Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn't Work Hard

Every athlete's progression is different. Some might pick up the basics quickly but struggle to keep improving. Others have to work to find ways to get the basics down, but once they have that perfected they can incorporate advanced techniques quite easily. Similarly, different athletes will find some aspects of their sport easier than others, and this is especially noticeable in sports as multifaceted as wheelchair basketball.

Personally, I sailed through div 3 and div 2 without really knowing what I was doing, but as I progressed the gaps in my fundamentals were being exploited by other players and something had to change. I was invited to my first GB training camp in 2013 and was shown up! I failed and failed and failed again, not because I had bad coaches at my club or at GB, but because I needed someone to show me exactly what I was doing wrong and have a chance to break down each skill and practise it. There's only so much you can do on your own.

The covid pandemic changed how we lived for quite a while. It was a pretty trying time for everyone but a few positives did come from it. For me, not mixing with others (even after we had the elite sport exemption) meant a focus on individual skills and fundamentals for months, most delivered by Haj Bhania. I came out of that period a significantly better player, which reiterated that need for time and space to really master the technical side of the sport.

My competitive time is over, but I'm keen to pass on the technical knowledge I gained though the 12 years I played. Your club training is probably the foundation of your progression, but when you need that edge to get ahead I'll be here.