Developing Leadership

You're probably not going to change your son's personality. He probably won't ever be the rah, rah, hop on my back, I'll carry the team type. What he does need to do is be in charge of game situations. He's going to be the one signaling situations with fielders. He's going to be the one taking charge of pops near the plate and dribblers out in front. These plays are his call. He needs to call them out. He needs to do it with confidence. And pitchers need to have confidence in him. They have to know they can drop a curve in the dirt with two strikes and he'll block the pitch.

Net: If he does his job well and calls out plays confidently it should be good enough.

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How do we help him overcome his reserved nature to step up and be the vocal leader he needs to be?

My son is also reserved. We had discussions about needing to 'take charge' (he's the SS). What helped him was when it was explained that playing SS required him to be vocal....It isn't about being the leader and taking over but just about playing the position correctly.

Providing motivation and leadership in the dugout is different and often difficult for an introverted personality (my son's nickname in travel was MadDog. The other kids thought it was funny since he rarely spoke unless spoken to and was never 'mad'...)

Some people are natural leaders and some aren't. There is nothing more irritating than someone who tries too hard to be the leader. Leadership is earned though actions. But even if you aren't the leader type, there are things you can do within your personality.

Always be positive. Be the first one to congratulate your teammates. Play the game like it suppose to be played. Look sharp. Be on time.

The best compliment my son ever received was from a coach, refering to his demeanor in the field, who told him 'you know how to practice and you know how to play'...

What grade is your son in? How old is he?

Your post makes it sound like your son wants to play, and likes to play, but hadn't put in the work to improve his game. Im not saying hes not a hard worker, because im sure he is, but it seems like he isn't taking the advice he has been given and using it.

Im only a 15 year old sophmore, and I too have always been a starter on all the teams I have played on. I've been fortunate enough to never of had my position taken, but I can understand how this feels.

The catcher is the leader, the boss. Center-field is man of the outfield, and shortstop is the man of the infield, but the catcher is the man of the entire field. He's in every play, every pitch, and is the one getting signs every thirty seconds. Obvisouly, he has the hardest job on the diamond. Maybe your son getting his position taken is the best thing for him right now. It not only shows that he needs to step up physcially, but mentally too. If your son really loves the game, and loves to play, he'll learn how to be more of a leader on his own by sitting in the dugout and just listening. As his parent, I think you just need to remind him of things like "work hard", or "focus", everyday. Before my dad leaves the house in the morning everyday, he always tells me the same thing, "work hard, focus on the task at hand", and I do.

I'm sure your son will eventually get his spot behind the dish back; as long as he works hard.

If you have a potential "leader" on your hands he will find a persevere. If leadership qualities are still unknown, hard work, will bring those qualities out and others will notice and follow the lead.

Maybe sitting on the bench and observing might be the solution to the problem. It may be the thing to motivate him to become more vocal if he wants to continue to catch at the varsity level. A catcher has to be the field boss and communicate with the defense. Otherwise, it affects how the other 8 play on defense.

If the skills are there, then he will have to show in practice during drills that he has control of the game and communicates with the defense. It will drive coaches crazy when plays aren't executed thru lack of communication.

It's important for all players to communicate. The catcher sees the whole field so he's always gotta be on his toes.

As a catcher, it's something they just have find a way to figure out to be more vocal and a leader.

During my Masters program at Michigan State University
my major was "Leadership".

Social psychology is the study of the individual
in a formal and informal group relationships.

During the past 26 years, I have the opportunity
observe over 8,000 American high school players as they travel Internationally for 2 weeks.

Leadership is an acquired trait. A player may be quiet leader *Jeter] or a loud leader *Pete Rose*. The group [team] may need both styles to win games.

When you observe college or professional games search out the leader. Many times the "true"
is not recognized as he is the player who makes the key hit in the 9th inning [consistently]; makes the great play or when a player makes an error, the pitcher stands tall on the mound and performs his role.

Often I sit at baseball games with pro scouts and listen to their stories and their observations
of specific players. In your current baseball games
look for leadership from the coach and your father.

The coach and/or parent needs to be positive and constructive. "Actions speake louder than words".

"enough already"! "go Spartans"

Bob

quote:

Leadership is an acquired trait. A player may be quiet leader *Jeter] or a loud leader *Pete Rose*. The group [team] may need both styles to win games.

That may be but whether the player is a quiet or a loud leader, doesn't he have to be vocal enough to be heard on the field and assertive due to his confidence as a catcher who's confident in what he's doing?

I would think that a catcher lacking in on-field leadership could be lacking something somewhere in his all-around game. He may have a good pop time, great at blocking balls and a strong arm but is he confident enough to run a game?

You cannot make a player what he isn't---

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Advice?

When adressing leadership...I like working the big picture, rather than bagering him with specifics. Once he understands the big pictue, he can make his specific choices and for that reason, they will truely belong to him.

Help the young man change his perspective, not necessarily his personality...help him appreciate that the ability to adapt is key to success in any endeavor. Help him understand that throughout life, in any career, in any sport the "game" continually changes under us. Assure him that those who adapt and change with it, acquire new skills, understand how the game is different, get to move on. Those who do not, choose to stay behind. Leadership is simply one more adaption.

If he understands that he will have to adapt , and want to adapt, and why, and sees it simply as one more in a long series of self adjustments NOT a complete "personality change", then he will certainly be more likley to look to enhance his personal nuances of leadership, in a way that fits into his personality, and his individual stregnths and characteristics. There are many ways to leadership, he only needs one, his.

44
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44,

Perfect

There are many books about leadership that I have read over the years. The football team that I help coach uses The Team Captain's Leadership Manual by Jeff Janssen. This book has been an extremely useful and valuable tool for our varsity football team. I would highly recommend this book for any high school or college athlete.

Everyone is different. But the catchers posistion requires a player to lead. You can lead in many different ways. As the catcher he needs for the teams sake to be vocal and not for rah rah's sake. He needs to be vocal because the team needs him to be because the posistion requires it of him. I would just tell him to learn to take charge and be vocal as it pertains to his posistion. Because they is what is required of his posistion. He can be quiet in the dugout , off the field etc but on the field he has to lead when the situation requires it of him.

Loud doesn't equal leader. Quiet doesn't equal follower. As a catcher, he has to find a way to lead his team and take charge on the field. He is the on-the-field coach and he sees everything on the field. A catcher has to find a way to communicate with the other players and yelling is not always the answer. A leader has to have a solid relationship with the group. Without that, he can't be effective.

Actions speak louder than words. There are times that words are needed, but a leader can be pretty effective without ever saying a word.

Leadership

1. Doing the right thing when your team mates are looking but the coaches aren't

2. Working hard in practice to do things the right way

3. Being supportive of team mates when things are getting panicy

4. Helping the younger players in learning the program without being told - ownership in the program

5. Able to take charge during stretchs / agilities / throwing to make sure everyone is doing them right without having a coach stand over top of the team

Good catchers

1. Block every single pitch in the dirt so pitchers aren't afraid to throw any pitch

2. Communicates signs from the coach to the IF quickly, clearly and completely

3. Taking charge of the IF to direct traffic on popups, groundballs hit to the firstbase side, bunt responsibilities

4. Letting IF know where to throw the ball on bunts to make sure the fielder can approach / position body for throw

5. Comes flying out from behind the plate to take bunts to nail lead runners

Both list are pretty muche easy to achieve. They are choices that players can make for themselves. If a player is depending or relying on a coach or another player (captain) to get motivated or remind them of what to do when the ball is in play then they don't want to play. Winners and great position players do their job without people having to tell them what to do.

hornetdad,

You've gotten some good advice above. Here is one more perspective.

From your post, it sounds like your son temporarily lost his "job" because the coach (boss) decided that another player had more strength in an area that was most important to the team. "He is not the starting catcher, he is backing up a Sr. who does not have his physical tallents but he works hard and provides leadership & motivation to the rest of the team."

Rather than old Dad trying to tell son which skills (vocal/leadership) to work on, suggest that he watch the senior who is catching now, figure out what the senior is contributing to the team that the coach values, and ask himself how he can accomplish the same thing in a way that fits his personality. For some kids it seems to work better when they figure out for themselves what they need to change, than if the parent tells them.

Julie

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quote:

Rather than old Dad trying to tell son which skills (vocal/leadership) to work on, suggest that he watch the senior who is catching now, figure out what the senior is contributing to the team that the coach values, and ask himself how he can accomplish the same thing in a way that fits his personality. For some kids it seems to work better when they figure out for themselves what they need to change, than if the parent tells them.

Yep.

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I agree with MN Mom and O 44. My son has caught all through junior high and high school and now catches at a CA JC. During the high school years, he developed into a very strong catcher both physically and mentally. This took a lot of courage and work.
His coaches always emphasized that you can not be a leader and can't expect others to follow until you have done as much or more "work" as anyone else. Work meant not just running hard, or training relentlessly, or playing smart. It didn't mean just being the last in the dugout to make sure it was picked up, that the field was clear for the next day. It wasn't only being the first to congratulate or pick up a buddy. And it wasn't just being successful on the field. What great coaches he had.
It was all of these things, plus, an innate sense of high expectations for himself and for his team. Only then can you put on a swagger, a sense of unfailing confidence. It goes right over your jersey for all to see.
I remember especially last year when my son before the game would put his gear on, and go out and stretch about 10 feet in front of his dugout,all by himself, eyeing the opponent's dugout the whole time. Whether it was intentional or not, the teams both knew that he was the catcher, this was his team. He earned it - by taking those pitches in the dirt, by tagging those runners out at home, and by throwing out base stealers.
He was by no means perfect, but he was loud on the field - no question as to whose ball it was and where it should be fielded. It was not arrogance, it was respectful leadership. He never did say much in the dugout. But he and the other seniors were rocks for that team. They were so loyal to each other and defend each other to this day. What a pleasure it must have been to coach that group.
Let your son earn it and develop it. He may not feel that he has yet! AS MN MOM said - he will get it!

The best discussion I've ever heard on leadership was by Colin Powell. Yes, he's gov't/military, but it directly translates to field. I found someone who posted his slides...highly recommend giving them a view. Good slides for the baseball player looking to lead his team without being a big rahrah guy (it absolutely can be done)...Lesson 1 and Lesson 12. Doing just them, will make him standout and help the team.

http://www.blaisdell.com/powell/

Thanks for all of the comments. I guess what drives me crazy is the fact that he is looked up to by so many kids his age, but he does not want to be. He is one of those guys who people just like for some reason or another. He is definitely confident, he is just not one to bark out instructions. Hopefully it will come soon.