The Extra Inch

How much does an inch or two really matter? What effect on the game could that have? Does it really make me that better if I'm off the line by an inch or on it? Sports is a game of inches, both on and off the field.

Games are decided by inches all the time. In football it can be whether a team gets a first down, or a touchdown. In volleyball it determines whether a ball goes over the net, or if the ball is in or out. In baseball a matter of inches is the strike zone. It's crazy how such a little thing has such a big impact. My own games have been decided on inches. Whether it was on a field goal or a defensive stop I've witnessed the joy or sadness that an inch can bring.

In practices coaches make sure to make that a point. For example during conditioning, they might tell you to make sure you're behind the line before running, or finish through the line. Will this extra inch actually make you better? Physically no, an inch is an inch, but mentally it can make a player or team so much better. This concept teaches discipline, and also can teach how every little thing you do matters. Even though you might think that what you do doesn't affect the team; it really does.

Think about all the replays that are shown on TV during college or NFL football games. Did he catch the ball? Did he have a foot in? Is that a touchdown? All of these things are always decided by inches. Championship teams are the ones who fight for the extra inch. The team that doesn't settle for average, but strides for excellence. The team that works the hardest, and is the most prepared. Those teams get that inch. They are on the joyous side after their defense gets a stop on fourth down to win the game, by inches.

It's undeniable. A little thing has a big impact. What type of person are you? The one who goes to the line or through it. An inch is a mere image of what people in sports should be thinking about. The thing that makes a team from good to great are the little things. Focusing on the details is everything. So next time you are on the line and thinking to yourself that you can't do anymore; don't cheat yourself or your teammates. Because champions finish through it.