Inside Pitch Magazine, Summer 2013

From the Publisher: Focus

By Keith Madison

Keith MadisonRecently, I have attended two college post-season tournaments. It is exciting to watch teams compete for "all the marbles."

During the two tourneys I spent time with at least a dozen coaches and the word that I heard most often was "focus." Coaches want their players to be locked in and at peak performance during post-season play. Coaches want to establish the perfect balance for pre-game practice, rest and a good diet to assure their teams have the ability to achieve proper focus.

Focus for each athlete comes when coaches are able to find that perfect routine that includes short, intense workouts in between games, times of relaxation, studying scouting reports on the opposition and well planned and nutritional meals. As I have observed different teams these past two weeks I realize that every coach has a unique philosophy in accomplishing this thing called "focus." Some coaches had multiple meetings each day, and monitored almost every move their players made. Other coaches wanted to keep things similar to the regular season and allowed their players to practice, eat and sleep pretty much as they did during the regular season. I'm not sure I observed either a right way or a wrong way. To be honest, I believe each player responds in a different way to post season regimen.  Enhancing focus can be a challenge.

Here at Inside Pitch, we also want to stay focused and have balance in our approach to being a cutting edge resource for baseball coaches, players, parents and fans. We want to "think outside the box" at times and challenge the way you may approach the game. We also want to share insights from some of the top players and coaches in the game so that you can build on the baseball foundation you have already established. One thing is for sure; if you aren't moving forward, you are going backwards.

Our editors and contributors love hearing from you. It helps us "tweak" our game and improve our focus each time we receive an email or phone call. So, keep the cards, letters, emails and phone calls coming!


Inside Pitch Magazine is published six times per year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt association founded in 1945. Copyright American Baseball Coaches Association. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without prior written permission. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, it is impossible to make such a guarantee. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers.