- Feb 7, 2013
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Another thing to think about is many times that "gifted and talented athlete" has put in countless hours behind the scenes that nobody sees until they get on the field and are head and shoulders above everyone else. You look at someone like Bill Hillhouse (DFP member and USA nationals pitcher) who frequently says that when he was growing up there wasn't a day that he didn't have a softball in his hands, spinning the ball while he was watching TV, playing outside, riding in the car, and spinning that ball, etc. How many kids are that passionate and dedicated that they would do something like that? Not many. He also had some great mentors and learned from the older men pitchers he pitched against at a young age that helped him perfect his craft and helped him develop that "Softball IQ" (what pitches to throw and when, how to hide the grip in his glove until the very last second, how to make every pitch look the same out of the hand, when to get the lead runner on a come backer and when to know its too late, so get the easy out, etc.).