Well you have made it to the top of the pyramid! It has been a long climb but you have to admit the view is amazing. You can see the entire softball field from this vantage point and because you can see everything you are in control! And we all like being in control, right?
When your team plays the game the right way, everyone has more fun. It is more fun to play, coach and remember. Communication, as you well know now, is crucial to playing the game the right way. We want to play the game the right way every day and we know some things for sure:
Communication and speed never slump!
Communication and speed never take a day off!
Communication and speed make average players into great players.
So what’s the point?
Not everyone is fast but EVERYONE CAN COMMUNICATE!
The top level of our communication pyramid is the PhD level. Everyone goes to college, some people get a Masters Degree but only a very select few gets a PhD. What do they call you when you get a PhD? They call you doctor. You won’t be doing brain surgery but you are the sharpest knife if the communication drawer!
Communication at the PhD level includes the primary play, the secondary play, the what ifs and all the rest of the stuff we have already discussed. These are all crucial pieces of the puzzle of playing the game the right way.
Now what does Doctor Communication do that others don’t? Doctor Communication evaluates the game. Doctor communication does a thorough examination of the game. He takes its blood pressure, checks out the cholesterol, does blood tests, and then prescribes the correct medication to correct whatever went wrong.
The team that communicates at the PhD level analyzes the way it plays, discusses the weaknesses, and develops a plan for improvement. It isn’t satisfied with anything less than its best performance and is willing to do what it takes to improve.
Communication is the missing ingredient for most teams. Next time you go to the ballpark, try to attach the appropriate level of the pyramid the each team you see play. If you ever see a team playing at the PhD level, please be sure to take a picture and post it! You just saw a unicorn!
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Contact fastpitchprep@gmail.com.
