Cross Training Softball

[Wintality] – win-tal-i-ty – noun; The act of controlling the only thing of which you really have control. “Her wintality enabled her to respond to a negative situation in a positive way.”

Anyone can look good when everything is going there way. You know what I’m talking about. The pitcher who throws the ball in the dirt and the umpire calls it a strike anyway. The player who never shows up to practice, finally does, makes 1 catch and the coaches are all over her like she’s the next Caitlin Lowe. It’s easy to walk around with a smile on your face when everything is going your way. But how you react when you are in the batter’s box and the umpire made that strike call even though the ball bounced is what really separates the average players from the great players.

Average players allow the “happenings” around them to determine their “happiness.” While the players with wintality maintain control of the 6” between their ears despite the circumstances around them going against them.

Average players react to bad calls from umpires in a way that disables them from contributing in a positive way for the team, and often carry those calls with them for several innings if not all the way home with them. While players with wintality understand that umpires are only human, they accept that they have no ability to change the call and remain focused on the next pitch/play instead.

Average players bring their baggage from the SUV onto the field with them. While players with wintality are able to leave that baggage in the SUV realizing that they can’t play their best if they carry it around with them.

Winners are separated from others …

Not by the score

Not by the amount of RBI’s they generate

Not by the number of strike outs they ring up

Not by who wins the biggest trophy

Winners are separated from others by the way they control their effort and their attitude.

Whether you are a parent, a coach or a player there are a million things that you have absolutely no control over no matter how much you try. Close your eyes for a few minutes and think through several recent really bad situations. How did you react? Did you let the umpire, your parents, your coach, your teammates, the other team, your boss, your colleages control  the 6” between your ears or did you demonstrate wintality?

Wintality isn’t demonstrated when everything is going your way. Wintality is demonstrated when you retain control of your effort and your attitude despite everything going against you.