We’ve all see Titanic, so we understand that an iceberg is a powerful force in nature. These huge masses of floating ice are capable of sinking ships but they also tell us something about being a success on the softball field.
Did you know that 10% of the iceberg is usually exposed above the waterline but that a much larger piece of ice is hidden from our sight below the surface of the ocean. Most experts think this hidden 90% of the iceberg is what sunk the Titanic rather than the small portion you could see above the water.
Well, success in softball reminds me of an iceberg. You get to see a small portion of the total effort while much of the vast majority of the game happens out of sight and hidden from many observers. I shared a post on social media that wrapped this idea up very clearly.
When you see a win or a loss or a trophy or an award, you are seeing a very small percentage of what’s gone on. It’s the visible part but it is a very small part of the equation. It gets all the attention, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
As Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of the story” is what makes those visible things possible. The things that happen behind the scenes, or under the water, are the things that make or break a softball player and defines what she accomplishes as a player.
When a player is struggling, working hard on their own, taking extra reps, dealing with adversity, earning a starting position, dealing with the pressure of school work, home life and real life, these are the things that often go unseen but should never be discounted in their importance.
All the work that gets done away from the crowd is what allows the successes to be celebrated or the failures to be turned into chances to learn and grow. Don’t ever lose sight of the fact that the majority of a softball career is out our sight.
Just like an iceberg.
About the Author: Tory Acheson brings a wealth of knowledge to the Fastpitch Prep staff. He has coached at all levels of the game, including the last 25 years at the college level at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, Tennessee Tech and Kennesaw State. He began his coaching career at the high school level spending 9 years Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wis. and is now working as a professional softball instructor.
