I know a team who consistently makes it to the World Series, but never seem to win the big game. What may surprise you is one player’s response answer when I asked him, why?
According to him, mistakes were not learning experiences, they were consequences resulting in berating comments, running, yelling, then more running. In fact he said, “Losing meant we sucked and practices the next couple of days were unbearable!”
When a parent confronted the Coach as to why the overabundance of what he termed Tough love, he stated, “this is what it takes to get the most out of his Team!” Usually followed by him blurting out how many World Series they participated in.
Unfortunately, the starting player viewed it from a different perspective, “They were just afraid to lose.”
As a dad, as a coach, and as a mentor, what he said next made me really sad;
“Making it to the World Series was a sigh of relief; the season was almost over, and finally the screaming and hollering no longer affected them. It went in one ear and out the other.” Unfortunately so did their World Series experience, usually resulting in a two-and-out trip most of the time.
Kind of makes you shake your head?
Before we start looking for a place to lay blame, ask yourself, ever pick a team because they have better-looking uniforms, play in more tournaments, they seem win more, and for some, as a badge of honor we equate better with costing more?
- Baseball is simpler than that!
- Baseball is about being Good!
- Baseball is an Individual Sport in a Team Concept
So here’s my recommendation to eliminate Over Coaching:
Recognize a player does not get better by playing better competition and being around better players. A player get better when they realize improving is about KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING and their ability to learn to apply what they have learned.
So the only team to play for is one that provides them the ability to try things, make mistakes, and learn. A team conducive to truly getting better.
Then and only then will you learn to become YOUR OWN COACH!
- Believe in yourself
- Take a chances, and learn from the results
- Focus on facts versus Ego
- Understand Humility is part of Learning
Until next Blog seek baseball knowledge and understanding – MOST OF ALL Become your OWN COACH!
Al McCormick
