Mental Discipline by John Gay (Reprint from E-Teamz.com)

Being able to throw strikes requires two important elements:

1. The physical ability to control the softball.

2. The mental capacity of the pitcher to control herself.

All the physical ability in the world will not make a pitcher a winner without mental discipline. A pitcher can be helped with their mental discipline, but ultimately controls her own destiny.

What is the major requirement for being a pitcher? Very simple - wanting to be one. But this wanting has to be enough to do something about it. They have to practice in the off-season and practice even more during the season. A pitcher must have the mental control to practice, especially when they could be doing something else with their friends that may seem like a lot more fun.

Team Player

Your performance will ultimately control the tempo of the game. Your attitude will affect the mood of your teammates. If you have a good game, so will your teammates. And if you hare having a bad game, your teammates will judge your attitude during the bad times and perform accordingly. Sometimes one bad inning can be turned around in your favor by "staying up" and having the "up" feeling rub off onto your teammates. If you come to the game complaining of aches and pains, or a problem you're having, it will have a damaging effect on the attitude of your teammates.

Some pitchers, when asked how they feel before the game, make excuses or complain of aches in case they lose. They have a sore arm, a sick stomach, or talk about staying up late the night before. When this information gets to their teammates they start worrying about the pitcher not being one hundred percent and the possibility of losing. It is a good idea, even if the pitcher does not feel at their best, to give their teammates the impression that they are ready to go.

The pitcher can make their team sky high with encouragement, or in the pits with criticism. If the pitcher is working hard and is supportive of their teammates, they will play hard behind them. In other words, if a teammate makes an error, be a leader and be supportive.

After making a bad pitch, a pitcher should not be embarrassed. Lingering on the mistake causes negative thinking. Positive thinking or self-talk causes the pitcher to think ahead to how well or good the next pitch is going to be. This is also a good time for visualization.

A pitcher should not compare themselves to other pitchers. What is important is to compare their own performance to their last performance and try to be as good as they can be.. The pitcher who improves on previous performance is a success.

What can a pitcher do to help the team? They can be a team player. Sometimes a pitcher must be the substitute. Will they cheer the team on and be supportive, or sulk? Some pitchers think they should play all the time. What if all the players felt that way?

If the pitcher does not come to practice or comes late to practice or a game, why should the coach want to play them? If a pitcher's attitude in practice is, "I don't care", why would the coach want to play them? If a pitcher has been asked to work on a weakness and doesn't show any interest in developing that skill, why should the coach play that pitcher or player when the weakness will hurt the team?

When the coach makes a decision in the game or at practice, it is usually for the benefit of the team. A pitcher will muddle their brain with negative thoughts trying to second-guess the coach. Don't wonder why, or listen to the complaints of others. Everyone on the team has their own problems, If the pitcher listens to someone else's problem, that person has relieved themselves of their problem - but the pitcher now has two problems to deal with. There is a proper person on the team to take your problems to - your coach.

A major problem on a team is team members not getting along. The pitcher should not make this worse by talking about it or picking on the player(s) or forming a clique. Pitchers should concentrate on developing their skills and let the coaches develop the team. If every player does their part, the whole team will be successful!

Inspiration

A Poem - The FastPitch Player

At one time she looked cute as a button dressed in pink with ponytails. She had tea parties with her stuffed animals and dolls and helped Mom bake cookies.

She had been, and always will be, Mommy's and Daddy's little girl. Today the fastpitch player still has the same little girl attributes. The only difference is she looks cute in her sliders and shorts. If she's wearing ribbons in her hair, they are the team colors.

She has become Mommy's and Daddy's little hitter.

The fastpitch player is proud of how dirty she can get.

On a normal family dinner outing, she takes up to an hour primping to get ready, and she still feels somewhat self-conscious. However between tournament games, she'll strut into any restaurant with a streak of dirt across her face, ratted sweaty hair, a dirt stained shirt, bloody knees, and brown socks (they used to be white) with sandals with a toe sticking out, and yell, "Lets eat!"

The fastpitch player typically has an extensive wardrobe. She has several old uniforms she has outgrown, but has not discarded because, well, you never know.

She has several hundred tee shirts and boxer shorts from camps, leagues, and tournaments around the country. When her parents say wear something nice, she wears stuff from regional or national events.

The fastpitch player needs to get a scholarship, because her parents are broke spending thousands of dollars paying for camps, batting lessons, pitching lessons, catching lessons, hotel rooms, out to eat between tournament games, league fees, equipment, etc., etc....

The fastpitch player is a fierce competitor. She is willing to stand 45' away from a pitcher and take a pitch with a measured reaction time that even a major league baseball player would struggle to hit.

She might only be 4'3" and 75 pounds (soaking wet), but she'll dig in at 3rd or 1st, 25 feet away from the batter and challenge them to drive one down her throat.

The fastpitch player has more spirit than any other sport. She'll go home hoarse from cheering and rooting her team on into the final innings.
 

She plays the sport for all the right reasons, she loves the game.

She could spend the weekend watching TV or out at the arcade or the mall with all her non sport friends, because all her sport friends are at a tournament somewhere, but she chooses to spend her weekend in the 100 degree heat, waiting to get in the game.

The fastpitch player is diligent and hard working.

She knows the value of hard work.

She understands that you get out of something what you put in it.

She is competitive and doesn't give up very easily.

She learns teamwork and spirit.

Most of all she learns to respect all, but fear none.

Reprinted from the Lacey Storm web site

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