The Boys & Girls of Summer
I've been busy serving as a coach to an under-16 year old girls fast-pitch softball team. This is a 'travel team' which means they're all pretty serious athletes (or at least their parents are serious about supporting them as athletes). Our team practiced two or three times each week. We participated in two weekend tournaments in June and three in July. Over all this team got better with each tournament and this past weekend was the best of all. Three wins and two losses; each of the losses were one-run games and hard-fought contests.
I had coached Little Leaguers in the past. The 'Boys of Summer' gave it their best and we did well. Now I'm glad I coached the 'Girls of Summer' and have been able to compare and contrast the similarities and the differences between baseball and softball players. Yes, there are differences. But I've been truly surprised to learn of the similarities.
Winning teams focus on becoming a team. Winning teams consist of players who are willing to practice and practice with a purpose. Winning teams pick each other up. Winning teams don't dwell on mistakes but look for strategies to correct them. Winning teams play within themselves and don't try to press or make it happen. They are confident in their skills for they've performed the tasks they're called upon to do in practice -- over and over and over again.
Over the past few years -- while practicing aikido and/or focusing on living the BFL lifestyle, I've rediscovered the joy of thinking like a winner and coaching others in this mindset. Eating right and exercising regularly -- winners do this too. (Something I actually observed as I'd watch teams eat healthy food as a team and also watch other so-called teams stuff themselves with junk from the snack bar.) But that's a topic for another BLOG post on another day.
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PS: It was good to see Ryne Sandberg (of the Chicago Cubs) and Wade Boggs (Member of the Red Sox Nation) inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Oh yeah, winners play for the love of the game and not necessarily because their parents made them play.
I had coached Little Leaguers in the past. The 'Boys of Summer' gave it their best and we did well. Now I'm glad I coached the 'Girls of Summer' and have been able to compare and contrast the similarities and the differences between baseball and softball players. Yes, there are differences. But I've been truly surprised to learn of the similarities.
Winning teams focus on becoming a team. Winning teams consist of players who are willing to practice and practice with a purpose. Winning teams pick each other up. Winning teams don't dwell on mistakes but look for strategies to correct them. Winning teams play within themselves and don't try to press or make it happen. They are confident in their skills for they've performed the tasks they're called upon to do in practice -- over and over and over again.
Over the past few years -- while practicing aikido and/or focusing on living the BFL lifestyle, I've rediscovered the joy of thinking like a winner and coaching others in this mindset. Eating right and exercising regularly -- winners do this too. (Something I actually observed as I'd watch teams eat healthy food as a team and also watch other so-called teams stuff themselves with junk from the snack bar.) But that's a topic for another BLOG post on another day.
=======
PS: It was good to see Ryne Sandberg (of the Chicago Cubs) and Wade Boggs (Member of the Red Sox Nation) inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Oh yeah, winners play for the love of the game and not necessarily because their parents made them play.
posted by John Lesko at
10:40 AM
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