What Little League Doesn't Teach You About Commitment

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Sometimes one simple question changes the way you look at playing forever.

Our latest guest speaker at the Practice Pro Recruiting Cohort was Coach Brandon Elliott, one of the most accomplished coaches in NCAA Division III softball history. During our conversation, Coach Brandon shared a lesson he credits to Marquette men's basketball coach Shaka Smart. It perfectly described something I've seen over and over again in pitching instruction. It's also one of the key questions he asks every player—and one of the qualities he looks for when recruiting.

Are you interested...or are you committed?

Commitment means continuing to do something long after the excitement that made you start has faded. He explained that many athletes confuse being interested in softball with being committed to softball.

The Interested Athlete

An interested athlete:

  • Loves playing when it's fun.

  • Enjoys success.

  • Is excited when things are going well.

  • Works hard when it's convenient.

  • Loses enthusiasm when practices become difficult.

  • Wants the rewards without always embracing the work.

Coach Brandon pointed out that many athletes are interested until:

  • Practices become demanding.

  • Coaches push them.

  • They're tired.

  • Travel becomes exhausting.

  • Adversity hits.

That's when the excitement begins to fade.

However, the committed athlete…

  • Shows up on the hard days.

  • Practices even when they don't feel motivated.

  • Stays disciplined after a bad tournament.

  • Keeps improving even when progress feels slow.

  • Falls in love with the process, not just the results.

Interested athletes practice when it's convenient, but committed athletes practice because it’s on their schedule, and they know the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term discomfort.

Pitchers Can't Do It Alone

One thing I'd add to Coach Brandon's message is how this applies to us at Practice Pro and pitchers and what I’ve found. Pitching is different from almost every other position. A pitcher cannot become committed without a committed parent. After all, who catches bullpens? Who helps with drills between lessons? Who drives to practices, lessons, and tournaments?

A Committed Pitcher (and Parent)

They:

  • Practice 3-5 times between weekly lessons.

  • Bring their binder to class and take notes.

  • Compete in class and try to advance levels. 

  • Show up to lessons even after playing games earlier that day.

  • Skip a birthday party or another activity to honor their pitching commitment.

  • Plan vacations around the softball season.

  • View training as a long-term development process, not a quick fix.

An Interested Pitcher (and Parent)

They often:

  • Are in their first 3 months to a year and still deciding if pitching is something they want to commit to.

  • Come to lessons but rarely practice at home.

  • Sign up for lessons only when they're struggling and want to "fix" a problem.

  • Expect their daughter to practice alone instead of helping catch or participate.

  • Drop their daughter off at lessons but aren't involved in the learning process.

Not every person wants to play college softball or wants to make softball a major commitment. But since pitching is different from every other position, interest alone isn't enough to be able to throw strikes, let alone with speed and movement. The good news is that making this commitment can be one of the most rewarding, fun, and relationship-building experiences you and your daughter will ever share. It certainly was for me!

So I'll leave you with the same question Coach Brandon asks his players:

Are you interested...or are you committed?



Did you know that at Practice Pro, we help pitchers navigate the college recruiting process?

Once an athlete graduates from 8th grade and begins high school softball, it's time to start thinking about playing softball in college. (Yes, I said thinking and learning about it—no, it's not too soon!) That's why we recommend joining our Recruiting Cohort.

One of the goals of the cohort is to give athletes and families access to some of the brightest minds in college softball. Each month, our mentor, Amanda Eberhart, and I invite a guest speaker with firsthand experience coaching, recruiting, and developing college athletes. Our hope is that these conversations help families better understand the recruiting process while giving them access to coaches and insights they likely wouldn't have otherwise.

If you don't know Coach Amanda Eberhart, she brings more than 20 years of Division I coaching and recruiting experience to Practice Pro. A former Third Team All-American and Horizon League Player of the Year at UIC, Amanda has coached at Northwestern (when the Wildcats finished as runners-up at the Women's College World Series), NC State, Indiana, Purdue, IU Indy, and Omaha. Throughout her career, she has recruited and developed hundreds of college softball players and knows exactly what college coaches are looking for. She's passionate about helping athletes navigate the recruiting process and reach their full potential, both on and off the field.

Our guest speaker last week, Coach Brandon Elliott, spent 19 seasons building Virginia Wesleyan into one of the nation's premier softball programs, winning three National Championships before recently becoming the Athletic Director and Head Softball Coach at Batten University. Beyond his incredible success, he's known for his passion, authenticity, and ability to build championship cultures.