This is a five part series about how I was able to play at the Division one level after sitting on the bench in Junior College for three years.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Practice and train as though the lives of those you most cared about depended on it. Go up to the plate with this in mind:
I must succeed, but if i don’t I must not quit.

 

Look guys, you don’t want to stop playing this game with any regrets. Regardless of how long you play this game, you need to understand that you will eventually have to hang em up, don’t make the mistake of taking anything for granted.Play this game with reckless abandon, practice it with ruthless passion.

The journey of being a bench player is long and gruesome. It’s lonely, boring, deflating, and discouraging, and that is why it’s such an important opportunity.

If you can handle sitting on the bench,working harder than your teammates for just a couple of late-inning at-bats or clean-up role, then you can handle anything. If you can stay motivated to continue your development as a baseball player through the drudgery of lack of playing time then you will be a better player for it.

Remember, this game owes you nothing and the only thing that truly matters is your response to what happens.

When life gives you lemons, put it on a tee and hit it out of the park.

    2 replies to "How to earn playing time while sitting on the bench- Part 5"

    • Jeff Kerr
      November 21, 2011

      After reding all 5 of theses articles I made my son read them. this past season my son played very little for most of the year behind some lesser players. He has since moved on to a much better team in a highly competative league.and is playing regularly. These articles have reinforced all the same things that I was telling him, it just carries more weight when it is not “daddy” telling him these things.

    • Finalsocial
      November 21, 2011

      After reding all 5 of theses articles I made my son read them. this past season my son played very little for most of the year behind some lesser players. He has since moved on to a much better team in a highly competative league.and is playing regularly. These articles have reinforced all the same things that I was telling him, it just carries more weight when it is not “daddy” telling him these things.

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