The Importance of Developing a 'Training Mentality'

One of our core values at the DPA is to develop the 'training mentality' of our players. We believe that one of the key indicators of success for a player, along with exposure to a quality developmental environment, is the 'mentality' of the player. Let us be clear that by success, we mean "reaching your potential" as an individual, not the amount of games or awards you will win. By 'mentality,' we mean the attitude, work ethic, drive and commitment of the player to perform and compete, but we also mean an appreciation for the process itself. Practically speaking, it is our intent that our players engage their training with passion and a clear understanding of why they are doing what they are doing, and that quite simply, that it takes time to become a good player. 

At the DPA, we discuss, both formally and informally, how to develop a 'training mentality' so that the players can navigate the process of taking ownership of their own development (both for the specific class or training they are attending, but also for their personal development in general). For the young players its learning to love to play and to love learning how to master the ball, for older players it's setting clear goals and understanding the steps to achieve those goals. It is important to us that we help develop players with an appetite to train and play, who wholeheartedly engage the process of improvement. We want to empower the players to envision what they want to get out of it and to commit to what they want to put into it. 

It takes time to hone skills, for the player to add layers of form and function to his or her skill set. Those players who persist to work through technical deficiencies and have the mindset to challenge themselves naturally have a higher ceiling. Those kinds of players are not afraid of failure, and as a result, they develop confidence technically that carries over into their performance in matches. Players with a strong 'training mentality' are "students of the game" that are eager to learn new ways to solve problems, and consequently, they develop a sharper tactical game intelligence and overall deeper understanding of the game. 

Much of helping a player reach their potential is helping them create the environment necessary for high level learning, performance and skill acquisition. Developing a 'training mentality' is necessary if the player is going to fully engage the environment. The challenge for us as coaches, is to create environments where we are able to provoke and stimulate the players in creative ways that will constantly challenge them, while also being enjoyable. We need to embrace the challenge to develop players that love to train as much as they love to play!