Article Provided by: The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)
Article by: Jeremy Ekeler - Assistant Coach, Saint Xavier College
In January of 2009, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas wrote a fantastic piece entitled "Defining Toughness in College Hoops." Bilas focused on basketball, but also touched universal themes that spurred enormous feedback.
After reading the piece and reflecting on my career in softball I decided to take a shot at defining toughness from the softball perspective. Certainly there are those more qualified to take on this task, but I do feel qualified enough if only because of a wide range of experiences: from the younger levels of summer ball and lowest levels of high school softball, through state championship 18's and the varsity high school level, to my current collegiate assistant coaching duties. This journey through so many levels has given me perspective to see the game as a whole and create a universal definition of a TOUGH softball player.
So a TOUGH SOFTBALL PLAYER…
Redefines failure as a chance to do it again…but better.
A tough player doesn't see only failure and success, they see the journey of becoming a better player through rigor and small, consistent gains (see Cindy Bristow's great piece, "The Value of a Little Bit" for more on this). An analogy for a ballplayer's mindset might be "chasing the horizon" – no matter how many hills you climb or valleys you pull yourself out of, the horizon is always just ahead. The key word then becomes "chasing," not "horizon." Tough players redefine failure as simply the chance to continue the chase, and do it a little better next time.
Controls their sphere of influence.
Every part of this article, and every part of being tough, is concerned with taking care of only those things under a player's control. A player can't control the weather, only how she focuses through the elements. She can't control the pitcher, only her preparation. She can't control a bad hop, only her ability to shrug it off and make the next play. Just as vital to controlling their sphere of influence, tough players discriminate enough to understand what's outside of that sphere.
Sees every game as important and doesn't take days off.
Having coached 12 year-olds all the way to 22 year-olds has taught me it's no coincidence that the players remaining at the college softball level are those who are the most consistent. Regardless of the weather, their mood or the opponent, tough players understand that the game is a third party, always present every time you play – the game is the truth. Therefore, tough players see the game as their opponent and never take a day off. Tough players reside at the same high level no matter what.
Is alert, and demands the same from her teammates.
In a game that consists of more downtime than action, and often involves multiple games in a single day, alertness is vital. At Saint Xavier University in Chicago, head coach Myra Minuskin preaches a simple formula that has equated to incredible success: Focus+Energy. To finish the equation I would add that it equals ALERT. Tough players bring focus, tough players bring energy, and tough players are always alert. The toughest demand the same from their teammates.
Does not replace feedback for rigor and reps.
So many players today have an instructor – hitting, catching, fielding, pitching... it seems like they've all got gurus. I ain't griping; giving lessons paid for my honeymoon! The only problem with an individual instructor is when she/he replaces rigor and reps with quick feedback. Again, not the fault of the instructor as his or her time is limited and the onus to work on the skill is on the player. The issue is that most kids leave the lesson at the lesson.
Players today want information and they want it now. iPods, iPhones, BlackBerries, wireless everything – they're swimming in information. Even today's educational system is based upon a standardized testing foundation that rewards rote over rigor – prep for test, take test, see what was incorrect, take it again to get those parts right, and then assign a score that becomes a kid's scholastic identity (sometimes for life, unfortunately). Can't blame the kids; they're just adapting to the culture created for them. Unfortunately life doesn't work this way: in life you get the lesson after the test.
It is here that softball coaches have a chance to impact lives because our game doesn't lend itself to small doses of feedback. Rather, our game thrives when players work and absorb reps. This also ties into the later section about creativity, but the gist is that tough players don't mind the work involved in becoming a better player. Actually, to a tough player it's not tedious, it's gratifying.
Gives and receives criticism the right way.
No two softball games have ever been exactly the same; they're like snowflakes. Consider that for a moment – what an incredible invention this game is that every time you take part it is all new again (and also another argument for the section on being a student of the game). A tough player may not ponder this, but they certainly will take coaching and view criticism as a chance to get better because they want every possible perspective on the dynamic and organic game they love. On the other side of the coin they will respect the coach's boundaries by putting in their two cents when appropriate and in a professional manner. Furthermore, a tough player is astute enough to know how their message should be relayed to teammates. In the end, a tough player has the memory of an elephant and the skin of a rhino: they take in what matters most and their feelings are not damaged in the process.
Uses strong eye contact and positive body language.
Jay Bilas said it in his article: if it's coming from a coach or teammate it must be important to him/her; therefore it should be important to you. Anything that deserves your full attention also deserves eye contact. Humans use eye contact as a sign of respect and also as a symbol of dominance, so the importance of eye contact cannot be overstated.
It's also true that two-thirds of how we communicate comes through our body language and expressions. Think it's not important? Ask John Kruk how Randy Johnson's stare affected him. Ask any hitter in the National League about the chills they felt under Bob Gibson's snarl (especially in 1968!). Ask pitchers how they feel as they see Albert Pujols settle into a stance that consumes every inch of the batter's box.
Eye contact is a sign of confidence and respect. Body language is a message to your teammates and opponents (so much so that your actions can create your mentality much more easily than your mentality can create your actions. This is why the insecure player's mantra should be to "fake it until they make it"). Tough players understand the class and dignity of eye contact and the psychology of body language.
Is accountable.
Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy had one mantra for his players: No excuses, no explanations. I'd add to Dungy's simple dictum by saying, "No excuses, no explanations and no apuses." An apuse is my term for the recent fad of lacing an apology with an excuse (made popular by MLBers busted for steroid use, but just as prevalent in high school hallways). "Sorry I didn't get my job done(apology), but if INSERT EXCUSE HERE hadn't happened..." Whether it's from a 15-year-old or a 45-year-old, it's not a genuine apology. An apuse removes the lesson from the experience because it validates the person in their own mind while still giving them the false assurance that they genuinely apologized.
Mark Twain said the person who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the person who can't read them. In that same vein, the player who doesn't accept their mistakes and learn from them has no advantage over the player who hasn't had that experience yet. A tough player owns up to their mistakes and embraces the consequences with no excuses, no explanations and no apuses. In the process they learn more about the game, more about themselves and become a tougher and better player for the experience.
Studies the game.
The ability to read the game comes from reps and focus, and it can often supplant pure talent and even conventional wisdom. You think Texas A&M didn't have one right-hander on their roster who could play second base in the 2008 WCWS? I'm sure they did, but none of them brought to the table what 5'4" lefty Natalie Villareal did.
Tough players understand big things like they're second nature (it's not about going halfway on a fly-ball, it's about how far I can get off and still get back) and the little nuances are a constant source of intrigue (why can the third baseman play off the line when a righty is way up in the box?). Tough players understand the why of the game (like why she should feel better after a line-out than a bloop single). Tough players take mental notes during their games and practices, watch softball whenever it's on TV, take the time to study games live even when they're not playing, and when all else fails (or hopefully just for the heck of it) they watch baseball. Tough players study the game and apply it to their performance.
Is creative within the game.
As coaches of all levels become better educated through clinics, websites and instructional books and DVDs, athletes are being trained mechanically in every detail of the game, both in terms of skills and tactics. Despite this growth in knowledge we all hold the most creative players in the highest regard. In other words, there is a propensity to build robots who react by the book, but we admire mavericks who make us see a scenario in a new light. Hofstra's Bill Edwards would call this the loss of the playground mentality – players just don't create on their own like most of us once learned on the playground. (Edwards recently wrote a wonderful series in Fastpitch Delivery on this very topic and can state the arguments much more eloquently.)
While it's paramount that players are taught fundamentals and have a base of skills, tough players are dynamic decision-makers on the field. Remember Derek Jeter roaming "out of position" to cut to home against the Oakland Athletics in 2001's ALDS? How about the Minnesota Twin's Chuck Knoblauch fake at second base to save a run in the 1986 World Series against Atlanta? It takes a sound skill set, an understanding of the game and a lot of confidence to be a creative player. Tough players have these attributes (and smart coaches promote them).
Play when they can play, sit when they can't.
The difference between being hurt and being injured is a tough lesson for players to learn. It's also a difficult one to teach because each individual has a different body and different tolerance level. However, a tough player will play whenever they can play and will sit when they are a detriment.
A tough player who enters the field of play puts any pain in a place where it is not allowed to become an excuse or reason for failure. In the end, most players rarely feel 100 percent, but they are expected to put forth 100 percent effort. After being named Sports Illustrated's 2009 Sportsman of the Year, Derek Jeter attributed this ability as fundamental to his success. Tough players understand that if you're good enough to be on the field, you make no excuses for your performance.
Knows that it's about their game, not their gear.
With the rise in popularity of the women's fastpitch game has come the inevitable influx of vendors, sponsors and corporate America. Sweatbands, wristbands, hair accessories, fad-of-the-moment shoes, bats that cost as much as a semester of a college class, eye-black, even softball specific makeup have permeated the softball market. The attention and exposure is a great thing for the sport, but it has also given rise to primp-and-preen players who work hard to look the part rather than work hard to do their part.
While there's no problem with having the gear, certainly the love of the game should come first. As I heard one dad respond to his daughter when she blamed her "stupid, old bat" (read: not the newest, coolest) for her inability to hit: "Instead of a new bat to help you hit better why don't you work on hitting well enough to deserve a new bat?"
A tough player takes care of her game first, then her accessories.
Always finds a way to put pressure on the opponent.
Duke's Coach K believes it's essential: a relentless attitude. North Carolina's Anson Dorrance says: "I want our opponents to have that sinking feeling: ‘Oh no, here they come again.'"
This is one of those areas that a tough player knows is in their sphere of influence: Pressure is the name of the game in today's softball – how you exert it and how you handle it determines winners and losers. In 2009 nobody entered the WCWS with a better record than Florida. But one team did enter with more international and big-game experience: Washington. Their ability to handle pressure coupled with Florida's inexperience at the championship level made the Huskies champs (and also explains why it's so hard to win a title the first time you're in the championship).
Regardless of the level of play or the skill set of the player there are countless simple ways a tough player can put pressure on their opponent. Even a slow runner can work on cutting angles and can always be thinking a base ahead. Even a weak-armed defender can resolve to never allow an error under their glove (what pressure on an offense when they know they'll get no freebies!). A pitcher with mediocre stuff can refuse to give up free bases and/or refuse to pitch to hitters' strengths. A tough player puts the pressure on their opponent, and leaves them thinking, "Oh crap, here she comes…again."
Submits to good of the team.
In softball nothing is accomplished without the help of at least one other teammate. Even a solo home run can be connected to the at-bats of teammates before you and/or the BP you took with/against a teammate. It is the ultimate team sport.
It's called a "uniform" because it looks like all the others. Inside that uniform, regardless of any other trait, you are one of the group – neither above nor below anyone in the same uniform. Before the 2009 Women's College Cup (soccer) semi-finals, UCLA Head Coach Jillian Ellis reminded her team of this by comparing the uniform to a coat of armor – it identifies and protects the player in the pride of wearing it, making them suddenly greater than a single individual. And their teammates are like a shield – they are there to defend and aid at all times. The player brings the sword – her talent, her skill, the tools of her trade, whatever she uses to defeat the opponent.
A tough player humbly accepts their own successes and is their teammates' biggest fan.
Has passion for the game.
"Do you know what we get to do today, Brooks? We get to play baseball." (Dennis Quaid in 2002's The Rookie).
The opinions on what makes for a "tough" ballplayer are countless, but passion should be on every list. Passion is an interesting word because most assume it means a deep love, but the Latin root of the word means "to submit to something" or "to sacrifice." I believe that, like Quaid's character in The Rookie, it's not hard to be passionate when you realize you're privileged.
Remember when we said the game was a third party? It's such a disrespectful gesture to the third party, the truth, when players are apathetic or even negative. It's such a slap in the face to all those whose careers are over (or were never able to begin or be extended for whatever reason) when a player can't sprint on and off the field, can't run out a pop-up, can't help but throw equipment. Saddest of all, you be witness to all of these things in a summer afternoon at a softball complex near you.
But man, what a joy to see a shortstop dive into the hole in the first inning on a ball stung to the outfield, just so she can dirty the jersey and set a tone for the team. What a lift to see a catcher sprint to her pitcher after she gets the third out on strikes. And how cool to see a player clap excitedly after a big RBI.
Passion is essential; think Kirk Gibson fist-pumping, think Alabama's Charlotte Morgan drilling holes through the pitcher with her eyes as she settles into the batter's box, think Katelyn Lowe slamming her face into the centerfield fence to make a catch for Arizona. Think passion isn't important? You're not a tough player.
Jeremy Ekeler is an assistant coach at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. In 2009, Saint Xavier finished ninth in the NAIA's final rankings after winning the regular season and conference tournament in the CCAC. Ekeler is also currently in the process of writing a book on fastpitch catching.
