Associated Fire versus Omaha Westside

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” -John Wooden
“Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.”-John Wooden

Don't give up.......

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!

Great postseason clip of Kevin Garnett celebrating the big victory. Anything is truly possible, just ask Coach Cooley and KG.

LEADERSHIP

Great quotes from Husker Cody Glenn:

“People ask me, ‘How you feel about the season?’" said the native of Rusk, Texas. "Oh, I’m amped about it. I’ve never felt this good going into a season health-wise, confidence-wise, everything.”

Even the intense summer workouts haven't seemed so bad to Glenn. He's trying to lead younger players by example in each workout.

"I know guys are looking up to me," he said. "I know if I run like this, they’re going to run like this. I know if I lift like this, they’re going to lift like this. It’s been easier just because I have that mind-set and I know these guys are counting on me. With them counting on me, I’m not going to let them down. It makes me want to go harder. It makes me want to do everything I have to do.”

Dealing with adversity

Great story on a former Oregon State Catcher and CWS champ and the adversity he has had to deal with.
Here is the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3492010&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

7-8 Associated Fire versus Papillion Post 32

Win over Papiliion

7-2 Associated Fire versus Omaha Bryan at PLV-South

Papio Times article

Here is a link to a Papillion times article. http://www.papilliontimes.com/site/tab6.cfm?newsid=19841647&BRD=2712&PAG=461&dept_id=556342&rfi=6

Overachieving

Good article from ESPN on the overachieving St Louis Cardinals. They have the 6th best record in baseball and definitely do not have the 6th best talent. They have overachieved by coming to the ballpark and simply COMPETING everyday!

It's everybody that's in uniform, everyone that's involved in this clubhouse. We're all here to compete, whatever the set of circumstances. It's that simple.
--Tony La Russa

Here is the link to the article, please read!
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3469110

Why Emphasize The Bunting Game?

In all of baseball, both professional and amateur, management and players do not place enough importance on the bunting game; consequently the players cannot execute this phase of the game. The end result of poor fundamentals is the player cannot bunt for base hits nor sacrifice at critical times to get runners into scoring position.
In failing to have a good bunting game players lose the other values of hitting that come from bunting concepts. The threat of the drag bunt keeps the flanks (third and first basemen) playing close to the hitter. This increases the hitter's advantage to drive the ball past them. In sacrifice bunt situations, the good bunters have the ability to slash hit from a bunting stance, once again taking advantage of the drawn-in infield. The ability to drag bunt, sacrifice bunt and slash hit from a bunting stance will increase every player's batting average at least 100 points. I did say 100 points! Coaches armed with a good bunting game have the weaponry to attack and score in adverse weather conditions, wind blowing in, cold and wet weather. The bunting game helps you create offense no matter what the occasion or condition.
Bunting in baseball is as important as blocking in football. In football if you can't block you won't move the football, you won't generate any offense, and you will lose. In baseball, there is a "ho-hum, don't ask ME to bunt" attitude.
In building a house you start with a good foundation. A coach must treat the bunting game as the foundation of hitting and offensive weaponry. There are many aspects of the bunting game, including the drag bunt, the threat of the drag to keep the flanks up, the sacrifice bunt, slash hitting from the sacrifice bunt stance, the safety squeeze and the suicide squeeze. All of these concepts place tremendous psychological pressure on the defense, which can cause havoc with the pitcher and can force errors by the opposing team.
Bill Madlock, former major league all-star, related that the year he won the National League batting championship by one percentage point, he was successful in 22 of 23 drag bunt attempts. This added quite a few points to his batting average. We can only guess how many other balls that he hit went by the drawn-in third baseman.

Local Baseball

Good article on Omaha high school baseball
Fundamentals will lead to success!
http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=10370842