Why You Should Forget About Winning Games From Mr. Miyagi
/Unless you are a member of the Kobra Kai dojo, you understand that winning isn’t everything. But are you showing “no mercy” in your fall ball games in spite of that understanding?
Travel coaches struggle with getting the most out of their pitchers. Due to the lengthy schedule of the year-long season, it’s hard to know what game or tournament you are developing for. In college, that’s easy, it’s the world series. In travel ball, are we trying to win the last tourey in July? The one with the hardest teams? Or every game? Fall ball has becoming more meaningful over the years. It’s overwhelming when it seems like every single game is important. If coaches make their goal to win each tournament and each game with little regard as to how to get there, pitcher development can become stunted. Players peak early or not at all.
I offer an alternative.
You know the saying, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game?” One has to do with attitude and sportsmanship. It also has to do with long-term strategy. In order to enable you and your players to try new things, allow for mistakes, and accumulate enough time to hone skills, coaches need to assign a meaning to each tournament.
Choose a competition that will represent your playoffs towards the end of the summer. Communicate that to your players and parents. Along the way assign a handful of games that you would act as “conference games,” or games that are must-win. Use these games to test what you have built thus far and make adjustments for the championship tournament.
When you neglect long-term planning and play each game with the goal of winning instead learning, you will hurt your pitching staff in the long run. For example, in a "non-conference" game, challenge your pitcher to throw only her change up and drop ball so that she might be prepared to pitch them under pressure in a “playoff” game.
Here are a few reasons why organizing your season starting in the fall will benefit your pitching staff in the long run.
You will improve depth. When you get to the games you want to win the most you’ll have up to five pitchers to choose from, each with confidence and a fresh arm.
Your best pitcher will never feel entitled. She will need to push herself mentally and physically to her potential. She won’t be satisfied with being one position better than the number two.
You’ll give your pitchers the opportunity to excel at other positions. You’ll decrease risk of injury and have an athletic pitcher who can move her body ways besides in the windmill motion.
You’ll send the message that everyone has a chance (and everyone can lose their chance). If a #4 pitcher knows she’s going to pitch the second game of a tournament I assure you she’s more likely to practice for it. This improves the bottom line. As you know, you're only as good as the weakest link. The girl who loses all hope might become a poison to the team.
No matter what your strategy is, communicate your plans at the beginning of the year to parents. No need to go Miyagi-style and secretly try to teach them something. This will make them mad. I definitely dig the secret Miyagi paint-the-fence muscle-memory thing. But kids and parents these days like to know the Why. Re-communicate it every tournament and every game. Make it your mantra. After all, you need the parents to reinforce the plan to their daughters during their car ride home. “Well, you remember what your coach said; you need to get your strike percentage up to 50% before you can start a game.” If you can get parents to buy in and repeat your principles to your players it will your team will be able to “Finish!” all your competitors.
