Every Practice - Every Day!

I think some of you have seen this before but thought I'd re post it. I got the idea from someone else a long time ago and wish I could give credit to whomever deserves it. However, I have changed it a lot. Here is something some of you might want to cut and paste and make your own:


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1. Be 15 minutes early to every practice! KST (Knights Standard Time) applies to all things in life! If you are 5 minutes early, you are 10 minutes late!

2. Look the part. Whether it is a practice or game, dress like a ballplayer. If you want to be a fashion gal, go into modeling….we want ballplayers here!

3. Be the 1st to volunteer. Coaches look for players who are willing to do MORE than the next player. Be a catalyst and a leader, not a follower….and do what you do for the good of the program, not always for what you get out of it.

4. Hustle should be your mantra! Be the hardest working player on the field every day. This is the essence of all successful players!

5. Pay attention to detail. Great players are coachable – they want to get better every day and realize that their coaches can help them achieve that goal. Better to ask than to do it wrong and ask for forgiveness.

6. Respond to the coaches with respect. The coaches are NOT your buddies – know the difference between a coach and a teammate. All of our coaches will be quality mentors, but they are not supposed to be your friends. Address coaches as “Coach ________” at all times…..”

7. Respond to instruction correctly the 1st time. Never respond to instructions by saying “I Know”….obviously you don’t, or you wouldn’t have to be corrected! Take the correction right away and do everything you can to do it right.

8. Don’t be afraid to get dirty. If your uniform is clean, either you didn’t play…..or you probably shouldn’t have. Laying out for balls, sliding after aggressive base running, etc. always impress coaches. Prove that you are worthy of playing time.

9. Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. Who you chose to run with says a lot about you! It demonstrates choices that you have made in the past and ones you will in the future. Peer pressure can be both good and bad. The harshest thing about peer pressure is that in making bad decisions, you might jeopardize your future in this program and beyond.

10. Handle your business in the classroom. Coach Butler and Coach K will be in contact with teachers. Don’t embarrass your program by your actions off the field or in the classroom. What you do is a reflection of who we are…. take pride in being a class act for our program.

11. Attendance is mandatory. Never miss a practice. Practice should not be a chore – it should be a time that you look forward to each day. If you cannot attend practice, make the necessary contacts…..don’t make excuses. Coaches plan practices with everyone in attendance…give your coach a chance to make changes by letting us know that you cannot attend.

12. Take care of your equipment. Varsity players should keep their locker room, storage room, equipment … neat and clean – this is not a request, but a demand! Keep our house in order and take care of your gear. How you do the little things in the program will go a long way to explaining your success in the future.

I disagree with the 15 minute early thing. I believe in being punctual but if I have 4 events that day that means I wasted an hour.

I believe that if practice is at 4:00 you need to be ready to practice at 4, not arriving at 4.

If you want to start at 4:00 say so. If you want to start at 3:45 say so.

Good points.

canyonjoe said:

I disagree with the 15 minute early thing. I believe in being punctual but if I have 4 events that day that means I wasted an hour.

I believe that if practice is at 4:00 you need to be ready to practice at 4, not arriving at 4.

If you want to start at 4:00 say so. If you want to start at 3:45 say so.

Click to expand...

So, if practice is at 4 then at 4 we are going to be getting after it. If you show up at 4, go home. Allow for any type of situation that would prevent you from being on the field at 4. It is no different than teaching about a job. When I worked as a welder, when the whistle blew, I was expected to strike an arc and be welding. No, I wasn't paid for the time I put on my leather protection. Still, if I was not ready, I would have been written up and sent home.

Personally, I think it rude of people to show up late. It as if their time matters and mine does not. I get to work every day 25 minutes early. That is before the "early arrival" we are mandated to do under our contract. I don't see it as a waste of time.

I'm obsessively early. It's an annoying trait to have in a world where most people are always late. Practice is a non issue though, since I have a pitcher. We've usually been there an hour by the time anyone else shows up (though actually that also includes the other pitchers, and the catchers. Not sure why they don't go early too).

I show up for work early everyday as well and am always prompt in everything I do. I hate being late. Since i have moved into management, it annoys me when people show up for a job interview 15 minutes early. What do i do leave them sit up front for 15 minutes or start the process early? I would say be in the parking lot 10 minutes early and walk in the door 3-5 minutes early.

My DD and I show up late for TB softball practice late frequently. We have prioritized school activities to be first. So if we are late its because of a basketball game, a track meet, choir concert, school softball workout or something along those lines. It is communicated with the head coach and she is is also going in and practicing with the 16u (she plays 14u) team every chance she gets.

Beyond annoys me when half my team shows up late for practice. Last night was a prime example: four girls early, seven late, and one no show. At least for game day most people show when I ask them too.

7. Respond to instruction correctly the 1st time. Never respond to instructions by saying “I Know”….obviously you don’t, or you wouldn’t have to be corrected! Take the correction right away and do everything you can to do it right.

This is huge. I have found that this trait is what separates the others from those that play and excel at the highest level. Just as in life, successful people are the ones that can take instruction, quickly apply it and improve their performance. Athletic ability is meaningless if you lack the will and the discipline to take direction and execute.

canyonjoe said:

I disagree with the 15 minute early thing. I believe in being punctual but if I have 4 events that day that means I wasted an hour.

I believe that if practice is at 4:00 you need to be ready to practice at 4, not arriving at 4.

If you want to start at 4:00 say so. If you want to start at 3:45 say so.

Click to expand...

I also do not like playing games with time. As a coach you need to articulate your expectations clearly and concisely, not manage their time for them. As you state the point is not to be early, but to be ready. Early is for show, ready is for go. If you need to be ready to play at 4:00pm then you need to be a big kid and do what is required. That may mean arriving at 3:30, 3:15, or 3:25. I see plenty of players show up "early" only to BS with their friends until practice time and then start putting on their cleats, finding their glove, braiding hair, etc. They were early, but not ready.

canyonjoe said:

I disagree with the 15 minute early thing. I believe in being punctual but if I have 4 events that day that means I wasted an hour.

I believe that if practice is at 4:00 you need to be ready to practice at 4, not arriving at 4.

If you want to start at 4:00 say so. If you want to start at 3:45 say so.

Click to expand...

My mind (and DD's) works like yours. DD is always early to practice anyway, often the first one. But if you required her to be there 15 minutes early, she'd be more stressed and rushed and want to be there 25 minutes early to make sure she wasn't late for 15 minutes of mental preparation. She'd work a lot better under a ''practice is at 4 pm, you'd better be ready.''

Good list, though. No quibbles otherwise.