Athletic ability is not judged by doing something well one time, but by doing something well many times. Consistency is critical to an athlete's success. Teams depend on the consistency of their players to put together a winning game or season.
Consistency is made up of several elements that work together including:
- Physical conditioning - Will a player's body be able to perform on the 10th time like it did on the first time?
- Mental conditioning - Can a player stay focused no matter what the score or time remaining?
- Skill development - Does a player practice enough to turn occasional luck into a regular expectation?
Actual games do little to improve a player's consistency. More benefit comes from working away from games through exercise and practice. If players want to become someone their team can count on, they need to take responsibility for developing their consistency.