Where does fun rank in your game?

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Permalink Reply by monty stiles on February 19, 2010 at 1:44pm

Hey Mike. I too also still play at 47 yrs old in the Detroit MSBL. I also coach 8th graders. For ME fun is absolutely # 1 (Captain Obvious). As for coaching, I'm with you. I rank it right behind effort. I'm unconcerned with how talented a kid is, I just want to be surrounded by the Charlie Hustles. After that I want the kids to have a blast and hopefully develop a great respect for the game. I want them to become fundamentally strong and MENTALLY strong as they become more familiar with how I think it should be played.

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Permalink Reply by Phil Leavitt on February 19, 2010 at 1:49pm

For me "fun" goes hand in hand with the other things you mentioned. As a player in his mid 40's it's still fun to compete, play the game hard, and of course, nothing is more fun than winning. I guess I can't just play for fun alone. Competition is what makes it fun.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Onken on February 19, 2010 at 1:53pm

Mike, I like this topic. I know some parents who complain about travel teams and competitive baseball stating they just want their kids to have fun. Well, it has been my experience that kids that are on traveling teams and play competitive baseball are having gobs of fun. I think fun has alot to do with how us coaches put together practice plans and drills. There are lots of kids that play because their parents just want them to play ball. If the kid doesn't want to play in the first place, I think having fun may not apply. Even with that scenario, if there is an abundance of effort and competition on the team, this player may have a change of heart/attitude and put forth more effort. It's really cool to see kids having fun that is a result of putting in more and more effort. The end result may take years to see, but the progress is made pitch by pitch. Good stuff!

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Permalink Reply by Ray Kovach on February 19, 2010 at 1:55pm

Fun ought to be first. Even at the top levels of any profession. Without enjoying what you do, you will turn a profession into a job. I still play at 47, umpire, coach, run a league. Without the pure enjoyment of competition and camaraderie with teammates and peers, why do it?

To quote the movie Jerry McGuire, "If this is empty, this doesn't matter". (You have to imagine a motion to the heart then the head.)

Ray

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Permalink Reply by Pat Crofoot on February 19, 2010 at 1:55pm

My LL AAA (9-11) team starts practice next week.

I think in the dugout I'm going to post a question for each player to fill out.

1. In baseball, what's the most fun for you.
2. What's the most fun when you are playing in the field.

Then you can focus their "Effort" toward achieving those goals.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Medrano AKA BIG E on February 19, 2010 at 1:59pm

Hi Mike, I've been playing the game since I was 4 years old and I love the game of baseball. I'm 36 now and my motto is love baseball, live baseball, play baseball and have fun while you play baseball! . For me, fun start once I step onto the baseball field. It start, once I begin to throw the ball around, hitting, running, and making plays. Fun should start immediately, once you start playing baseball. Baseball is suppose to be fun. As soon as you start having fun, and you start playing with love, then is when you become a great baseball player and you begin to make easy plays. You also start to gain confidence, discipline, and a lot of self esteem as well. if you don't have fun then the game become extremely mental and you begin to make errors and loose confidence in yourself. At least that is my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Nick Frese on February 19, 2010 at 2:00pm

Fun is #1 for me, and effort is implied. Of course, winning is more fun, and to me, competing is also an essential component. So 14-0 games are really not much fun (no matter what side you happen to be on). But as a 53-year-old still trying to play, let me say that it would be a lot MORE fun if it didn't HURT so much! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Paul L.J.Lagimodiere on February 19, 2010 at 2:45pm

Hey Mike,I am 67yrs young,unable to play but coach/teach pitching and hitting.I am involved with a Junior Baseball team in the MJBL as bench coach and help the players in all aspects of the game.

Junior baseball is players 19-21yrs attending U.S/Canadian Colleges getting an education and playing baseball.

I teach pitching & hitting in clinics over the winter months for players ranging in age 10-19 yrs.

I am still involved because its extreme fun for me and very gratifying once the "lightbulb moment" happens and the player becomes proficient in their skill.

Also,it's the athletes enthusiasm for competition ,and in all my years playing and coaching and teaching I never met an ethlete that was happy with failure.
The game is fun for the athlete when he is successful with his skill results,knowing they are still learning and improving,although the team doesn't win all the time.

That's my fun developing athletes to be better at their skill and maybe life. Paul

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Permalink Reply by Michael McCrite on February 19, 2010 at 3:14pm

Yes, it is a game.... A game is supposed to be fun. The best teams that I have played on and coached are the ones that seemed to have the most fun being with each other, learning, and then seeing all the "work" turn into team or personal success.

I have experienced leagues, parents and players that take some things too serious; thus, taking the fun out of it.

One thing that my players through the years have said to me is, "Coach, we have always have fun when we win." I believe that we become great coaches and teammates when we can have fun when we don't.

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Permalink Reply by Kip Gross on February 19, 2010 at 5:41pm

I wouldn't ever put a uniform on if it wasn't fun.

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Permalink Reply by Kyle Grucci on February 19, 2010 at 5:58pm

Great question, Mike. As a coach of my kids' teams, first and foremost I want the kids to try - to give 100% effort. Baseball is a team game. If 6 of the kids in the field are putting in the effort and 3 are goofing around and JUST having fun, that's not fair to the others who are trying. If they are giving their best effort, then I am able to teach them, they will improve, have successes, and as a result they will all enjoy playing the game of baseball and have fun doing it. After that, winning also has a positive impact as it builds team confidence.

As a player, I have fun when I'm playing with guys who are friends and always pulling for each other. I also love to compete. My teammates should always put forth their best effort and be mentally in the game. Since you don't play to lose, it obviously helps to play with guys who are skilled. It's great when you take the field for infield/outfield and every throw, catch, cutoff, tag, and relay are crisp. You feel like your team is running like a well oiled machine.
So in order, as a player, I'd say - Attitude and Effort first, then fundamentally strong, fun, and then winning.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Solberger on February 20, 2010 at 12:35pm

I'm going to play devils advocate here since you are all saying the right thing. Is losing fun?

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