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Pitch With Your Left Hand: An Introduction to Mental Toughness
Pitch With Your Left Hand: An Introduction to Mental Toughness

I explain quickly, "Not exactly. I suggest you tell the coach that you know you can get the next girl out so give me another chance!" Although I understand Emma's logic, that players think they are helping the team by removing their poor-performing selves from the game, I explain several different concepts. You only fail when you give up. You always have to believe that the next pitch is going to be a great one. A good attitude regardless of the circumstance raises performance. And finally, it’s your coach's decision on who should be put in or taken out, not yours - even if she asks.

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Will the Phrase "It's Not Fair!!!" Ever Die?
Will the Phrase "It's Not Fair!!!" Ever Die?

We just wrapped up our first summer camp of the year, and one of my favorite parts of coaching is that I learn something new every time. We've been running these two-day camps for five years, and while many of the activities stay the same, the athletes always teach me something different.

We end camp with an obstacle course competition where the winning team earns a prize—this year it was gummy worms and a cute yellow bag tag featuring one of my favorite Aristotle quotes: "You are what you repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence is not an act, but a habit."

Every year seems to have a theme of mistakes we’ve made coaching. Once we fix it, the next year, another one pops up.  One year we had to teach athletes how to cheer for one another a little better. Another year we learned that handing out Practice Pro gear at the very end helped everyone leave happier. This year, the theme was fairness.

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How To Get Your Daughter To Practice
How To Get Your Daughter To Practice

You are always trying to "get" your daughter to practice. After all, she said she wanted to be a pitcher, you are spending tons of money on lessons, she is super athletic and is going to be great!! Yet...she won't practice!  You even set up the basement to look like an exact replica of the Rosemont Dome! You nag her, you try to reason with her by explaining all of the benefits of practicing. You feel you have given her all the tools humanly possible, but alas, there she remains comfy on the couch, TV remote in one hand, cell phone in the other.

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Putting in the work on those runs in! 🥎💪 Consistency at the plate = confidence on the field. . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool #softballpitchingschool #runins
Samanta is on a mission to beat her speed record! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
Working on the ‘scoot drill’. This drill helps with driving off the mound straight, and not opening too soon! Give it a try! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
Audrey + Sasha battling it out for their teams!
In honor of Thanksgiving tomorrow..we asked the girls to tell us what they are grateful for. Take a moment to appreciate the things in life, tell us in the comments what you’re grateful for! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
End of class game and we put on the pressure 😎. This is the Game of 5 - start with 5. If you got the spot, you go down one. If you miss, you go up one. If you get to 10 you lose = have to do 10 push ups If you get to 0 you win = No push ups. . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
💥Pitching drill: The snow pump drill is a game-changer for staying straight and resisting the urge to open too soon. Try it out! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
6 oclocks! (Psst..not the time, it’s a drill) It’s the last part of our arm circle breakdown. Notice how when she pitches she doesn’t take a step? This is so you can focus on your arm circle and follow through.
Even an injury can’t stop Jolene from improving her game! 💪 She showed up to class and focused on fine-tuning her leg mechanics. Progress doesn’t stop.. it just adapts. . . #practicepro #chicagosoftball #softballpitching #softballpitchingschool
Parent Pitch! It’s always fun to be able to include parents in our classes. . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
Putting in the work on those runs in! 🥎💪 Consistency at the plate = confidence on the field. . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool #softballpitchingschool #runins
Samanta is on a mission to beat her speed record! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
Working on the ‘scoot drill’. This drill helps with driving off the mound straight, and not opening too soon! Give it a try! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
Audrey + Sasha battling it out for their teams!
In honor of Thanksgiving tomorrow..we asked the girls to tell us what they are grateful for. Take a moment to appreciate the things in life, tell us in the comments what you’re grateful for! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
End of class game and we put on the pressure 😎. This is the Game of 5 - start with 5. If you got the spot, you go down one. If you miss, you go up one. If you get to 10 you lose = have to do 10 push ups If you get to 0 you win = No push ups. . .
💥Pitching drill: The snow pump drill is a game-changer for staying straight and resisting the urge to open too soon. Try it out! . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool
6 oclocks! (Psst..not the time, it’s a drill) It’s the last part of our arm circle breakdown. Notice how when she pitches she doesn’t take a step? This is so you can focus on your arm circle and follow through.
Even an injury can’t stop Jolene from improving her game! 💪 She showed up to class and focused on fine-tuning her leg mechanics. Progress doesn’t stop.. it just adapts. . . #practicepro #chicagosoftball #softballpitching #softballpitchi
Parent Pitch! It’s always fun to be able to include parents in our classes. . . #practicepro #softballpitching #pitchingschool