Coaches Corner
Coaches Corner
I know winning isn't everything!
Stacie Mahoe
Have you heard these phrases before?
"Some teams/players just know how to
win"
"When you lose a lot, you get used to
losing"
I think there is truth to those
statements. Especially at the high school age and above. However,
for the 10U age, I really don't know how must winning or losing
positively or negatively affects a player in the long run.
I'm not saying that players at this age
don't care about winning or don't want to win. Of course they enjoy
it when they do well in a game and they are disappointed when they
lose. But for winning to be one of the most important things, to
me, is just not right.
I don't know about why you are involved
with the game of softball, but winning is not what fuels me. I'm
out there because I love the game. I enjoy softball. I love the
challenge and I am always out there to do my very best. Yes, I
expect to win, but the win is not what drives me - it's not the most
important, number one thing I'm focused on.
Anyway - here's another story that
pushes me toward believing that winning not even close to everything
at the 10U, 8U level - Maybe not even at the 12U level.
I first started playing Bobby Sox
softball at the age of 10. If you're familiar with Bobby Sox, it's
more or less run by district. You play for the association that is
run where you live. The association signs up a bunch of kids -
anyone who wants to play, is in the right age group, turns in all
the forms, and pay the registration fee. The players are broken up
into teams that are supposed to be kind of even based on players
years or experience, previous all-star selection, etc. Of course,
the teams are never really very even.
My first year, I was on a team with a
lot of inexperienced players. I still see the coach I had from time
to time and the thing I remember most about her is that she taught
me the basics. All the fundamentals that I would fall back on later
on in my career, I learned that season. Thank goodness I had her as
a coach because no other coach I had after that really took the time
to break things down the way that she did. I don't remember her
ever yelling at us or making us feel bad. I know we must have
frustrated her sometimes, but I don't remember not enjoying a
practice or a game. All memories I have of that season and that
coach are positive. Of all the seasons I played back then, that's
the regular season I remember most.
Okay, so what's the point. Well, like I
said, I sometimes run into this coach every now and then. The last
time I saw her, which was a few months ago, she said something about
that team. She said it was a team she would never forget. Then the
next comment she made absolutely stunned me. She said that we never
won a game. Not one game. I was totally flabergasted. I was like,
"Are you serious? We didn't win ANY games?" She laughed and shook
her head and said, "No."
If she didn't tell me - I would have
NEVER remembered that at all. Repressing bad memories? I don't
think so. It just wasn't the important thing. It wasn't the thing
from that season that lasted with me all these years. I seriously
doubt that my softball career was hurt in any way by being on a team
that didn't win any games.
To tell you the truth, I seemed to
always be on that regular season team that lost the most games. The
only time I was on a "successful" team was during all-stars. Then I
was also on a successful team in high school as well. But I don't
see any way in which being on losing teams at that young age hurt my
softball career in any way. During all-stars at the end of the
year, I was a contributor to the team. I played short-stop each
year for all-stars. One year, we even won the local tournament and
represented Hawaii in Buena Park. Being on a losing team all
regular season didn't make me a player that doesn't know how to win
in the all-star post season. Being on losing teams for 3-4 years
before getting to high school didn't hinder my softball development
or my ability to win.
So when coaches of young players say
that they have to win games to the kids learn "how to win." I don't
totally agree. I want to teach them those fundamentals that will
carry them through their career. I want to help instill or nuture a
love for the game in these players so that they'll want to continue
to play for the next 6, 7, 8, 9+ years. If they don't enjoy what
they do out there day in and day out, there is no way they are going
to stick to it much less excel at it year after year after year
after year. I want them to enjoy the game and have the skills they
need so that they continue this game to and through the high school
level. I want them to look back and remember me the way I remember
my first coach. "Thank goodness I had Coach Stacie because she
taught me some really important stuff."
I believe that if you teach them these
basics and encourage and help them give their best day in and day
out, the wins will come. All I ask of my players is their best.
Whatever it is on any given day, that's what I want. Some days are
better than others. But whatever they do, I want their
best. Winning isn't everything. After all, if they are all out
there doing the absolute best they can do, performing over and above
what anyone else expected, and they still come up a bit short at the
end, wouldn't you still be proud of them? I would be!
Okay that's enough rambling...can you
tell I feel strongly about this subject? Here's a quote I found
that adds to this message:
A life of frustration is inevitable
for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.
Stacie Mahoe
It's all about the game!
