We are now almost two weeks into our pre-season practices and just over two weeks from opening our season in Georgia. I have to admit that I am pretty excited about the depth and talent that we have on our pitching staff again this year. Even though we lost our two senior aces from a year ago, it seems like we have more depth than ever and we're going to need it to achieve our team goals. One thing that is so true in college sports is that every team has seniors who graduate, move on, and need to be replaced. As much as I love the guys we had last year and in so many previous years, it is important in every season to focus on the players we have now rather than the ones whose positions we are trying to fill.
In saying that, something that can be easy to forget when we get out on the field for practices and games is that the game we play is only a part of the lives of our players. Sure, for most of them it is a big part of their lives, but as college students they often find themselves in stressful situations academically, financially, with roommates and significant others, and with their family members. They may have loved ones with illnesses or other hardships, sometimes have to deal with family deaths or tragedies, and of course they are still expected not only to come to practice with a focus on improving and being team players, but they re also trying to progress toward their educational goals/degrees and maintain high standards of conduct.
For many years I have tied to make the point that since our student-athletes love the sports they play, they can use their practices and games as a time to be free from the stresses of the rest of their lives. They can spend a couple hours each day working toward team goals without worrying about the other things that may keep them pre-occupied or up at night.
As coaches, we hope that our athletes are able to use their sporting activities as a type of temporary escape from other potentially stressful situations. At the same time, we often don't even know what those circumstances are for many of our athletes. Additionally, we hope that the way they choose to spend their free time doesn't increase the stress in their lives, but instead that their chosen activities help to free them from an unnecessary burdens they think they must carry.
We never know for sure the burdens that may interfere with our players, or even with other people we spend time with at work and home. All we can do is try to care and in our own ways try to show that we care.
Tomorrow we will have eight pitchers throwing 60 pitches apiece to live hitters in the batting cages. I know they will all do pretty well, and that some of them may have some anxiety about doing it or the first time this winter. It's just possible that any nervousness they have tomorrow will seem like nothing compared to some of the other things they deal with in their daily lives. All I hope for is that they have fun, improve, and understand that their teammates have their backs!
In saying that, something that can be easy to forget when we get out on the field for practices and games is that the game we play is only a part of the lives of our players. Sure, for most of them it is a big part of their lives, but as college students they often find themselves in stressful situations academically, financially, with roommates and significant others, and with their family members. They may have loved ones with illnesses or other hardships, sometimes have to deal with family deaths or tragedies, and of course they are still expected not only to come to practice with a focus on improving and being team players, but they re also trying to progress toward their educational goals/degrees and maintain high standards of conduct.
For many years I have tied to make the point that since our student-athletes love the sports they play, they can use their practices and games as a time to be free from the stresses of the rest of their lives. They can spend a couple hours each day working toward team goals without worrying about the other things that may keep them pre-occupied or up at night.
As coaches, we hope that our athletes are able to use their sporting activities as a type of temporary escape from other potentially stressful situations. At the same time, we often don't even know what those circumstances are for many of our athletes. Additionally, we hope that the way they choose to spend their free time doesn't increase the stress in their lives, but instead that their chosen activities help to free them from an unnecessary burdens they think they must carry.
We never know for sure the burdens that may interfere with our players, or even with other people we spend time with at work and home. All we can do is try to care and in our own ways try to show that we care.
Tomorrow we will have eight pitchers throwing 60 pitches apiece to live hitters in the batting cages. I know they will all do pretty well, and that some of them may have some anxiety about doing it or the first time this winter. It's just possible that any nervousness they have tomorrow will seem like nothing compared to some of the other things they deal with in their daily lives. All I hope for is that they have fun, improve, and understand that their teammates have their backs!
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