If you play, coach or watch softball you will appreciate that motivation does contribute quite a bit to the game. Coaches have an inherited skill to motivate their players, and to increase energy and morale within the stands. With advances in technology, fans are now honored to listen to their favorite teams on the side line via a camera and microphone. This intrusion of space is more like means to collaborate and great quotes. There are many popular softball quotes (as well as other memorable quotes from other sports) that have been spoken by both coaches and players; here is a short compilation of athletic quotes.
As many players of any sport know, day to day practices and conditioning is all meant for that “big day”. Whether it is the World Series, the Superbowl, the Stanley cup or Olympic Games, each sport has their own momentous occasion that summarizes all of their hard work into either a loss or a win. A popular quote from Lisa Fernandez, the Team USA pitcher for the women’s softball league sums this feeling up quite accurately, “We’re prepared, and we’ve done everything we can to prepare for this moment in time. That’s what confidence is all about.” Having the best skills does not always determine the winner, many times confidence is key.
Preparation is perhaps the most important key in any sport let alone softball. You can be the fastest pitcher, the best batter, or the best at stealing bases, but if you are not prepared, all of this will not matter at crunch time. Players commonly mistake preparation with being fit. Although this is a huge part of it, conditioning the mind is just as important as the body. Unprepared pitchers, infielders, and outfielders will crack under pressure. Something Laura Berg, an outfielder for Team USA, knows very well. Berg’s favorite quote to inspire preparation is, “We go out and work hard. We play this game with emotion and love. Coach always says, “Come to the field prepared because if you don’t bring that to the field, you’re going to get beat.” There is nothing worse then failing, not because you were second best, but because you were not prepared.
There will be times that even the best team loses. Whether it was lack of preparation or not, a team must know how to deal with a loss and rebound from it. With as many games that are played through a softball season, teams will have several losses, and some will have more then wins. Although this is never the desired outcome, a coach that will inspire a team to be their best even at their worst is a successful one. As the coach of Stanford’s softball team, John Rittman, stated, “We will live for tomorrow and come out tomorrow ready to play.” Focusing on the next task at hand can bring any low morale up.
Sometimes it takes the individual to better themselves. While there are coaches to lead to the team and coaches to review performance mistakes and point these out to the player, a player has to want to be better to become better. Cat Osterman, the Team USA pitcher, puts it well when she states, “It’s always about wanting to one-up myself from the day before. There’s never an absolute 100% perfect performance, but going out and striving for that perfect performance is what keeps me going.” If one thing is certain, no one is absolutely perfect at a sport. There really is no definition of perfect when it comes to performance of a team sport. However, acknowledging weaknesses and striving to better them is what makes a good player.
The competitive sport of softball includes a lot high moments and some all time lows as well. Have the motivation and inspiration of professional athletes, and those that represent our country, can inspire even school age children to be better and strive for the best.