The art of distinguishing true competitiveness

[sluggers]

When I got to college, grit and determination didn't help me overcome the athletes. ... My dd is not a natural athlete. She too has grit.

But, isn't that inconsistent? Your DD is success in college. So, I believe she is a very good athlete.

BUT, as you point out, college teams are full of good athletes. The athletes that succeed are the ones that work hard.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

If you want to win the big competitions, you have to know what you are going to do and how you are going to react *BEFORE* you play the game. Then, you have to keep your head during the game and perform up to your ability level.

Excellent point, Sluggers. I try to teach this one (with limited success, )- Think before the play, then just execute. The ones who can do this seem to be the ones whose perception is more advanced than the others, and are more decisive. They see something a little quicker, believe they have the answerand have no fear of making a mistake.
My older DD is extremely analytical, and she looks nothing like a "grit" player because she thinks too much when something is happening. She holds the ball, can be timid on the bases, and it's all because she isn't sure of herself in the moment. My younger DD is the opposite when she pays attention (she is only 7, dealing with typical age issues); watching her in soccer today was pretty amazing, when she recognized what she was supposed to do, she made some key plays and despite being really small had no problem mixing it up with bigger girls. She looks like she is hustling, and outplays girls who can run faster and kick further. There are still times when a girl with longer legs or better skills beats her, but she makes up for lack of size and speed with that initial ability to diagnose the play.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

The one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the inability for "good" coaches to differentiate between skills and competitive passion. I have seen sooo many coaches get in awe of raw skill and end up wondering why there is failure to compete when the athlete has no gritty "accept no loss" passion.

As an example of extremes i always refer to Mike Singletary. He was short on skills but long on grit. Pete Rose was like this too. These folks i would want with me in battle.

Then in contrast are those that can just have the most amazing play-making skills but when ya need that gritty moment out of them they fold.

Skills are just tools. You don't get much when you put them in the hands of someone that doesn't know how to use them.

Competitors control the controllables and adjust to what they can't control. It doesn't matter whether they show displeasure or not after a loss. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they figure out what they can do differently and/or better next time in order to get a better result - and then they work on it.

If players are continually focused on improving and playing their best, the results will show up on the scoreboard.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Smoking the wacky weed again, eh RB? Saying Pete Rose and Mike Singletary didn't have skills and amazing talent is insanity. Both of them had natural ability far above the rest of us. In addition to their abilities, they also worked very, very hard. They were extremely competitive...but to suggest all they had was "grit and determination" is ridiculous.

Sluggo my friend I think you proved my point just in this part of your answer.

I find it so very interesting that you don't see the relative shortcoming of raw athleticism and sports skills that they displayed. In fact in the case of Singletary this was what many an "expert" commentator would say about him.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I like how you put that. ...

A player's emotional reaction to winning or losing (which would include 'hate') is not always a good gauge of a player's heart. Some kids are result-oriented, and maybe they focus more on winning or losing, and maybe they'll brood or get mad at losing. That's fine. But others are process-oriented. They can compete just as hard, but when it's over, it's over. They enjoy the battle itself. It's just personality. As a coach, I'd be happy with any player who is dedicated and tries to get better. Her emotional response to the inevitable frustrations along the way shouldn't reach either extreme, and certainly shouldn't be the ultimate measure of her grittiness or her value as a player. Especially in softball, where you might play 75 games a year. You learn. You move on.

As I am catching up here from a long weekend let me please explain my thought further on Grit/passion/tenacity:

Regardless of how the channel their passion to the surface (yelling or internalized what I am talking about is the unwillingness to give up. Ya nobody wants a hot-head that starts yelling at other players when they make an error. I am not talking about these emotional displays. I am talking more about heart/determination/etc