Set your #CGResolution today!

Wednesday the 23rd July will signify the start of the XX Commonwelath Games. During an amazing 11-days of sport, millions of people around the world will be witness to exceptional feats of sporting talent and prowess. Medals will be won, records broken and tears will be shed. Another generation will be inspired to run, jump, grapple and throw in events ranging from Athletics to Wrestling.

However, what many of the millions of spectators will fail to see are the vast numbers of hours spent in training with a vast array of coaches and volunteers from around the world.  And we’re not just talking about the elite coaches who will be representing their respective countries at the Games. We’re also talking about those involved in supporting the very first steps each of the Commonwealth athletes took in order to develop their love, passion and skill within their chosen disciplines.

Harnessing inspiration is not an easy thing to do, but that’s exactly what coaches around the globe will be called upon to do as soon as the curtain drops on this year’s Games.  Just like after London 2012 (and many games before them), it is coaches that will be largely responsible for bringing the legacy of this year’s Games alive.

Training is generally not glamourous and sometimes its not even fun.  Nevertheless, coaches continually have to find innovative and creative ways to engage generations of athletes to develop their love for a sport, then take that love and shape it into an uncompromising desire to realise someone’s potential.  The journey is long (approximately 10,000 or 10-year’s if you’r to believe the likes of Coyle and Gladwell) and it often filtered with hardship, setbacks, injury and failure.  This is not an easy journey and one which requires the help of a number of dedicated, knowledgable, creativey and inspiration coaches to help guide the way.

As you watch the athletes at this year’s events, give some thought to how prepared you are to inspire that eight-year old child who believes they want to be a future Commonwealth Champion.  If, like me, you know that in order to keep raising the bar for these future stars its essential you keep developing yourself, then why not set yourself a Commonwealth Game resolution or #CGResolution and send us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook .  We’ll feature the best ones in our upcoming INSIDE COACHING magazine, which will be focussed on Talent and Developing the Talent Pool.