Mental toughness is developed by your everyday actions.
If you are serious about reaching your potential on the mound,
Here are 5 keys to improving your mental game:
1. Learn to handle failure
Every player faces adversity at some point.
The only question is what will your response be?
A mature player thinks logically, not emotionally.
A mature player looks for areas to improve, not excuses for why they’re struggling.
2. Learn to handle success
Are you satisfied when you have success?
Does your work ethic diminish?
A mentally strong player is consistent with their process and work regardless of success.
3. Be disciplined in the classroom
You might not think the classroom has anything to do with baseball, but it does.
The classroom is where you practice discipline.
Are you going to procrastinate on that assignment?
Are you going to give half the effort your teacher expects?
Are you showing up late to class?
There are things in baseball, school and life that you don’t always feel motivated to do.
But they still need to be done. And done well.
4. Overcome limbic friction
What this is, is doing things you don’t always feel like doing.
The more you do this, the more disciplined you become at doing hard things.
I promise you, there are many things even in baseball you won’t always want to do.
Your drive needs to be greater than your motivation.
5. Learn from others
There are books, podcasts, and videos are great resources for developing skills on the mental game.
2 of my favorite books are:
1. The Mental ABC’s of Pitching
2. Mental Toughness: Baseball’s Winning Edge
David Goggins is another great resource for learning about mental toughness.
RECAP
5 keys to improving your mental game:
1. Learn to handle failure
2. Learn to handle success
3. Be disciplined in the classroom
4. Overcome limbic friction
5. Learn from others
Mental toughness is built by your everyday decisions.
Game 4 Big Cats
@AljancicTate 6 innings, 1 earned, 4 Ks, earned the W
@BlakeJo38530275 1 inning pitched, 2 Ks, earned his first career varsity save
@Jakebeard_2024 2-2 with a double, HBP, and gunned down a runner at wB
Kolton Loy RBI single
Game 3 Big Cats
@cmilly1107 picked up the W with 15 Ks including an Immaculate Inning
@zach92198648 2 pickoffs from behind the plate
@ZRoot10 double and 1 RBI
Day 1 for the 12-14 year old Leopards included swing tips, some time in the cages to work on mechanics, and some 2 to 3 inning games coached by current Leopard baseball players. The future is looking 🌞 for Leopard baseball!
Day 1 of Youth Camp with the 9-11 year olds taking in hitting tips from Coach Adams before putting what they learned into action! Swings were looking SWEET!!!
You’re either teaching your body to throw faster or slower.
Think of all the nonchalant and less than crisp throws you’ve made in your life.
Those nonchalant and lazy throws compound to form bad habits over time. Don’t give them a chance to be created in the first place.
Q from a coach:
How do you help a hitter who hits well in the cage but gets paralyzed at the plate, and won’t swing the bat in games?
If you know a hitter (or lineup) who suffers from this, I have 4 simple actions you can take to help them break out.
A short thread 🧵