Two weeks ago, it was 3:45 and practice was beginning just as all the other practices have in the past. We ran to the field, ran our warm-up laps, did agilities, and proceeded through our throwing progression. From there we did a drill called "ball-every-days," and went into our usual four corners drill after that.
But for some reason, on this particular day, we just weren't on our game. Balls were flying everywhere. Girls were dropping throws that were perfectly good and no one was focusing. Instead of sprinting to the next base, we somewhat leisurely jogged and halfheartedly shouted the numbers as we completed our throws. Our lack of effort did not go unnoticed, and all of a sudden, our practice came to a screeching halt. Coach didn't waste time in making sure that we understood that a lack of effort was unnacceptable, as she told us to spread out along the 3rd base line.
"Sprint to me," were her words, as we struggled to hustle as best as we could in the sweltering heat. We completed 6 of these sprints, and at that point Coach gave us another chance. All we had to do was show some effort...count with heart, sprint with eagerness, and think smart.
And we failed.
At that point, there was no turning back; Coach had given us our one and only second chance to turn things around and we failed. She described to us what we were to run next, and proceeded to drill us for the remaining hour and a half of practice. With no sympathy in her expression, Coach would repeat "Again," over and over again, until we were at the point where we were sure that we would either puke, pass out, or possibly even die. (This may seem like an exaggeration now, but at the time, I know I wasn't completely alone in my thinking!)
Now, if last year's team had been put through the same punishment, I doubt that the reaction would have been the same as it was two weeks ago. Last year's team would have complained and maybe even quit in defiance. We would have succumbed to the challenge. This year, we took it upon ourselves to do better. We didn't once question Coach as she continued to "torture" us, but we immediately blamed ourselves for our own misfortune. We trusted her and knew that she wouldn't have made us run for something that we didn't earn, and we respected that. This year's team understood that we were to blame, and that we needed to better if we wanted to succeed.
And in the past two weeks since that very day, not once have we given less than 110%.
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