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Happy Monday! As we head into the Women’s College World Series, most of us have ended our seasons. Dealing with that can be rough so today we’re going to look at how to find your coaching joy again. This might be the most important article I’ve ever written.

So Let’s Go!

Table of Contents

• Stop Spending Time on Other People’s Dreams

• Why Pitching Summit & Motor Preferences Clinic?

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Stop Spending Time on Other People’s Dreams

One of the newsletters I really look forward to getting is from Sam Martin, a Mental Performance Coach. In addition to his insightful newsletter (doesn’t have a name), he has a terrific online program called, Composure Amid Chaos (His website: https://www.sammartin.me/)

His most recent issue hit me hard. He talked about how so many of us spend our time chasing other peoples dreams.

This resonated deeply with me after experiencing the deep anguish two very close coaching friends have been going through brought on by the pressures and challenges of coaching college softball in today’s environment.

These challenges range from losing great players to the portal to NIL’s to the out-of-balance offensive game to the battles over salary and budget. So much of this is based on comparing ourselves to others - whether it’s you or your players doing the comparing, all comparisons are just versions of chasing other peoples dreams.

Envying others is accelerated on social media and is a very toxic habit that will rob you of any joy.

Sam Martin’s post was so good, that I’m sharing it almost in it’s entirety, with a few of my own additions placed in parenthesis:

While Sam’s post was targeted mainly at athletes, it definately applies to coaches. It’s a TOUGH world out there right now…our current players are leaving for greener pastures with no account for the work we’ve put into them and the progress they’ve made under us. NIL deals are insane and it seems like every school but yours is competing in that arena.

Let’s look at a couple steps you can take to help you get to a place where you’re peacefully competitively, where you’re finding your joy in coaching:

1. Reframe the Portal -

   • The portal giveth and taketh away.

   • Instead of getting angry that a player leaves your program, change your viewpoint to being grateful that you had her.

   • When players enter the portal they aren’t really saying “no” to you, they’re saying yes to visions of grandeur like NIL’s and charter flights and dreams of going to the World Series. NOTE: Chasing someone else’s dream is what causes most players to jump into the portal. Don’t do it yourself!

   • Be grateful you had them at all - and then get into the portal and find their replacements.

   • Make deposits into your “people bank” - connection matters to everyone: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-1-217-the-invisible-impact/id1058589696?i=1000709530886

2. Have YOUR People -

   • Coaching is a hard and often lonely business. Especially if you’re the head coach. You’re giving constantly to others, all day long, every day. That’s why you need a few people who will give to you by letting you dump, or bitch, or vent.

   • Have a small group of trusted people in your life who always have your back, and will always make time for you. A text of support, a random heart emoji, or a surprise phone call…YOU need these people the same way your players need you (and let them help you).

3. TikTok is for Lawn Chairs -

   • Mom was fixing an old lawn chair in the backyard so we went on TikTok to get some help. While its the go-to app for your players, TikTok won’t help with your judgement-relief.

   • Take a walk listening to a good podcast, or workout, or sit on your back porch and play with your dog. Get off the judgement apps unless you’re scrolling for portal players - sadly.

4. Make Your Escape -

   • And finally - take that vacation. Go visit the Muldives, or visit your parents. Take that break that you NEED, and DESERVE and frankly REQUIRE.

   • Working yourself to death leaves you depleated and unable to make good decisions or have good relationships.

   • It doesn’t have to be the 2 weeks you imagine, but it’s amazing what a 4 day break from it all with people who love you can do to put you in a place to re-discover your joy.

Why Pitching Summit & Motor Preferences Clinic?

We are constantly asking our players to get better. To come back from the summer stronger and faster and better. So it’s only right that we take our own advice.

PITCHING SUMMIT - Years ago I started the Pitching Summit. Not as a way to make money, because frankly, it doesn’t. But as a way to help my college coaching friends find solutions to the myriad of problems they routinely called me about.

COVID and my jump back into college coaching waylayed the Summit. But last year I was convinced to bring it back. It’s my passion to help college pitching coaches have a more enjoyable and successful experience, and I do that best by creating an environment where we can openly share with our peers our struggles and our solutions.

This year’s Summit has 3 terrific college pitching coaches who will share topics that have led to their success - along with 1 college hitting coach who will walk us through what it looks like to prep their hitters to face a pitcher.

🎟️ Register: MOTOR PREFERENCES

🎟️ Register: PITCHING SUMMIT (In-Person or Virtual)

If you’re coming out to PGF, we’d love to have you join us In-Person. If not, then our Virtual option is available!

MOTOR PREFERENCES Clinic - Ever wonder why the Oklahoma catchers have tape on their chest protectors, or what all the talk about Arriels and Terrestrials is all about. Does it make you crazy when you tell your pitchers to “use their legs” and they continue to stand up tall and keep their legs straight?

Well attending our 2-day Motor Preferences Clinic will explain all of this and more! It’ll be like wearing night vision goggles allowing you to finally see and understand not only why certain players just can’t seem to “get it”, but more importantly, how to talk so they can!

Join the top programs in the country and take advantage of this GREAT opportunity to listen, learn an

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📅 ^{_{- July 16-17, Long Beach City College}}

^{_{🎟️-  Register Now - space is limited}}

Thanks for reading this week’s Curveball Chronicles. I hope it’s helped give you some insight to help your pitchers and to give yourself some grace.

Have a Great week!