Varsity sports being canceled has been a huge blow for us. I know. How do we stay motivated? How do we keep going?

I wish I had easy answers. Will we have a summer season? I don’t know. What will college look like in the fall? I don’t know.

What I do know is that it is understandably very easy to want to shut down right now: to want to give up. And though I tend to address my blogs mostly towards players, I think that coaches and parents are struggling as well. We feel lost without our teammates and teams. We need that connection We need that camaraderie. We love learning, and growing and becoming better. So here are some ideas that might help you:

  • Personal development will make you feel better. The feeling of evolving and stepping above what you might think you are capable of gives a sense of accomplishment and joy. You can still get this, even without striking out hitters. You can read personal development books and implement those strategies. You can find lots of great Podcasts. I love Rob Crews’ Transcending Sport Podcast. In terms of bettering your craft pitching, Flawless Fastpitch has created three amazing options:
    1. An online program that we have been developing since 2016 (with lots of current updates). The girls who have been doing this have made unbelievable strides.
    2. Facetime lessons that can be done from anywhere
    3. 4D Motion sensor technology in conjunction with video analysis (message me for information on any of the above options)
  • Realize that you might be starting to feel depressed, and this is very understandable. Make sure that you talk to others and seek the help you need during this difficult time. Also, spend time with others through Zoom and FaceTime. Try yoga or mediating or praying (whatever resonates best with you). Make sure that you are staying physically active and eating well. If you need help or direction in any of these departments, let me know and I will help.
  • Try to visualize what it will be like when you get to play again. What will the dirt feel like in your cleats? What will your first outing against a hitter feel like? The amazing thing about the brain is that, if you visualize something in enough detail, you can almost trick yourself into feeling like you have experienced it.
  • Make a schedule for yourself. I know this seems silly with so much time on your hands, but when we have a lot of time, we sometimes tend to waste it. Make sure that your schedule includes school work, practicing, and time for being social.
  • Think about the skills that you can use this quarantine to develop that will make you even stronger when it is over. Those skills might not even be softball related. Maybe you want to learn to speed read or get better at spanish. Maybe you want to learn how to do some basic plumbing or electric work. I’m just spitballing here. But, as much as our lives feel interrupted right now, we also have the opportunity to come out better for it. I am personally learning new tech and reviewing lots of different video of elite pitchers and working more of that into my various curriculums. I am also playing the guitar a little because, why not?

I hope this helps. Remember, the game will still be there when this is all resolved, although it might feel a little different. You might play a little more like every game is your last. Your hunger for the sport might have returned. Connect with others in your community. Share this with anyone whom you think it might help.

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