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Getting Started

By Bobby Simpson

I do not like opera. I do have a love for music, but I just do not care for opera or rap. That is a weird way to start an article for softball coaches, players, and parents, but hang with me and it will all make sense pretty soon. Actually, this article is going to be about opera If you are like me and do not like opera, blame Johanna for this article.

We live in a world where very few people want to accept personal responsibility and had rather blame someone else, so you can blame her, not me. If you do not want to blame some lady that you do not even know, then blame the Greeks. I guess it's also partly their fault.

Okay, here's the story. The date is June 28, 2001, and all things are as they were then except You Are There. I was on a flight from New York to Athens, going there to continue working with the inaugural Greek National Team, making preparations for the 2004 Olympics. As fate would have it, I volunteered to switch seats so a man and his wife could sit beside each other. The move put me next to Johanna Wiseman.

Our early conversation revealed that Johanna was a thirty year old resident of New York and a graduate of Julliard, the very prestigious music school. She made her operatic debut in Mozart's The Magic Flute in Caracas, Venezuela, appeared as a Messiah soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center, appeared on Broadway in Phantom of the Opera, sung Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and was on her way to Greece for a series of performances with an opera tour company. I know very little about opera, but I do know enough to be impressed by solid credentials. I know enough to respect someone who achieves excellence, even in a performance area that I may not like.

First Point: Respect excellence. The means for achieving it are quite similar in a variety of fields. We can learn how to be excellent in softball by observing what someone does to be excellent in opera. Softball players and opera singers are performers. They both require much solid preparation and a learned skill for performing under some type pressure.

Second Point: I wanted to learn more, so I started asking Johanna a lot of questions. If you know me very well that should not surprise you. She had an interest in sports, and participates recreationally, so we swapped a lot of very helpful information. I was nice enough to tell her to let me know when she wanted me to shut up so she could sleep on this "cross the ocean during the night" flight. She politely informed me that I did not have to worry about that. She said she would certainly let me know. I guess that's another point: There is a time when we have talked enough. Keep that in mind when you are lecturing your team.

I am going to quit numbering all the things this Louisiana born opera singer taught me over the Atlantic Ocean, but I do encourage you to read well, make the connections, and apply often. Johanna saw her first opera when she was in the sixth grade. Her school class was taken to a production and Johanna was hooked. I saw her eyes glow as she told me that her reaction that day was, "Wow! That's neat. I want to do that." You could see the passion she had for opera. The air between us seemed to be electrified as she told of that magical moment and transported us back to that day in Louisiana. I have written often in this newsletter about the value of passion for our tasks. The same is true for opera.

As you coach softball, are you creating that feeling in those that come into your presence? Do your practices make participants and observers "want to do that"? As a player, are you internally developing a passion for what you do in practice and in games? Does your self talk and visualization demonstrate an intense love for what you do? Is softball a continuous series of WOWs for you and those around you? I can guarantee you that opera is still one big WOW for Johanna.

Johanna also told me that it takes quite some time to become a professional singer. Even though she was a graduate of Julliard, she has had to struggle, battle, and persevere. She was on the, way to possibly becoming successful (actually just becoming professional and earning a living from opera is normally considered success), but it had required hard work, smart application of lessons learned, and sacrifice. Just passion by itself is not enough. She also said that she was still learning. Well trained with quite a few years of quality experience, she said she was still learning the nuances that make the difference. Johanna had a neat, mixture of confidence and humility. Those are not opposites. They are qualities that are both critical for success, whether it be softball or opera. She knew she was well trained and quite good at what she does, but she was still hungry to learn more.

We talked about the fact that some entertainers, and softball players fit that category, may become a little, maybe even a lot, arrogant and self-centered as success comes. She described singers that must have certain flowers in their dressing room and others that will not allow any flowers in the area. If their rule is violated, they either "pitch a fit" or perform poorly. We may all have our likes and dislikes, and our preferred way to get ready for a game, but we have to remember that it is critical to be able to adjust, to "control the controllables," and to treat others with maximum civility, respect, and just plain simple good manners. You can be confident and perform well without being Miss Prima Donna.

During a pause in my unending questioning, Johanna looked at some papers (Actually some of the music. I think they may call it the score.) for her upcoming tour. I watched her transport herself to some stage in Athens or Patras and perform the opera. It was visualization at its best. She would have made Ken Ravizza proud as she saw herself move, heard herself sing, felt the stage under her feet, and probably even smelled the aroma of whatever a Greek opera house smells like. She was in her own little world, in reality miles above the Atlantic, but in her mind already placed in a quaint Greek performance center.

When Johanna came back into the world of Delta Air Lines, she informed me that she sings in ten different languages. I did take a little Latin years ago in high school, but I still have trouble speaking English. At least, that is what the players on the British Women's Fast pitch National Team that I coach tell me. But how would they know and what nerve to tell an American that I can't speak English. The point here is variety. Johanna sings in ten languages. She can express the same message in a lot of different ways. So can good coaches.

Another interesting point that she made was that for a long time women were not allowed to participate in opera. She told me when they were finally permitted to be involved, but I forgot when that was. I guess they had to get some international Title Number Something passed before women could participate. Maybe we could learn something from their past efforts to get gender equity accomplished peacefully. Then again, I am not sure. You see, until they allowed women in opera, they used surgically altered males for female roles.

In addition to singing, Johanna also teaches voice lessons. When she discussed that part of her life, I again saw that glow in her eyes and felt the electricity in the air. Her passion for teaching was overwhelming as she told me something that I already knew. Teaching has helped her understand what her teachers had taught her. Oh, for quite some time she had been able to do what her teachers taught her. But, until she taught others, she did not truly understand it. By teaching, she .understood. By understanding, she could do it better. Why we don't apply this better in our softball world still amazes me. Maybe we think that we are the only ones that can teach. I challenge you and me to use players more often and more effectively to teach each other.

Forgive me for writing such a long article on opera in a softball newsletter. I meant to write it several months ago, but could not find Johanna to get her approval and confirm all of this. As the time increased looking for her, the points that I thought of also increased. Oh, by the way, her suggestion for understanding, and appreciating, opera is to read the story before you go to the performance. You know, that's a point maker also. The way to get the most from practice or a game is to prepare before you go there.

I sure am glad the man wanted to sit beside his wife on that June flight. Without the seat switch, I would never have learned so much from an opera singer about how to coach softball. Thanks, Johanna, for helping me realize that there are so many ways to Get Better Every Day. Best wishes for much success and joy in opera and life.

For more information about Bobby Simpson and Higher Ground Softball, visit The Higher Ground Softball Website.

(Article reproduced with permission).

Ten Characteristics of Highly Successful Coaches from the US Olympic Committee Coaching Development Office.

1. Committed to individual integrity, values, and personal growth.
2. Profound thinkers who see themselves as educators, not just coaches.
3. Well-educated (formally and informally) in a liberal arts tradition.
4. Long-run commitment to their athletes and their institution.
5. Willing to experiment with new ideas.
6. Value the coach-player relationship, winning aside.
7. Understand and appreciate human nature.
8. Love their sport and work.
9. Honest and strong in character.
10. Human and therefore imperfect.

7 Excellent Tips for Players

1. HUSTLE. Any good coach will be the first person to tell you that if you don't hustle at all times, whether it be from the bench to the field, or from drill to drill, you will not play. Hustling shows enthusiasm. What coach will take you seriously if you don't show that you want to be there and that you want to play? ALWAYS GIVE 100%. My philosophy is that if you work hard enough and it means enough to you, everything will fall into place.
   
   
2. LISTEN. There are 2 kinds of listening. The first is simply paying attention and showing respect. Look at the coach at all times when he or she is speaking. Do not sit down and start taking off your shoes or start re-lacing your glove during an "after-game talk", and do not talk to your friends and giggle when he or she is trying to explain a drill. It is common sense, but it's easy to forget - especially after 2 and a half hours in the heat or cold. The second kind of listening comes into play when you are working on drills or even after you make a mistake on the field. If a coach corrects how you fielded a ground ball or tells you a better way to dive for a backhand, don't just listen, but really process that information. Picture yourself doing what your coach is saying. If you don't understand, ask all the questions you can until you feel you've got it. Not only does this make you a better player, but it shows your coaches that you are listening and thinking about what you are doing. The smart players always win.
   
   
3. DO NOT OVER-ANALYZE YOURSELF. If you make a mistake in tryouts, in practice, or a game, take it in stride. Do not analyze your mistake out loud or become angry and beat yourself up. Coaches want to see players who are mentally strong, who can make a mistake one minute but bounce right back and make a game saving play the next. The best thing to do is pop right back into the drill. Look directly at your coach and ask for another chance, and this time instead of torturing yourself by thinking about what you did wrong, let the mistake go and just play.
   
   
4. DO NOT BE NEGATIVE TO YOUR TEAMMATES. If your teammate makes a mistake in practice, or a game, take it in stride. She knows she made a mistake and doesn’t need to be reminded of it. She is trying to get over it and so should you. Help your teammate to bounce back. Encourage her. That also goes the other way. If your teammate makes a good or great play, TELL HER. Let the rest of the team know that you think she just did something good. Also, realize that you may not like everyone on the team, but you must play together! Do not destroy the team just because you do not like the way your teammate combs her hair, or if she doesn’t share the same sense of humor that you do. If you take your small circle of “friends” and form a clique, YOU WILL DESTROY THE TEAM!
   
   
5. HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE. I know you hear this a lot, but it's so important. This means being a good sport, being a great team member, working hard, being open to learning new things, and being flexible with what your coach wants. This also means getting along with your all of your teammates not just your favorites.
   
   
6. DON'T SECOND GUESS YOUR COACH. Always remember, the coach is responsible for the team and is in charge. You can control how you play and the decisions you make, but you cannot control what your coaches do.
   
   
7. BE COACHABLE! Being a coachable player does not just imply listening to your coach and being the best at doing what he or she says. Listening and performing is part of it, but being truly coachable involves everything that I have talked about above, and it takes many athletes a lifetime to master these things. The sooner you start working on them, the better off you will be.
   
   

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Parents & Coaches Suggestions to Other Parents and Coaches

Work with your child.

This page originally found at:
www.net-master.net/~sports/keiths.htm. (URL did not work when this page prepared.)

While several of these places aren't necessarily geared towards kids softball, many of the ideas contained therein are applicable to our park. If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions (including links to other web sites),