Osahon preaches consistency as virtue in sports

The Founder of Nigerian Women Premier League Side FC, Robo Emmanuel Osahon has advised the upcoming footballers and other athletes to be consistent, saying their creativity could only be improved to the higher level with consistency.

Osahon, during a live Facebook interaction with journalists powered by Unstoppable Sport Foundation, emphasized that a player who aspires to go far and make it must learn to be consistent in whatever they do.

The veteran coach explained that consistency is not just a statement; it has different meanings to different professions, saying it is a growing factor in sport activities.

He explained: “Consistency in sport is the ability of an athlete to keep or maintain a high level of performance for a long period of time. As a player or an athlete, who wants to be great in life, you have to be consistent in what you are doing and you need to maintain a high level of performance.

“Consistency helps in motivating sportsmen. Nobody will push you around but being consistent is enough motivation to achieve greatness and because you are consistently doing what you know how to do best, it keeps you growing in your career. It improves your creativity, what you do everyday boosts your career as an athlete just like a woman who cooks, if she continues cooking everyday she becomes better at it.

“Consistency makes you stand out among your peers. If all the great Stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are not consistent in training, there is no way they could have stood out. Everyone including professional footballers attest to the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo trains harder than other footballers. His consistency showed in countless numbers of times in terms of success and accolades received. Consistency brings success.”

Explaining how athletes can measure their consistency, Osahon said: “There are ways an athlete can measure consistency which is done after each training session. You need to score yourself, you need to set a record and break it and this is common within athletes that are into athletics. You need your teammates’ assessment of your performance to know where to improve on and you also need your coach assessment to improve yourself.

“Coaches need to organise pep talks with their sportsmen and let them know that what they are doing, others are doing it but when they surpass expectations and win laurels, it becomes news. Coaches need to encourage their sportsmen or players even when they are not performing well because with consistent training and persistent pressure, sportsmen will get to the top.

“Consistency in sports is a process that needs to be followed despite the fact that it is tedious. Coaches need to tell athletes that what they want to achieve have been achieved by another persons and the only way they can surpass such achievement is by breaking records.”

Meanwhile, Osahon identified environmental factor and peer group as the major factors hindering many athletes from being consistent.

He stated: “Achieving a goal by being consistent is never a great deal. At times there will be no food, no pitch to play and no money for kits but you shouldn’t give up because the road to the top always comes with challenges.”

He however advised them to always have passion for what they are doing, saying they must live a structured life devoid of drinking excessively and partying.

“Don’t get carried away with success because consistency improves your creativity,” Osahon reiterated.