Recipe for Greatness

If Aaron Peirsol were a chef - white, billowy hat and all - and wanted to create the "perfect" champion, he already knows which ingredients he'd blend together.

"I'd use (Michael) Phelps' legs, because they're strong and can do just about any stroke; Eric Vendt's heart because I've always respected how tough he is; Nate Dusing's mid-section (lower back and abs) because he's not only flexible but incredibly strong and has an amazing dolphin kick; Gustavo Borges' arms because his wingspan must be well over seven feet and his hands literally wrap around mine - and I don't have small hands. I'd finish with Ian Thorpe's freakishly large feet," Peirsol said.

"Combine all of these elements together, and no world record would be safe."

Ray Mitchell, head coach of the Terrapin Swim Club in Concord, Calif., believes a similar combination of characteristics from some of the world's greatest - past and present - would bake or simmer into the epitome of greatness in the water.

In his recipe, he'd combine Thorpe's feel for the water with Lindsay Benko's grace and humility, add in Phelps' work ethic along with Jenny Thompson's staying power, pepper in Misty Hyman's pioneering underwater kick, Gary Hall and Mark Spitz's bravado and chutzpah and Michael Klim's menacing looks.

"I'd finish with a touch of sweetness from (Terrapin swimmer) Kate Dwelley and serve in an Olympic-sized bowl," said Mitchell, head coach of the Terrapin Swim Club in Concord, Calif. "You mix all of these great champions together, each offering something uniquely great about them, and this new creation should move through the water pretty well."

Whatever the combination of ingredients, when it comes to champions, there are basic characteristics essential for championship results, no matter the sport.

What Makes A Champion?

Whether they're an elite athlete competing in tennis, football, swimming or even badminton, champions possess many - and often all - of the following characteristics:

• Natural, God-given talent.
• Dedication and determination.
• Sacrifice.
• Strong work ethic.
• Heart.
• Desire.

But ask anyone associated with athletics - whether they're a coach or an athlete - and they'll tell you these characteristics, while important, are not the end-all in the makeup of a champion.

"Champions are extremely focused - every day," said Dave Gibson, head coach of the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club in North Carolina. "They have the combination of great technique, commitment and supportive parents - and let's not forget most of the great ones had some pretty darn good coaching along the way."

David Marsh, head coach of the 2005 men's NCAA champion Auburn Tigers, is no stranger to recognizing championship talent. With recruiting being the lifeblood of his and all NCAA programs, he knows it's his job not only to find championship swimmers but also build champions.

"The key to the recruiting process is assessing the mental and physical standpoint of swimmers - who is most likely to make great strides at the next level," said Marsh, who coached the U.S. men to a team title at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona. "Strength in one attribute - say, mental toughness - can make up for weaknesses in other attributes.

"But there are some characteristics like loving to race and hating to lose that are inherent in all of the champions I know."

Marsh's Southeastern Conference counterpart, Jack Bauerle, coach of this year's NCAA women's champion, the University of Georgia, believes identifying an athlete's commitment to training and working hard in and out of the pool as essential elements of champions.

"The biggest difference I see between my champions and those who are finalists is the willingness to prepare every day as well as possible," said Bauerle, who coached the U.S. women to a team championship at 2003 Worlds. "Champions never have a completely bad day and always find something positive even on their worst day.

"The champions I've worked with also have the willingness and the drive to compete every day whether it is an early AM workout or afternoon, and they compete hard on sets even when it does not include their strongest strokes. That's what sets them apart."

More than Physical

Just from his physical stature - long, muscular torso and strong arms, flexible, powerful legs and feet like fins - there has never been any doubt that Phelps had all the tools to be a champion.

Bob Bowman, who's coached Phelps since he was 11 and has also coached champions like Eric Wunderlich and Kevin Clements, recognized his student's natural inclination to succeed early on, but it wasn't his physical gifts that made him stand out.

"He has the strongest desire to win of anyone I've coached," said Bowman, now the head coach at the University of Michigan, where Phelps continues to train as a student and volunteer assistant coach. "Michael can relax his mind and body before and during races like no one I've seen, and he has a tremendous heart that propels him competitively. He's always wanted to win, and he can't stand to lose. That's what I think of when I envision a champion - a desire to always be the best.

"I've always contended that swimming is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical, and it's the ability to handle the challenges of a race or a physical setback that set apart finalists from champions."

According to sports psychologists, it's their mental edge - the drive to succeed - that pushes champions to the limits of their potential.

"Top athletes will generally have a mentally tough mindset and high confidence, be well-prepared before competition and approach each meet or competition with the same mental fortitude," said Karlene Sugarman, M.A., an assistant professor and Fieldwork Coordinator in the sport psychology program at John F. Kennedy University in California.

"On competition day, it's all about the mental mindset - as long as the technique is already present. All the physical preparation in the world will most likely not compensate for a weak mental approach."

Angus Mugford, PhD, a certified consultant with IMG Mental Conditioning in Bradenton, Fla., insists that the mental side always prevails over the physical because the mind drives the body to succeed - or fail.

A strong body can almost never overcome a weak or unmotivated mind when it comes to competition.

"There is a lot about an athlete's competition or winning/losing that he has no control over, so it comes back to what they can control mentally," said Mugford, who works mostly with professional tennis players. "In this sense, winning is a byproduct of excellence, and so by committing to excellence, the athlete is putting himself in the best position to win.

"It's particularly on the mental side that the athlete is ready for the occasion and believes in himself, focuses on the moment and deals with adversity, controlling the uncontrollable."

Talent Isn't Always Enough

There's no denying that all great athletes have a foundation built on natural ability. As youngsters, it's the first part of their game or sport that they rely upon - being fast, tall, agile, flexible or strong.

But as they get older and learn more about their sport - and hopefully their true strengths and weaknesses - they also learn more about how hard work and dedication to improving is what takes them to the next level of competition. 

"A lot of people might say that natural talent is the most important element of a champion, but I've always believed it was the base upon which you build," Gibson said. "All the other factors - desire, commitment, work ethic - create the ‘total' champion."

For Amanda Beard, who burst onto the world's swimming scene as a smiley, talented 14-year-old at the 1996 Olympic Games, learning that lesson took a few years and a few losses. Even though she won silver medals in both breaststroke events and gold as a member of the 400m medley relay at those games, it was a few years later that she realized hard work and dedication would take her further than talent alone.

"I am a talented athlete, but to be able to excel in my sport, I have had to put many hours into training to become better," said Beard, who won gold in her signature 200 breaststroke and two more silver medals at last year's Athens Olympics. "Talent will only take you so far, and then the rest is up to you. I see so many people who have talent throw it all out the window because they don't feel like putting in the hours of work."