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HOW CHANGE OCCURS (VS WHAT WE ACTUALLY THINK)

When looking to improve a skill, there is the reality of how that occurs vs. what people want and expect. This is true of just about any skill. If getting better at hitting was easy, Elite Diamond Performance would not exist. With that being said, I want to talk about the process of changing and improving and why it isn’t always as fast or as easy as people might want to think. In addition, we will cover the intangibles players who see real improvement possess. When a player comes into Elite Diamond Performance for the first time, we run through anything that might be holding them back or areas where the player can improve. Following the initial session, I am often met by the question “so how long will it take to see improvements”, or “when will we see changes.” To both questions, I answer “I can’t tell you.” I wish that I could tell every player that they would see instant results and they would become a better hitter overnight. However, I can’t promise that. In reality, the opposite might happen right off of the bat. Take a look at the graph below. It represents the reality of improving performance at a skill.


So what is the graph showing? The dark red line is the skill set that a player has before any sort of coaching intervention. Let's say that the “point of disruption” is when a player comes in for their initial assessment. At this point, a whole new set of information about hitting enters the players world. They learn about flaws they may possess and how and why they need to get fixed. Everyone involved in the process is excited to get the most out of the player. Here is where the expectation and reality often times diverge, especially in an instant gratification world. While there are some players who see instant results (blue line), a more common path is to follow the red line. The red line represents struggling. Many times when we try and learn a new movement skill, the body feels uncomfortable and takes time to integrate the new movement.

THE INTANGIBLES THAT MAKEUP SUCCESSFUL CHANGE It is during this time in the process where a players intangibles and mental makeup account for a lot. No one likes to feel uncomfortable or struggle, but the players who succeed the most are the one who accept that there will be challenges and focus more on the process more than on results in the beginning. Some of the most successful players that I have worked with are players who struggled the most out of the gate when we begin working on something. However, they trusted the process, showed perseverance and eventually came out at a better place than they started.

HOW TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY OF HOW CHANGE OCCURS

  1. Being honest with players. From a coaching or parental side, making it clear to players that there may be some struggling and loss of comfort when changing something.

  2. Measure and analyze. Being able to show players their initial starting point with both numbers and video and compare them to where they are getting to can be huge. Often times players forget where they stated and don’t realize the progress they have made.

  3. Communication. There is a lot that goes into getting improvements out of players. Players need to communicate with coaches about things that have worked in the past with them and how they feel with changes that are being made.

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