MUSTANGS

Hello to everyone,

I have been struggling with a lot of frustration and my awesome wife and I have talked for many hours on how or what to do.  I know I am not the only one, as I am sure there are some parents and players who feel it also. As a coach I have always have been for recreational ball, we come together, we have practice, we play our games and we have the parties at the end and up until now, I think it has worked.  Now, the boys are getting older and the other teams are getting stronger and better and some of these boys are looking to play high school ball in the years to come, which leads me to this e-mail. 

I have talked to a few of the parents and so has Cheryl and the general consensus was we need to step it up.  I want these boys to stay together and we have had some of the boys since Atom 2, but I don't think that will continue, if we do not take steps to improve and to get them ready for the next level, no matter if it is a rec league or in a few years a high school team.  There is many, many things that we need to work on, but it takes more than a few to teach them. 

As most of you know, Cheryl coaches a Bantam 1 team, 2 families have their older sons on my team and younger on Cheryl's.  In the beginning I would make comments that she was way too intense, practicing way to much and when she signed her boys up for tournaments, I was dumb founded.  Even though Cheryl and I have recently had our difference of opinions on the way we each coach, I have seen what Cheryl and her coaches have done with her team, she has staffed it with coaches and delegated positions and drilled those boys to where they are an awesome bunch of players.  We now need to pursue that. 

Cheryl and I have spent hours, working on lineups and set positions for the boys and what I would like to accomplish, and I have now made the decision that other teams will not see the Mustangs an easy team to beat. This will take some time for some to get used to, but I do agree by moving them around in many different positions, it is adding to the problem.  All positions need to be learned.

Here is where I am starting, I want to coach, but Gene, Brian and myself cant do it all.  We need someone working with the pitchers, someone working with the outfielders, some to help with infielders, someone who can be a bench coach and to help organize.  Cheryl will be joining the Mustang staff, not as she normally does, but as one of the coaches, Cheryl has broken the general misconception that coaching is a man's job and has defiantly proven that this year with her winning team.  We also are bringing in coaches who are going to work with the pitchers and if there is any parent that wants to help and has the time to dedicate for practices, feel free to let me know.  You don't have to know everything about baseball to be a part.

This is the beginning....The boys might moan and groan and it may take some time for some to get used to it, but we want the parents to know that this team has potential, we have great players, we just need to get us all working together and learning each others moves.

I know this is long and I promise I am ending.  The one thing that we will be tackling is attitudes and respect to everyone (they are teenagers), this is where you can help also by enforcing it.  I have been with other coaches that their players yell, scream and tear each other down and I wont go through that again.  They need to leave their attitudes at the car and we have to focus and work as a team.

Thanks for being a great bunch of parents
Practice again will be Monday 6/15 at 6 pm at the Windsor Football Field.  I cant tell you how excited I am.  Thanks,
Mike