Am I In SCHAPE?

AM I IN SCHAPE?

Six intangibles that make a player invaluable:

Spirit Excellence requires a high level of energy. Great teams are able to infuse their practices with enthusiasm. A quiet field is a losing field. Spirit, noise and zest must be a part of practice, day in and day out.

Communication Communication is a skill that can be learned. Most players are too into themselves. Using your teammates’ names, giving meaningful information relevant to what is going on, talking in a way that communicates praise and encouragement, and making eye contact are effective ways to communicate.

Hustle Hustle is not a sometimes thing. It is an all-the-time thing. It is very contagious. Don’t expect your teammates to listen to you and request you if you are not one of your team’s best hustlers.

Approach Your approach is the method that you go about doing something. Your approach says a lot to your coach and your teammates about you. Your body language speaks volumes about your approach, especially when things aren’t going well.

Precision Precision does not mean never making mistakes. Special players pay very close attention to doing things the right way. They base their game on habit, not hope. Great players have the ability over and over again to do things precisely right.

Enhancement Most people in life only do what is expected of them. A great leader finds the way to do the extra, to go beyond what is required. A great leader enhances the environment.

Where do I stand in times of challenge and controversy as compared to times of ease?

Can I respond productively?

Am I in SCHAPE?

Note: Most, if not all, of the material that appears in the “What We, And Others Smarter, Believe” section has been borrowed from fellow coaches, including former colleagues Randall Zimmerman, Steve Hopkins, Mike McBride, Tami Holthus and Brian Lohafer.

25 Instructions for Success…In Baseball and In Life

25 Instructions for Success…In Baseball and In Life

1. Compliment three people each day.
2. Look people in the eye.
3. Say “thank you” and “please.”
4. Admit your mistakes.
5. Keep secrets.
6. Never cheat.
7. Learn to listen.
8. Never deprive someone of home; it might be all they have.
9. Enter a room with purpose and confidence.
10. Don’t gossip.
11. Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
12. When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail.
13. Don’t expect life to be fair.
14. Learn to say no, politely and quickly.
15. Instead of using the word “problem,” try substituting the word “opportunity.”
16. Be bold and courageous. When you look back in life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.
17. Forget committees. New, noble, world-changing ideas always come from one person working alone.
18. Wage war against littering.
19. Don’t procrastinate.
20. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
21. Don’t be afraid to say, “I’m sorry.”
22. Wear a seatbelt when riding in a vehicle.
23. Get your priorities straight.
24. Make a list of 25 things you want to experience before you die.
25. Call your mother.

Note: Most, if not all, of the material that appears in the “What We, And Others Smarter, Believe” section has been borrowed from fellow coaches, including former colleagues Randall Zimmerman, Steve Hopkins, Mike McBride, Tami Holthus and Brian Lohafer.

The Seventeen Qualities of A Winning Player

SEVENTEEN QUALITIES OF A WINNING PLAYER

1. LOYALTY — Above all things, an athlete must be loyal. In cases where disloyal actions and attitudes cannot be changed, action must be taken to rid ourselves of those among us who see no value in our cause.

2. COURAGE — Athletes must be fearless and accept risks. An athlete will inherit periods of loneliness, despair, ridicule and rejection. But an athlete must have the courage to act with confidence in times of uncertainty and in times of prosperity.

3. DESIRE — Athletes with desire will influence other athletes. Desire becomes infectious. All good athletes are never without strong personal desire.

4. EMOTIONAL STAMINA — All athletes must have stamina to recover rapidly from fatigue, disappointment and discouragement. Athletes cannot become distorted in their views and lose perspective or emotional strength.

5. PHYSICAL STAMINA — A healthy body supports a healthy mind. A body not properly used becomes abused.

6. EMPATHY — An appreciation for and an understanding of the values of others.

7. DECISIVENESS — Knowing when to act and when not to act. Not being decisive confuses teammates and serves the opponent well.

8. ANTICIPATION — Learning by instinct. Anticipation bears a level of risk that is accepted by leaders.

9. TIMING — Essential to all acts of leadership; athletes gain timing skills by applying lessons learned through failure.

10. COMPETITIVENESS — Essential to all athletes. A leader without a sense of competitiveness is weak and easily overcome by the slightest challenge.

11. SELF-CONFIDENCE — A personal feeling of assurance with which one can meet all challenges. Confidence has powerful magnetism.

12. ACCOUNTABILITY — Never praise or blame others for what they themselves achieve or fail to accomplish. Learn to account for personal actions.

13. RESPONSIBILITY — Athletes accept full responsibility for their actions.

14. CREDIBILITY — Athletes must be trusted. If an athlete cannot be trusted, he/she must be removed from positions of responsibility.

15. TENACITY — The weak persist only when things go their way. The strong persist through discouragement.

16. DEPENDABILITY — If an athlete cannot be depended upon in all situations to carry out his roles and responsibilities, he must be relieved. A coach cannot observe each and every action of his athlete; therefore, he must depend on the athlete.

17. STEWARDSHIP — An athlete must encourage confidence, trust and loyalty from other athletes. They must care for one another, and care for the interests and well being of their teammates.

Note: Most, if not all, of the material that appears in the “What We, And Others Smarter, Believe” section has been borrowed from fellow coaches, including former colleagues Randall Zimmerman, Steve Hopkins, Mike McBride, Tami Holthus and Brian Lohafer.