There is something inherently satisfying to watching a great player in a sport performing at their optimum level. For the armchair fan, it’s thrilling to see someone hit the heights that can be reached by few others, and for a keen amateur sports player, it’s interesting to watch how the best manage to be the best, seeing the little nuances that set them apart. It’s worth a look at a few of the elements that elevate a player and their game from good to great.
Golf: Grip it and rip it
Golf is a fairly unique sport in terms of the importance of subtlety. Players with a lot of power in their swing will only get so far if they can’t match it in the short game. While the highlight reels may feature a lot of drives over 300 yards, it’s the work around the green and with the putter that separates the greats from the rest. Working on your golf grip will easily take a few shots off your handicap; the right grip delivers controlled power and accuracy, and will make all areas of your game better. Once you’re confident in your grip, you will find it much easier to hone your swing, as it will feel much more natural.
The likes of Adam Scott have shown how honing one’s technique with the golf club can make a huge difference to the quality of an overall game.
Basketball: Hitting the perfect free throw
We mentioned how in golf, all the long drives in the world aren’t worth much if you can’t play short. In basketball, too, the top NBA players are able to influence a game by making clutch free-throws, which in the course of a game are worth more than any number of three-pointers from the field. To hit a free throw with consistency, you need to work hard on your stance and balance, planting your front foot to ensure a steady shot, and you need to focus hard on your target.
Follow-through is also key; at the point of maximal extension, you snap your wrist forward to give your shot momentum. Steph Curry (who also hits more three-pointers than anyone else, doesn’t release his stance until he sees the ball hit its target.
Soccer: Precise passes every time
Soccer took a couple of goes to become as popular in the USA as it is in Europe and South America, but the MLS and players like David Beckham and Thierry Henry helped it finally break big. Another top European player who played Stateside for a while was Andrea Pirlo, who made his name in Italy with sides like Juventus and AC Milan. Also a stalwart for the Italian national team, Pirlo was one of the best passers of a ball the world has seen. Part of the reason he was so great was his ability to mix passes up. It’s important to play with your head up, scanning the field for players in a position to affect the game. Then you think about how to get the ball to them.
Threading the needle with a well-paced through ball between defenders, lofting a pass over the onrushing defense, or laying it off to someone with a better angle are all important passes, and you’ll need to learn to use every part of the foot to expand your range of possible passes, but it is well worth putting the time in, as it will make you a much better player.
