What Does It Mean to Be Part of MacArthur Brahma Softball?
Since it is our firm belief that Softball is a game of habit, we must establish the correct habits in practice. This will include everything from individual fundamentals to team play to intensity of effort. For that reason, in our practice sessions we will demand your full effort and concentration for the entire time that you are on the field. This means from the first minute you hustle to the locker rooms to hustling onto the field, until the moment you hustle off, whether it be an hour or three hours.
The key factor in an effective Softball team is everybody doing the best they can on every single play. A total all-out effort every minute the ball is in play. Softball is the toughest game there is -- physically it is the most demanding. You must be mentally strong to play. Anybody can play when they feel good or fresh. It is something else to go all out 7 straight innings without losing focus. The break-off point is what I call not going hard. At what point does she not give her best? Do you go 3-4 innings before you quit? Do you play hard on Offense but not on Defense? No one can tell, but the player knows. The first time and then every time she doesn't make the big effort, doesn't do the little things.
Everyone goes very hard in the first inning and maybe the next, but somewhere along the line we have a problem. Three girls are tired, so they do not go all in one inning. On the next defensive inning they are rested, so they go all-out, but two others who were not tired before coast a little. Now we get a mixture -- we must prevent this from happening.
We must have consistency of performance. Softball is not a game played against an opponent; Softball is a game played against yourself. The purpose of the game is to find out what kind of person you are; to find out about yourself. It does not matter if you are a super athlete or a mediocre athlete, if you do the best you can always, "playing hard on both ends," then you have conquered yourself. You have WON!!!
When you believe this, you will be consistent and obviously our team will be very effective. Avoid ups and downs, and you can be champions --- this is your choice.
