Athletes and teams all over the world, in my opinion, are put into 2 categories – the hunter and the hunted. I have coached on both sides of the fence and get slightly more enjoyment out of being the hunter. The hunter has more motivation, it is easier for them to come to practice, and they have their eye on a target. The hunter tries harder and appreciates the rise to the top more because they had to work harder for their success. The hunter has the ability to come out of nowhere and knock off a champion that has always been on top. The hunter can be very hard to spot at track meets but they are everywhere. They don’t really dress the part or display as much swag as the champion. Why? Because none of that matters to them, they only want what the champion has and that is to be the winner.
An athlete who plays the role of a hunter can instantly change into the hunted athlete. Any meet, anywhere at any time, the hunter can reach their goal of knocking off the meet favorite or champion and thus becomes the hunted. Graduation from the previous year’s finalist, injuries, grade issues, etc. can place the hunter in the hunted position without the athlete’s permission. Briyahna Desrosiers (Sr., Chicago North Lawndale) probably went as far back as the start of the 2013 summer track season with a goal in mind of knocking off the two-time defending 3A state 400m champion Brittny Ellis (Jr., Gurnee Warren). She came out of nowhere and ran a then US #1 400m time of 55.04 at the Texas A&M University HS Invite. Briyahna quickly became the hunted not only in the state of Illinois but the whole country. Briyahna fell onto every coaches and athlete’s radar as the girl to beat – she is now the hunted.
Briyahna D (far right) with hunter friends and foes Miranda Marry, Jasmine Berry, and Brittney Ellis
Many athletes who are hunters are better suited for that role. Not everybody can handle the pressure that comes with being the hunted. They may not be able to deal with it mentally and performances drop. They feel they must come through at every meet and the athlete may change as a person. The athlete who is the hunted can come in many different forms. The majority have a God-given talent that is hard to match. They have a certain focus, from how they train, to how they carry themselves at a meet. They almost seem professional. They warm up different and can come through regardless of the situation, they have another level they can go to athletically that the hunter does not seem to have. They look and dress the part of a champion and there is certain swag about them. They know they are being hunted but it does not seem to matter to them. A hunted must be careful not to take things for granted and rest on past laurels. A few missed practices and loss of focus and one can easily fall back into the hunter category – chasing the very person that knocked them off the pedestal. The hunter lives for those mistakes and takes full advantage of them.
I, like some athletes who are the hunted today, trained as if I was a hunter. I knew that everyone was out to get me and would bring their “A” game whenever I showed up. I knew that if I trained as a hunter, my competition would have no chance of winning. The hunted athlete receives unwarranted hate from athletes, coaches, and even fans because they all want what they have. As a high school runner, my dad would say, “A lot of these people came and paid money to see you lose. They want to say they were there when you lost.” As an athlete and a coach, I have always thought and told my athletes to keep your foot on the throat of the hunter. Do not give them an ounce of confidence to think they can beat you. Take them out to the deep waters and drown them (metaphorically). That may be a little harsh for some of you! These are just a few of the lines I use at practice and meets. They are all lines that are used to get a point across. If you don’t continue to work hard, focus, come to practice, keep your grades and do all the little things necessary to continue being on top, or in this case, the hunted, you too can be replaced by the hunter.
I dedicate this week’s article to God! The B-side was almost over last week due to a car accident. I guess he wants me to keep writing. Thanks.