IT IS ALL ABOUT PREPARING IN PRACTICE

De La Salle Football—on practice preparation

“It’s a game of technique, repetition and getting it right in practice before you run it in a game. Discipline. The game is played aggressively, it’s hard and it’s tough.”

“You’re going to play just how you practice. You’re not some comic book hero who’s going to put on a cape on game day and go out there and star. It doesn’t work that way. You watch way too much TV if you believe that."

USING DEFEAT AS MOTIVATION

"Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."
- Muhammad Ali

CONFIDENCE

"Confidence doesn't come out
of nowhere. It's a result of
something ... hours and days
and weeks and years of constant
work and dedication."
-Roger Staubach-

YOU CAN'T SIT AROUND AND HOPE THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN

"I always want to get better," said Tim Lincecum, who had a league-high 265 strikeouts last season for the Giants. "I come into this year, I'm not just sitting on my ass hoping everything's going to be all right because of last year. I've got to come out here and work and become better. That's what it takes to be a good major-league baseball player."

PRACTICE

Prepare for pressure situations by putting pressure on yourself in practice. Have the same high standards in practice that you have for yourself in games. Allot some time in practice to put on your game face and practice with the same mental and physical energy that you would in games. For a pitcher, it could be having a mentally intense bullpen session. Both Nolan Ryan and Greg Maddux use to react to poorly executed pitches in the bullpen in the same manner and intensity they would in a game. In effect, they are also practicing how they mentally handle a poor pitch in a game, and how they plan to fix it and refocus on the next pitch. Lazily shagging fly balls in the outfield or playing home run derby with your hitting group does not prepare you to play a game or handle clutch situations. When it is your turn to practice, whether you are taking a ground balls from a coach or stepping into the cage to hit, put on your game face. Do not practice your practice habits; practice how you will play the game.

from Mental Toughness-Baseball's Winning Edge

PREPARATION

Are you waiting to play or preparing to play?

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

John Wooden

Get better every day

The fun of the spotlights on game night are created in the dim lights of off season workouts; the hours of dedication behind the scenes is key!

HOW HARD ARE YOU WILLING TO PREPARE AND WORK FOR THAT TIME?

Preparing to be successful

Boston Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester was always ready for the field, but he got thrown a curve ball that no player can ever anticipate or prepare for. On Aug. 31, 2006, two months after getting called up to the Bigs, Lester was diagnosed with lymphoma, a treatable form of cancer of the lymph nodes.

Lester recalls, “When I was called up in June, I had some success [7-2 in 15 starts]. But come August, I started having a lot of back pain. We were in Seattle, and I went to see my uncle, who’s a doctor. He got me in the ER to get it checked out.

“When I learned it was cancer, the hardest part was those first couple days, just dealing with the fact of not playing baseball and having this new sickness. But once we found out what we had to do as far as treatment, I told myself, ‘Lets move forward and try to beat this.’”

Ultimately, Lester wanted to get back to the Majors, but he took a one-step-at-a-time approach. “I wanted to get back to playing baseball, period, whether in the minors or wherever,” he says.

Lester fought his way back to full health—and eventually back to the Show. “I had to prove myself all over again and show the managers I could pitch,” he says.

His hard work paid off, and the Red Sox eventually named him as their starter in Game Four of the 2007 World Series. The leftie led his team to victory that night, allowing only three hits and no runs in 5 2/3 innings. “It felt like a normal game for me,” Lester says. “I didn’t do anything different—just went out and tried to do the best I could.”

With so many triumphs in his young career, including a no-hitter against the Royals in May 2008, Lester says the secret to his success is preparation: “The biggest thing for me is my work between starts. I do my workouts and know my body is ready to take the pounding every five days. I know when I step on the mound, I will be physically prepared to perform. Knowing your body is ready eases your mind, so I only have to worry about what pitches I need to throw.”

from stack magazine

DOING LITTLE THINGS

"One day during practice, a visitor observed legendary Coach (Paul "Bear") Bryant doing something that aroused his curiosity. From time to time during practice, the coach would reach into his pocket, pull out a crumbled little piece of paper, read it, and then put it back in his pocket. The visitor watched him do this several times during practice, and finally mustered up the courage to ask the coach what was written on the paper. Coach Bryant simply smiled, pulled out the paper, and let the visitor read it himself. It said: It's the itty bitty, teeny tiny things that get you beat."

In sports, the little things can be the difference between a sub par year and a championship season. In baseball, taking those five extra swings every day and taking those ten extra ground balls can be the difference between a good player and a great player. In life, doing the little things can also change our lives tremendously.

"If you take care of the little things, you never have one big thing to worry about." - Cal Ripken Jr.--

PROCESS OVER RESULTS

In September 1980, Kansas City’s George Brett got the baseball world buzzing with the possibility of his reaching .400 for the first time since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. The Royals were in a pennant race, and Brett was hitting to win. “Every time up, I was just trying to give out club the kind of at-bat the situation called for,” Brett said. But the night we wrapped up our division, I thought, ‘Hey, I’m close enough. I’m going to go for it. I didn’t have to try to hit .400.’ That was the day things fell apart. I didn’t have many good at-bats when I started concentrating on getting hits.”

HELP YOURSELF BY HELPING YOUR TEAM

"We're OK with guys coming to Purdue expecting to make it to the pros but they have to understand that you get to be a pro by making your team win. Coaches are looking for players who make their team better. It's true for college coaches looking at high school players and it's true for NBA coaches looking at college players."
-MATT PAINTER
Head Coach Purdue University

IT IS ALL ABOUT CHASING PERSONAL EXCELLENCE

“We were down in the Rangers’ locker room and their No. 1 goal is not worrying about winning or losing. It’s all about chasing personal excellence and if you can do that in your life, you’re going to be the very best you can be. The rest you can’t control.” - Dan Hawkins

PERSONAL EXCELLENCE: Doing your very best each day. Giving it your best from when you rise in the morning to when you go to sleep at night.

Do you strive for PERSONAL EXCELLENCE each day????

WANT TO BE SPECIAL?????

"If you want to be special, you have to be different. You have to make a conscious decision every single day to be different.”

-Bo Pelini

You can't be just like the average guy. You have to push yourself harder and longer than those around you. You have to be willing to do the things that others won't.

Self Discipline

"What we do on some great occasion will probably depend on what we already are; and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline."
-H.P. Liddon

GET BETTER EVERYDAY! FOCUS ON THE PROCESS. ENJOY THE RESULTS.

END OF THE YEAR--- What's next?

At the end of each year you must reflect and assess. As Jeter states in the above video you have re continue to work on what you do well and search for ways to improve on what you struggle with.

GOT TO GET READY

These images were taken roughly 65 years apart. What worked for Johnny Pesky in the 1940's is still working for the high school player of today.

Feet, shoulder width apart.
Glove side foot a little ahead of throwing side foot.
Glove out in front.
Knees flexed, head up.
Weight on the balls of the feet.

LOSING CAN BECOME A MOTIVATOR

TO WIN, YOU HAVE TO LOSE, THEN GET PISSED OFF-- Joe Namath

GREAT LIFE LESSONS

Life lessons from John Wooden have become legend. Here's a collection of some of the greatest "Woodenisms."

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

"Never mistake activity for achievement."

"Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then."

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"Be prepared and be honest."

"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

"What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player."

"Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character."

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

"I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent."

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"

"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."

"It isn't what you do, but how you do it."

"Ability is a poor man's wealth."

"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."

"Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights."

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team."

"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

Source: CoachWooden.com

WORK HARD AND ENJOY IT

from hoopboost.blogspot.com

Following the announcement of Ken Griffey's retirement yesterday reminded me of a passage I read in Ron White's book, "22 Success Lessons from Baseball." Not only should you work hard, but enjoy the work -- there's no guarantee as to how long the ride will last...

Willie Mayes, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Kirk Gibson, Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Buddy Bell, Goose Gossage, “Oil Can” Boyd, “Dizzy” Dean and Jackie Robinson. These are all phenomenal baseball players. They also have one thing in common. There is one thing that is true about every single one of them. They are probably many things, but will you think of this one?

One of the common threads these men possess is that their baseball careers are over and for many of them their lives are over. Each of these men is mortal. Each of these men reached a time in their career when they could no longer compete at a high level because their bodies began to rebel against the work regiment and challenges. Some could no longer throw a ball fast enough to zoom past Major League hitters who seems to be getting younger and younger. Many found themselves swinging too late all too often at pitches they once could hit with ease. Their eyes refused to give them a clear picture of where the ball was going and their legs appeared asleep as they scampered to beat out a slow grounder.

Your time will come, just like it did for the Babe, Lou Gehrig, Nolan Ryan and every other player who set foot on the baseball diamond. One day your flesh and bones will be spent. Make the most of every time at bat and every game. Give it your best every day and when you are done, hope your life shows that you did.

Play fast, play the game right, work hard, touch all the bases, and have fun, because one day, you won’t be able to.

Congrats to the CHAMPS!!!!!

The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights. Muhammad Ali

"Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation." Robert H. Schuller

PRACTICE

"If there is a secret to making the most
out of each practice, it is this:
Enjoy the drills that
improve your skills."
-Joe Montana-

THE PRICE OF TEAMWORK

from John Maxwell

THE PRICE OF TEAMWORK

SACRIFICE

There can be no success without sacrifice. James Allen observed. “He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much.”

TIME COMMITMENT

Teamwork does not come cheaply. It costs you time—that means you pay for it with your life. Teamwork can’t be developed in microwave time. Teams grow in a Crock-Pot environment.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Your team will reach its potential only if you reach your potential. That means today’s ability is not enough. Or to put it the way leadership expert Max DePree did: “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” That is why UCLA’s John Wooden, the greatest college basketball coach of all time, said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

UNSELFISHNESS

If a team is to reach its potential, its players must put the team’s agenda ahead of their own. And if you give your best to the team, it will return more to you than you give, and together you will achieve more than you can on our own.

20 tips for being MENTALLY TOUGH

from hoopboost.blogspot.com

1. When you face a setback, think of it as a defining moment that will lead to a future accomplishment.

2. When you encounter adversity, remember, the best don’t just face adversity; they embrace it, knowing it’s not a dead end but a detour to something greater and better.

3. When you face negative people, know that the key to life is to stay positive in the face of negativity, not in the absence of it. After all, everyone will have to overcome negativity to define themselves and create their success.

4. When you face the naysayers, remember the people who believed in you and spoke positive words to you.

5. When you face critics, remember to tune them out and focus only on being the best you can be.

6. When you wake up in the morning, take a morning walk of gratitude and prayer. It will create a fertile mind ready for success.

7. When you fear, trust. Let your faith be greater than your doubt.

8. When you fail, find the lesson in it, and then recall a time you have succeeded.

9. When you head into battle, visualize success.

10. When you are thinking about the past or worrying about the future, instead focus your energy on the present moment. The now is where your power is the greatest.

11. When you want to complain, instead identify a solution.

12. When your own self-doubt crowds your mind, weed it and replace it with positive thoughts and positive self-talk.

13. When you feel distracted, focus on your breathing, observe your surroundings, clear your mind, and get into the The Zone. The Zone is not a random event. It can be created.

14. When you feel all is impossible, know that with God, all things are possible.

15. When you feel alone, think of all the people who have helped you along the way and who love and support you now.

16. When you feel lost, pray for guidance.

17. When you are tired and drained, remember to never, never, never give up. Finish strong in everything you do.

18. When you feel like you can’t do it, know that you can do all things through Him who gives you strength.

19. When you feel like your situation is beyond your control, pray and surrender. Focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t.

20. When you’re in a high pressure situation and the game is on the line, and everyone is watching you, remember to smile, have fun, and enjoy it. Life is short; you only live once. You have nothing to lose. Seize the moment.

2 strike approach

Hitting with two strikes requires a different approach than hitting with less than two strikes.

With two strikes you must hit the pitcher’s pitch (if it is a strike) and you cannot “sit on a pitch”. This type of hitting is know as “reactive” hitting. You must see the ball and react to it

Two strike hitting is much tougher than hitting with less than two strikes. Major League hitters on average hit less than .200 with two strikes and above .320 on average with less than two strikes.
If you want to hit .300 in the Major Leagues, you need to learn to hit with two strikes. If you can get your two strike average up - you will improve your overall batting average

Two strike hitting tips:
1. Keep your swing short. Some hitters shorten their stride or eliminate it altogether with two strikes. The short stride or no stride approach starts with a wider stance to begin with (you are essentially starting in a “pre-stride” position. The longer you can look at the pitch (to identify it) - the better with two strikes.
2. Use an “inside out swing” with two strikes, going to the opposite field will give you longer time to identify the pitch. This is a great time to let the ball get deep and hit the inside half of the baseball.
3. Concede the long ball and just get the barrel on the ball - as Ted Williams used to say. Don’t try to do too much, just hit a line drive (first choice) or ground ball (second choice) somewhere ( to the opposite field if need be).
4. Crowd the plate a little bit. Make sure you have good plate coverage. Don’t let the pitcher sneak a strike by you out there.
5. Widen your strike zone slightly. Don’t chase real bad pitchers, but don’t get “rung up” on a close pitcher either. The “two strike” strike zone should be slightly expanded in the hitter’s mind to avoid being called out.

12 Simple things leaders can do!

12 SIMPLE YET SIGNIFICANT DAILY TO DO'S FOR LEADERS

1. Be the hardest worker at practice today.

Without fail, one of the quickest ways to impact a team is with your own work ethic. Choose to be one of the hardest workers on your team today. Not only does it set the tone for the work ethic of your program, it is also one of the best and quickest ways to enhance your leadership credibility with your teammates and coaches.

2. Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm today.

Let your passion for the sport shine through today. Spread a contagious energy and enthusiasm amongst your teammates. Think about how lucky you are to be able to play and compete. Remember back to when you were a young child and reconnect with the joy you played with back then. Make your sport fun again for yourself and your teammates.

3. Model mental toughness today.

Because your teammates will look to you under pressure, adversity, and stress, be sure to model mental toughness today. Bounce back quickly after errors to show your teammates how to respond to negative situations. Maintain your poise and optimism despite any mistakes you might make so that your teammates can trust and rely on you to get them through the tough times.

4. Connect with a teammate today.

Leadership is all about relationships. Invest the time to build and strengthen the relationships you have with each of your teammates. Inquire about their day, challenges, and goals. Make a special and ongoing effort to get to know every athlete on your team, not just your friends and classmates. The relationship building you do each day will pay off immeasurably down the road. 5. Compliment a teammate today.

Be on the lookout for teammates who are contributing to your team. Call out a teammate for making a hustle play, pushing through a weight workout, recovering quickly from a mistake, getting an A on an exam, etc. Praise the actions and attitudes you want to see repeated. As Mother Teresa once said, "Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless."

6. Challenge a teammate today.

Challenge at least one of your teammates today. Positively push them and yourself to make the most of your workout. Make a friendly wager to see if they can be successful at least 4 out of 5 times in a drill. See if you both can improve your times in conditioning. Offer to stay after to help if there is anything they want to work on. Good leaders consistently invite, inspire, and sometimes implore others to greatness.

7. Support a teammate today.

Odds are, at least one of your teammates is struggling with something today - it could be a performance slump, a rocky romantic relationship, a disagreement with a coach, an unglamorous role, struggling with a class, or a sick family member. Good leaders are consistently on the lookout for teammates who might be struggling and are ready to offer an ear to listen, an encouraging word, a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on.

8. Constructively confront negativity, pessimism, and laziness today.

As a leader, have the courage to constructively confront the negativity, pessimism, and laziness that will crop up on your team from time to time. Instead of fueling the fire by joining in or silently standing by, be sure to refocus your teammates on solutions rather than dwelling on and complaining about the problems. Left unchecked, these problems can quickly grow to distract, divide, and destroy your team.

9. Build and bond your team today.

Team chemistry naturally ebbs and flows throughout the course of the season. Take the time to monitor and maintain your team's chemistry. Let your reserves and support staff know how much you appreciate them. Stay connected and current with each of the natural sub-groups on your team. Douse any brush fires that might be occurring and continually remind team members about your common goal and common bond.

10. Check in with your coach today.

Invest the time to check in with your coach today. Ask what you can do to best help the team this week. Find out what your coach wants to accomplish with today's practice. Also discuss if there is anything your coach is concerned about regarding your team. Discuss your collective insights on your team's chemistry, focus, and mindset. Work together to effectively co-lead your team.

11. Remind your team how today's work leads to tomorrow's dreams.

It's easy to get bogged down during your season with monotonous drills, tiring conditioning, and demanding workouts. Remind your teammates how all the quality work you do today gives you a distinct advantage over your opponents. Help them see and even get excited about how today's hard work is a long-term investment in your team's goals, rather than just a short-term hardship or sacrifice.

12. Represent yourself and team with class and pride today.

Leaders have the awesome privilege and responsibility of representing their teams. Take advantage of this opportunity by representing your team with class and pride today. Hold a door open for someone, sit in the front rows of class and actively engage in the discussion, say please and thank you, dress in respectful attire, etc. These tiny pushes represent you and your team with class and distinction. And they ultimately set you up for a lifetime of respect and success.

HEART

more great stuff from hoopboost.blogspot.com

Some people want everything to be perfect before they’re willing to commit themselves to anything. But commitment always precedes achievement. I am told that in the Kentucky Derby, the winning horse effectively runs out of oxygen after the first half mile, and he goes the rest of the way on heart. That’s why all great athletes recognize its importance. NBA Legend Michael Jordan explains that “heart is what separates the good from the great.” If you want to make a difference in other people’s lives as a leader, look into your heart to see if you’re really committed.

-John Maxwell
From, "The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader"

TOUGHNESS

“I have no individual goals,” said Jordan. “We play for one reason and that’s to win the title. Practice is more important than the games, and I will practice when I’m hurt, when 95 percent of the players in this league would sit out. I expect all of you to do the same thing. You will follow my lead.”

“I didn’t want to give up, no matter how sick I was, or how tired I was, or how low on energy I had,” Jordan said. “I felt an obligation to my team, to the city of Chicago, to go out and five that extra effort.”

“Accept a loss as a learning experience,” said Jordan, “and never point fingers at your teammates.”“There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and will never win titles,” explained Jordan. Most times, these players aren’t willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve.”

YOU HAVE TO BE HUNGRY!

"The second you think you've
arrived, someone passes you.
You have to always be in pursuit."
-Joe Torre

POSITVE SELF TALK

The running dialogue you have going on in your head (even when you aren't reading) is called your "self talk." In fact, although you have thoughts you can't fully express verbally, you could say that thinking is talking to yourslef. Thus, you do it all the time.

What do you say when you talk to yourself about your ability to play baseball?

Remember that what you think often determines how you play. Your thinking consists of your self-talk, along with your imagery. Thus, the words you say to yourself impact how confident you feel, making self-talk a pretty important topic. We are not always aware of what we are saying to ourselves. That's a good thing because if we were aware all of the time we'd go crazy.

However, this is also dangerous because you may be trash talking yourself by saying "I stink," "I can't hit," or "I may never get anyone out" but you aren't aware that you are doing it, you won't tell yourself to stop saying it!

Because of all the failure that is built into baseball, alot of players spend a great deal of time talking negatively to themselves. Your self-talk is something you need to be aware of, at least to some degree. Most important though, make sure you choose to talk to yourself in an encouraging, confidence-enhancing way. In short, talk to yourself the way you'd talk to your best friend.

HOW TO USE SELF-TALK TO ENHANCE YOUR PERFORMANCE

Figure out what you are saying to yourself when playing your best baseball will help you use self-talk to your best advantage. Say that to yourself whether you feel that way or not.

Here are a few examples of self-talk statements you can repeat to yourself anytime:

General:-"I am totally focused on each pitch"

-"I have paid the dues and I am trusting my ability."

-"It is my time."

Hitting:-"Hit it hard"

-"Attack the ball"

-"Be aggressive"-

"Use the whole field"

-"See the ball"

Pitching:-"The ball is going right there."

-"I'm the man."

-"Let it go."

-"Focus on the target, hit the target."

Fielding:-"Hit it to me."

-"I can make any play."

-"Stay down."

-"Quick as a cat."

CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

If you are going to be a championship team, you have to be a championship team in every drill and every situation.

Great players crave instruction on their weaknesses.

Josh Hamilton on mechanics

Good hitting video on some basic mechanics of hitting.

BEING UNCOMMON

Tony Dungy on "Being Uncommon"

"Some players are UNCOMMON because of their God-given natural abilities, like being blessed with the height of Yao Ming or the vertical jump of Michael Jordan. Others have to work to become UNCOMMON.

Steve Kerr of the Chicago Bulls shot five hundred free throws to make himself UNCOMMON.

The truth is most people have a better chance to be UNCOMMON by effort than by natural gifts. Anyone could give that effort in his or her chosen endeavor, but the typical person doesn't, by choosing to do only enough to get by."

THOUGHTS ON BEING A TEAMMATE

Everybody judges players differently. I judge a player by what he does for his team and not what he does for himself. The name of the game is self-sacrifice.”—Billy Martin, New York Yankees

Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”—Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers

I don’t get a big charge out of being the leading scorer. The object of competing is winning. I just try to do what has to be done for us to win. That might be anything at any time—defense, rebounding, passing. I get satisfaction out of being a team player.”—Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers

WORKERS

WORKERS get the most out of themselves; when a body has limited talent, it has to muster all its resources of character to overcome this shortcoming.
If you think you are working hard, you can work harder. If you think you are doing enough, there is more that you can do. No one really ever exhausts his full potential.

Winning takes character and intelligence. It is the most important thing you can do because it’s a reaffirmation of your character.

-Pete Carril-

ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

quote from hoopboost.blogspot.com

“Players always want to blame someone else or circumstances out of their control for their problems. It’s an embarrassing state. Many of today’s players don’t want to be embarrassed, so they spread the embarrassment. The coach didn’t play him enough or he didn’t get enough shots or he has a banged up finger. You find a way not to accept the blame. The better players learn to say, ‘I played bad, but tomorrow I’ll play better.’ A lot of younger players are afraid to admit they have bad nights, but everybody has bad nights and it’s how you rebound from those bad nights that dictates what kind of player you are going to be.”—USA Today interview with Michael Jordan

THE NEXT PLAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT

GREAT STAT!!

Here is a stat passed on to me from "The Lord of Bunts" (Coach Cooley)

Good stat: MLB hitters had a batting average of .143 last year with pitches out of the strike zone. Good stat to tell pitchers when emphasizing getting up in the count.

You must be disciplined at the plate. Have a plan!

Here is the plan we promote:

0 strikes- have that 2-0 count approach, look for something to hammer

1 strike- hammer the next pitch that comes into the hitting zone

2 strikes- nothing gets through the strike zone, put it in play

MOTIVATION TO GIVE IT YOUR BEST EACH DAY

Random motivational thoughts from coaches and players:

The most important time to go to work is when things aren't going well; anyone can work in good times; grind it out in tough times!!!

Sometimes effort alone can keep u in games long enough to sneak out the win; but poor play without any effort will never let you back in a game .

Learn from the last one-focus on the next one; this is the journey through a season; never waste the learning opportunity & always focus ahead.

Working with a defined & focused purpose is what generates results we want; know exactly what you want done-then go do it; you must take action.

The great ones believe in preparation; practice habits; focus; intensity; this describes Lebron, Wade, and Kobe on a daily basis...all the greats!

Sometimes the best question we can ask ourselves is the simplest as well: What can I do to get better? If answered honestly u are on ur way!

Challenges are tough in sports or life; but overcoming challenges is very rewarding; we should never give up or give in; the best overcome!

What players need a better understanding of is that little things - the details - are often what determine the outcome; master the details!

The best in any business know what their job calls for them to do and they do their job COMPLETELY; no questions-no complaints; just produce!

Sometimes the best thing a player can bring to the game each night is their willingness to play hard; the great ones bring it to practice also.

Compete!

"I don't ask a lot. I don't ask you to make shots, but we're going to compete, because that's a character deal. Beyond basketball, in life, you've got to compete. It ain't going to be easy."

"You have to control, what you can control. You have the ability to control the way you compete night in and night out. "

-Doc Sadler

THE BEST

Good, better, best
Never let it rest
Until your good is better
And your better is your best!