Train like an athlete

If we cannot train our youth to be soldiers because we had removed the CAT or Citizens Army Training from the curriculum, then maybe we should train everyone to be athletes. Whether it is for chess (more brain) or physical sports (more brawn), we should in any case strive to train our young to excel in athletics. My only thought is about the discipline that makes a good or great athlete.

I know of a family where the sons trained for Varsity and Olympic swimming even in the cold winters of California. They would be up at 5:30 a.m. to swim even if the sunrise was 7 a.m. In the afternoons, they also train after classes. That is the life of an athlete and it demands perseverance and dedication.

I had a chat with Grand Master (GM) Rene Tongson of the Arnis Federation as he is also a founding trustee of our Philippine Coffee Board. I have always admired Rene’s discipline because he was always mindful of what he ate, thinking first if he had a game or practice and if he needed more carbs or more protein for the succeeding days. To date, he still thinks twice before taking more meat, and only indulges in coffee, of course. I told him that his mindfulness has always remained in my memory and it is a good memory about his habits.

Rene shared with me that athletes usually start young and that they get young boys interested in arnis by holding local competitions all over the country. These boys love the idea of being trained in martial arts, especially arnis. These local youth then compete in nationals to be selected as part of a pool of the best ones who can represent the country. From this pool they select those worthy of being in major competitions like the Olympics, some for regional tilts and other competitions. It is a process that has proven effective for more than 30 years now.

I am sure other sports also go through competitive elimination rounds to reach Olympic worthiness. But what does this training demand from young minds? Discipline to get enough sleep, to be up early, to train, train and train some more.

Another family I know boasts of young golfers who have gone on to get into Varsity teams in the United States. Eric and Marge Barro, long-time friends, have their sons and daughter acquire college scholarships because of golf. That gives parents a lot of pride and saves them a lot in college education expenses, too. The champions are literally courted by schools because of their skill in sports.

If Rene still has that discipline even as he turned senior, imagine the discipline we can teach the kids even if they do not go to military school. That same discipline will guide them through life and will make them excel not just in sports but in any career they choose to take. Mastery demands practice and practice makes perfect.

We are forever complaining about today’s kids not being attentive and being so independent. What we could do to change this attitude is to get them into sports. Training will make them get away from their gadgets even for just a while, and discipline will make them develop good habits throughout their childhood and into their later years.

I remember when I used to play golf. I slept early, woke up very early to be the first on the tee and watched what I ate so I would not feel too heavy the next day. I am far from being an athlete but the love for a sport made me acquire habits that to this day I still keep. It is about discipline and a lot of perseverance in anything you do. I played tennis in college and I was never a champion. I did not excel in the sport, but it can teach you to be patient, persevering and determined to learn and score. In high school I played volleyball, and this taught you about teamwork. It demanded that you do not control everything but it made you work like a team member. One stops the ball, one tosses and one may simply pass the ball to another for the killer spike. You do not take credit as an individual, but the whole team owns the score. Just like in life, you will realize in your adult years.

Even if there is the downside of professional athletes who get into bad habits like substance abuse, there are millions more athletes who get the better benefits of training – again we talk about discipline, perseverance and patience. Determination is another trait that makes one focus on the goal, as they have to do in life anyway.

If we cannot excel in academics as many children these days struggle with good grades for many reasons (poverty, malnutrition, stunting being some reasons, among others), being an athlete is the great equalizer. Rene tells me that they recruit from any class of municipality, giving opportunity for poor kids to have a crack at being champions. Or simply being athletes blessed with a stipend, educational plans and all the trappings of college life just because they can excel in a sport.

It can be arnis, swimming, golf or chess. But being an athlete, and being trained to be Olympic grade, is a privilege not enjoyed by many. I salute people like Rene who became the top of his class as Grand Master and those who support these champions, whether local government units (LGUs) or other passionate privileged athletes who love the sport.

This is what we need now to make our youth more resilient individuals and champions in their own fields. Train like an athlete; be like an athlete.