It is a privilege to be a professional athlete and everyone- perhaps- would like or love to be one, even if it’s just for one year. Athletes travel, have lots of things catered to them, have fame, and make a boat load of money- especially the good ones. Among the athletes, there’s a difference. Some professional athletes are amazed by what other athletes are able to do, which brings us to this question; what makes a great athlete different from an average athlete? Is it their shoe size, arm span, vision, or will? It could be a number of things, but there is another question or thought that people have about the “talent” certain athletes. Is their talent God-given or just great skill?
Are athletes really born to play or people who just worked hard and focused on a skill to become an athlete? There are athletes that developed a skill(s) and work hard to stay on top of his or her game. There are athletes that make it look easy, effortless. For example, Michael Jordan was blessed. In fact, Jordan was the only person, before him, that was taller than six-feet and his arms and legs are completely even- when most people have one side larger than the other. Oh yeah, Jordan could fly a little bit too. Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders was blessed, also. In the NFL (National Football League), Sanders was not the fastest or the biggest player, but he was respected around the league because of his instincts. The speed in the NFL is so fast, a player-most of the time- can not think fast enough to react. Sanders probably had something like a six-sense because he knew when, where and how a player was coming, then he reacted. Playing on Astro-Turf caused many players physical problems and for some, their careers. Sanders would stop, plant and cut on Astro-Turf with no problem throughout his career. Some people may say they were blessed and some may say they were lucky.
Not all great athletes are blessed or gifted-either one you prefer. Case in point, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana was not physically intimidating or had a cannon for an arm, but his accuracy and timing sets him above the rest. Hall of fame Forward Larry Bird and one day HOF, Reggie Miller could not jump out of the gym, but they shot the ball better than anyone. Like the few names mentioned and many others like them, it took a lot of practice and hard work to be able to accomplish what they did and what the athletes are doing today.
Research shows genetics have a large influence over strength, muscle size, flexibility, and endurance. Genetics determines an athletes endurance limit by cardiac capacity- the heart’s ability to deliver enough oxygen through the bloodstream to work the skeletal muscles. Genetics tells us that blessed athletes have a much greater response to training. The large increase in the number of mitochondria in cells- mitochondria are organelles in cells that produce the ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the fuel that allows muscular contraction and movement), a person has, the more effective they are. An athlete who is not genetically blessed can still develop potential and response well to train.
There are other ways to get around genetics to be a great athlete. Nutrition and practicing mental skills training, which includes good judgment, learning tactics and strategies in a sport, and using proper training equipment, is another component of success. Research tells genetics have less influence over balance, agility, reaction time and accuracy.
God does not show favoritism because everyone has the potential to be great athlete, blessed or not. In fact, there are people who have the genetic potential to be a great athlete, but because of personal situations, were not able or choose not to pursue that profession. Others were not interested. Let’s enjoy the blessed and skilled athletes and live out our “fan-tasies” through their eyes. People do not have to be a professional athlete to be successful and we see it everyday, but boy, that would be fun.
