Jose “Tony “ Parrilla

IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

BY JOSE “TONY” PARRILLA

People often ask me, “What advice would you give a young athlete that you wish you got early on?”

This question is something I have thought about for years. When I started coaching my kids it really hit me because I kept repeating it over and over. It’s the little things.

When my oldest son Tony finally committed to track and field from soccer, he asked me about food, sleep and what to do on the off days. With a degree in Motor Behavior and Deep Tissue Massage Therapy, I put together a plan that a young teen could follow. We noticed the results right away. Tony was able to recover quickly with no significant injuries. I used this blueprint with my club team and had similar results.

The next time I was asked that question, while giving a speech, I had a different answer, with a bit of personal research as a coach. That conversation evolved into my personal view on what it takes to reach that next level. My answer was simple: “If you want to live the life, you have to live the life”.

If you want to reach the next level and have the talent to do so, do the little things. I was taught from an early age in the sport that we are all talented to a certain degree. What separates us is how we train, recover, and commit to the process. Young athletes have a mentality that ‘more is better’.

My motto is, “Addition by Subtraction”. We achieve by doing the little things and by perfecting what we do. We do not have to layer 100 different things and go to 5 different coaches to hit that next level. We will be better off simplifying and developing what works on an individual level.

When I say ‘the little things’, I mean the following parts of the process:

REST is the main part. We need this in order to grow. This will also help with avoiding burnout.

NUTRITION - You have to fuel and hydrate.

RECOVER - Learn how to cycle to optimize your training for injury prevention and tweaking your training.

Training really is simple. Utilize your network and always be a student. Your network is an amazing way to find people who share your interests and can deep dive into any issues or questions that come up.

Photo credit: University of Tennessee Athletics

Jose “Tony” Parilla is a 2-time USA Olympian in the 800 meters. He won 3 successive NCAA Championships from 1992-1994. Tony is known for coming from behind with a strong finishing kick. His personal record 800 meter time is 1:43.97, set at the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials.