A while back, I saw a list of "10 things that require zero talent" start to make its way around various social media outlets.
After having a number of people share it with me since then, I figured it was worth putting together a piece to share it with other coaches, and in turn they could share it with their players. There are a number of different graphics and lists out there, so it's impossible to know where the list was originated (and trust me - I've looked far and wide to find the original source), but each one rings so true that it has to be shared.
Whether you're the star of the team, or a practice player who gets limited reps on the scout team, there are ten traits that require absolutely no talent at all that we all have control over. They are:
1 - Being on time
2 - Work ethic
3 - Effort
4 - Body language
5 - Energy
6 - Attitude
7 - Passion
8 - Being coachable
9 - Doing Extra
10 - Being prepared
With those 10 in mind, I felt like there are two more trait that can be added, so I took the liberty of adding an additional trait
11 - The words that come out of your mouth
12 - Your willingness to change / have an open mind
Those 12 things are all things that you can expect from every single player on your roster, with no excuses, and no compromises.