PCA’s mission is to make high school and youth sports a Development Zone™ to develop Better Athletes, Better People. PCA’s Triple-Impact Competitor® model defines both Better Athletes and Better People.

The hallmark of a Triple-Impact Competitor is “better.” Better is reflected in the Olympic Motto – “Citius, Altius, Fortius!” – “Faster, Higher, Stronger! “

In the Olympics, it isn’t about being fastest, highest, strongest. Even if you are the best in the world in your event, you still want to get better. For the best, “better” is better than “best.”

A Triple-Impact Competitor works on three levels:

1) Self: Make oneself better by

• Developing a Growth Mindset through maintaining a Teachable Spirit by being hungry for feedback,
• Pursuing mastery by giving maximum effort at workouts, practices, and competitions,
• Improving one’s “mental game” with tools like visualization, positive self-talk, and a Mistake Ritual to increase resiliency and more quickly bounce back from mistakes,
• Setting goals, tracking progress, and making adjustments when facing the inevitable setback,
• Being a “24-Hour Athlete” who avoids high-risk behaviors and manages diet, hydration, and sleep to optimize performance on and off the field.

2) Teammates: Become a leader who makes those teammates better by

• Filling Emotional Tanks through encouragement and support,
• Seeking opportunities to help team members improve,
• Developing empathy to be able to put oneself in his or her teammates’ shoes,
• Learning to give constructive criticism - at the right time in the right way,
• Being a team player who prioritizes team success and builds team chemistry,
• Learning to manage and resolve conflicts.

3) The Game: Guided by the ROOTS of Honoring the Game (respect for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates, and Self) to make the game better. They use their status and influence as an athlete to improve their school community including helping to prevent hazing and bullying.

The Challenge:

Being a Triple-Impact Competitor is not easy. It requires mental discipline and knowing your values so well you don’t sacrifice them under pressure. But if you build a commitment to being a Triple-Impact Competitor into who you are as a person, you will find it can provide a larger meaning for your involvement in sports. And it will pay off for you in meaningful ways in the rest of your life