Today is our first little league game. My young little team has put in a ton of time practicing. I believe most teams have probably practiced may 4 or 5 times in the last two weeks, we've practiced 8. It's not that I care about winning because I know we will lose our share of games, but it's about teaching. I want so badly for each one of these kids to learn so much and all the while still love and appreciate the game. I was reading something on Kristin Armstrongs blog the other day that really summed up why we should all be out there.
Her kids are obviously very competitive and one of the twins was getting ready for a run. She was scared that she wasn't going to win. Here's a part of the conversation they had.
"What if I don't run well?" she asks as she straightens and readjusts her number. It has to be just so.
"It depends," I say.
"On what?" she says, more accustomed to a lecture than my mystery.
"On the glory," I say.
"Whose glory?"
"Exactly," I say. "If you are running for your own glory, sometimes you will achieve and rejoice and other times you will fail and be miserable. It depends on the day."
"And otherwise?" she asks. With me there is usually an otherwise.
"Otherwise, if you are running and using your gift to glorify God -not yourself - then you will always rejoice and you don't have to worry about being disappointed. Different days will be different but you don't have to stress about the outcome. You can just have fun and enjoy your gift."
She looked me right in the eye. "Then I choose that."
"Great," I said. "You just changed your life, right there. Now let's go."
I'm probably not allowed to talk about God on the field, but this really summed it up. It really isn't about winning if you can enjoy the experience and give that experience right back to God. Winning is so short sighted if that's all we focus on. Don't get me wrong, I like to win. I definitely will take winning over losing any day of the week, but my goal this year is to give each one of these kids the best possible experience that I can.
This year I've taken things even a little further and started video taping some of the kids pitching and hitting. The things you can see while watching film frame by frame. One of my most talented players was having issues with his control while pitching. Just watching him, he's got great form and maybe just releases the ball a little funny. After watching the film though it was a huge eye opener. The little guy is all over the place. In fact, one of the issues is his elbow is too high when he releases the ball. This is something that needs to be corrected asap just to keep his arm healthy.
I've learned so much over the years and some stuff I wonder what the heck was I thinking. Over time you learn what's important to fix now vs what can be over looked and worked on as their arms mature. The tough part about the first game is the parents. For now, they think your a good coach, but when they see their kid either sit the bench or get very little playing time, then you become the not so good guy. This is the worst part about coaching any sport. I would love to play everyone all the time, but you have to look out for the entire team as well as the safety of the kids. In minors, everyone wants to play on the infield. When making the line up, it's no fun having to put some of your favorite kids somewhere they don't want to be. I've got one little eight year old on the team that just loves the game and always shows up ready to play. I'm just not sure if he is ready for the infield yet. I don't want him to lose his excitement for the game by being bored to death in the outfield, but I really don't have much of an option at least early on in the game. If we can get a lead and stay in front by a safe amount (is there really a safe amount in little league) I'll move some of the less talented kids into the infield. It all comes down to how much a child works on his skills while not at practice. Dad's need to throw with their kids. Repetition is the key. The more they do it, the better and more relaxed they will be.
We'll I've mumbled enough. Gotta get back to work. I'll fill you in tomorrow with how the game goes. Hoping for the best, but remembering still, WHO get's the glory.
Her kids are obviously very competitive and one of the twins was getting ready for a run. She was scared that she wasn't going to win. Here's a part of the conversation they had.
"What if I don't run well?" she asks as she straightens and readjusts her number. It has to be just so.
"It depends," I say.
"On what?" she says, more accustomed to a lecture than my mystery.
"On the glory," I say.
"Whose glory?"
"Exactly," I say. "If you are running for your own glory, sometimes you will achieve and rejoice and other times you will fail and be miserable. It depends on the day."
"And otherwise?" she asks. With me there is usually an otherwise.
"Otherwise, if you are running and using your gift to glorify God -not yourself - then you will always rejoice and you don't have to worry about being disappointed. Different days will be different but you don't have to stress about the outcome. You can just have fun and enjoy your gift."
She looked me right in the eye. "Then I choose that."
"Great," I said. "You just changed your life, right there. Now let's go."
I'm probably not allowed to talk about God on the field, but this really summed it up. It really isn't about winning if you can enjoy the experience and give that experience right back to God. Winning is so short sighted if that's all we focus on. Don't get me wrong, I like to win. I definitely will take winning over losing any day of the week, but my goal this year is to give each one of these kids the best possible experience that I can.
This year I've taken things even a little further and started video taping some of the kids pitching and hitting. The things you can see while watching film frame by frame. One of my most talented players was having issues with his control while pitching. Just watching him, he's got great form and maybe just releases the ball a little funny. After watching the film though it was a huge eye opener. The little guy is all over the place. In fact, one of the issues is his elbow is too high when he releases the ball. This is something that needs to be corrected asap just to keep his arm healthy.
I've learned so much over the years and some stuff I wonder what the heck was I thinking. Over time you learn what's important to fix now vs what can be over looked and worked on as their arms mature. The tough part about the first game is the parents. For now, they think your a good coach, but when they see their kid either sit the bench or get very little playing time, then you become the not so good guy. This is the worst part about coaching any sport. I would love to play everyone all the time, but you have to look out for the entire team as well as the safety of the kids. In minors, everyone wants to play on the infield. When making the line up, it's no fun having to put some of your favorite kids somewhere they don't want to be. I've got one little eight year old on the team that just loves the game and always shows up ready to play. I'm just not sure if he is ready for the infield yet. I don't want him to lose his excitement for the game by being bored to death in the outfield, but I really don't have much of an option at least early on in the game. If we can get a lead and stay in front by a safe amount (is there really a safe amount in little league) I'll move some of the less talented kids into the infield. It all comes down to how much a child works on his skills while not at practice. Dad's need to throw with their kids. Repetition is the key. The more they do it, the better and more relaxed they will be.
We'll I've mumbled enough. Gotta get back to work. I'll fill you in tomorrow with how the game goes. Hoping for the best, but remembering still, WHO get's the glory.
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