How Well Do You Bounce Back?

One of our exceptional pitching students had a bad game. A successful college coach was monitoring the kid and was really excited to hear she had stumbled because this could be a chance to learn a lot about her.

How you bounce back says far more about you than how you handle success. This coach could not wait to see the kid in the next game.
If a player is successful she can maintain her composure, but failure often reveals attitudes many kids try to hide. Does she throw her batting helmet and pout in the dugout, or does she cheer on the next hitter? Does the pitcher whine about the umpire’s calls, roll her eyes when an infielder boots a ball, complain about the pitches being called, or blame her problems on a hole in front of the mound?
A college coach has to live with this player for four years. The coach cannot afford to make a mistake. This person can be a blessing or a curse to the team. She can lift it up or drag it down. The coach is looking for any tiny clues as to which it will be. The best time to measure that is during failure. The coach wants someone who may lose but is never beaten, who sets an example for the team, and who makes the adjustments necessary to come back better than before.
You can use this to your advantage. Learn how you can learn from failures. Use that knowledge to come back to the plate, or to the circle, with fire in your eyes. Let failure inspire you to encourage your teammates to reach down and find something extra. Let failure be your greatest motivating force. Let it be the feedback you need to discover changes that make you better.
I have seen a couple of kids who were always bigger and stronger than others and they never learned to deal with failure. Suddenly, in college, they were tested and bested. Having no experience at overcoming obstacles, they stagnated and were soon forgotten. Be thankful for every time someone knocks you down, humbles you, and forces you to go back to the cage and make adjustments. Coaches quickly recognize that trait in a player and it makes your stock rise more quickly than any other asset.
Note: Denny and several of his instructors will be in Antioch, Illinois, just north of Chicago, September 12-14 for a special event. To learn how your pitcher can be involved in an intense learning experience, email us at: TincherPitching@aol.com