Sunday, September 28, 2008

Don't take teaching for granted

Sometimes coaches forget that we're teachers -- first and foremost -- even at the pro level. I was reminded of this earlier today while reading an article about SF Giants manager Bruce Bochy:

[Bochy] had some adjusting to do, too. He realized that he needed to do a lot more teaching and clarifying, helping the youngsters turn the game's nuances and strategies into instincts.

In one game, he remembers a younger player coming to the plate with a three-run deficit in the eighth and believing that he had done his job when he simply moved a runner over.

Under other circumstances, it would have been nice, fundamental, selfless team baseball. But not in that moment, not down by three runs.

Bochy made a mental note.

"You can't take for granted that they understand these things," Bochy said, "that you play according to the scoreboard, so I have to be really clear about what I want."