When it comes to sports, fans and athletes have come to expect one constant – the unexpected.
Liberty Mutual Insurance Responsible Sports sat down with U.S. Freeskiing standout Emilia Wint to get her thoughts on preparing for the unexpected.
In our exclusive Take 5 interview, Emilia shared that she prepares for a big competition by mentally reviewing “all of the steps that led up to this moment,” and remaining confident that all the hard work she’s put into her training and preparation will translate into success.
Emilia said that she views “staying focused on what you need to improve on” as key to proper preparation in sports. She makes sure to turn her attention and energy to areas of improvement more than practicing aspects of her performance she already excels at.
“Focusing on the things that need improvement ensures that you’re always moving forward and becoming better and better prepared,” said Emilia.
Emilia also shared her belief that “staying flexible” is vital to preparing for the unexpected. As much as you prepare, you just never know what can happen, she stressed.
“It’s easy to go into situations with a plan you want to stick to, and then realize that it just won’t work out,” said Emilia. “Being able to adapt to what is going on around you is crucial to dealing with the unexpected. Roll with the punches, as they say.”
In our interview, Emilia also shared some advice and insight for parents who are looking for ways to help their young athletes prepare for the unexpected.
“I would say to discuss with kids that things are not always going to go as planned, and that that’s okay,” said Emilia. “Talk to them about strategies to cope when things aren’t going your way. You never know when you’re going to be faced with an unexpected situation, but if you know that you have the mental tools to deal with them, they can just be a speed bump, rather than a brick wall.”
To read the full Take 5 interview with Emilia, visit ResponsibleSports.com. Come back next month for another exclusive Take 5 interview!
At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of responsibility shown by people every day. We created Responsible Sports, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display responsibility. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning on and off the field.
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