Over the last 37 years of my relationship with softball (as both a player and a coach), there is not a single piece of my experience that trumps the TIME spent with my father.  We forged through thousands of hours of training together.  It created the foundation of our adult lives together, and that life has been a host of full and vibrant experiences (some softball and many not), set in motion by softball: the joy, laughter, frustration, honesty, support, and motivation that was necessary for me to transform myself from the worst player on my 10 year old travel team to the pitcher who earned a college scholarship and became a coach herself.  

What if you could make decisions based on what a player earned, not just on what you feel? What if you could take the pressure off yourself and let the work they put in decide who gets the ball? What if, when a player asked, "Why am I not pitching?" they understood, didn’t resent it, and just got back to work to get better? You’d have more peace. You’d have a better team.

This year I created the online practice club. We tested it last year, and now we’re rolling out an upgraded version. The program I created tells you exactly what to practice, pitch by pitch, every day for the ten weeks of pitching school. There are four levels, and as you improve, you move up a level. Each drill has a video so you can review it. Everything is in CoachNow, our app where students currently store their videos and notes. There are rewards, pins, and a community to keep you accountable and to cheer you on.

This quiz can be taken by people who are thinking about taking on the pitching position or for people who are already pitchers and want to test their progress. I wrote this from the player’s perspective, but parents can take it too.

I notice, as expected, parents new to the sport and position aren’t aware of what it really takes, and are looking for a way to “get by” and just “pitch a few more strikes”, without formally learning how to do the skill. Likewise, long-time players wonder why they’ve hit a plateau. Take this test to see if there are any barriers you need to overcome.

See where your mindset is!

After eight years of running a pitching school and sometimes coaching up to 150 pitchers per week, I have identified the drills that work the fastest to help pitchers understand the most important skills in pitching. After trying just about everything, these drills work for the largest amount of girls at the fastest rate. It is crucial to teach them correctly, so be sure to pay close attention to the explanations provided in the videos. Here are five of my favorite drills that help pitchers improve at blazing speed.

Sometimes I forget what young people don’t know (since it was so long ago I don’t remember). Part of being a good coach is to admit my mistakes, then improve for next time, just like we ask players to do. Along those lines, the idea of sportsmanship got me thinking.

Growing up, my dad played an integral role in my softball journey. Without him, I wouldn’t have achieved what I did in sports. His support, along with that of my uncle, cousins, sister, and anyone who caught for me, was invaluable. Here’s why having someone, especially a dad, to catch for you can make all the difference. In my personal experience my dad was the one with the best hand-eye coordination, as opposed to my mom, so I’m going to share with you the benefits I got from working with him!

Last week I wrote a blog about creating your own BHAG, a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal [Video 1:18]. After Oklahoma accomplished a 4-peat last night by winning the WCWS against Texas, I wondered if they made a goal 4 years ago to win 4 in a row. While I doubt it, I think that would have been a perfect BHAG! Winning not just one, but 4 national titles is something truly outrageous.

I thought back to this speech I made two years ago at my Alma Mater, Trinity High School. In it, I explain a BHAG that I had as a high school student. It was to be a CEO at a big company. At the time, I didn’t know about BHAGs, but I think it’s interesting that I made one. I didn’t end up coming close to that, obviously. What is even more interesting is that if I didn’t have a goal to be a CEO of a big company, I wouldn’t own my awesome little one. They key is to create your BHAG for fun, try to get it, and welcome any twists and turns that come along the way.

This brings me to the discovery of who I am and how I love a BHAG. I read it first in a book called Build to Last about businesses, then read it again in a book about accounting, and then I heard it a third time at a softball conference. A coach was able to win a DII National Championship because he believed his team created a BHAG, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. This is definitely not a SMART goal. BHAGs are seemingly unattainable; they are moonshots. They put your brain on a different plane of thinking. They scare you, challenge your courage, and mainly get you excited.

How can you tell if you are mentally tough? Is it your endurance, your ability to come from behind, or strike out the last batter of the game? You might think a person who controls their emotions as tough, or one who can maintain complete focus amid a crowd of screaming fans.

I believe a mentally strong pitcher has a plan and sticks to it. She helps her teammates recover from their errors. Perhaps most importantly she understands the game, knowing when she’s in a crucial situation and can execute during those times.

I had to opportunity to attend my 5th National Fastpitch Coaches Association convention at the beginning of this month. This year we went to Atlantic City. I learn a great deal of information about mechanics, team and staff building, the mental game, and - get this -  even other positions besides pitching. But the best part is hanging out with my favorite coaches and talking about the game. 

What I find most inspiring is that my coach-friends absolutely love what they do and are super intense about improving. When there are breaks in between seminars we talked about what we liked, didn’t like, and what were planning to adopt ourselves. They love a healthy debate and rarely get to talking about anything else. It’s not like other jobs I’ve had where everyone wishes they were back home or at the hotel bar. Everyone is excited to be there. How could you not? It’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. 

In an effort to be festive, let's honor the 12 days of Christmas with the top 12 things I learned at convention.