From a coach’s standpoint – looking for real talent in the upper level, let me pass on my experiences of reviewing prospects that I remember having the same environment that your in.
Dedication to One Sport:
I’ve seen more prospects make it, with a one sport dedication then not. They’ve used their time wisely, in this regard. They’ve studied the game and the pitcher’s position with sound discipline, time management, and health and nutrition issues that heretofore were missing with other activities. In a cellar, barn, shed or some other place they setup a small gym and asked their parent, uncle, grandfather, etc., to support their work with keeping rep counts, charting, offering suggestions, and injecting praise and criticism equally when warranted. Instead of prosecuting the issue, these prospects enlisted the adult(s) in their life to BE PART OF PROCESS.
Recognizing Talent:
Talent speaks for itself – it’s a universal thing that stands on its own two feet. If ya got-it, ya got-it. If not, trying to focus on something that no one else believes in is a hard sell. In that regard, you can practice, exercise and stuff yourself with wheat germ till it’s coming out of your ears - and still … it’s the same ole you.
Horizons:
Sandy Koufax had a miserable start in the Majors. In fact, few if any though he’s make it. He had a howitzer of an arm, but little control. Adding to this misery were other small minded persuasions at that time. All in all it served him up with a full plate of challenges. Now you’d think with all the talent – coaching wise, in the Major Leagues, someone would have at least given the guy a break with some suggestions. It was a veteran catcher by the name of Norm Sherry who many credit with helping Koufax. And with that – Koufax settled in and had a tremendous career. His work ethic was deliberate. His horizons were met with a drive and dedication that offered him a HOF career.
YOU:
Do you believe in yourself strong enough to honestly say – “yes, I have the will and dedication to devote myself to a disciplined workout, a time management system that I can design that’s attainable, a level of talent that I now have that’s worth improving, I can use this improved level of talent in the mix of other things to help me attain my goals?” Every single prospect that I’ve sent a letter to that started off with .. Congratulations and welcome to our club, has answered those questions for himself long before he walked onto my field. Long before. Hence,If YOU fail to understand the importance of what I just listed, you can’t expect others to understand.
Baseball is one of the greatest motivators on the planet – even more so with the pitcher’s position. Forgive me if I’m partial. I say this because it takes guts – shear guts, to stand out in the middle of an infield, in full view of everyone, and pitch after pitch accept judgments from people who know little or nothing about the game much less the pitcher’s position And better yet, to be called in from another position – given the ball and a few warm up throws and expect to perform …. is a gutsy thing to do, at any age!
Like we say here in Massachusetts with our boys from bean town … Believe…Believe…Believe.!!!
Best wishes Bower
Coach B.
