Philosophy Statement

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Philosophy Statement

Our philosophy is built on the premise that we can teach more than just baseball. Through baseball we can try to help instill a sense of self-responsibility, compassion for others, and sportsmanship in victory as well as defeat. Our primary goal is to develop young men that demonstrate in both word and deed that they are ‘class’ athletes – on and off the playing field.

A ‘Class’ Athlete

The attributes of a ‘class’ athlete are defined not simply by the characteristics of his play, but more precisely by the character he displays while playing.

A ‘class’ athlete remains gracious in both victory and defeat. While proud of his accomplishments, he does not boast of his successes, nor does he make excuses for his failures. In a true manner of sportsmanship, the ‘class’ athlete accepts both victory and defeat with dignity. He is always willing to praise his opponents, and admit his mistakes. Recognized for his ability to accept responsibility for his own actions, a ‘class’ athlete is also capable of displaying compassion for others.

A ‘class’ athlete carries himself with confidence. He dedicates himself to the goals of his team, and focuses all his energy and effort on executing his role. He understands the difference between being enthusiastic and being obnoxious, and a ‘class’ athlete never acts in a manner that would embarrass himself, his teammates, or his opponents. He recognizes the need to be prepared, and as a result, he always comes ready and eager to perform. A ‘class’ athlete rises above all distractions around him. He is not challenged by the success of his teammates, but rather by his own desire to do all that he can do to fulfill his potential.

Just saying he wants to reach a goal, instead he is compelled to take advantage of every opportunity to reach that goal does not satisfy a ‘class’ athlete. His hustle on the field is a result of his commitment to excellence and the intensity with which he pursues improvement through practice. A ‘class’ athlete strives to redefine his weaknesses as strengths, and he is determined to settle for nothing less than his best effort.

A ‘class’ athlete understands the value of personal sacrifice. His play and his demeanor reflect this understanding. In the end, a ‘class’ athlete demonstrates by his actions that words such as loyalty, compassion, sportsmanship, dedication, and self-responsibility are not just an integral part of his vocabulary, but an integral part of his life.

There are two ways to do anything in life –- with class, as the Renegades have displayed, or without class. It doesn’t take any extra time or energy to have class.

Class athletes handle victory and defeat in the same manner -– graciously, with their heads held high. They don’t brag in victory or make excuses in defeat. They accept victory or defeat in stride. They praise their opponents and admit their own mistakes.

A class player hustles on and off the field in a certain confident manner. He is totally focused. All of his energies and powers of concentration are directed towards getting the job done --- and nothing else. No energy is directed towards the umpires or crowd. A class player does not embarrass himself or his opponents. He has a job to do and he does it. He is completely prepared. His actions speak louder than his words. Even his body language, including facial expressions, seems to indicate he is rising above everybody else.

Our philosophy is a simple but effective one. We do not waste time or energy worrying about whether we win or lose. We concentrate on preparing ourselves to become the very best athletes we can be --- both mentally and physically. We strive to gain the edge over our opponents in every possible manner:

§ in strength

§ in technique

§ in conditioning

§ in mental toughness

When we do this, we feel so confident that we expect to win AND WE DO!

The first quality that we look for in a player and family is LOYALTY. You can be an outstanding worker or greatest baseball player, but if you are not loyal, we don’t want you around. We need 100% commitment --- 100% of the time.

In our years of coaching, we have seen many young athletes make a sincere commitment to excellence. They had a burning desire to be great, not just “good”. They craved coaching. They wanted to learn new techniques every day. They worked harder than the other ballplayers during both the season and off-season. They looked for tougher competition to improve their performance. They were stubborn. They refused to settle for second best.

Some of you can get by on your natural ability, but this can only carry you so far. The top high school player is not always the best player in the junior high. The player who has worked the hardest is usually the one who becomes the best.

To get the edge, you have to be willing to pay the price. This means practicing according to a schedule and not when you feel like it. You must be willing to practice when you would rather be doing something else.

To get the edge in baseball, you need “tunnel vision”. To avoid the many other good and fun things that can easily distract you, put on your blinders. Avoid the many distractions and temptations currently available. Tunnel vision is your discipline. You need to have a no nonsense attitude at practice.

Work hard and you will improve. Treat practice as if it were the real thing. Come early and stay late. Improving yourself is the best way to help your team and build confidence.

Use practice time to build your confidence. Make the sacrifice. Work hard. Do what it takes in practice to be a winner.

In summary, our coaching philosophy is based on our ballplayers getting the edge. Our formula is --- JUST PLAIN HARD WORK. When it is time for our players to perform in a game, they take with them a supreme confidence, an edge that they are going to win, and they usually do.

Renegades Coaching Staff