would there be inside of you to keep pushing to do better and go further? Yes, confidence is a must; however the uncertainty keeps you pushing forward, striving for that goal. There are days when I don't think I can do it anymore..the army, going to school, being a good wife, and being a good mother all at the same time. But then I think of the end result...being a doc, doing my medical research, and making a difference in the world. By pushing forward and being the best that you can be, and doing the best that you can do, you are making a difference in this world too, whether you want to believe it or not. You are a source of inspiration to your younger sisters, and your older ones. :) You are showing everyone that as long as you put your mind to something, anything is possible. You just gotta believe in yourself. You're right...you have trained hard. And this is what you're pushing for. But this is just a stepping stone to your ultimate goal - the olympics. Let's say you don't make the team...that's okay. Because in the process, you learn something new, about yourself as a person and as an athlete.
ReplyDelete"Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life." Dr. David M. Burns.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm" Sir Winston Churchill
(And KEV says DITTO and he loves you lots too!)
We are all so proud of you. No matter what. The team means nothing... You have achieved so much in your short time in this sport and that in itself is amazing! You are an incredible athlete, and not making a team will NEVER take that away from you. We will be there, by your side the whole way, win, lose, or draw.
ReplyDeleteDon't let the idea that not making this team will mean something for your career. It means you get to start fresh, and grow as an athlete. We will not think less of you, or be disappointed. You are an incredible person, and being on a team or not does not change that.
We love you so much and are so proud, no matter what the outcome of the races are!!
so I just talked to mom and she said that you WON YOUR RACE!!!! GREAT JOB ANDREA!!! I'M SOOO PROUD OF YOU!! You were able to make the little self doubt monster go away and adapt and overcome!! LOVE YOU LOTS!!! MWAH!!
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