I recently had a conversation with a talented player during a game. He was playing poorly so I asked him “Why do you look so lost out there?” He replied “I don’t know.” I said “Do you know what you’re trying to do?” “Yeah” he said. “What?” I asked. Thinking, he replied “Ummm…well I was…I was” After a long pause with no real answer I said ‘That’s the problem.”
As I mentioned before, this kid is talented. I would even argue that in this particular game, he was more talented than his opponent. However he was ineffective, leading him to frustration and a decrease in playing time.
I share this story to highlight a more overarching challenge that many talented student-athletes face. And that is, a lack of direction. So many gifted players are showing up as a lesser version of themselves simply because they are doing everything and nothing at the same time. In this post we are going to discuss the importance of a student-athlete vision statement and how you can develop yours to help increase your success.
Imagine two student-athletes: Jayden and Malik. Both are talented. Both have supportive families. Both start on varsity and dream of playing in college.
Jayden is a good player who goes to every practice, hits the weight room, and racks up highlight-worthy plays. However he never really thinks about his future. He’s one of those players that has talent and is kind-of just going with the flow. Senior year sneaks up on him and before he knows it he’s scrambling to get his grades up, realizes he’s missed key recruiting windows, and ends with a limited number of offers from various schools he’s never heard and really has no interest in attending.
Malik, on the other hand, has a clear vision. As a freshman, he wrote: “I want to be a collegiate athlete who inspires my teammates, earns a degree in kinesiology, and uses my platform to mentor younger athletes.” That vision helped him make the choice to stay consistent with his academics, attend recruiting showcases, volunteer in youth sport programs, and even search for colleges that offered degrees in his desired field. By senior year, Malik had a strong GPA, offers from several D2 and D3 level colleges with his desired major, and clarity about his future as a student-athlete.
The difference in the ending of these two stories is the power of a vision statement.
A vision statement is a written expression of your imagination or dream-view of yourself and the world around you. A vision statement explains what type of person you want to become and what type of life you want to live. In a way a vision statement is a lot like a compass, or a navigation tool giving your life direction.
A student-athlete vision statement ties together your goals in sports, school, and life. It provides you with a clear picture of how you want to experience your student-athletic career. Some student-athletes vision themselves as professional sport players. Others, prefer to end their career at the high school or collegiate level. Moreover, some student-athletes are primarily concerned with acquiring awards and accolades, while others are primarily focused on having fun. Your student-athlete vision statement is your compass for making decisions on the playing field and in the classroom.
Knowing the type of student-athlete you hope to become is key in ensuring that you are investing your time and energy in activities that are most important to you. With the abundance of sports and activities to be involved in, it can be easy to get distracted. Having a written student-athlete vision statement can help you achieve the following:
✅ Focus Your Energy – You’ll stop wasting time on things that don’t align with your goals.
✅ Boost Motivation – On the hard days, you can remember what your’re working towards and it will keep you going.
✅ Stand Out to Recruiters – College coaches want athletes who know who they are and where they’re headed.
✅ Build Confidence – When you know your goals, you stop comparing yourself to others.
✅ Stay Grounded – Even if plans change (injury, transfers, coaching changes), your vision keeps you anchored.
Creating a student-athlete vision statement is a simple process and a small task that could make a huge difference. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing your own:
1. Reflect on What Matters Most
Ask yourself:
What do I love most about being an athlete?
What kind of teammate do I want to be?
What career or college goal do I want to reach?
What kind of person do I want to be known as?
Write down your thoughts without worrying about sounding perfect.
2. Identify Themes
Look for common ideas in your reflection. Maybe you see:
Leadership
Perseverance
Helping others
Excellence in both academics and athletics
These are the building blocks of your vision.
3. Start with “I will be…” or “My vision is to…”
Use these sentence starters:
“I will be a student-athlete who…”
“My vision is to…”
“Through sports, I aim to…”
Examples:
“My vision is to be a student-athlete who leads with integrity, competes with heart, and earns a scholarship to study physical therapy.”
“I will use my journey as an athlete to inspire younger players and become the first in my family to graduate from college.”
Keep it 1-2 sentences. You can revise as you grow.
4. Put It Where You Can See It
Post it on your bedroom wall. Make it your phone wallpaper. Share it with your coach or mentor.
When things get tough — bad game, injury, school stress — look at it and remind yourself why you started.
Final Thoughts
College dreams don’t just happen. They’re built on choices — and the best choices come from having direction. Without a student-athlete vision statement you run the risk of having no direction or a lack of clarity around it. This can lead to confusion, a decrease in performance, and overall frustration. In the beginning the player I mentioned wasn’t struggling in the game because he wasn’t good enough. He simply lacked direction, so he didn’t know how to use his talents effectively. Take 5-10 minutes to use what you’ve learned from this post and create your student-athlete vision .
Take 10 minutes today to write your student-athlete vision statement.
Read it every week.
Live it every day.
Your future self — and future coach — will thank you.
Challenge:
Post your student-athlete vision statement on Twitter or Instagram and tag @MADEStudentAthletics with your vision statement. We’ll pick a few to highlight on our page!
If you or someone you know needs help creating their student-athlete vision statement click the button below to book a session with us today.