You can’t be a successful athlete on your own

I had this thinking once that my success as an athlete was all because of my own effort and that it had nothing to do with the people around me.

Well, I was wrong.

Every relationship you build around you plays an important role in your success story.

It all starts at home. Your relationship with your parents is the most important factor that leads to success. Then come the coach and the teammates. It is important for us to build strong relationships with them because they can boost your confidence and can stand to encourage an athlete to be successful.

As an athlete, my strong bond with my family, coach and teammates were the factors of my success in the track & field. 

As a child, my parents thought me discipline, which is the first basic quality an athlete should have. For me, without discipline, you can never achieve in anything you do. They moulded me to be a good person in life and motivated me to do well, not only in my studies but also in sports, which many parents nowadays do not do. My parents were strict but at the same time allowed me to pursue what I loved doing and that was to be a track & field runner.

But the most important factor for an athlete’s success is their relationship with their coach. The coach is the parent outside of your home and strong bonding between an athlete and the coach can only result to great growth and achievements. It is a relationship that requires great levels of understanding, respect, honesty and trust.

My relationship with my coach Suntheran Gopal was strong and we understood, trusted and respected each other. He understands me better than anyone and whenever I doubt myself, he is the first person to pull me up and put me back on track. He was more like a father to me but would never compromise or let you off easily if you score low in training and you underperform. He made me look at the world differently and that turned me to be a better person. Never once he has turned me down when I needed help.

Teammates are also important for an athlete’s growth, especially, in the 4x100m or 4x400m. Without them, you cannot win, so, a strong bond with them is important as it also requires understanding, respect, trust and honesty. When you participate in the 4x100m or the 4x400m, understanding is important when you passed the baton and one slight mistake can cause you the whole race.

When I participated in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, my teammates were Fathin Faqihah Mohd Yusof, Shereen Samson Vallabouy and Nurul Faizah Asma Mazlan. It was because we had a strong bond between us, we managed to win the Bronze medal. We pushed each other to the limits. We clocked 3.43.31s.

So, that’s it for today my fellow Vibers. Remember, to be a successful athlete, you can’t do it your own, you need the people around you. – The Vibes, October 21, 2020.