By Jonathan Massey-
This past week, Gerrit Cole signed the richest contract ever for a pitcher and set a record for the highest Average Annual Value for an MLB player.
During the press conference, Cole was asked about dealing with the pressure of pitching in New York. His response, “Pressure is a privilege”, was one of the best responses I’ve ever heard to that question. He went on to elaborate, “We can say that a game in October is the same as a game in May… but we both know that it isn’t. But at the same time, you’ve earned that pressure of playing in October by performing well through the course of the season.”
Pressure is unavoidable; we all have to deal with it in our lives. Whether it is from a sport, from school, work, or something else, you simply cannot go through life without experiencing pressure in some form or fashion. I have to say, I love Gerrit’s mindset. Instead of trying to avoid it or downplay the pressure, he flips the whole thing on its head. His words say, “I’ve earned this pressure by being who I am and by performing up until this point.”
So next time you are feeling the pressure of school or baseball or pitching in a big game, remind yourself that you’ve earned this pressure… It’s a privilege.
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Preparation also has a lot to do with how you handle pressure. At The Texas Baseball Ranch® we work extremely hard to help each individual prepare for the demands they are likely to face on and off the field.
We have one final Elite Pitchers Boot Camp on the winter schedule before the start of the 2020 baseball season. It will take place on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, January 18-20. There are only a few spots remaining. For more information or to register, go to www.texasbaseballranch.com.
If you’ve been to a previous Ranch event and want to join us at our Advanced camp (for Alumni only) that 2-day event will be January 11 & 12. This camp is limited to only 24 athletes. For more information or to register, go to https://www.texasbaseballranch.com/events/alumni-pitchers-bootcamp/
Our 20th Anniversary “Ultimate Pitching Coaches Boot Camp” was a tremendous success. You might have missed it but you don’t have to miss out on the information. All the incredible presentations were captured on DVD. For starters, they include Major League Pitching Coaches Brent Strom, Derek Johnson & Wes Johnson. Get your own set of these DVDs by going to www.CoachesBootCamp.com.
“I have been coaching for 30+ years, attended and have presented at many clinics, this clinic is the single most informative personal development clinic I have ever attended!” – Dave Lawn, University of Arizona
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