Episode Transcript
[00:00:10] Welcome back to another edition of Unleashed. My name is Brian Vaughn. I'm the host of the show episode number nine. We've really moved along.
[00:00:21] In episode number eight, we talked about cuts and the tryout process from the coach's perspective. And today in episode number nine, we are talking about the tryout process from a player perspective. And I just. I just really think it's important that we hit on. This doesn't have to be a super long episode. But, man, if you're not tuning into these things, I think you might miss out on opportunities during the tryout process. Now, I want to continue to hone in on the fact that during the tryout process, process metrics matter. I will stay on that just for one quick second to say your scores are your scores, but they do matter. You have to put your best foot forward when you do a bad exit speed when you do a run and gun when you do 60 yard dash. Whatever your coaches may ask of you, those scores do matter. But there are additional things outside of those scores that will help you be the best that you can be during the tryout week. And that's really what I want to talk about today.
[00:01:30] Want to take a look at five things, five things that players can be doing to have the best possible tryout that they can possibly have. Okay. Some of these things are going to be outside of the norm, and some of them will be eye rollers. Some of you may even say like, oh, you're just kissing up. And it's like, nope. Do, do these things become this type of athlete and watch what happens. So here we go. Five things. The very first thing is you show up to the field ready to try out. You absolutely dress to impress. Don't come to the field, putting on your belt, out of your bag, finding your hat, out of your bag, tying your laces as you're already on the field. These are things that should be already done when you step out. This is a mental psyche thing. When you show up prepared, ready to try out, you're going to try out better and people are going to notice. I absolutely loved when people were wearing white pants, stirrups or socks, high socks, hats on, belts tight, tucked in, and you looked the part. It made me believe that you cared about that process and those things are recognizable. When you have somebody that's not doing it and then you have somebody that is doing it, it makes a huge difference. So you have to come ready to try out. That means before you cross the line, look the part, and you're about to play the part. You've already visualized what that's going to look like. But please, when you step through the gates, you look the part and you're ready to go super easy one. But so many people forget to do it. It is crazy to me how many people forget to do little things like that. The second thing is the little things matter. Hustle everywhere. Every drill, every play, every opportunity is like the World Series for you. You literally have to be doing it like it may be the last chance that you get. And when you do that, you will be recognized immediately by the coaches around you. Why is he giving such great effort? He go, he goes hard no matter what he's doing. I asked him to go get a drink of water and he sprinted to go get a drink of water. People noticed those things.
[00:03:56] Those drills are exceptionally important and that mindset is exceptionally important. Part two to that is don't skip things. Every chance you get is an opportunity to impress somebody. So if you're doing tea work in a cage, don't slack off. Make sure you're taking it seriously. Don't just hit the ball straight away. Hit the ball to the right side, hit the ball to the left side, hit the ball on the ground, hit the ball in the air. Do all the little things to show that that tee work matters to you. It seems like something simple because coaches have made it simple over time. They, they've said, go, go in the cage and get some tea work in, and you go, go, and you just get warmed up. But that's not what this is. This is what is he going to do? What is she going to do with that time when I give them cage work time?
[00:04:48] So please take that seriously. Please do the work so that if they ask you to go hit live next, you're ready to hit the ball to the right center gap. You're ready to hit the ball to the left center gap. You're doing all of those things in preparation, but it's an opportunity to impress along the way. The third thing is, when it's not your turn, you're encouraging the players around you or you're finding something to do. Okay, this is a big deal because baseball has the recognition of being a boring sport. And a lot of the reason why that's boring is either coaches aren't efficient in their practices or players are standing around doing nothing. There is always something to do. You can pick up balls, you can pick up your athletes. You can ask questions of coaches if need be, but you should be doing something to engage in the process all the time. Don't just stand there if you're waiting to hit live with a group of five or something like that. Get slow mo swings in, move your body so that you're not walking in there cold after 20 bp rounds of other people. And then you go in, do something so that they can tell you really do care about this moment in time. Okay. The second part of that is when coaches see you encouraging your athletes, your friends, they will say, that's a kid I want on my team. That is somebody that will be a critical role in the dugout. If they're not on the field, they can envision it because they can hear it. They want positive talk. They want people who care about the people around them. But if you're not doing it, you just look like another player, only worried about themselves. And this world is exactly that. It's teaching you to care only about you. And we got to knock that off. It is about the collective team and what you can provide so that the team is better. But it can't just be about you and your trial. It has to be bigger than that.
[00:07:02] Okay. The fourth one is something, again, mental mindset wise.
[00:07:08] You have to be the first one there and the last one to leave.
[00:07:12] Help set up and help cleanup.
[00:07:16] And when the tryout is over, shake all the coaches hands and thank them for the opportunity. That is one of the most important things you can do when a coach is still setting up the field and guys are out there and they're goofing off and not really prepared for that moment. When you go and say, coach, can I. Can I do anything to help get this set up? And he says, yeah, could you put the balls in the bucket and take the bucket out to second base? When you do that, it's instantaneous. That kid cares. That kid wants this program to be better. Love that. He was the first one to ask.
[00:07:52] Do those little things at the end of practice, they call you in, they say, great first practice, great first tryout day.
[00:08:02] Want to encourage you guys to come out with even more energy than you did today.
[00:08:07] Ready, set, go. And it's like, coach, can I help clean up? Is there anything I can do to make sure the field's ready for tomorrow? Those little things go a long way. And then finally, and I can't stress this enough, go tell your coaches. Thank you.
[00:08:25] Put your hand out, shake their hand, look them in the eye and say, thank you so much for the opportunity. Can't wait for tomorrow. Look every single one of them in the eye and watch the transition that occurs.
[00:08:40] It will go from just you shaking a coach's hand to a full line of kids doing the exact same thing because you are willing to step out on a limb.
[00:08:50] That's important. They will recognize it. It's a culture thing. It's something every coach desires, that their time is being valued by the kids that are receiving the information from those coaches. A simple thank you will go so incredibly far, and the culture could have an immediate change to it. So cool. So cool. Little things that you can do. The fifth thing is this.
[00:09:18] During a tryout, you have to give your very best.
[00:09:22] You might have a good day, you might have a bad day, but if you're giving your best, people will recognize that. So you gotta give it everything you got.
[00:09:34] I love kids that are willing to dive for a baseball, and if they don't get there, it's okay, because they were willing to put in the effort to see if they could get there. And that's a lot of the storytell. If a kid is getting really, really close, I'm saying to myself, we can work with that. That's a guy I want to work with somebody that's getting dirty every opportunity that they have. That's the right type of player for me. I want guys that are going to grind it out to make the play they never thought they could make. And when you do that, it will be recognized regardless to whether or not you make the play or not. And we have to change the culture of that. It's not. I couldn't get to it, coach. It's coach, did you see how close I was to that ball? That was unbelievable. And. And then eventually, you're going to start making those plays, but they can start to see it as well. So even when you're having a bad tryout day, you gotta hang in. You gotta put better effort in. You gotta give your best effort so that you're not dragging around. And they can see the drag by the way you carry yourself, by your attitude, um, by the struggle that you may be having that day. Just continue to fight through it and give everything you got. Coaches want players that go all out. So do it.
[00:10:53] Do it from the very beginning. I mean, as we recap this in just a second here, everything I've said is about going all out. It's about giving the very best that you can possibly give.
[00:11:06] So, with the recap, check this out. And they won't be in order. Exactly, but check out what can happen.
[00:11:13] You show up to the field, and you're already dressed, your cleats are on, your hat is on, your belt is on, and you look like you're ready to start the tryout right that very second. You get into the dugout, you put your stuff down and you find coach and say, coach, is there anything else that I can do to help this tryout go today? Can I bring balls anywhere? Can I make sure bases are in? Would love to help if you need that help. Okay. From there, the tryout begins. And you're giving your very best effort, right? Your very best effort. And you're encouraging your teammates around you. Now, you're having a great tryout. So things are going really, really well. You make a diving plane, you boot it, and you feel like your whole practice went to crud that quickly.
[00:11:59] But nope, you're not going to let that happen because you're going to stay in a positive mindset. You're going to continue to give your very all. You get up to bat later on in that tryout and you hit a double off the wall. Coaches recognize it immediately. They immediately say he can respond to adversity. The tryout then ends. They encourage you guys to come back with even better energy. You're going to walk up to each one of the coaches, look them in the eye, shake their hand and say, thank you so much for the opportunity. Can't wait for tomorrow. Is there anything that I can do right now to help clean up after a great tryout day? And they tell you, we need help with getting water onto the field. So you go help get the water on the field. The coach thanks you for doing it. Afterwards, you grab your stuff, you leave the field, and then you go home and you rest up because you got day number two ahead of you.
[00:12:52] That is what a great tryout looks like right? During those tryout periods, giving your best effort matters. And all the little things that you get to do, it's just whether or not you're willing to recognize that those little things are difference makers. It's whether or not you're willing to recognize that your effort does matter. And you're not doing it because coaches might recognize it. You're doing it because it's the right thing to do. And when coaches recognize it is when you will understand that that's how you have to be every single day.
[00:13:30] Your effort, your attitude will decide whether or not your tryout was good or if it was great.
[00:13:39] Your effort, your attitude will decide whether or not you make the team you were hoping to make or a team that you shouldn't have made. But you did because of the way you carried yourself all week. And at the end of the day, same thing we ended on in episode eight. There's a chance you're not going to make that team and that's okay. There are better plans for you ahead. It is okay if you don't make that team. And if you do make the team awesome, you better get even better at all the things we just talked about. You better be a better culture guy. You better be first one on, first one off. You better shake a coach's hand every single day and you better put your best foot forward every stinking day moving forward.
[00:14:23] That's what it looks like. Don't compare yourself to the best kid on the team. Compare yourself to you do the little things incredibly well and watch yourself grow again. Spring tryouts are right around the corner here in Colorado and can't wait to hear about some of the stories that come along with this. But these are little details that can make all the difference and I really, really, really hope that you are doing, doing these little things to make sure that the job gets done. I wish you guys the very best of luck as you go through your tryout process. I really hope that you come back with stories of execution that would be so much fun to share. Finally. I hope you get to go home each day saying I gave my very best. That's all I could do. This has been episode number nine. I still encourage you to get on social. Follow me. Let's continue the conversation there and can't thank you enough for watching or listening to another edition of Unleashed Athletics with Ryan Bond. Have yourself a great weekend.
