Diamond Edge

This episode is dedicated entirely to helping players perform well and succeed during baseball tryouts.

The key message is that smart coaches pay attention to and assess each player's mental make-up during tryouts. They are looking for mentally tough, mature baseball players that play with a confident, relaxed, intense focus. Coaches look for players that they want to have in their dugout, players that they will enjoy coaching.

This is something that is 100% within the control of the player. A number of specific recommendations and tips for tryouts are provided in the podcast.

In this episode, we discuss positive self talk. Self-talk is the conversation you have with yourself, either silently or out loud. Positive self talk helps you become a confident, relaxed and focused baseball player. Positive messages focus on what you can do, while negative self talk focuses on what you cannot do.

Self-talk is 100% within the control of the player. You control what you say to yourself. Positive self-talk is not easy. It takes self-discipline. Positive self-talk is skill that you need to work on.

The homework assignment is to write down three core positive statements about yourself as a baseball player this season. The second part of the homework assignment is to start creating game situation self-talk statements during practice drills. This is a skill and a routine that you can develop now, if you work at it.

In this episode, we discuss fear. Fear of failure is a real part of baseball, because baseball players fail a lot. Fear is an acid to mental toughness, eating away at confidence, intensity and focus. To control fear, you must directly confront your fear. What potential consequences are you most afraid of?

Fear is something that you create in your own mind. Your mind creates exaggerated consequences of failure that must be confronted and challenged.

In the homework assignment, players are asked to identify and analyze the fear that they have experienced on the baseball field.

In this episode, we discuss intensity - what is intensity, what is the right level of intensity, and how to control intensity. Each player must determine his own "optimum" level of intensity and learn to control his intensity level for peak performance.

The homework assignment is to review your past season and ask yourself a set of questions about your intensity level. This will help you determine if you need to increase or decrease your intensity level.

In this episode, we discuss what it means to be part of a team and the importance of positive, supportive relationships with every teammate on your team.

The homework assignment is to identify three players on your team that you can develop a more positive, supportive relationship with.

In this episode, we discuss confidence. Confidence is something you need to work on and develop, it does not just happen. Confidence is a process, the process of setting goals, working hard to make progress, and then feeling good about yourself as you succeed. You need to take control and responsbility over your own confidence.

In this episode, we discuss setting goals. Goals are important because they give us direction, force commitment and because they are an important part of building confidence. You need to have both long term goals for the season, and shorting term goals. Goals should be within your control and focused on "how" you play, not just results. Also, don't forget to set goals for the mental side and improving your team skills.

In this episode we discuss "expectations" - why are they important and why you need to take control of your own expecations.

The homework assignment is to determine your own expectations from playing baseball over the next couple of years.

In this episode, we discuss what is meant by the term “life lessons”. We discuss what a life lesson is using an example, then identify how the lessons from the baseball diamond can be applied in other parts of your life.

The homework assignment is to identify two “life lessons” that you have learned from baseball over the past several years.

In this first episode, we first introduce the concept behind the Diamond Edge podcast.

Then, we discuss what is meant my mental toughness, using three examples - Derek Jeter, Greg Maddux and Albert Pujols. We list the key ingredients of mental toughness, and discuss its importance to success.

The homework assignment is to think of examples of mental toughness that you have witnessed, either on the playing field or in school.

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-77a5131081c447ac7791ff580798caab}