The first time I heard this was during my first year coaching. It took me a while to really understand this. Now, this thought runs through my head nearly every day. From the students I work with, to parents, to fellow coaches and instructors, this couldn’t be any more true.
“When the Student is ready, the Teacher will appear.”
As a coach/parent, my one and only purpose is to give. Give as much as I can. GIVE RELENTLESSLY.
With this, I have come to learn that not everyone is looking for it. Not everyone is ready for it. Many will give signs that they desire it, but when it comes down to it, they simply aren’t there yet. Maturity, experience, ego, ignorance, pride, conceit…Whatever it is, they just aren’t ready.
That’s perfectly fine. When they ARE indeed ready, they will come find you. From an early age, it was ingrained in me to seek knowledge. My father reminded me often about who I was around and to “Pick their brains.” Learn as much as you can from everyone you can. Through this life long process, it has become quite clear that not everyone is the same. Everyone sees things in a different light. There is more than just one way to succeed.
Let me share a story…
My first year coaching, one of the pitchers on my staff was from a major D1 school. He was a high draft pick with a great arm. Long story short, he fought suggestion. His ego was like a brick wall. He had an issue repeating his delivery which in turn led to a not so good strike percentage which led to poor performance on the mound. As the season went on, one constant topic in our daily pitchers meetings was the importance in our ability to command the baseball and command the strike zone.
What many amateur (college and lower) pitchers/parents/coaches fail to realize is that a good fastball will only get you so far. It can get you in the door, but if you can’t dot the i’s and cross the t’s with it, you will never make it all the way. Hitters at that level have a better idea of the strike zone and seem to be born to turn around a 95 MPH fastball like it’s batting practice, when it’s left up and over the plate. Command, execute and repeat is the name of the game and if they can’t do that, their dream of becoming a big leaguer will vanish much quicker than they had ever imagined it would that day they signed their first professional contract.
About half way through the season, we had a miserable series. As a whole, we were struggling. It happens. That’s baseball, that’s life. It came to a head one night and I called a meeting with my pitching staff after the game. It was a tough love lecture. The truth hurts kind of message. “Some of you may find yourself at home come this time next year if you don’t figure it out!”
About two minutes after that meeting was over, this young man came into my office and asked to talk. He broke down. It was hard to see but was obviously a turning point for him. His words…”I’m ready.”
He was starting to see the writing on the wall. The competition at that level is like no other. The best player in your area becomes just another guy when they step into a professional locker room.
After a change in mindset and a couple weeks of work, he started to turn things around. He finished the season with a different approach and better results. Unfortunately for him this all happened a little too late. A couple years later, his opportunity came to an end. This is a story like many, an amateur player with a lot of talent. He was never really TAUGHT how to turn that talent into a skill. He developed as a thrower, and not a pitcher, and was never able to fully overcome this. His ego and lack of being coachable. His maturity level and his lack of humility. They buried him.
Players, parents and coaches, don’t let this happen.
I’ll tell you right now young pitchers, your big fastball is just a talent. It may get you somewhere but if you desire to make it all they way, you better learn how to command it.
Parents, raise humble, coachable, selfless young men. Men who want to learn.
Coaches, BE COACHABLE. None of us have it all figured out. When we stop looking for information, for inspiration, for guidance and for assistance, we have put a ceiling on the amount we will be able to give our players, children and your family.
“When the student is ready, the Teacher will appear.”
Founder of Baseball Dudes. Blessed with three beautiful children and an amazing wife. Baseball is my life, after my family, and I love sharing what I have learned from it. Thanks for taking the time to view what we offer here at Baseball Dudes.
