At some point, we lose our confidence. This could be the culmination of events or surrounding ourselves with a toxic environment. In reality, though we can find its’ origin in our insecurities and belief systems. In episode 14 of the Closing Pitch, Spiker and Dave talk about insecurities. Both hosts give stories from their past on how people approach these insecurities. Spiker used to use music and a two-lane highway to battle his future self.
I’ve been watching fall baseball the last five years and I felt the urge to write this piece. These are observations that I have thought long and hard about. They actually root back to the days of playing at Missouri State and manifested themselves from the tweet I sent last week. Please read carefully, feel free to share with your own player. These thoughts are unemotional and unbiased. It’s purely black and white.
There are three types of players.
Before you read this, there is nothing wrong with who these players are. They are simply in a stage of their life. It’s their mentality at the time. The good thing is, is that mentality can change and grow. People gain this edge at different stages. You can accelerate or decelerate your growth. Some reach the point of player 3 during their athletic career, and some get there afterwards, and others never reach it.
The tweet above is what I have found as the formula to become unbeatable. Here are the three players:
Player 1: They wait to be told what to do and do it at half speed because they feel tired, hungry, or lethargic. This does not mean they don’t excel on certain days of the week. The conditions have to be perfect for them to max out their abilities. They don’t put in extra time on their own. If they do, it’s because they are hanging out with a group. They are good at showing up and listening. They will work hard when they feel their best.
Player 2: They wait to be told what to do and they do it full speed. They can fight through thoughts of tiredness. They will do work on their own, but they prefer not too. You will see this player working out on their own for a week because they were told to do it. After a couple of days they go back to their default and wait for their next point of guidance.
They can workout extra by themselves but choose to be in a group setting. They are good at showing up, listening, and working hard. They will do some research, but they don’t find an interest in it.
Player 3: They do what they are told but they also look to add more by their own volition. They choose to research, learn, and grow even when they don’t feel their best. They truly look to get better 365 days. They are the ones who will workout 2–3 times a day. They don’t care if they workout by themselves or with a group. They just want to get better. They find a way to achieve it, even when it’s the most inconvenient type of setting. They are good at showing up, listening, knowing how to research, working hard, and they love doing it themselves.
The best part of knowing these players is being honest, knowing your goals, and having the ability to improve on becoming “player 3”. I view coaching as a method of not creating division 1 athletes, even though it is awesome, but I view it as a way to grow a player’s strength.
Anyone can develop a physical skill set. It’s even easier when the person is motivated, but I think the hardest part is getting the player to a mental strength where they are an unbelievable force. A force in which they command a room and have the ability to get through any circumstance. This is where coaching become more about making a person strong enough to fight through future heart breaks.
The quality of teachings can really be told when a player reaches a failing moment in a game or even how the player handles themselves outside the field. Does the player over react? How do they dress? How do the speak? How are they amongst adults and their friends? These are questions I ponder each year as a new Tiger graduating class moves onto college.
This is how I evaluate myself. Are they strong in these categories? What do I need to fix in my approach as a teacher to help them for life? These areas include discipline, work ethic, and character.
After evaluating, I then go to the drawing board and adjust where needed with the new clients I teach, the players I coach, and the classes I instruct.
Thank you for reading. If you find value in this email please forward it onto your player.
