The many different games played in the world of sports can be broken down into two basic categories: team and individual. Although these classifications may seem trivial, one major difference clearly separates the two. Team sports involve two or more groups of players all trying to achieve a common goal by working together against other teams. There may be different positions or techniques employed by the team to diversify the team. The most common team sports involve trying to put a ball of some form into a goal of some variety; lacrosse, soccer, football, and hockey are examples of team sports. Individual sports, however, are generally less common than team sports in America. The objectives of individual sports vary more than those of team sports; racing the clock, such as in ski racing, or attempting to hit a ball out of bounds, as in racquet sports, are some examples. The divider between the two classifications of sports stems from these fundamental objectives; the difference between the two is the mentality of the individual playing the game. While all athletes talk of getting �pumped up� before a competition, the level of focus differs: individual sports demand more of the individual, therefore the focus of that individual must be that much more narrowed that he might operate at his highest potential level.
Individual sports demand an incredible amount of focus from one person throughout the duration of the competition. The success of the competitor relies solely upon that one person; there is no team to carry a bad player. In ski racing, the competition takes place within less than two minutes� actual time on the course. In this short duration, the skier must give everything he has to give, while reacting to changes in the scenario with lightning speed. Little or no time is allowed for a racer to react to changes in the terrain or in visibility while on the course; therefore that skier must focus all of his concentration on one thing: completing the course as fast as possible. The racer has trained extensively for competition, so that all reactions are automatic, as the racer has no time to consciously think through the process of noticing a problem, recognizing the problem, determining the solution, and adjusting accordingly. Consequently, before exploding out of the start gate and onto the course, a skier closes off most of his conscious thought, and allows instinct to take over. When on the course, no sounds are registered consciously, nothing is seen except for that which is necessary to the course, and nothing is felt except that which is necessary to maintaining control over the skis. Pain is left behind. Thoughts are left behind. There is nothing but the racer and the course. It is this exceptional intensity of focus and concentration that is unique to ski racing and, to a slightly lesser extent, other individual sports.
The level of concentration in a team sport may be equal to that of an individual sport, but the focus must remain broader and more spread out. Team sports usually involve two opposing teams working to achieve a goal, such as scoring more points than the other team. This involves cooperation between teammates. In order to function as a team, an individual must always be aware of the other players around him, that he might make or receive a pass or a block. If he were to focus solely on one thing, such as running down the field with the ball, he might miss an important factor in the game, such as an open man across the field or a block set by an opponent. This broader focus allows the game to be played at its highest level, but to maintain such a broad focus the player must make use of his conscious thought. A lacrosse player is constantly thinking, thinking, about plays in action, the positions of other players on the field, and the position of the ball on the field. By utilizing his conscious thought, the naturally tangential path that human thoughts follow may register thoughts other than those pertaining to the game, such as pain, tiredness, thirst, and even emotions such as despair or joy. While this is detrimental to the player's ability to function at his individual highest possible level, using his conscious mind thought to play the game allows him to play at the highest possible level of cooperation with his teammates.
There are some exceptions to this barrier between individual and team sports, as there are to everything. In skiing, if the racer�s instincts do not react fast enough or properly to a change in the course, then the racer may then encounter such problems as losing a ski due to rough terrain, or missing a gate due to a poor setup. These problems are usually followed by dropping down from subconscious thought (or instinct) into the conscious; the slowing down of reactions merely augments the problem. When the skier loses focus in this way, either he cannot finish the course or loses all preparation and finishes with a poor time. When he drops down into conscious thought once more, thoughts such as despair or anger begin to register consciously once more, along with sounds such as the cheering of the crowd and sights like spectators waving. The barrage of thoughts hitting the conscious after being shut out often overwhelms the skier�s ability to adjust to the course once more.
Likewise, in lacrosse, there can be moments when a player can tap into his subconscious thought and rely on instinct. A breakaway is one example; as the player sprints down the field towards the goal, he might automatically dodge a defender and shoot without consciously thinking about it. Another, less common, example is when all the members of a team are so attuned to each other that they no longer need to communicate; in this case, instinct may take over for the whole team for a while as each player automatically knows where the others are and what they will do. When this level of focus is achieved in a team sport, it is a spectacle as awesome to behold as in an individual sport, for every player reacts flawlessly to every change in the game play.
The individual sport is the ultimate test of the human body. At the levels of focus necessary to compete in these sports, the human body is displayed functioning to its highest potential. The broader focus required of a team player often restricts the body�s ability to operate with such Herculean power. It is the ability of the individual to shut out the conscious and rely on the subconscious that sets him apart from the crowd. Through relentless preparation and a substantial amount of �getting pumped,� the individual athlete is able to show just how powerful the human body truly is.
