MVHS Baseball – Coaching Staff Expectations       
  • Model, teach and preach Class and Commitment. Earn Your Title of Coach!
  • Make sure that we have clear Expectations, a Plan, and shared Values. Sell our philosophy and approach continually.  Repeat, Repeat, Repeat…  Paint pictures!  Everyone needs to share a common Vision!  We are what we emphasize…
  • Be PURPOSE driven! Our #1 priority is to help our players grow and develop into better people.  We’re here to help provide memories and relationships.  We’re building championship kids through trying to win championships.  We use the game of baseball to help people discover things about themselves.  Be a teacher! - take advantage of teachable moments & “life lessons.” We have 3 goals each season:
  1. Each player becomes a better competitor and baseball player
  2. Each player becomes a better teammate
  3. Each player becomes a better person
  • Continually preach, teach and practice the key things that give us a chance to win a game:
    1. Championship Execution of the Fundamentals
    2. Compete With The Mustang Mindset
  • We will be quick to welcome newcomers. We will be slow to cut a kid for behavior issues – We will not compromise the expectations, but we will strive to be a positive influence in a student’s life for as long as possible without it being detrimental to the team…
  • This is the pinnacle of athletics for most kids – we’re committed to providing an environment where they have a program they take extreme pride in, and a program where they can develop & achieve whatever potential they have and are willing to work towards.
  • Coach and teach for the benefit of the players. Keep the players’ interest uppermost in mind.
    • Provide a safe environment; maintain control; be highly organized and prepared.
    • Connect with them! Get to know players as people.  Be approachable. Know what’s going on in their life.  Know what they want and what their expectations/goals are. Develop as close a relationship with the player as their personality allows.
    • Focus on the players and skill sets you have, not what you don’t have.
  • Coach within the framework of the overall high school experience and priorities. We support and encourage multiple sport athletes – they learn to compete, skills are transferable, they learn different roles, and they experience different teammates.  This helps them in baseball.
  • Have high expectations - of all involved - at all times:
    • Expect and accept nothing less than the best a player is capable of.
    • Model the expectations – Lead by example. Act as if you’re being video taped.
    • Jump on the little things, and we may avoid the big problems.
    • Challenge them to believe in themselves; to be accountable – no excuses.
    • What gets rewarded, gets done... What you allow, you encourage…
    • Provide specific goals (e.g. team fielding percentage)
  • Simplify! Common sense leads to simplicity.  Simplicity is the genius of great coaches

Players ask 3 questions of their Coach every day:

  1. Can I trust him? 2. Is he committed to excellence? 3. Does he care about me?
  • Coach as a team! Offer ideas/suggestions.  The coaching staff can and should have differing points of view with each other, but we must be consistent as a coaching staff with the players.
  • Focus is on the TEAM!
    • Coach to each player’s style and strengths within team context.
    • Young people are naturally self-centered – help them see the bigger picture.
    • The player should be himself. We must adapt to them.  We will work within that framework to build a team with different personalities.  Find ways to achieve meeting their needs - on what they want – to also get to what you want as coach.  When a flower doesn’t bloom, we don’t try and FIX the flower - We fix the environment so the flower will bloom. Adapt to each player!
    • Team Chemistry: It’s better than getting a new superstar player!
    • Foster an environment where team chemistry is the responsibility of the players. It is their Team, their Season, their Experience – they need to take responsibility for it.
  • Provide effective and stimulating use of PRACTICE TIME:
    • Practice time is Coaches time – be really committed to it! Game time is for players.
    • Repetition of the things that happen most: Preach, Teach, Preach, Teach some more.
    • Balance of Fundamentals & Games: Pressure, Compete, Make them adapt/adjust!
    • Plan It, Post It, Preview It, Execute It, Reflect On It - Did we improve?
    • If we haven’t taught it, we can’t expect the players to do it correctly.
  • Provide a REWARDING and FUN environment:
    • Through hard work, competing, and improvement – commitment to daily improvement. Help players understand that rewarding experiences occur when you are willing to persevere through adversity.
    • Focus on “temporary setbacks” vs. “failures.” Be “not satisfied” vs. “disappointed.”
    • Through simply enjoying the game itself! Players want to enjoy the experience! – the #1 surveyed reason students participate in high school sports is “Fun”…
  • Provide an environment where the player’s MOTIVATION will thrive
    • Motivation comes from within the player – people want to do the best they can, and want to achieve their potential. It’s our job as coaches to help them.
    • Focus on performance; on things the player controls, not on outcomes or results.
    • Be positive! Focus on and capitalize on their strengths! Use “and” instead of “but.”  Be PASSIONATE! Expect GREATNESS! Speak GREATNESS!  Be about helping to build confidence.  CONFIDENCE IS AN REALLY AMAZING THING…
    • While our principles are not negotiable; we will be flexible with our methods.
  • COMMUNICATE!
    • “4 At the Door” – Eye Contact, Name, Hand, Heart.
    • Be a good listener! Encourage lofty goals. Kids listen to coaches.
    • Be able to answer the question, “Why do we do this?” Explain “Why,” not just “How.”  For most things, “Try this way” vs. “You HAVE to do it this way”
    • Provide appropriate levels of feedback to players – don’t under or over coach
    • Provide “instruction,” not “criticism.” How you present it is critical!
    • Don’t over-coach in games; don’t fill their head with things better served for practice.
    • Don’t take away aggressiveness. Help focus it, perhaps, but don’t take it away.
    • Be honest. Each player should know where they stand.
    • Teach them, and Tell them, of course. But help THEM to learn.
    • Take the blame; Give the credit.
  • Remember: We are working with the most important person in someone’s life!…
  1. Why do I Coach? 2. Why do I coach the way I do?
  2. How does it feel to be coached by me? 4. How do you define success?