College Athletes

When an athlete is recruited to the college level, they might think of themselves a superior to their team members because they were at the top of their high school sport. Realizing that they are just one of a team of highly accomplished athletes can be a blow to their esteem if it was based on weak underpinnings. They don’t play as much on the field, the coaches can be more critical and less supportive, and their focus is distracted by their problems with their emotions rather than their sport. Self concern like this can divide the team. Instead of striving for their personal best and integration, they want to “one-up” their team members not just in their play, but off the field as well. What appear to be problematic conduct and attitudes are often problems adjusting to their new, more high performance environment.

Resentments can reverberate and disharmony can show up in play and overall team performance, which in turn can lead to losses, frustration, anger and acting out in the community.

Danaus’s program increases the likelihood that each individual player will see and understand the value of their contribution and how they fit into the team. They learn to compete for their personal best in order to become the most effective team member. The outcome is better team cohesion and wins in every way, regardless of the score.