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The Risks and Rewards of Playing on the Edge
We all love watching those SportsCenter highlights where outfielders dive for balls in front of them or go flying over the fence to rob a hitter of a home run. Or the ones where a pitcher strikes out a hitter with the bases loaded, a hitter comes through with a clutch hit on a pitch that should be out of her reach, an infielder tosses the ball straight from her glove to get a baserunner out by inches, and so on.
The reason they’re so exciting is that they are unusual because every one of those players is playing to the edge of their abilities. They’re leaving nothing on the field, as the old cliche goes, risking it all to get the biscuit, holding nothing back.
While it’s fun to see when it works, there is also a dark underbelly to these spectacular plays. Take the outfielder who dives head first for a sinking line drive.
If she gets it, great! She’s on SportsCenter. If she misses, however, the ball could squirt behind her and go all the way to the fence, scoring a run or three in the process.
That’s why so many youth and even college players are reluctant to get out there and play to the edge of their abilities. They simply don’t want to deal with the aftermath if something goes wrong – basically getting yelled at by a coach or parent for making a mistake that cost a game.
As they adopt that mentality, they start to play it more and more safe. They’ll pull up on that sinking line drive and let it drop in for a hit that could have been an out.
They will let a close strike go by rather than taking a chance on swinging at a “bad pitch.” They won’t throw a changeup when the situation demands it because they’re afraid it won’t work and they’ll look bad.
As a result, teams lose opportunities to win close games because their players have become conditioned to play it safe.
It’s understandable. No one likes to look bad if they mess up.
But if that’s how they’re thinking, how are they ever going to find out how good they can become?
If coaches really want to see their players develop to their full potential it’s important to create an environment where players feel comfortable and support taking chances that place them at the edge of their abilities.
Maybe it’s a catcher trying a quick pickoff on a runner on third. If she makes a good throw it’s an out that takes a potential scoring chance off the board, and maybe gets the team out of an inning. But if she misses, that run scores, and maybe another if there was a fast runner on second.
Create an atmosphere where that throw is never allowed because of the risk and you could stunt the development of a potentially great catcher. Give the catcher some leeway and you could end up with a stud behind the plate. Even if that particular play doesn’t work.
Just be sure your catcher also understands there’s a time to try it and a time not to. Risk and reward.
Or perhaps you have a pitcher who is working on a new pitch. She can practice it all she wants, but sooner or later she has to throw it in a game for it to have any value.
At first, you’ll throw it in a safe situation, such as a 1-1 count with no one out. That way if she sails it to the backstop it’s not big deal.
Eventually, though, you may need her to throw it even if you’re not sure it will end up somewhere the catcher can reach it. Showing the confidence in her now could pay off today, or it could pay off down the road as she gets more comfortable throwing that pitch in tight situations. Risk and reward.
These opportunities crop up all over the field in all aspects of the game. If you never let your players face the risks of a mistake they will never develop the aggressiveness to take the kind of chances that lead to big rewards.
Yes, it can be tough to see an individual game lost because someone took a risk. But if that loss helps you develop a player who can consistently play to the edge of her abilities without fear, you’ll most likely find that the rewards greatly outnumber the risks.
One last thought in this area. You also have to make sure that when players are given this leeway they are able to understand when the risks outweigh the rewards. Taking chances just for the sake of taking chances or looking cool or building your own personal stats isn’t good either.
Arm them with that ability to make decisions quickly, however, and you’ll have the best of both worlds.
Playing it safe is one way to go. But if you truly believe your mission is to develop your players (versus that just being a statement that looks good on a recruiting post) give your players the permission and support to play at the edge of their abilities.
And maybe one day you’ll see one of them on SportsCenter.
Offseason Games: The Perfect Time to Try New Skills
Fall ball 2023 is now behind us for most teams, or will be after this weekend.
For many that will mean a welcome break from organized team activities (OTAs), at least until after the first of the year. For the rest, it will probably mean more of a maintenance schedule (e.g., once a week instead of three times) to give everyone (including coaches) a chance to unwind and refresh themselves for 2024.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that the game schedule will come to a complete halt until the summer, or until high school ball kicks in for those who play in the spring. These days, the proliferation of domes and other large structures in the northern climes means teams still have an opportunity to get some games in once or twice a month. (Southern states just carry on as usual.)
So for those who will be playing throughout the cold, dark months of winter, I have a suggestion on how to get more benefit from these essentially meaningless games. Are you ready for it? Here it is:
Try something new.
Brilliant in its simplicity, isn’t it?
Wait, you don’t understand what I mean?
During the offseason many players work on new developing new skills. For example, a naturally left-handed hitter may learn how to slap in addition to swinging for power. Or a right-handed hitter may get turned around to the left side to take advantage of her speed.
A pitcher may learn a new pitch. An infielder may learn how to throw sidearm from a crouch on a bang-bang play.
A catcher may learn how to throw from her knees. A coach may attend a coaching clinic, such as the ones offered by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, and learn a new offensive strategy or defensive sets.
But then when they actually play in an offseason game, the slap, the new pitch, the new throwing motion, the new strategies, etc., get stuck in the back pocket in favor of what the player or coach is most comfortable with.
That’s a missed opportunity in my mind. What better time to experiment with something that could be very valuable next summer than when you’re basically just playing for fun or to break up the boredom of practice?
Back when I was coaching teams, that was actually fall ball. You’d basically scrape a few double headers or round robins together on a Sunday, or maybe if you were lucky you’d find a local tournament or two that would give you a chance to play beyond the summer.
Today, fall ball is basically equivalent in importance to the summer. If you’re of recruiting age it may even be more important due to all the college showcase events around the country.
No one wants to risk looking bad in that atmosphere. So even if they’re learning new things they’re reluctant to trot them out on a stage where they could embarrass themselves mightily.
Winter/offseason ball doesn’t have that same level of risk. It’s perhaps the last bastion of “who cares about the outcome?” left in our sport.
So again, what better time to put on the big girl (or big boy in the case of coaches) pants and try something you’ve been working on but haven’t executed in a game yet?
Sure, it could be disastrous. A slapper could end up striking out every at-bat, including in a situation that causes her team to lose.
A pitcher could try out her new riseball and watch as it sails into the upper reaches of the net, scoring not just the runner on third but the runner on second as well. A coach could try a suicide squeeze only to watch in agony as the bunt is missed and the runner is hung out to dry.
Again I say unto you, so the heck what?
Yes, it would be temporarily sad. But it would also break the seal on using those skills or strategies in a game situation.
It would become a learning experience as well, helping the player or coach do better with them the next time. Do it a few times over the course of the offseason and the player or coach just might have the experience – and confidence – to execute them effectively and subsequently become better than they were before.
Remember, if you do what you always did you get what you always got. You’re spending considerable time, and perhaps money, to learn new things. Those new things don’t do you any good if they never get out of your back pocket.
Take full advantage of games without real pressure or consequences to try out new things and get more comfortable with them. If you’re a coach, find out what your players are learning and make them give it a try.
Because that little pebble you toss now may have a significant, positive ripple effect for you next year.
Life in the Fastpitch Lane 