Leading by example.........

Whether seniors or upperclassmen period this is as started and said in another thread can devastate the chemistry on a team! Often times it is difficult to quantify the effects because they are/or their actions "can" be superficial, minimal/marginal in nature! Whether by atttitude, actions, lack of effort etc... it is that 10th player or 6th sense that often times separates the truly successful teams from the should be would be ones! Seniors who you do not think will contribute to your program (doesn t necessairly mean ON THE FIELD either) shouldn t be kept in order to risk and avoid potential "cancerous cells" from growing early very early in the season IF NOT preseason. BOTTOM LINE is this , PERIOD! If they demonstrate their worthiness in the classroom as well as quality human beings with character they WILLLL contribute, and should be a part of the program! On the other hand each and every instance where you have players NOT getting it done in the classroom, i. e. showing and demonstrating genuine effort, concern, and caring as well as the SAMEEE actions, efforts, treatment of OTHER people and players THEY will NOTTT get it done for you and ULTIMATELY will be a detriment to the team and its chemistry! Thoughts/Comments...

 

All seniors should read the comments Sugarjet's son made about Elliot Arrington in the interview. This is what senior leadership is all about. What great kids. Both Elliot, and Sugarjets son, in being able to recognize in someone the qualities Elliott displays. These are 2 kids that have great futures.

 

the son

You can come watch a practice at South this year and see several different types of leaders and they change the way they lead each day depending on what type of day they have had. But you have the ones that lead by getting out there and bust their butt to make the team better(by example). You have the ones that will talk a lot and get the energy going for you. Then you have the ones that do both. We have seniors that lead but then we have those juniors that will step up and aren't afraid to step on anyones toes. The chemistry this year between the team is unbelievable. Its a blast to go down to the field for practice. Its my way out into my own world were I don't have to think about anything. You have got to admit that baseball is a game of love and if you don't love it you don't play it. Everyone on our team seems to love on a different level than any other team I have played on. When you all have that love for game you don't need to really lead but play. Everyone knows what they need to do and your there if they need a little push. Its like your dad when learning to ride a bike. Chemistry, leadership, and a little luck can take you long way.

 

In order for a team to be successful, good positive leadership must develop. You need a good mix of "RAH RAH" guys, and those hard nosed kids that practice hard, play hard and lead by example. The main reason we have struggled out of the gate is #1: a lack of peer leadership, and #2: a lack of self confidence. #1 can breed #2. Our players can hear the coaching staff say "we believe in you" all day long, but without positive leadership echoing these sentiments, then they will drown in their own lack of self-esteem. This will help the players mired in slumps to keep their heads up and continue to practice and play themselves out of it.

Unfortunately, I had a team where there was 1 individual tearing down th eself esteem of other players. Comments like "I hope you make an error, or I hope you loose (made to a player of mine that signed D-1) were common and tore the team apart. I did not learn the actual extent of the damage until after I removed the player for violating team policies. The kid was our best overall player, but I became tired of sitting in principals offices on almost a daily basis dealing with him.

Positive leadersip is a necessity, in the lack of positive leadership from a respected player by your players, they will follow whatever leadership is there.

 

I'll never forget this team about 3 years ago from Franklin. They had the best team chemistry There was Jared Greenwood, McDowell and Morris. That Morris kid (Gary, I believe) was an incredible leader...rah rah..always positive, but what made him such a good leader was he performed. He was Mr. Clutch....and the bottom line is no matter how rah rah you are...you must perform or you will not be respected as a leader.

Now the guys that are example setters are different. Sometimes your best leader can be sitting on the bench, rarely playing, but encouraging his teammates...picking them up when they are down..never allowing negative comments from the bench

 

How true!!!

 

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