Organized Enthusiasm

The other night, I had the opportunity of running two indoor team practices.  Both teams were the same in age, and close to the same in ability and talent level.

But the practices were completely different!

The first practice started off with some surprising enthusiasm.  When I asked if everyone was ready to get started, both the players and the parents yelled “oh yeah!”

But that’s where the fun stopped for me.

Once I brought the team together, I found out that more than half the team showed up without any baseball equipment.  No glove, no bat, no nothing.  Actually not absolutely nothing.  Some managed to remember to wear their spikes… to an indoor practice!

From that point on, I had to do my best to either yell to get the players’ attention, or yell to be heard over all the parents swarming the practice area… with their “other” kids running rampant throughout the facility, distracting the ball players in the process.

Now before I go on, I should say that I am a very organized coach.  My practices are planned out by the minute, and I keep everyone where they need to be until they or their group scheduled to move to the next activity.

A few years ago, I might have stopped everything, like someone ripping the needle of a record during a party.  I would have made sure that everyone within a 12 mile radius would know that the practice does not need any assistance from anyone else but me, and people I select to help me keep the ship running smoothly.

But, I’m old enough to know when I’m outnumbered, so I barreled through despite the situation.

It was the longest practice of my life!

Oh the players tried to pay attention.  But when mommy and daddy are trying to run things… I mean “coaching,’… I mean just flat out getting in the way, it was a losing battle for the players, my assistants, and yours truly.

The groups I had assigned were reassigned by people I didn’t even know… without letting me know.  The stations that were well organized at the start, were just a faded memory.  Mommies and daddies were trying to have their own individual practices inside and around the practice I was trying to run for them.  It was loud, it was messy, and in my mind a complete disaster.

At the end when every player, parent, and coach left without so much as a “thank you,” or hand shake, or “buh bye,” the feedback was all positive.  I don’t think I’ll ever understand why.

The second practice was planned the same as the first, for the same age group.

They showed up ready to go, although they didn’t shout “oh yeah!” when they walked into the facility.

Instead, they had smiles, handshakes, and all of their equipment ready to start practice.

The parents quietly sat on the benches outside the workout area, or in the air conditioned waiting area, looking in through the giant windows – or watching TV as they sat on the couch.

The coaches walked up to me me and said, “Tell me where to go and what to do.  You run the show.”

Without going into details, all I’ll say is that the second team accomplished more – in less time – than the first, by a long shot.

They weren’t any more talented than the first team.  In fact, “on paper,” the first team might have been more talented.

They didn’t have a higher “Baseball I.Q.”  Some of the players were in the midst of their first season of baseball.

They probably don’t eat, sleep and drink baseball.

But they showed up ready to listen, learn, and work hard.

And in the end, they did exactly that… and had a lot of fun in the process.

What was the one major difference between the two teams?

The people who brought their players to practice.

As they were leaving (and every player shook my hand and said “thank you”), I told the coaches that I would love to work with their team any time they wanted.  I also made a point of thanking them for teaching their players, well to be young ballplayers.  The foundation they created, and the examples they set made for one of the “shortest” practices I’ve ever been around.

I’m all for enthusiasm.

But when the example of enthusiasm coming from people that players see on a regular basis, is misguided (or in flat out disarray), you can’t blame the players for not being ready to work.  Unfortunately, the people truly responsible take no responsibility.

My hat’s off to all coaches who know exactly what it means to be a coach.  It’s not just X’s and O’s.  It’s not just fundamentals, techniques, and drills.

It’s leading by example.

The rest is easy.

Coach Bones