The sacrifices a player is willing to make, can make the difference between being an impact player or having no impact on the game at all. Effort may be universal, but is seldom with a lot of players. What are these players doing when no one is watching? How much better do these kids really want to get? For a freshman in hs, there should be a sense of urgency to work on his weaknesses.
Coming to grips with reality can make or break a player. If it is going to work, a player has to care. We all know repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity. A player should know how they perform and carry themselves on the field should be comparable to the standards they set. I don't think anyone wants to underperform, but how hard are they really grinding to not let that happen? Talk is cheap son, ya gotta pay your dues kid. Effort...
Maturity allows a player to understand his surroundings. Being able to cope with the game itself. Of course teen agers are immature, that just means it's time to grow up. We all want our kids to shine, that has nothing to do with baseball. I hear pro coaches mention maturity and their players are grown men. So what does that mean? To me it's saying maturity is vital to a player's success. Outside of baseball it can even be the difference between life and death. As we have seen and heard through recent news reports on young baseball players making unfortunate decisions. These are our children that will one day have to manage what thee outside world has to offer them. Every kid is different, there is no set time for yours to mature. Like baseball, it is a process, trust it.
With that being said, a player has 4 years in hs, then it's over. There is only so much time a player has. So it is important for the scholar athlete to understand that how you portray yourself, is who they think you are. Parents should support that environment and help their son down this path before they get to a hs tryout, coaches notice these intangibles. The best hs varsity coach I personally know coined a phrase I go by when it comes to judging a player's character, " Would I Hire That Kid? " Is he competent, punctual, attentive, can I trust him, etc...Ask Mike Singletary, ask any coach, and they will all agree, it's about trust. Can I win with him? A ninth grader has to comprehend this.
When a player finally sets and applies their personal standards, they can be ready to grow as a player. A player can't afford to deny himself. Sports exposes players. There is only one truth...How does a player want to be remembered?
