Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Weekend Warriors

Hello All,

Our softball team just came back from a weekend in Raleigh , North Carolina and we went 3-1 in the Triangle Classic. It was nice to be able to play in 4 games and see where we are and what we need to work on in game situations.

We left school on Thursday evening and the girls seemed very excited knowing they were getting the chance to play some games. We have been practicing for a while now. On the ride down, we put in a couple of movies, never really watching them through, until the usual Big Bang Theory got put in. I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of that tv show but I am now. I actually caught myself watching it this fall in the comfort of my own home. However, it is not just the show but the thought of softball as well because now whenever I hear Big Bank Theory, I will think about softball.

We get to Raleigh at the hotel and they had about 2 hours to settle down and then their life fell apart. I took their cell phones and lights had to be out at a certain time. I do that for the reason that I want them to get a good night sleep, have no distractions like breaking up with someone, etc. and to be focused in the morning for the game. I know this day and age we are all about technology. I have to admit I was very proud of the ladies. They showed the next day that they can be focused and they can work hard for something. That's why they walked away with 2 wins on Friday. What a gorgeous day it was as well-we couldn't have asked for a better day!

Later that evening we went to a mall and then to a buffet restaurant. I have to say at first I was worried about the girls eating. You know buffet is all you can eat. That is scary sometimes when you bring in a team of 21 people. Although, the players weren't who I was worried about. It was one of my assistant coaches. I believe she was born with a bread roll in her hand. I was worried we were going to have an intervention for her. Anyway, the team was very mannerly, polite, and having a good time. We proceeded on back to the hotel.

Next day, we took a win and a loss. Remember me saying that we had a gorgeous day previously, well not so much on this day. It was cold and windy. Of course, both teams had to play in it and we adjust first game and won but the second we didn't. As coaches, we got to see some people play in the field that we wanted to, some got to hit that we wanted to see, and all in all it was a great weekend. Every one did what we asked of them. As I was sitting on the bus on the ride home, I thought, this team is special and good things are going to happen if they keep believing in themselves, in each other, and do the little things that we ask of them each and every day. It is the little things that let the big things happen. We have started off well but we have to remember, it's a journey and it's not where we are early but where are we going to be later.

Until next time. . . . GO SQUIRRELS!!!!!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

What does February bring?

Hello All,

What does February bring? For the softball team, the last week has been filled with players and an assistant coach's birthday. We have celebrated their birthdays with the singing of Happy Birthday (not sure you want the team to sing anytime soon) and the eating of cupcakes and cake. What better way to end a practice or take a break in the middle of building dugouts than to celebrate these people. To me this is what softball and any sport is about- friendships that are made along the way, coaches and players getting to know and care about each other. I'm not sure if we want to see another cupcake or cake right now, but it's just a small token of how much we care about each one. Until next time. . . GO SQUIRRELS!!

Thoughts

Hello All,

It has been a couple of weeks since I last posted and I am sorry to my readers. Our softball team is working really hard on and off the field. We are about a week and a half away from opening our season and I can't be more excited to get started. I am passionate about this team and each person brings something in themselves to make this team better each day. Which brings me to my next thoughts.
As a coach, I know that our job is to help each and every player become the best that they can be while they are with us. I know this isn't easy. I have to put forth the effort to find what I need to do to help each player reach their highest level of performance and watch them go above and beyond what anyone thought they could. It is a constant effort even when I am frustrated, tired or out of answers for something. As a player, it is your job to put forth the effort that coaches ask you to bring to each practice/game. If you aren't willing to run a fly ball out in practice, what makes coaches think you will do it in a game? You as a player have to hold yourself accountable or you will be made accountable for the choices that you make. Are you the type of player that positively affects others, that makes other players raise their game and improve their performance?
As a coach and/or player, we need to look in the mirror at the person that can have the biggest impact on our success. It starts with ourselves. We need to stop blaming other people or outside circumstances. Anyone that has ever been successful, at some point, has been discouraged, out of their comfort zone, loss in confidence or felt like a failure. However, they overcame those and moved forward. It didn't mean they weren't worthy or weren't good enough. They just had to keep pushing forward. Whether we are a coach or a player, we have to keep pushing forward if we want to be successful. Part of being successful is being consistent in our performance. Doing the little things makes the big things happen. We only get out of something what we put into it and that goes for coaching or playing. I want our athletes to do everything that we ask of them to the best of their ability. We can choose to do what is right or we can choose not to. However, consequences come with both choices, good or bad. I read a quote the other day and it said "If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort." For MBC softball, that's all we ask each of you every day- give us all your effort in whatever we are doing and we will win!
Until next time . . . GO SQUIRRELS!!!!!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

PEGS

Hello All,

As I mentioned in my previous post, we put up dugouts yesterday on our field. There was one part of the dugouts that I haven't mentioned yet so I thought I would in this post.
Our dugouts are constructed out of timber and the framing is put together with pegs instead of nails. It was really interesting watching it all come together from the plans to the final product. We had quite a lot of pegs that went into each dugout, over 100 probably, and so what we did was sell the pegs for an amount and with each peg, the donor could write whatever they wanted on the peg. Then it went into the dugout and will be there permanently. These dugouts will outlast our lifetimes.
So, it has been neat seeing what people would right on there pegs. Most people put their names, some put Bible scriptures, some put their softball years of playing and their uniform numbers on, etc. Some even went so far as to decorate and paint their pegs. But no matter what people wrote, painted, etc. on their peg, they all were a necessity for the dugouts. Without the donors of the pegs, the dugouts wouldn't have happened either. So I don't want to leave everyone out that contributed to the dugouts as it has been many. I can't name everyone but I want you to know that you made this happen as well for the MBC softball team and we really appreciate you.
If you are ever at MBC, at a softball game, or just curious, please take a look at the dugouts because you were definitely a big part of this project happening. I know times are hard for people now and everyone's money is a necessity but you found it in your hearts to help out-thanks!!!!
Until next time. . . GO SQUIRRELS!!!!!!

Dugouts

Hello All,

Yesterday was a great day for the MBC softball program. After being in existence as a varsity sport at MBC since 2001, we finally got dugouts. It has been a work in progress for the last 6-8 months and finally it all came together. We had some key people in this project, one being a donor of the timber and the other a professor of engineer at VMI, who basically designed the plans and implemented the framing work of the dugouts. Our grounds crew here at MBC did the physical labor of getting everything ready on our end for it to happen.  The engineering class at VMI spent a lot of tireless weekends to make this happen before yesterday even began.
Saturday morning started out with everyone coming together- MBC softball team, VMI cadets, family and friends, etc. We got instructions on what to do step by step and even though it started a little slow, by that afternoon both dugouts were up. I can't tell you how pleased I was to see everyone working so well together. Everyone seemed to have a great time and everyone did something to help with the dugouts.
We did stop for a quick lunch break with pizza and cake. I am sure you wonder why cake but it was a softball player's birthday as well on Saturday. We all sang Happy Birthday to her  (I'm sure she was a little embarassed) and after about 20 minutes of rest and food, we went out to finish the final touches of the dugouts.
At the very end, we did a blessing of the dugouts with good luck, etc. and we had to cut some limbs from an existing tree and put them at the top of the dugout. After the gentleman told me what it was about, he asked me who I wanted to do it. I wanted my seniors to be the ones to do it. For some of them, it has been on their wish list for 4 years- of course, it's been on my list for ten years. We all watched each of them put their limb at the top of one of the dugouts and then the very last one we wanted our trainer, Charlie, to do it. After he was done, he yelled "Mary Baldwin College, Home of the Fighting Squirrels" and everybody erupted in yells and claps. What a way to end the day and to start the season off!
Until next time . . . . GO SQUIRRELS!!!!!!