My position title at the West Adelaide Football Club is Talent Development Manager.

My position description outlined by the club is:- “To contribute to the success of the West Adelaide Football Club

through the proper management of the Club’s youth development programs

and to ensure the Club identifies and develops talent from the West Adelaide zone.”

The number one question I get asked in my position is????

What do I have to do to make it?????

I’ve started up a coaching blog called – marksup coaching

You can find it marksupcoaching.wordpress.com

I have written an article called “It takes more than Talent.”

Stephen King describes :- “Talent is cheaper than

table salt. What separates the

talented individual from the

successful one is a lot of hard work.”

• In John C Maxwell’s book “Talent is Never Enough,” he notes at the start of his book that

• “Talent is often overrated and frequently misunderstood, if talent

alone is enough then why do you know so many talented people who are not

highly successful?”

• Belief lifts your talent: Lack of belief in yourself can act as a ceiling on talent.

• Passion energizes your talent: A passionate person with limited talent will outperform a

passive person who possesses greater talent.

• Initiative activates your talent: Socrates said, “To move the world we must first move

ourselves.”

• Focus directs your talent: Attempting everything, like attempting nothing will suck

the life out of you.

• Preparation positions your talent: Becoming more intentional. You can claim to be

surprised once; after that, you’re unprepared.

• Practice sharpens your talent: Practice demands discipline and embracing change.

• Perseverance sustains your talent: People who display perseverance keep a larger vision

in mind as they toil away at their craft or profession.

• Courage tests your talent: As we develop our talent and grow to our potential we will be tested continually. Courage is an everyday

virtue.

• Teachability expands your talent: Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire

to listen, learn, and apply. Talented people can be the toughest to teach because they often

think they know it all. It’s a problem of pride.

• Character protects your talent: People cannot climb beyond the limitations of their

character. Talented people are sometimes tempted to take shortcuts. Character prevents

that.

• Relationships influence your talent: Life is too short to spend it with people who pull you in the wrong direction. And it’s too short not to invest in others. Your relationships will define

you.

• Responsibility strengthens your talent: Responsibility not only improves your life, but also will improve the life of those around you.

• Teamwork multiplies your talent: Teamwork divides the effort and multiples the effect.

• With the interesting stat around that approximately 0.06% of all footballers make it into the AFL and compete at the highest level. • Out of 10000 footballers only 6 will make it to

the highest level. • Of these who make it their career lifespan is

around 67 games over about 4-5 years.

• Willingness to chase and never give in.• Determination to win.

• Hard and low keep your feet, but if you lose your feet make sure you impact the

• contest.• Enjoyment and team spirit.

• Tackling, Shepherds (and where these take place on the field)

• Handle Pressure• Decision Making and Execute Skills• Maintain a high work rate

• Ability to win or impact contests

• Football is a TEAM game and each player is an important part of the TEAM,

don’t make excuses for under achievement as each individual is in

control of their own destiny. • LISTEN, LEARN, COMMUNICATE &

IMPROVE all facets of your football and this will be a valuable and enjoyable

experience for all.

Leigh Matthews- said of Joel Selwood

• You can come into a side an 18 year old man or• You can leave a side as a 30 year old kid.