While cleaning up some old files I found several documents that date back to when I coached Alex’s baseball team. The two other coaches were very good at the “how you hit/catch/throw” so I tried to work on the mental side of the game - the “why”. As Yogi Berra famously said, “Baseball is 90 per cent mental. The other half is physical.”
Although this writeup is specific to baseball and written for 7th graders, the theme of situational awareness transcends baseball. The difficulty is in the practice. Baseball is a very structured game, which enables one to say “if the current state is X, and Y happens, do Z”. This is not the case in day to day life, and I’ll hold up my hand to not being situationally aware at times (which my wife will wholeheartedly confirm). That said, it is a good aspirational goal to have.
Situational awareness is a term borrowed from the military. It refers - in a simplified sense - to the process of being aware of what is happening around you and how your actions can affect that situation.
Although we are applying this concept to baseball, it is also a valuable life skill for the boys.
For baseball, situational awareness means knowing what is happening in the game. Understanding what is happening on the field and using that knowledge to anticipate what actions to take provides an important advantage to our athletes.
This list provides a breakdown of how we will apply this concept to baseball. Although this is written from a defensive point of view, the same principles apply when we are on offense. Over the course of the season, we will be working with the players to help them incorporate this process into their game. Please review with your son if you wish.
The ultimate goal is to have the players know the answer to the following question for any situation on the field:
Where do I need to be in each situation, and what do I need to do?
Visualization Imagine yourself making all kinds of plays in the game today. See the pitch, the hit, your reaction, your success. Expect that you will have the opportunity to make those plays today.
Field Check Are there any problem areas (holes in the field, slopes, standing water)? Are there outfield fences or stands close to the lines? Is there a warning track? How much space is there in foul territory? For catchers, how much space is behind you? Check with the coaches on specific ground rules for the field.
Equipment Check Is your equipment present and in working order?
Opponent One or more of your coaches will usually watch your opponents warm up, take infield practice, and pass this information on to you.
Who is coming up next inning, and what have they done so far? Your coaches will position you defensively based on the hitter, but you should get to the point where you anticipate their decisions.
What is the score of the game? What inning? This will help you decide how aggressive to be in certain situations.
What is the game situation?
Who is the hitter?
Communicate to your team! Make sure they know the number of outs, and make sure they know where the play is!
What is the count?
What are the base runners doing? Are they leading off? Are they staying put?
What might the other team attempt? Steal? Bunt? Hit and run?
Are the coaches signaling in any plays?
Where do I need to be in each situation, and what do I need to do?