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In Soelden I had the chance to witness a debate between experts on two different theoretical coaching approaches. The topic of the debate in question was alpine skiing and the problem of wasted talent. Everyone involved in the debate agreed that one particular skier had not succeeded in developing his talents to the fullest. There were several reasons, one of them certainly being his way of life which, with little training and a lot of partying, wasn’t entirely dedicated to success.

The first coach’s theory was that everything is lost if the athlete in question doesn’t have the necessary discipline: “No matter how talented he is, if he isn’t prepared to apply himself, every effort is in vain.”. I admit that I agreed with him, but then another opinion got my attention: “If the athlete doesn’t know how to fulfill his potential, he needs guidance.” Of course, everyone agreed that the athlete has great potential and is capable of achieving top results in at least two alpine disciplines. “If we consider that everyone benefits from the athlete’s success, sufficient support should be provided. An individual approach, tailored to the athlete’s needs, is necessary. If he needs supervision, then supervision should be provided. If he needs a psychologist, he should talk to one. One should talk to the athlete and truly get to know him, only then can he reach his goals.”

This made me think – in the past, I had a habit of doing things at the last minute. Preparation for college exams and tests in high school…I always knew the exact date of the exam, but I never started to study earlier than two days in advance. Sure, this approach brought OK grades, but certainly not excellent ones. How much better could I have been, had someone motivated me and studied with me?

Talent is not always enough to reach top levels in alpine skiing. Companies that sponsor athletes are undergoing financial troubles, so skiers now have to rely on themselves more. The coach might suggest a workout regime by e-mail and leave everything else to the athlete. No one could say if he’ll be in good enough shape for winter training on the slopes.

If every skier had the iron discipline of Hermann Maier, the competition would be a lot stiffer. Would Tina Maze have won the silver medal if she didn’t train and live the way she does? I dare say she wouldn’t have. It would be much more likely that she would stagnate in the team and perhaps even end her career. It is clear that her way of working makes her happy and she is looking forward to new challenges. And all that, just because she has a team around her that she can totally trust and that revolves around her 24/7.