Motivating a Struggling High School Pitcher. Aaron Krieger. Educational Psychology The University of Akron

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1 Running Head: Struggling Pitcher Motivating a Struggling High School Pitcher Aaron Krieger Educational Psychology The University of Akron Dr. Mudrey-Camino July 7, 2015

2 Struggling Pitcher 2 Introduction Coaching high school athletes can be a challenge, especially when you know nothing about any of the players or backgrounds they possess as athletes. High school athletes seem to have a sense of entitlement in today s athletic world. They believe everything should be given to them. Athletes do not think that have to work for playing time or a chance to prove themselves on the athletic field. This sometimes makes it difficult to work with some student athletes. I will note that this happens more then you would think, but it s something you have to accept as a coach and determine the best way to breakthrough to players in order to get their best. For the past 11 years, I have been a high school baseball coach at different schools throughout the state of Ohio. Most of my experience in coaching baseball is as a pitching coach. Many players need coaches to apply theories such as intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy to help build confidence in their abilities. I will be applying these theories to a struggling high school aged baseball player. The goal is to develop motivational techniques that can be used to improve success on the playing field. For purposes of this project, I will be discussing how to motivate a struggling high school pitcher. The pitcher comes from a suburban area high school. The players on the team are from grades The player, Blake, is currently on the junior varsity baseball team. There are a total of 15 players on each of the three teams (Freshman, Junior Varsity, and Varsity). Of the 45 total players in the program, there are 20 pitchers. The teams are made up of all 43 Caucasian

3 Struggling Pitcher 3 players and 2 African American players. Each team has a head coach and one assistant coach. The teams practice together after school Monday-Friday and on Saturday mornings. The practice area is rather convenient for a high school team. The team generally practices for two to three hours each day. The teams are able to use two full size gymnasiums for fielding, hitting, and pitching. There is also an upper gym area in the main gym that allows additional room for hitting, pitching, or fielding drills. The teams have access to 5 full size mounds that are made out of foam or wood. The foam mounds have an Astroturf padding on the outside. The wood mounds have a layer of carpet for cushion on the exterior of the mound. Blake practices everyday with his teammates. The pitchers will practice daily with either their position group or other positions the player might play. Fatigue could be a common factor among the players as they are sometimes trying to develop hitting, fielding, and pitching skills all in one practice. The home life of Blake is pretty ordinary. Blake comes from a home with a working mother and father and has two siblings. Blake is an above average student and is involved in Key Club and DARE/SADD. Both of Blake s parents work and are well respected in the neighborhood. Needless to say, Blake comes from your typical blue-collar family who supports their son's athletic abilities. For the purposes of the project, I will be applying the Intrinsic Motivation Theory and Self-efficacy to help increase motivation with player expectations. I intend to apply these theories to help players become more responsible for efforts, which will result in increases success on the playing field. The motivational strategies will help increase player s knowledge about the game and tendencies that will help improve performance. They will also learn techniques that will help them recover from failures that may occur while playing.

4 Struggling Pitcher 4 Theoretical Analysis Intrinsic Motivation Baseball players are constantly fighting with motivation issues when competing. Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to take actions towards a desired goal (Schunk, Pintrick & Meece, 2008). Blake lacks motivation and the desire to get better from time to time. Players are motivated in different ways. It is the coach's job to get the most out of each player. Blake lacks intrinsic motivation, which exists inside the individual and the task at hand (Schunk, Pintrick & Meece, 2008). Intrinsic motivation is not an easy skill to master at any age. Learners need to be motivated by an internal reward or a satisfaction that comes from within. Intrinsic motivation cannot come from a tangible award of any kind. The motivation theory has another feature called extrinsic motivation. External motivation is where an individual s motivation lies outside of the individual and the task being performed (p. 236). Individuals look for outcomes from a task that leads to a reward or praise. In order to figure out what players struggle with motivation issues, you have to put them to different tests. These tests can be conditioning tests, baseball skill tests, or game-like tests. As a coach you gain an understanding and an appreciation of what players struggle with when you put them in different situations. Coaches are to always provide a positive learning environment where you can see the player s true self.

5 Struggling Pitcher 5 To help Blake develop his intrinsic motivation we provide a routine so he can understand how to develop his skills. Players need to earn there playing time and in order to show they are developing they need to continuously improve their skills and demeanor. According to Schunk, Pintrich, and Meece, one needs to find an appreciation in mastery and self-worth (2008). In order for Blake to succeed, he needs to develop a set of internal criteria for success and failure rather than external criteria given to him (Schunk, Pintrick & Meece, 2008). At the beginning of the year Blake was given a survey that listed his goals for the year, current level of baseball comprehension, and how he plans on reaching higher goals. The survey leads to a deeper understanding of how Blake needs to progress as a player. Since Blake is only on the junior varsity team, he may be gearing his discussions to eventually obtain an extrinsic reward of getting to the varsity level before the end of the year. Blake needs to understand that we are going to create an environment where he can feel free to explore, develop new skills, and complete skills that will improve his play. Self-efficacy Self-efficacy is defined as The belief in one s own ability to perform certain actions at a desired level in specific situations (Bandura 1993). For a high school baseball player, they may find it difficult to have a good understanding of how they will perform in certain situations. The main reason behind this is they are only so experienced with situations that are provided in a baseball game. Baseball is a very mental game that is tough for some players to adjust to. Baseball is a game that will throw so many situations at you. Players need to evaluate things and

6 Struggling Pitcher 6 then re-evaluate them on the fly. Baseball is known as a game of failure. If you go 3 for 10, meaning getting three hits in ten at bats, you are considered a very good player. High school students don t grasp this concept. They think they are going to have success every time they come to the plate. Teaching methods are going to vary from player to player. In order to develop Blake s self-efficacy, he learns best when you work one-on-one with him. Coaches will constantly reflect with Blake on his abilities to try to determine what went wrong and what stills needs to be developed when he completes certain skills. This helps him compound the problem and gives him an opportunity to enhance his skills. Coaches also need to give positive feedback when they see Blake do something that is good. They need to refrain from giving him any negative feedback because that could cause setbacks to his development. Another teaching aspect we will use is classroom sessions. These classrooms sessions will show videos of skills and drills that we will do during practice. I have found this to be very beneficial for players in the past. As a coach you can focus in on different aspects of drills. You can focus on the main things that players need to practice as they develop their skills, whether it be fielding, pitching, or hitting. Blake, as well as other players, can ask questions if there is any misunderstanding with how to complete any skill or drill. Blake should end up being more comfortable with how to complete fielding drills and where to go in certain situations. He will become more comfortable with the mechanics of pitching and drills that he can do to make his mechanics better. Blake will also be able to focus in on different hitting drills that will make his

7 Struggling Pitcher 7 swing more compact, quick, and consistent (See the appendix for some of the pitching drills that will be focused on). Players with high self-efficacy envision being successful more often than they think about failure. These players are usually the one s who strive to learn more. They are trying to incorporate aspects of other athlete s games that have shown to be successful in the past. To develop Blake s vision of self-efficacy, we need to make sure he understands small wins in developing his skills. If Blake believes he is getting better, then he is going see an increased self-efficacy. Practical Applications I have developed this pre-season questionnaire (see appendix) that Blake and the rest of the players in the program will complete at the beginning of the year. The questions will help measure self-efficacy and relative emotions of the player s current attitude towards their baseball skills. The questions will vary in style. They will include the player's baseball background and experience levels in the sport. The questionnaire will also provide a place for players to describe what goals they have for the team and individual goals they have for the year. The data will be used to determine if there are any problems that exist. It will help determine if there are any issues that may push players away from certain coaches and cause a problem with credibility issues towards coaches. The throwing progression (See appendix) document will give a detailed list of exercises the Blake with complete during practice each day. He will rotate through the exercises during

8 Struggling Pitcher 8 the pitching portion of his practice. There are laminated pages that describe how to do each of theses exercises. During pre-season conditioning we have described how to complete each of these exercises. All players, including Blake have had practice on mastering technique of each drill. The pitching strategy document will be talked about during a pitcher and catcher classroom session. The coaches will go over each topic on the document and describe in detail how to develop the different aspects in pitching. Blake will be shown video of some of the drills in order to get a visual picture to how to complete some things. By going over this document, Blake and other pitchers know what is expected of them when they are on the mound. All of the players in the program are going to have a set of fundamentals that will allow them to develop as players and enhance their game to a new level. Pitchers will complete the pregame routine during every game day. High school pitchers need stability and a plan in order to prepare themselves for competition. This plan was used by myself while I was playing college baseball. The warm-up allows a pitcher to take their time as they fully warm their bodies up. When Blake gets to the bullpen portion of the warm-up, it gives him game situations that he may face during the game. These situations in pregame allow him to focus on the task at hand and practice what needs to be accomplished. Reflection and Conclusion What I learned while completing this project is there are a lot of psychological aspects that players do not think about in the game of baseball. Baseball players experience all kinds of

9 Struggling Pitcher 9 emotions. There are highs and lows during any given day. To deal with these emotions, players must have their emotions in check so they can handle the failures that exist. As a player you are going to have games where you have a lot of success and everything is going smooth. It s when you have a bad game with multiple failures that will show how you can handle those failures. What parents and players fail to understand is how coaches are constantly evaluating how to make things better. It may be a drill that you ran and it wasn t as smooth or graceful as you would have wanted. It could be something that happened during the game that either the coach did wrong of a player did wrong. Coaches take things home because we want what s best for all of our players. The most important thing to understand is that you cannot give up on any player. Like previously mentioned, baseball is a game of failure. Coaches have to continually stay on top of giving players positive feedback. There are going to be days when a coach gets frustrated with a player because they just aren t getting the concept or skill being taught. Coaches must keep their emotions in check in order to stay level headed and help the player out. Keeping your emotions in check can be one of the toughest things to encounter during a game or practice because of the pressure at certain point in a game. As a coach you know exactly what needs to be done for the player to be successful. If you lose your cool, you are going to lose the player. One problem I encountered was getting this completed in a timely manner. I have been juggling class work in four classes during the first five weeks of the summer season. I have also

10 Struggling Pitcher 10 been working a decent amount of hours at a part-time job. This made it difficult to find time to complete some schoolwork and get assignments completed. This experience has allowed me to evaluate how I have taught pitchers in the past and how I can improve on doing so. I know there is a lot more information about different theories and how they could apply to sports, but I have not been able to research things more than for this project. I am intrigued to research what is out there on the topic. I know the main thing first make the player comfortable with what they are doing it, how you are teaching it, and how they completing it. I attend a coach s clinic every year to try and find new ways to teach things. I think it s important for coaches to find new things that can help players develop. The emotional part of the game and self-efficacy isn t talked about too often at these clinics. I wish they would be because coaches could gain a deeper appreciation on the topic. Overall, the project is something that I do with players quite often. The most important parts of making sure players are successful is getting them to buy in to your coaching. If a player does not have a comfort level with you, it won t work. High school players are different creatures because they have so much going on outside of baseball. If they understand the importance of controlling their emotions, they have a chance for success. Once they control their emotions they have a better opportunity to have a higher self-efficacy. It will take a lot of hard work and patience in order to be successful, but it can be done. All parties involved must stay patient and build as they go through the learning process.

11 Struggling Pitcher 11 References Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived Self-Efficacy in Cognitive Development and Functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2) Schunk, S.H., Pintrich, P. R., & Meece, J.L. (2008). Motivation in Education: Theory, research, and application. Upper Saddle Ridge, NJ: Pearson Education.

12 Struggling Pitcher 12 Pre-Season Evaluation Form Appendix 1. What role are you best suited for to help this team win? 1. List your strengths. (Be specific) 2. List at least one thing you need to improve on. (Be specific) 3. List your individual goals for this season 4. List your team goals. 5. What does this team lack? 6. How can you help this team win? 7. What can you contribute if you are not a regular starter? 8. How can you help the team when your play is bad? 1. Arrange a starting lineup in hitting order (include yourself where you see fit) Position Arrange pitching rotation in order. (Include yourself if you see fit)

13 Struggling Pitcher 13 #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 12. List the player who put themselves ahead of the team or thinks he is bigger then the team. 1. Nominate player for: Captain 1. Evaluate your performance this spring. C0-Captain

14 Struggling Pitcher 14 Throwing Progression 1. Feet square- separation w/arm action, stabilize glove 2. Separation momentum 3. Foot strike- separation, finish over stable front side 4. Hook-ems- torsion focus 5. Skips with arm swing Go through lob long-toss to max distance Pull down begins at 100 feet with full intent and throwing to a specific location Flat 60 feet with home plate- work on spins and grips Post-Throw Day 1 Mechanics Mechanical med balls Power med balls 1B Hips Arm care bands (Iron scap) Arm care Day 2 2B Side plyos Holds Spin drills Mound Separation Arm care Hips Innings for conditioning and additional core work

15 Struggling Pitcher 15 Pitching strategy What it takes to be a successful pitcher A. A desire to prepare B. Positive attitude C. Establish your identity D. Develop maturity E. Confidence 10 Commandments of Pitching 1. Believe the philosophy, execute the plan 2. Control the pace of the game 3. Attack the strike zone 4. Have positive body language 5. Understand the routine that makes you successful 6. Be in prime condition 7. Throw every pitch with conviction and confidence 8. Learn how to stay focused 9. Have the ability to make adjustments 10. Demand perfection of yourself Pitcher s Commitment 1. Physical development 2. Mental development 3. Execution 4. Character Five ways to get hitters out 1. location 2. change speeds 3. deception 4. movement 5. pitches No mechanics Eight Phases 1. set up 2. wind up or pivot (for rhythm) 3. leg lift (upside down 4) 4. leak and load 5. stride out (L kick) (Directional) 6. point, roll, and pop (hide) (transfer) (Momentum) 7. follow through (Rotation) 8. ready position Fastballs 4 seam (strikeout pitch) 2 seam (against seams) 2 seam (with seams) 0 seam (less rotation) Seams = rotation (spin) Movement theories 1. Seams 2. triangle or overload 3. rotation 4. slot (wrist) 5. elements (gravity, wind, moisture) 6. Combos Pitchers need 4 pitches (left, right, straight, sink) Play catch --- throw to hips Curveball Tense forearm Tighten pinkie

16 Struggling Pitcher 2 Karate chop Changeup Pitchfork Palmball Circle Split --- flick the thumb for tumble, see movement theories Middle IF touch system 1 look wrist 2 look elbow 0 look face (catcher flip) OF crash down on bunts and picks Add 1 picks Pitching Concepts/ Game Calling and how it plays into team defense Priorities in Game Calling 1. Pitchers strengths a. Best Pitch b. Best Secondary Pitch c. Pitch to find release point d. Exception e. Back pocket pitch 2. Situation a. Fly ball --- b. Ground Ball --- c. K Hitters weaknesses a. Front Side --- b. Back side --- c. Open --- Catchers read stances and swings Notes:

17 Struggling Pitcher 2 Pre-Game Pitching Routine ** Start 40 minutes from game time ** Runs 2 poles Stretch, Run 4 sprints, Long toss Short Box (50 feet All pitches are from the wind-up): 4 of each pitch All from the wind-up Warm-up from the mound consists of: 3 of each pitch from wind-up 3 of each pitch from stretch Specialties: (From Stretch) 2: 0 2 pitches 2: 2 2 pitches (You go to pitch) 1: 3 2 pitch with bases loaded in bottom of the 7 th and 2 outs 2 Fastballs and 2 Curveballs (Batter is bunting Need to be thrown for strikes) 2 Pitchouts Rest 5 minutes (Go get a drink of water) Pitch an Inning (You should be finished around 5 minutes before the games starts NO Sooner)

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