The Best Coach You Will Ever Have
To all my young, amatuer "want to be great" ballplayers out there. This Blog is for you....
So you want to be a better baseball player huh???
How? What's your plan? You better have one if you plan on improving your game.
Do you even know who "the best coach you will ever have" is?
Yes, you read that sentence correctly. I am asking you "who is the best coach you will ever have?"
What do you mean you don't know? What do you mean you don't understand the question?
Think! Think! This question should be easy....
Ok, ok, let me give you the answer............YOU!
Yes, that's right. The greatest coach in the history of baseball for you, is you. Always was and always will be. So quit looking to dad all the time for tips, quit complaining about your Little League or High School coach not doing enough to help you.
This is your career. This is your responsibility. Take charge of it! If you are not willing to do so then I have no simply for you when you fail. All the players that do "coach themselves" are going to pass you by and you will only have yourself to blame.
Don't be a dreamer, be a doer! Drop the video game controller, get up and go practice. If you have nobody to practice with, then practice by yourself. Run sprints, hit off a tee, play long toss against a wall, field ground balls off the wall. Baseball is not rocket science, if you want to run better get out and run. If you want to hit better then go hit until your hands hurts. If you want to field better then take ground balls and fly balls until your ready to drop from exhaustion. Everybody is looking for a short cut; let me enlighten you, there are none. Great players are always working and inventing new ways to improve themselves. They not only want it more then others, but they are willing to back up their desire with blood, sweat and tears. Are you willing to make that level of sacrifice?
Be tenacious in your approach to figuring out the game and yourself. Pretend you are a dry sponge just soaking up as much information as possible. Don't be afraid to ask questions either. Hunt down good sources.
Learn the game, study the game inside and out. It cost absolutely nothing to do so. Watch Major League Baseball games; learn from the good stuff, separate from the bad stuff (yes, that's right, they make mistakes too). Go watch other local players your age, and older, play in games. Focus on the action, pay attention to what is happening just as if you are actually playing in the game. And go watch local colleges and minor league teams as well, especially if your master plan includes playing at those levels someday.
If you can invest a little money in your baseball career then do your homework on instructional camps, speaking clinics, and showcase events. Find out which ones are good, and which ones are a waste of time and money and should be avoided. Then attend as much of the good stuff that you can. But do not sacrifice game time; play in as many games as possible. Games rule over all else, they involve more practical self coaching. And when your time is free turn off the TV, go hang out at baseball facilities with baseball people as often as possible. What, you live up north and the weather gets too cold? Poor excuse because there are indoor facilities all over, and some feature quality instructors too. Baseball is everywhere. The question is, are you all over baseball? Should you buy the next hot video game, or pay for some indoor baseball time? You choose!
Be honest with yourself. Know your strengths, but admit ALL weaknesses. Then go work on both, focusing on weaknesses. And no excuses, they are for losers. Some days you will fail, it happens. Just admit you did not get the job done that day and move on. Don't let dad make excuses for you either. Understand that baseball is a game of failure. The key is overcoming the temporary fails so you can succeed in the long run. Much easier said then done, it requires a ton of physical and mental work to overcome our setbacks and inadequacies. Do you have the guts and the will to do so? Don't say it, go prove it!
When choosing a summer team play where you want to play, with the players and coaches you want to play with. Do your homework, think for yourself. There are too many young players being pushed into situations for the wrong reasons. Fancy uniforms, fancy fields and fancy talking people don't make better players. And don't buy into the whole "exposure" phenomenon that continues to sweep thru the amateur baseball world, that overused word should have been left back in the 90s where it came from. Baseball should be fun, even more so when you are young. The game is about the players, not some "wannabe" trying to make a name for himself, his ego or his organization by stealing the limelight produced from your hard work. Hang with the people that have your best interest at heart, not their own. And the best part of all, go about our business knowing no matter where you play, if you kick butt you will be discovered. Trust me on this fact. Great players can't hide forever, especially with the amount of media today. Now that we have the internet, Timbuktu is just across the street.
We have entered into an age in which everybody blames someone else for their own personal shortcomings. If you are one of these people, then you are basically preparing to be a failure in the game of baseball. Whiners and fingers pointers are the first to underachieve in this game. Plus, everybody hates a cry baby and can not wait to watch them fall flat on there face. Please keep these two points in mind the next time you plan an excuse making tirade. Life is unfair, get use to it and learn to at least try and overcome the obstacles that stand in your way. Eventually, if you try hard enough, you will succeed. Not long ago there was a young man in Michigan born without a right hand (I repeat, he had NO right hand). He could have complained, but he didn't. Instead he chose to be a ballplayer, and was he ever! He learned to pitch and hit (yes, he was a pretty good one handed hitter through High School and College) despite his birth defect. He went on to have an outstanding career at the University of Michigan and became a successful 1st round draft choice of the (at that time) California Angels. Oh yeah, later in his career he even threw a no hitter for the New York Yankees. Not bad huh? His name is Jim Abbott, and in my eyes he is the "Lance Armstrong" of baseball. By the way, how could a man with two hands ever coach and teach a player that only has one hand? Hopefully by now my message to you is becoming clear.....
Truly great players find ways to be great while also making everyone around them better. Take care of yourself first, but don't ever be too selfish. Even the greatest of sluggers should be able to sacrifice bunt, or take one for the team with the baseball loaded. Never forget it is a team game, practice your whole game with that in mind.
As you grow older try to separate yourself from dad. Now don't misunderstand me, love him, talk to him, be with him, include him, but train yourself to be your own man. He can not go on the field with you. Some things you have to do on your own if you want to grow as a person. Share your life, but if you want to become a man do not let anyone live it for you or attempt to live through you. Learn to think for yourself, don't just automatically believe everything you hear or read, think it through, make your own decisions. Sure, every so often you will screw up, so what. That's life; mistakes are part of the learning process. Just learn from your mistakes and don't make the same mistake twice. If you prove mature enough to handle yourself, just maybe your parents will give you a longer leash so you can eventually grow into adulthood.
If you don't know what to say just shut up. It sounds so simple yet most people never seam to be able to accomplish this simple task. Don't be a liar or fable teller. No such thing as peer pressure if you keep your trap shut. Let the other guy brag and boast, while you take the high road knowing he is full of beans. Do your talking on the field with your legs, bat, glove, arm and brain.
I hope you were smart enough to watch Maddux, Clemens and Bonds (steroid scandal aside for now) this season. If not then you blew a special opportunity because players like this don't come around too often. Wow, what an incredible time, 3 legends winding down their careers all at the same time. And in style I might add, because at advanced ages these 3 warriors can still get it done with the elite. But please don't worship them because they are shoe in first ballot Hall of Famers. Don't just sit back in awe of their talent. Look beyond the obvious, there is something way more special going on here. We as fans have the unique opportunity to witness not one, but 3 men, that have mastered themselves! They figured themselves out. This is the very reason they became so great at baseball and maintained it for so long. This "mastering of ones self" is the goal of every man, but very few every achieve it. To master yourself is to successfully coach yourself. And if you don't believe me then you have not been paying attention, because you were just presented with 3 living, breathing, "still playing" baseball case studies as proof.
If you have leadership abilities for heavens sake use them. After all, leadership is a gift from God, some guys have it, but most don't. Find ways to develop and hone this ultra rare, under appreciated and extremely powerful tool. This game has been severely lacking leaders for some time now. Great players win batting titles, MVP awards, Cy Young trophies, but leaders win World Series rings!
Live a clean healthy lifestyle away from the field. NO DRUGS, recreational or otherwise, just look around to see all the problems they create. Be happy, and work hard to be at peace with yourself. If you are at that age when girls are important then work hard at picking a "good egg" as a girlfriend. Be respectful of her. And if you end up with the type that tries to control you, kindly dismiss the relationship and go find a more suitable and understanding mate. You are too young for any sort of "mind game" nonsense. Plenty of players have ruined their careers with bad relationships early in life, and it's not the girls fault, it's yours!
Last but not least, believe! To achieve you must believe. If you do not think you can hit you never will. If you fear a hitter then you will not throw strikes. If you think too much about making errors you will fumble routine ground balls. Think positive. Just remember, confidence is everything when the game is on the line. And yes, it can be practiced and improved.
The player that can successfully coach himself will get the most out of his ability. And this does not just apply to baseball, it applies to life. So good luck to you COACH!
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. ~ Winston Churchill
by Billy Milos
Scout (and a forever coach in the making!)
Minnesota Twins
On Deck:
A Parents Guide To Raising A Better Baseball Player
In the Hole:
The Great Steroid Controversy
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