Fitzhugh Dodson

In building a team, the most important question which has to be answered is “why.” Why has this group been assembled? The answer to this question provides the purpose statement or mission for that team. In sports, teams are built to win games and championships. In business, teams are formed to make profits and hopefully provide financial security for its members. After the “why” question has been answered, there are two question which must come into the picture for team success. They are as follows:

1. What? – How will we accomplish this?

2. How? – What are we trying to accomplish?

When the “what” question is answered, those involved will identify the ultimate goal of that particular team. For an Olympic team, the ultimate goal is a gold medal. In families, the goal for parents is to raise children who grow up to be responsible adults. For my Portsmouth Christian baseball team, the ultimate pursuit is the title of Virginian Independent School Athletic Association Division II State Tournament Champions (although we’re still working on that one!). Although short term goals are necessary to be created along the way, the “Big Dream” provides the desired destination of the trip!

Then there’s the question of “how.” How will this team go about reaching their ultimate goal? The answer to this lies in recognizing the strengths of that particular team. Too often teams focus on their weaknesses to detriment of their niche. For instance, a baseball team will spend a huge amount of practice time on hitting when their true strength is in pitching and playing solid defense. They will lose a lot of games because, although they’re likely to score runs, they’ll give up a lot more runs due to walks and errors.

Once thought has been given to these two questions, a team can formulate a powerful action statement which ties directly into the mission or purpose of that team. The team should be reminded of this statement on a regular basis for a source of motivation. An example of this would be the following:

“Our goal is to win the VISAA DII State Championship by focusing on playing smart, errorless defense.”

This can be tailored to your team with the basic statement structure of “Our goal is to ______________ by focusing on _______________.”

How would you fill in these blanks for your team??  Please share your thought!!

John Wooden

The ultimate indication that a team has been built occurs when the individual members of the group show a willingness to “give it up” for the success of that team. Truly great teams – those in athletics, business, or even family life – are able to set aside selfishness and ego and accomplish their sought after goals. God’s Word states in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Baseball is game…it is not life and death, but it does allow for opportunities to demonstrate an eagerness to sacrifice for the greater good. Another way of using this in baseball terms would be, “No greater commitment to a team can be shown than a ballplayer’s willingness to lay down a bunt for his teammates” (or even give up playing time!) The guy, who puts down a bunt to move a runner into scoring position, gives up his chance to hit and allows the man on deck to be the hero!!

In 2002 my Portsmouth Christian baseball team had the privilege of playing a semi-final game in the Virginia Independent School Baseball Association Division I State Tournament at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. Early in the game, we fell behind by several runs and found ourselves having to fight our way back into the game. I had a senior by the name of Daniel Moss who had earned his way into a starting position in the lineup as our right fielder. Daniel was a young man of character and a hard worker, but he did not possess great foot speed. In the midst of our comeback, Daniel found his way into scoring position at second base. Knowing that he could be re-entered into the game, I sent in a faster base runner to pinch-run in his place. After our turn at-bat, he was inserted back into the game.

However later in the game, Daniel once again found his way to second base with the chance take the lead. I had another fast kid on the bench who could pinch-run to insure more speed on the base paths, but it would mean that Daniel would have to leave the game with no chance to re-enter…that’s the substitution rule for HS baseball. What made it an even more difficult decision was that this game could have been Daniel’s last high school game if we happened to run out of innings and lose. As tough as it was, I knew we needed more speed, and he came out of the game. He knew the situation and was more than willing to sacrifice his place in the lineup for the success of the team. For the rest of the game, Daniel cheered on his teammates in the dugout and we ended up winning the game. He gave up his chance to play so that someone else could be successful; and in doing so, he gave himself the good fortune of playing another game…the Championship Game!!

Although we came up short in the championship game, Daniel Moss’s sacrifice in our 2002 VISBA Semi-Final comeback will always serve as a teachable moment in leading current players “to show pride in giving it up for the team.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

After 14 years of coaching high school baseball, I feel that I have a very good knowledge of the game at this level. Whether it be teaching hitting or pitching mechanics or running a “wheel play” bunt defense, I am confident that my players can learn something from the information that I have acquired through the years from other fine coaches and coaching resources. That said, it is very easy to get caught up in the “chess game” of coaching baseball and forget about the young men you are leading.

In my previous blog, I talked about the importance of the players on your team committing to their individual role – whatever that role might be, whether big or small. Obviously, the players with the bigger roles will have no problem following you into battle. But the players who may be the designated fielders (play defense, but not bat) or the courtesy baserunners (run the bases for the pitcher or catcher, if they happen to get on) or the reserve utility players, these are the guys who must be convinced of their value to the team.

Any coach can make the statement about a player’s value to the team going beyond the playing time they receive; but unless that player trusts that the coach has his best interest at heart, his commitment to his role is clearly in jeopardy. How does a coach build this kind of trust? He must demonstrate that he genuinely CARES for each player on the team regardless of his role. It is easier said than done, but he must attempt to develop a personal relationship with each player and stay far away from any hint of favoritism. There must be interaction with each member of the team that goes beyond practice or games. Get to know their personal likes and dislikes, and never pass up a chance to express how important they are to the success of the team.

Years from now, your players may not remember everything that you taught them about baseball, but hopefully they’ll remember how much you cared!!!

This day’s thought, I feel, is the most important of all! It comes from God’s Word in Ecclesiastes 9:10 where it states, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” In my mind this is the perfect verse to talk to my guys about the importance of committing to their role on the team. Whatever role each young man has been given for this year’s team, it is his responsibility to carry it out for the betterment of the group. The problem we will always face is that some roles are big and some are small. It is absolutely normal that everyone wants playing time, but the key word in the phrase is “whatever.” So no matter what position the player is in, we as a team have to be confident that he is going to do it to the best of his ability. Whether the role is to bat third in the lineup and play shortstop or to pinch run for the catcher when the opportunity arises, the team and I have to know that best attitudes and efforts are being produced whatever the task.

In athletics, family life, and even business, we all have roles to fill! I am not only a baseball coach, but also a husband, a dad, and a teacher. If I were to look at any of these roles as unimportant and neglect to give my best efforts, there would be a serious breakdown for everyone involved. My family, my school, and my team would suffer the consequences of my disregard.

It is very important that my team is successful on the field, but even more important is that any player whom I have the privilege of coaching will walk away with the concept of accepting a role – WHATEVER IT IS!

This is easy to talk about, but can sometimes be very difficult to actually happen. In my next blog, I will talk about what a coach must do to develop this important concept: BUILD TRUST!