What Does Being a Part of a Team Mean?

Almost 20 years ago I had a conversation with my sister during one of her collegiate volleyball seasons.  She was disappointed that her playing time had diminished.  I asked her, “Would you rather be a star player on a losing team, or a contributor on a National Championship Team?”  Let that question sink in for a minute.

Today, we are in a society that we earn our worth by how many likes we get on a social media post.  We write reviews on businesses instantly and think the rest of the world truly cares what our opinion is.  As parents we sit in the stands and feel the winning percentage of the team defines who we are as parents instead of enjoying the opportunity to watch our kids play a game they love.  Kids coming out of college expect a $60,000 a year job and ownership of the company they are working for.  Half of the population is protesting something and the other half is upset at the protestors.  It’s no wonder the “Team Concept” is getting lost in youth sports.

You have probably seen the following scenario:

The score is tied and going into the second International Tiebreaker.  Your team has a runner at second and your best batter is up at the plate.  The count becomes full and just like a storybook ending; a powerful swing sends the ball deep into the gap scoring the winning run!

These plays are exciting and as long as I can remember, there is always that one player who seems to get all of the glory.  For whatever reason, there is “that player” who has the opportunity to deliver the big result when the game is on the line.  Unfortunately, behind the fence there is the other player’s parent who is upset because “that player” wasn’t their kid.  Isn’t that a sad fact of youth sports?

Softball teams are made up of more than just the nine players who are in the field.  Softball teams are comprised of specialized baserunners, designated players, and backups.  Everyone on the team has a role and it is important for the success of the organization.

The key to a successful team is the acceptance of your role to help the team accomplish its goals.  Now, I want to make it very clear that if your daughter is not a starter on the team; she does not have to be satisfied with that particular role.  I encourage every player to have big dreams and strive to reach for those dreams as it will allow her to do great things.

Softball teams only have 9 spots on the field.  Therefore, if your daughter is not one of the starters can she still be a good teammate?  Can you as a parent help your player grow into a mature adult?

Anyone can throw on a jersey and call herself part of the team, but there is so much more to it than that. When you put on your jersey, you are not only becoming part of a team but part of a family. Whether you get along or not, all your problems should be pushed aside, for the sake of your team.

A good teammate understands that no matter what position you may play, whether you are the best player on the team or on the field, you are nothing without your teammates. The key to a good teammate is being willing to give up anything for your team, sacrificing whatever it takes.  A good teammate will continue to battle with you and not run away when things get tough.

Teammates are supposed to be responsible for one another and look out for each other on and off the field.

The best teammates are ones who pull for each other, even while competing for a position; you should continue to root your teammate on because you are both vital to the team’s success.  You should always want the best outcome for your teammates.

There is no room for negativity on a team. A good teammate should never put another player down; they should always pick each other up, especially on their lowest days. Teammates stick together, even on their worst days. No matter what a player may go through, just think how much more difficult it would be if they were doing it alone.

Learn to Listen or be coachable.  This is a huge one because no matter who is on your team, you can always learn from them. Drop your ego, listen when a teammate talks to you, thank them for their advice and think about what they said. Maybe it wasn’t good, maybe it won’t help you, but you won’t know if you don’t listen to them or the coach.

Be Supportive.  A team full of players who support each other will do better and have more fun than a team full of a bunch of individuals who aren’t a part of the same common goal. What I mean by supporting your teammates is that when they make a good play – tell them. Congratulate them. When they screw up, don’t get on their case. They know they made a mistake. They’re already beating themselves up about it. So don’t make it worse and call them out on it.

Be Accountable.  In order to be a part of your team, it’s good to know what your role on the team is and what the team can expect from you. Again, this doesn’t mean to not get better at another position that you desire.  However, it does mean to be the best you can possibly be at the position or role you are asked to play.  Iron always sharpens Iron!

Set Goals.  Define some goals for yourself.  Basically this comes down to being realistic with yourself about how much time you can commit to the team, what you can expect to bring to the team based on your skill development and what you yourself expect to get out of the season.  Once you define your goals write down how you will accomplish those goals.  Are you going to spend the extra time in the batting cage, add an extra pitching lesson in each week or work on fielding drills you have researched on the internet?

Exhibit flexibility.  Roll with the punches when things change. The ability to take advantage of an opportunity, even if it means changing plans, is huge.

Work as a problem-solver.  Good teammates are problem-solvers, not problem-dwellers. They don’t look to blame others, but rather find a way to make things work.

Being committed to a team is the same as being committed to school or a job. Your bosses and teachers rely on you to be there, and they expect you to work hard to become your best. Becoming your best for the sake of the whole is a great teammate quality and also a valuable lifelong trait. This, along with the other teammate traits mentioned, builds our character and shapes us for a future of happiness and success.

Hayeli Acosta Throwback Thursday Softball Spotlight

Hayeli’s first T-Ball game was in 2008 when she was 4-years old.  She played for the Mesquite Bears.  Her parents were not sure if she would like the game, but they are sure glad that she did, explains Yolanda Acosta- Hayeli’s mom.  If you ask her about having a pink glove, she’ll say “I never had a pink glove, I don’t even like the color pink!” However, we have proof, don’t we?

Today, Hayeli plays centerfield and catcher for the Texas Travelers Select Softball Team.  She can be seen controlling the outfield making outstanding catches for her team.

The 04 Texas Travelers organization exists for the specific purpose of developing a competitive youth fast-pitch softball program whose goals are to develop players capable of competing at the highest levels in the country with the demonstrated skills necessary to earn a college scholarship. Our dedicated coaches and volunteer staff facilitate our athlete’s growth by conducting challenging practices and scheduling the highest level of competitive activity available. However, reaching these goals must be accomplished within the proper framework by instilling character, self-esteem, confidence and sportsmanship with the young athlete.

Achievement of these lofty and worthwhile objectives within the appropriate environment can only be reached through the mature behavior and exemplary conduct of the coaches and parents of the Club. Their relationship with the players must be of the highest ethical and moral standards and be based upon concern and just principles that ensure equitable treatment will prevail in all circumstances.

An aggressive desire for victory combined with the procedural and graduated development of softball skills through exceptional coaching and advanced training techniques is of paramount importance. Nevertheless, everyone should realize that, fast-pitch softball is only a game and is the forum we use to help our athletes mature into responsible adults.

The 04 Texas Travelers play ASA Softball, and plan to compete in ASA Nationals for 2015. The strong North Texas Softball Club has won at IFA-VTD, USSSA, and ASA levels and continues its push to become the 2015 ASA National Champion held in Normal, Illinois. In addition to playing in the ASA National Tourney; the Texas Travelers will also play in each of the national Qualifier Texas Challenge Series, and the Hall of Fame Softball Tournament in Oklahoma City. The team is a fully funded endorsed softball team that intends on continuing its great success in the softball world.

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702 or follow The Texas Travelers on Facebook.  The Texas Travelers are a 10 U 2004 team that plays ASA competitive softball.  To follow particular players, games, practices or see any other information about the North Texas Select Softball team visit: 04 Texas Travelers News Site.

Why do we want to watch our Kids Play Sports?

So for the last four weeks, tournaments have been rained out leaving countless numbers of kids disappointed not getting to compete for the title of weekends best!  However, after reading the social media wires, I think parents are as disappointed as the kids if not more.

Those of us who have kids who play sports (my kids are currently playing select baseball and softball) have weekends that revolve around traveling North Texas and places like Gulf Shores, Panama Beach, Orlando, Oklahoma City, Houston, Normal, Illinois and other great places in the United States.  A local tournament for me usually consist of playing in a city just over an hour from where we live.

We spend thousands of dollars every year just in travel alone.  That doesn’t even include equipment, lodging, team fees, hitting & pitching lessons, or food.  We leave work early and sometimes unfinished.  We slack off on taking care of the yard work or daily chores of the house.  Our cars have too many miles and in need of a serious wash.  Yet, we continue to support our children every weekend.

Then when it comes to the games, many great God fearing parents can be seen yelling at the other teams, mocking the umpires, or questioning the decisions our child made on the field.  We create high expectations with sometimes unachievable results.  I have seen marriages fall apart and friendships lost over our kids’ games.  We push our kids to achieve greatness in a little league ballpark in hopes for what?  Are they going to be turning pro next year?  The anxiety of watching our kids can become great as we hope for success and pray they don’t fail.

I have a confession to make!  I have been known to have been described in some of these situations, and a lot of my friends who have kids may even think I am writing about them.  (In full disclosure- I do use my friends’ experiences as material for blogs.  I just won’t use their names- so friends- keep giving me the material!)

So why do we as parents continue to enjoy watching our kids play sports?

In truth- I love watching my kids play sports.  I love seeing them practice and then achieving the results on the field.  Sometimes they win and sometimes they experience losing.  I feel there are lessons to be learned throughout the whole process from practice to winning and losing on the field.  I think these experiences will help my kids as they enter high school, graduate from college and start working in their careers.

In past blogs, it has been explained that a lot of parents live through their child because they never achieved the results they wanted as a kid.  There have been explanations that parents get their self-worth from the success of their child.  I feel for some (they seem to be the most vocal at games and practices) this may be true; however for most parents this is not the case.

Youth sports allows parents to get away from the daily grind of paying the mortgage, cleaning the house, going to a job with a boss they may not like, dealing with an angry customer, or worrying about all of the curves life continues to throw at us.  It is a couple of hours that we can sit back and regain our innocents which was lost a long time ago.  You know what I’m talking about!  The memories where the only thing you had to worry about was if the rain will hold off long enough to allow the game to go on as scheduled.

The rain was usually our biggest disappointment in the spring or summer months.  It was the one thing that kept us from doing what we wanted to do that day.  It really was the only thing we had to worry about.  So for all you parents, let’s hope the rain holds off this weekend, so we can regain a bit of our youth and enjoy some baseball or softball!

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702 or follow The Texas Travelers on Facebook.  The Texas Travelers are a 10 U 2004 team that plays ASA competitive softball.  To follow particular players, games, practices or see any other information about the North Texas Select Softball team visit: 04 Texas Travelers News Site.