Page 6 - What Makes a Superstar Athlete?

Curry’s Warriors teammate Draymond Green said in an interview
with the website Stack:

Before you can ever reach anything you have to believe it.
You don’t just mistakenly become great at something—
you probably at one time or another believed that you
could be great at that. And then you worked to get great
at that and you reached that greatness. But you don’t mis-
takenly become great and then you start to believe “Oh
man, I’m great at that!” No, you believed that before and
you worked to get that. So I always believe that and I work
every day to reach that. 3

Yet these great athletes do not attain greatness alone. The su-
perstars in team sports are usually supported by teammates who
help the stars win championships and perform to their potential.
The superstars in individual sports, such as snowboarding and
tennis, may not have teammates, but they have coaches, train-
ers, and others in their orbit helping them improve their skills and
fi tness and making sure they can excel year after year.

More than Just Talent

It is not just having talent and a talented supporting cast that al-
lows an athlete to become a superstar. Sports legends also seem
to have a knack for playing at their best when a championship
or other prize is on the line—even if it
means channeling some nervous energy
“Before you can ever into their performance. “I’ve never been
reach anything you have
to believe it. You don’t just afraid of big moments. I get butterfl ies,”
mistakenly become great Curry says. “I get nervous and anxious,
at something.” 3 but I think those are all good signs that
I’m ready for the moment.” 4
— Draymond Green, professional
basketball player Being ready for the moment often
distinguishes superstars from other tal-

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