News and Announcements
"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." - Babe Ruth
"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." - Henry Ford
"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." - Henry Ford
I Believe In Softball.
I believe in competition and camaraderie.
I believe in brackets, bubble gum, and bang-bang plays.
I believe that attendance and preparation win games.
I believe there is more to being a good batter than just being a good hitter.
I believe in being relaxed on defense until the batter lifts her front foot.
I believe it's ok to use defensive shifts to play the odds, and head games.
I believe in checking on the condition of injured opponents.
I believe players can get better with age.
I believe taking winter BP with a cheap bat helps to hit summer homers with an expensive bat.
I believe in running out routine grounders and lazy fly balls, no matter how frustrated I am.
I believe it is better to be a smart base runner than a fast one.
I believe in the nervous anticipation of a play at the plate.
I believe in the magical moment of recognition after contact on a "no-doubter" home run.
I believe in catchers who talk junk and pitchers who throw it.
I believe in infielders who think getting dirty is part of the job description.
I believe in fast outfielders who do not hug the lines or play to deep.
I believe rattling bats can wake them up, and uncrossing them can avoid bad luck.
I believe in wiping the morning dew off a ball, and squinting into the sunset.
I believe in saving an equipment catalog until the next issue replaces it.
I believe photos, autographed balls and scorebook pages can be better than trophies and t-shirts.
I BELIEVE THERE IS NO OFF-SEASON... JUST A LONGER WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT GAME.
I believe in the butterflies of opening day and the long drive home after the final game.
I believe in showing appreciation to your family and friends who came to watch you play.
I believe in thanking the umps when the game is over, regardless of the score.
I believe in only cheering for my team and disregarding teams that cheer against their opponents.
I believe the final score is part of the overall experience.
I BELIEVE IN SOFTBALL!
I believe in competition and camaraderie.
I believe in brackets, bubble gum, and bang-bang plays.
I believe that attendance and preparation win games.
I believe there is more to being a good batter than just being a good hitter.
I believe in being relaxed on defense until the batter lifts her front foot.
I believe it's ok to use defensive shifts to play the odds, and head games.
I believe in checking on the condition of injured opponents.
I believe players can get better with age.
I believe taking winter BP with a cheap bat helps to hit summer homers with an expensive bat.
I believe in running out routine grounders and lazy fly balls, no matter how frustrated I am.
I believe it is better to be a smart base runner than a fast one.
I believe in the nervous anticipation of a play at the plate.
I believe in the magical moment of recognition after contact on a "no-doubter" home run.
I believe in catchers who talk junk and pitchers who throw it.
I believe in infielders who think getting dirty is part of the job description.
I believe in fast outfielders who do not hug the lines or play to deep.
I believe rattling bats can wake them up, and uncrossing them can avoid bad luck.
I believe in wiping the morning dew off a ball, and squinting into the sunset.
I believe in saving an equipment catalog until the next issue replaces it.
I believe photos, autographed balls and scorebook pages can be better than trophies and t-shirts.
I BELIEVE THERE IS NO OFF-SEASON... JUST A LONGER WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT GAME.
I believe in the butterflies of opening day and the long drive home after the final game.
I believe in showing appreciation to your family and friends who came to watch you play.
I believe in thanking the umps when the game is over, regardless of the score.
I believe in only cheering for my team and disregarding teams that cheer against their opponents.
I believe the final score is part of the overall experience.
I BELIEVE IN SOFTBALL!
Getting mentally as well as physically prepared to hit must be done not only before the game but before your at-bat as well. Your at-bat begins when you step into the on-deck circle. Get your intensity level, aggressive attitude and swing mechanics properly prepared in the circle, then carry them with you into the box. Intensity and aggressiveness must be practiced!
HIT IT HARD SOMEWHERE!
The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage of weapons is in my favor and I let the girl with the ball do the fretting.
HIT IT HARD SOMEWHERE!
The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage of weapons is in my favor and I let the girl with the ball do the fretting.
Stepping outside the bubble is a way for a player to refocus, mentally and emotionally during a game. This is done in a couple of easy steps.
First, when a player goes out onto the field, they need to draw an imaginary circle in which they should be standing every time the pitcher goes into her wind up. This is your “bubble”. While in this bubble you are completely and totally focused. Your entire attention is on the play that’s at hand. The field could be experiencing a 6.0 earthquake and you wouldn’t feel it. Your bubble is a vacuum, totally void of all outside distractions. These distractions could be, but are not limited to...
- The weather.
- The fans.
- The other team’s dugout.
- The pain or discomfort of an injury.
- The thought of a mistake you just made.
- Thoughts about family problems, a big test in school, your driver’s exam.
- Thoughts about the great play you just made.
- Thoughts about what could happen two plays from now.
- Etc., etc., etc.
Your bubble is that spot on the field you dream about. It’s the spot on the field that defines why you’re here, why you love this game. It’s the same spot on the field where great players have stood before. Yet, at each moment, just as the pitcher gets ready to pitch...it’s YOUR spot!
You know the count, you know the outs, you know where base runners are and you KNOW the next ball is coming right to you!
So, just exactly how does this bubble work? After each pitch take a step backwards, out of your bubble, and do the following:
1. Consider the base runners and the outs and ask yourself; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED)
2. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
3. Talk to yourself about how to prevent repeating an error you just made.
4. Tell yourself that those players in the other dugout don’t know how to cheer.
5. Wish that your dad would stop trying to coach you from the bleachers.
6. Remind yourself that you’re going to have to ice that sore hand after the game.
7. Shake off any other annoying thoughts or distractions.
8. Consider the base runners and the outs and ask yourself; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED)
You’ve got about 10 seconds to do all of that, making sure that the first and last thing you do is to Consider the base runners and the outs and ask yourself; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED)
Next, once your “self talk” is over, and you’ve Considered the base runners and the outs and you’ve answered the question; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED), then just before the pitcher goes into her delivery do the following---very deliberately:
1. Take a step forward, into your bubble.
2. Set up in the perfect ‘ready’ position.
3. Completely eliminate all distracting thoughts from your mind
4. NOW TUNE IN AND FOCUS.
5. Fielders, focus only on the batter.
Catcher, focus only on the pitcher’s release point. Pitcher, focus only on the catcher’s target.
The key here is FOCUS! You’ve just spent the last 10 seconds talking to yourself. Now you focus. Tune EVERYTHING out and just focus. You get into the perfect ready position and just focus.
BAM!...the pitch is thrown, the play is over. Now step backwards, out of your bubble, and do it all over again...
This cycle of defocusing, self talk, and refocusing will greatly improve your concentration. It’s a quick way of fine-tuning your mind during the game and could be just the key to help take your game to the next level.
Note: While this exercise has been described as a defensive exercise, every player on the field can benefit from it. That includes batters, base runners and coaches.
First, when a player goes out onto the field, they need to draw an imaginary circle in which they should be standing every time the pitcher goes into her wind up. This is your “bubble”. While in this bubble you are completely and totally focused. Your entire attention is on the play that’s at hand. The field could be experiencing a 6.0 earthquake and you wouldn’t feel it. Your bubble is a vacuum, totally void of all outside distractions. These distractions could be, but are not limited to...
- The weather.
- The fans.
- The other team’s dugout.
- The pain or discomfort of an injury.
- The thought of a mistake you just made.
- Thoughts about family problems, a big test in school, your driver’s exam.
- Thoughts about the great play you just made.
- Thoughts about what could happen two plays from now.
- Etc., etc., etc.
Your bubble is that spot on the field you dream about. It’s the spot on the field that defines why you’re here, why you love this game. It’s the same spot on the field where great players have stood before. Yet, at each moment, just as the pitcher gets ready to pitch...it’s YOUR spot!
You know the count, you know the outs, you know where base runners are and you KNOW the next ball is coming right to you!
So, just exactly how does this bubble work? After each pitch take a step backwards, out of your bubble, and do the following:
1. Consider the base runners and the outs and ask yourself; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED)
2. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
3. Talk to yourself about how to prevent repeating an error you just made.
4. Tell yourself that those players in the other dugout don’t know how to cheer.
5. Wish that your dad would stop trying to coach you from the bleachers.
6. Remind yourself that you’re going to have to ice that sore hand after the game.
7. Shake off any other annoying thoughts or distractions.
8. Consider the base runners and the outs and ask yourself; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED)
You’ve got about 10 seconds to do all of that, making sure that the first and last thing you do is to Consider the base runners and the outs and ask yourself; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED)
Next, once your “self talk” is over, and you’ve Considered the base runners and the outs and you’ve answered the question; “If this ball comes to me, what am I going to do with it” (REQUIRED), then just before the pitcher goes into her delivery do the following---very deliberately:
1. Take a step forward, into your bubble.
2. Set up in the perfect ‘ready’ position.
3. Completely eliminate all distracting thoughts from your mind
4. NOW TUNE IN AND FOCUS.
5. Fielders, focus only on the batter.
Catcher, focus only on the pitcher’s release point. Pitcher, focus only on the catcher’s target.
The key here is FOCUS! You’ve just spent the last 10 seconds talking to yourself. Now you focus. Tune EVERYTHING out and just focus. You get into the perfect ready position and just focus.
BAM!...the pitch is thrown, the play is over. Now step backwards, out of your bubble, and do it all over again...
This cycle of defocusing, self talk, and refocusing will greatly improve your concentration. It’s a quick way of fine-tuning your mind during the game and could be just the key to help take your game to the next level.
Note: While this exercise has been described as a defensive exercise, every player on the field can benefit from it. That includes batters, base runners and coaches.
DON'T TELL ME LATER THAT YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW
Posted by John Cartwright at May 4, 2006 5:00PM PDT
( 0 Comments
)
- You're not a baby - there is no crying in softball.
- Practice is scheduled, be there.
- I talk, you listen.
- If you don't want to be here, leave.
- No pass, no play. We don't want or need players too lazy to study. This is a mental game.
- The practice time is the starting time, not the time to start putting on your cleats and pulling out your gear.
- Team equipment is on loan to you. It is not to be left out of place and unattended. There are no replacement items except those for sale in the sporting goods stores. Replacement items you purchase due to carelessness are still team equipment.
- Don't tell me why you can't when I want to know how you can.
- I'd rather have players that can't, but try, than those who can but won't try.
- Don't ask the question if you don't want the truth.
- Team events on and off the field are still team events. If you wanna be part of the team, be at all the events.
- Let's do it a little different than the other teams. Let's work hard at practice and have fun at the games.
Seasons
Sponsors
