Each sport has its own significance and while physical strength is important, fitness also focuses on increased flexibility, faster recovery from illness or injury, improved endurance, and much more. And especially when it comes to a sport like Cricket every individual is aware of the fitness that has grown to the point where most people know that being physically fit doesn’t just mean having a strong body it means being mentally fit too.
Fitness helps an individual to control the body and mind and use it accordingly when required for their performance. Setting goals and maintaining it depends on how self-disciplined an individual is and how religiously one follows the fitness routine.
In addition to regular exercise, Cricketers must take care to watch their diet. Many professional level Cricketers, therefore, hire personal trainers and nutritionists today as compared to the earlier times to take care of their diet and daily training needs to help them be on track due to their busy match schedules. In today’s competitive world fitness is inculcated at a very early age for individuals who want to pursue their career as Cricketers. It all begins with the guidance of the coach, the sporting association or club where these individuals practice.
The rise in youngsters today wanting to play the sport has led to an increase in the number of clubs and associations providing playing opportunities for these players, however this has also led to an increase of the importance of players being fit to perform if they have to be a continuous part of their clubs and associations as they are on a contract basis.
The surprise today is the high scoring games that we see in the Women’s Cricket matches today, proof enough that they too have worked on keeping their stamina levels high to attract the crowd to watch high scoring intense matches just like their male counterparts. Slowly but steadily people have started taking interest in watching Women’s Cricket.
The competition today has risen in such a way that to be consistently performing one has to keep their fitness levels as high as possible. Youngsters often look up to social media or sports magazines to know their idols workout regime and try to follow that. Many famous professional cricketers have admitted to being strict with their fitness if they are to survive in this competitive sporting world.
The difference between good and consistent performers is that good performer are physically fit and technically sound but consistent performers are also mentally strong and can adapt easily to the current situation and perform under pressure. Boot camps and team bonding activities with practice matches are all a part of making an individual cricketer mentally fit and confident that each one is capable of guiding the team to victory.
However, every individual player has a different role to play in the team and so will the fitness level and schedule be for each. Hence would like to conclude that “Fitness Promotes a Professional Level of Performance.”
– by Cresinda D Costa
