The MaN

[NumeroUno]

Certainty by Tony Rico

"The state of being without doubt"... that's the definition of the word certainty.

I bet a lot of you don't really think about it too much. Let me ask you this: who are some of the most certain people you know? Do you have a friend, relative, sibling or teammate that carries themselves with extreme confidence?

How about a profession that requires that you act with certainty? Can you imagine your doctor or dentist telling you they are having a bad day and that they are not real sure they can do their job properly for you? As you board a plane, could you imagine hearing the pilot say that he or she is not good at flying in bad weather, and that they aren't sure they can fly safely?

So how does the word certainty apply to your softball career? Our coaches with the Firecrackers and the staff at Softball Connection put certainty at the top of our list of things that we want our players to develop.

Think about it for a second... is there a relationship between certainty and performance?

We think players should develop a confidence on the field that will be the same confidence they will need to help them in their future professional and personal endeavors.

A veterinarian is not a bad doctor just because they could not save the life of a puppy, right? So therefore you are not a bad hitter, or there doesn't have to be something wrong with your swing just because you went 0 for 3 with two pop ups. So don't act that way. The doctor doesn't put his or her head down and doubt him or herself, so you shouldn't either! Carry yourself the same on the field no matter how crazy the situation is around you.

Certainty comes from the mind, then it goes to the bat, ball, or glove. It's not the other way around.

You show certainty by standing tall, keeping your shoulders relaxed, breathing calmly, and keeping a strong look in your eyes, like you are prepared for anything and everything.

If you studied accounting for four years in college and received a degree, would you be certain you know your trade? So how many of you have played softball for four or more years? How many of you have played for six, eight, and even 10 years? That gives you the same amount of experience as someone with a Master's degree or higher! I bet you didn't realize that, but it's true for most you, so please don't ever forget that.

Act like you know what you're doing, because you do. You just don't always get the desired result that you wanted... just wait until some of you try coaching (ha, ha)!

This weekend I was most proud of a few students I have whose teams aren't having the best of seasons, but who showed absolute certainty and self-respect as they kept their composure on the field. You could not see on their faces the difficulty of what was going on around them. They seemed to be thinking only of what needed to be done next, and I honestly could not tell the score of the game by the way they were playing it.

These players are using tools that will be critical to maintain their happiness and peace of mind as they endure the adversity that life gives everyone at some point.

Be humble when you win, and remain certain of yourself when you don't, because a player with certainty will have a much more balanced softball experience.

[bucketbutt]

Very proud to call him my DD's hitting instructor.

[just_sayin]

Tony is awesome! My DD has been taking batting lessons with him for over a year. He is like Chicken Soup for the Softball Players Soul. My DD and I had the pleasure of watching his team play at the HB Sports Complex and it was awesome to see him walk around that field and to hear girls shouting his name as he walked by. He made a point to walk out to the outfiled and talk to a group of girls who were watching from the outfiled. It was like he was a celebrity! He has obviously made a positive imact on these girls at such a critical time in their lives. My 12U DD plays with so much more confidence and poise than I could have ever dreamed of having at her age. Tony Rico IS the man!

[MightyMite22]

That was AWESOME, this is the kind of stuff that I login to see. Thanks for sharing and giving this newbie some inspirational advise to share with his DD. She's gonna love that she has the educational equivalent of a Bachelors in Softball.