Texas Rangers...

As I watched the post game analysis of the Rangers and Rays playoff game, I heard one thing that I know from experience to be so true… “Teams win, not players.” When I heard this, I wished that all of our SOX parents were listening. The announcers (all former MLB players) said the same thing, “The Rangers won because they (to a man) didn’t care if they went 0 for 4 or 4 for 4…didn’t care who hit where in the lineup…or who pitched when. All they cared about was winning…together. No one was sitting in the dugout moping and pouting.


I’ll try to be soft with this, but I do want to be clear. This is a problem in youth baseball. One that is very detrimental to a kid…and a team. This selfish attitude will not only affect a kid today on his team, but will also have a negative effect on his life for the future. How he is trained today, will be what he relies on tomorrow. Maybe a little blunt…maybe a little “old school”, but it’s the God’s honest truth.

No doubt, the kids who eventually develop, progress, and grow to love this great game, are the ones who receive encouragement and support, are not allowed to blame or make excuses, absorb instruction, and develop a great work ethic. Talent is talent; however, it can be developed, but no one can create talent. As the old saying goes, “it is what it is.” Our vision is to help all of our players reach their potential…sad thing is, most never do in the world of youth baseball…we want to be the exception! And, we want to instill in parents the attitude of PATIENCE. You have to see beyond the trees…you have to see TOMORROW, not just today. And you have to trust us that we know what we are doing. We have no hidden agenda.

By instilling this attitude in our players and parents, we will give them everything necessary that will allow them to reach their potential athletically. They deserve to learn the game the right way! Hopefully that’s one of the overriding reasons you joined the SOX Program…because our vision is different than the norm for youth baseball. You have to change your paradigm.

After coaching for 27 years, I became keenly aware of those things (attitudes) that make or break a team, and ultimately a player. Here are a few life givers and a few killers in your child’s development as a player:

• Without a doubt, the #1 killer of a team is selfishness…selfishness kills
• Without a doubt, the # 1 character trait of a great player is attitude…attitude builds
• Repetition is essential in developing players…maybe a little boring at times, but it is critical. Repetition builds.
• You can either turn left or turn right with every event and situation
     o Left to negative (negative kills)
     o Right to positive (positive builds)
     o It is a choice
• Trust…trust that your child will play their way into a position or certain spot in the batting order
• When people think they are owed something…it kills
• When people think they owe something…it builds
• ME is not a good word
• US is

Hooray for the Texas Rangers! Because of their win, this TEAM mentality is at the forefront of the discussion among MLB analysts. Thank you for making all of us aware of how to truly play the game!