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746e4cc-e756-476-523f-ed2554c670d_Podcast_with_Ryan.mp3
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Welcome to beyond. The diamond, the podcast that goes far beyond the game. I'm your host, Danielle de Ruben and I'm here to empower young women, parents and coaches in the world with fastpitch softball. As the owner and founder of deadly fast pitch and passionate about bringing you inspiring stories, valuable insights and expert advice to help you excel both on and. Off the field. So whether you're a player looking to take. Your skills to the next level. A parent supporting your young athlete. Or a coach. Seeking to make a difference, you're in the right place. Let's dive in and go beyond the diamond together. Hey everybody, coach. Dee here with beyond the diamond. Thank you so much for tuning in to this week's episode. And this week I have a special guest speaker. Really good friend of mine in the softball community, coach Ryan Carver. He is a college scout, a recruiting coordinator and mentor. He's a facility owner, a bomb hitting instructor at the Prime Athletic Center. Where I also give pitching lessons. He is the head travel ball coach to two Georgia impact teams, 14U and 18 Yale, and he's also the Kings Academy varsity head. Coach so coach Ryan, thank you so much for coming. On to this. Week's episode I'm excited to have you on here. Thank you for being a mentor for me in the softball community and being a part of really DR3 as it kind of kicked off. Once I moved back home in COVID. So just thank you so much for everything you've done for me. And I'm excited to bring you on here and shine some light to the softball community a little bit.
Absolutely. My pleasure. Thanks for.
Of course. And so. The big topic of conversation that I would love to shine light with you about is a week or two ago, on November 26, 2023, I posted a poll on Facebook and this poll says should bunting be allowed at a showcase tournament? Why or why not now I had. Over 500 people respond to this poll, 93% of the people said yes. Whatever it takes for the team to win, girls should bunt out of showcase and only let's see, let. Me double check. Only 3030. Five votes of 6 percent, 6% of people said no, and this is something that I know we have discussed plenty in the past. There's so many different opinions about it and I just want you to kind of. Shine light a. Little bit of. Where your head's at and why with the subject.
Sure. First, I find that hilarious. The the the mix of the where, how, how many people are voting for yes versus no on that. I think it. Would be more of a 5050 mix, but you know, I think you'd have to look at who's voting, right? So is that a parent voting? Is that? Coach voting, etcetera in terms of that answer. Because to me, if you're, if you're, if you're getting a lot of votes of, you know what it takes, do whatever it takes for the team to win. Then you gotta that's a whole lot of, in my opinion, it's a whole lot of it. Uneducated, I guess. You know, people around the sport. That are missing the whole point of the showcase right? The showcase piece now I think to really answer the question, you first have to clarify. What you mean, right? So there are multiple types of months, right? If you're a kid with speed that can bunt for hit, absolutely showcase it. If you are a slapper that has, you know, drags her game absolutely showcase it. If you are. A in a team in a situation where you have the ability to execute a good squeeze because that is a pressure type but absolutely showcase it because that is all three of those those types of months you know, drags Bunning for a hit squeeze and press pressure situations. Those are those are. What I would call skill related bunting, right? Sacrifice bunts. On the other hand, which is one that I started a firestorm with. A couple of weeks. Ago on social media sacrificed butts, on the other hand, no in showcases. I don't.
I think.
I I think that's an absolute no because. What's the purpose of the sacrifice? But?
You're the runner to. Help your team win.
That's it. So to move your honor, to put A to put a runner in scoring position or in better scoring position to help your team score to help your team win, right. And that again is not the purpose of the showcase. The purpose of the showcase is literally to showcase the athlete. And if you are sacrificed, Bunning. You're not showing off a skill like I. Can go pick up any. Kid at any Rat park on the planet and have them learn how to sacrifice. But in about 5 minutes, right. Because we're showing early, we are we're letting everybody in the park know that we're running and it's literally just to move the runner. Right. So it's not like it's something that, you know takes a whole lot of fine tuning in terms of a craft you know? I hear all these people like. Now you want to show that they can do this, not they not really. I mean, anybody pass a certain level can can sack my. And, you know, I don't care what I've. I've heard it from, you know, different travel coaches and you've got a lot of guys out there. You got a lot of people out there that. Yeah, they do take pride in their, their their. Wins and whatever, but. Yeah, I I. Hear them say stuff along the lines. Well, coaches want to see. That they can execute that. The coaches want to see more. How I can swing you bet right? And as a parent. And if I'm doing on that question, or if I'm a if I'm a parent on a team that utilizes something like a sack month that's in a showcase when I've got college coaches watching, then I would be taken back because that coach just took the bat out of my kids hands for maybe the. One, maybe two opportunities that she gets. In front of he or she gets in front of the coaches that are there for that specific game, right? So like, just from my perspective that, you know, showcase games and there's, you know, there's different, there's different pieces to showcase. You'll play showcases that are, you know straight up showcase. Games you'll play showcases that are showcase plus tournament, you know, plus tournament play at the end. Now I'm all for small ball, I'm all for. I'm all for playing the game. When it's time to play the game, right? So if we're in a tournament play, yeah, we're going to use all of that to put our team in a position to win and everybody wants to win. But a straight up showcase game is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage, right? And it's it's you're. You're out there. Just to let the girl show what they can do. And you know as well, you know, you know, from my perspective you coached with me like. Nine times out of. Ten I have. I don't even touch. The field in a showcase because I'm behind the fence talking. To coaches now times at 10 I. Have no clue what the score is. In a showcase game because. We're talking about the girls and. What they can do, etcetera, etcetera and. You know the the idea of you know. Doing what it takes to win that game. Has like it does not to to just. To me, this is my point of view, does not matter at all, cause honestly, I don't even like 9 times out of 10 me, nor the coaches that I'm talking to have any idea. What score is? You know what I mean? So it's. Just again, you're I feel like you're robbing the kid. If you're sacrifice, money and showcase, you're robbing the kid of a nap. That that they could use to potentially impress a coach because you know, if you want, you want one thing that's gonna stop coaching their tracks. It's a good swing, right? Or see a see in a good hard hit ball. You know, that's so you know.
And I think that's. Where there was a miscommunication, I guess some people were reading this poll that I made because it was very short and vague, but people, I don't think they understood it was like a showcase like at a showcase tournament we have to showcase our skills and the responses and the comments. I was getting from different Facebook groups and parents were like, well, no, that's part of the game. Like, why wouldn't you do that? Like no dog coaches need. To see that and. That I'm sorry at that level, if you can't get a sack, bunt down like you're that's the first thing you're gonna get down that first two weeks. I feel like at the college level. Like, if we can't get that down like you will get that sack button down. Like, that's just a given. And like you said early on, like you can go to the rec. Park and grab a. Girl and teach them how to SAC, bunt, and. That I just feel like that's like a gay event at the college level at the high school level. Like you gotta be able to get the bunt down, you learn that. At the beginning it it should be and I. Get some hunting. For myself too, I mean, bunting was a bunting. Like a bunt run was not my thing. I could get the sack bunt down, but you tried to get me to show my skills with bunting. That was not me. I was a power hitter, so I feel like all power hitters do need to be able to get the stack bunt down, and then different types of hitters can work strategy. When it comes to bunting, but that's where a lot of the. Misconception I feel like from this topic got to it's just First off, let's just clarify that this is a showcase tournament and the goal is to showcase. Your swing and this is a big thing that me and you have talked about, especially with our eighteen you girls last year and I was helping. Coach with you that. Even if we go up there and we. Strike out like. We want to strike out swinging out a showcase like coach just want to see your swing and what they can work with. Like, if we're not seeing the ball and timings off a little bit, like, that's something that they can still work with, but they wanna see, like the mechanics of your swing and the. Little like the details within that and that's. A pet pee I have is at a show. It's like striking out looking is like not an option. Like I'd rather like. It's just not an option. We have to be able to swing the bat and. Get going and. Get things rolling a little bit and I'd love for you to shine light on that subject a little bit more as well.
Yeah. So funny you said that because I was having the last showcase we played this fall literally was having that discussion with a. With a coach. Out in South Georgia. And he like that, was one comment he made about our team. He was like, you know, he said one thing I love about your team is they freaking swing. The bat is like, every every one of them is getting up there hacking and. Yeah, it it. Doesn't matter if they have an off game, right? It it's it's just what the you know. The I can see mechanics I can see. I can see a good swing and a kid that's got a good approach and a good mentality. Even if she's striking out, or even if she gets 4 on a pitch, or even if she gets, you know, if her timing is a little bit off, right, a prime example. I have got a brand new kid that came in the team this year that I literally recruited. From watching one of her high school games and I I saw three at bats. None of them were that great, but she had. One of the best looking swings I've seen in a long time and she over the fall ended up being one of the absolute best hitters I've had over the past couple of years, and she can actually, absolutely stroke bond. It's. Just one of those. Things like, you know every kid is going to have an off game, every kid's going to every kid's. Going to slump, but like you said, coaches. Like it's kind of our job that, I mean we we I mean our job is to pick out the talent, right and to pick out that pick out the you know who's got the fundamentals down and and you know who's got the mentality right of the you know that that I'm going to get in there and crush the ball I'm going to get in there and hammer versus the kids. Are you know the ones that are guessing the ones that are timid, the ones that are, you know, maybe, you know, mechanically thought a little bit like I can you? Know I can see I. Can see mechanics from a swing and miss coaches can see mechanics from swinging miss. They can see the intent right of a swing from, you know, from an at bat. That's why. You know, like like you said, you know, for me in a showcase like that's. What's that's what's important, because that is what it takes, you know, hitting it's hard and that's what takes. I mean, these girls put in a ton of work and, you know, and all throughout the season on their swings and you know, that's what takes the most work is getting that down. And if Coach sees that, you know, I've got a girl that. You know even. If they if it was off, they're mechanically sound. If they were swinging with like you. Know the intent of crushing the ball every single. Time I can work with. That all day, right? And the coach is going to see that. One way.
And that's huge and something I even talked about from, like, the pitching perspective. But from the hitting perspective, having that attack mentality, like, that's something that we as coaches, college coaches, travel ball coaches and instructors, we can empower that as much as possible. But it's the girls job to really take that and own it as far as like. I'm gonna attack that ball. Like, yes, yes. No mentality at the box and. When you're not swinging the bat at these tournaments like you're not showing that side of you and you might even have that side. But if you're being picky, like you're being too, too picky and narrowing your zone a little bit and just holding back and hoping just to get on base or we're going up with there with that fear of failure in front. Of the coaches. Like these coaches want to see you fail and I want to see how you respond to it. And they want to. See you hacking at the ball and being hungry because that those are things that are just. Very hard to learn. At the next level, we have to develop that and start developing, and I'm not saying you can't learn it. At the next level, but it's. Everything so amplified at whatever division you play at that there's so much going on that it's really tough and that's where I saw like a lot of my former teammates that I played with and traveled at the college level, not be able to make it. Well, four years. From just the mental side of the game and things are just piling up too much. Trying to balance school and this and being adult and being on your own. And then on top of that, still trying to hold that hunger that we might not have had as much at a younger age. But now you need it more than anything, because everyone on your team is just as good as you. Or better than you and. That's where I feel like the big. Coming back to like the first thing we talked about, like bunting in a showcase, like if you think about it from that perspective of showing that hunger and that attack mindset and not giving a crap what the heck the score. Is like. That's why I love when the scoreboards are shut down like they should not even be turned on at showcases and some showcases. I feel like they are or I've heard stories from my online girls in other states. They are, which blows my mind. Little bit different subject but. Having that attack mentality, like we have to show that and that's just something that all coaches are looking for, I mean, and I want you to shine light even more on that girl that you were recruiting like you saw her swing. But like outside of her swing, was it like the hunger? In her swing. That you saw or just like the attack.
Ohh the kid. The kid owns that. She absolutely owns the box, and you could see it. You could see it in her, like in her approach in between swings in between every pitch, like how she resets, how she refs. Versus just like she flat out owns the box and she gets in there and like just getting into the box, you could tell like she wasn't gonna let the. Picture beat her. Regardless, and like I said, she didn't. Have the the best at bats on the planet that in that game. But you know she. Got, I think. She was one for three that game. Again, she owned it. The whole way and then. Like I've never seen this kid before in my life, and I've got two kids that play for him and travel that play for that same high school team. I never seen this kid before in my life and I I go up and I see that in the game and I immediately go up to one of the the kid that plays for him. I'm like, what's that kid's story and you know, I got the the back story. For her. But it was literally just because of. Watching her, like watching like. Just just the swing, just her mental. Approach just how she attacked that how. The approach how she reset herself in between every swing. I just again, everything you could tell that kid was locked in. She was, you know, she wasn't going to get beaten and you know. Again, she ended. Up like like I said. I think she. Ended up pulling, pulling out the last one but. You know? Yeah, that's that. That's something you absolutely look. For and like you said. That's something that is a. It's I think it's it's. Really overlooked in, especially in younger ages because you get you get coaches that like to call takes on 1st pitches, right or? And you know sometimes. That they're they're, you know, there's pictures. That you face that. That's a good strategy, right? But there's there's some coaches that like live. And die by. Like look and see. See that pitch where you know a lot of times. For me it's that may be the best pitch you get. So if you know a kid is a screwball and curveball pitcher, set yourself up. To barrel that right and and get into. Attack mode, you know and. I don't think we talked about it enough because the younger age is if you don't start developing that kind of attack mentality at the younger ages, like you said, when you get into college, it's just amplified. And if you're timid 1416 and 18, guess what's going to happen when you get into college. I mean, you're gonna be like. Your nerves are gonna. Be 1000% worse than what they were, and you're gonna get more to it. Probably right and slow down even more. So it's just tough to break if you don't break it young.
And I want to just touch on the take subjects real quick from a picture. Of or. Let me talk from a coach perspective from a coach perspective that drives me nuts, like taking that for cause from a pitcher. Knowing as a hitter like that first pitch is most likely your best one. Like us as pitchers, we're trying to get. Ahead of the count. So. That's one opinion I have, but the other opinion, like the only time I believe it's important. To take and this kind of goes for all levels and you might agree or disagree with. Me on this is if a. Pitcher walks the batter ahead of you with four straight balls. I am taking until you throw a strike because from a pitch perspective that just puts more pressure on me that like I have to throw it in the zone right here, right now or like they're not swinging and like I can feel that energy and like that was a rule that we had at the college. Level was. That's the only time we're taking was if there's four straight balls, as like an understood rule that we're taking until that pitcher throws us to strike, cause we're putting the pressure on her that you gotta get your crap together. Cause I. Am ready to attack now. That's pressure on the pitcher from the hitters. Side I mean. If it's if. That first pitch is right down the middle. I mean, crush it like that's one of those things that you see it you feel. It like go. With it, but knowing. As a pitcher that you have to get it in there because the's not giving you the zone or you can't move the ball around. I mean that put a lot of pressure on me, like walking a girl with four balls like I knew I had to attack the zone and not pipe it down the middle on that next. Pitch. So like, what's your thoughts on that?
I think it's a double edged sword. I think you. I think it it. It is like we do that a lot as well. If we see a picture struggling then we will we will look at more pictures but you you don't as a hitter even if even if you're using that strategy I mean you still have to have the mentality that you're going to attack. And because if it does, the picture does mess up and gut it. I mean, you need to park at 2:50. Or you know what? Whatever, right? Or be ready to at least you know what I can't stand is getting the taking the kid, getting in the box and then not even. I mean, you could just flat out tell. She's not even thinking.
They don't even lift the bat off. Their shoulder.
Not even thinking about swinging right? So yeah, I I you know, I think. It it it's. A good it's a good strategy, especially when. A pitcher gets off, but when you when you. I still think that you have to have the attack mindset, right? Yeah. When? Even if the pitcher is struggling because, you know, if a pitcher is struggling and they are, you know, they're like, you. Like you said, they've got a lot of pressure on them put. It in the zone like. That's a pretty high chance that they're going. To miss like over the white and you can hit. It hard right? So you know, I I would again it's. I I would be really picky. But if it's there, I'd. Crush. You know what I mean?
And that's where I guess I would say from the pitcher for me, when I got in that situation, knowing like the batters are basically taking to let those strike in there, it was like the added pressure was I can't pipe it down the middle. And if I tell myself I can't pipe it down the middle, what am I gonna do? I. Am going to. Pipe it down the. Middle. And so that's just thinking on both sides. Again, if a hitter. Ready to go? Like attack that pitch. But I just. I didn't even know. We're gonna get on that subject, but that's just a huge thing that I can. I I just see it from both sides, but I also like that attack mindset. I will never leave my opinion on that and that goes from a pitcher perspective, from a hitter perspective. And that's just being a ballplayer, like being an overall ballplayer, and that's what coaches want, and that's how I got recruited at the end of the day, I was not the all that pitcher. I was not throwing over 62 miles an hour like. I could spin. Ball. I plateaued at the same speed for like 5-6 years. But what I had was that attack mindset and that mentality that like, I'm not giving up and you might be bigger and better than me, but watch, like, I'm gonna bring what I have. And that was something that I learned at a young age and. I used my saying a lot. My dad taught it to me at a young age, but the only thing that matters is the next pitch. Deep breath, next pitch that goes hand in hand from a batter perspective from a fielding perspective and from a pitching perspective is it doesn't matter what the heck just happened, it's all about how you respond and what you do next. And if we go in there with the fear of. Failure, whether it's at a showcase tournament, whether it's at PGF nationals or wherever, you're. When you go up there with that mindset like you already failed. If you're scared of it, like you already failed and you're setting yourself up to not be successful. But if you go up there with that mindset again, no. Matter where you. Are out on the field. You have a. 9 out of 10 better chance of making something happen if you tell. Yourself like it will. Will happen, and that's where the attack comes from. And that's why I believe that this game is 90% mental and 10% physical because we're so zoning in on the physical game and everything else that comes. To it, but. 8 out of 10 * 9 out of 10 times these girls are not needing more reps of quote UN quote, bunting or learning. To take the ball. For ground balls, they just need the mental. Game preparation a little bit more just to attack, to believe that they can do it and that's where a lot of girls I feel like struggle, especially the age that you're coaching right now, just fourteens and eighteens. I mean, that's a really hard life. You have girls that are entering freshman year that is just like a lot kind of going on in that first year of high school. Now you have and the other team that you have, you have girls about to go off to college. And so we're trying to figure out that new phase of their life that they're entering too. And it's just a lot. And we bring in a. Lot of those. Just the struggles. That we feel, I guess like into the game a little bit more and that's where. I know we both do as much as we can empower our girls kind of drop. Drop that mindset and just come here and like fail and that's something we've talked about like we want you to fail at practice. We want you to fail in a lesson. Like if you don't fail, you're not. Thing and I want you to kind of shine light on your approach from a travel ball coach perspective of how you work with 14 year like 14 new girls, second year fourteens and then 18 year girls. How has that been either a struggle with you or what are some things that have really helped you with the girls throughout this process a little bit more coming from a male?
Two from a male perspective, you said.
But but I mean. It it's different like from a female perspective, talking to girls going through. Stuff like this. That's why you kind of brought me on helping you, coach. A little bit more to years ago.
Yeah, yeah.
Like it is.
Well, so I'll you know. I'll I'll say to the whole world like all boys are idiots. That's why I don't. Coach them so. No, I I I that's why I'm in. Salt. Well, God bless me. With two girls and that's how. I got in softball but. You know, being in this game for for a while and you know growing up a baseball guy and, you know, working with some baseball players, like I said, give me, give me girls all day because they're they are just, they learn faster, they're stronger. Typically stronger mentally, you know, they're they're more coachable, so that's that's off topic, but. I'll say well. Just kind of circling back to one. Thing that you said. You said you. Said from a mentality standpoint, like when you play as a pitcher, when you're struggling, you told yourself not to gut it down the middle, and then you ended up gutting it down the middle. So one of the big things that I tell every single one of my girls is. When it comes to. Ten, you're always telling yourself what to do, not what not to do. Right? So I don't care what it is like as a hitter. Is it hard? Right. Center, is it? I'm hitting hard middle. Is it? You know, hit it out front. Is it? Let it travel. Whatever. It's only telling yourself what to do instead of. Getting in the box and saying don't swing at this pitch or you know, don't do this. Don't do that because like you said, the first thing you're going to do is do exactly the crap that you put in your head. So we always talk about don't put nose in your head. Right. Just. Tell yourself what you're gonna do, right? So that that in, in terms of like, the mentality, especially like my hitters, that is what? I try to preach to them every single day, as you're constantly telling yourself what to do. Not what not to do. As it relates to the fourteens and eighteens, you know you know the, I guess the differences between the two. You know you see. You see a lot of. Timidness in in that 14 you range right and you see a lot of well you got a lot of growth happening and then in that age. And you have a. Lot of you've got a lot of, especially for females. You got a lot of girls starting to. I guess personalities develop and all this other stuff, so people, the girl you see the girls start caring a whole lot more about what? Other people think. Right. And worrying way too much about that. So the biggest thing that I try to instill in the young ones is like, and I say it all the time is like wipe the give a crap off your face. And just play right. You cannot play the game. Worried about what other people think about you. And like a big difference and that we can the the, my, my group actually kind of had aha moment a couple. Of weeks ago. Is like I was like we had a we had a joint practice with the tube and I was like I asked him. I was like, what's the difference? I asked the 14 year group. I was like, what's the big difference that you see between you guys and the 18 year and all of them is basically all give the same response you could. They were. They're. Like they're having fun. They were attacking. They were confident. Etcetera and. I said, and I responded to that. I was like, Yep, you. You basically got all that right. But I was like, I asked them a question. I was like. Did it look like any one of? Them gave a. Crap. If they messed up or not every. One of them said. No, I said. That's the difference because. That that's literally the difference between your 14 year old brain and the 17 year old brain is like. They've been through it and we've preached it enough. To where they don't give a crap. Right. They they know. That, you know, like as a pitcher, do they know the best centers on the planet are gonna get themselves out six out of 10 times. So, yeah, they're gonna attack. They know that as a hitter, I'm going to get out probably 6 out of 10 times. You know, if I'm good. 7 out of 10 times. So they know that that's going to happen and they accept it. Right? That. And you know, they don't have to be happy with it, but they also don't let it kill the tank the rest of the game or the rest of you know, they're at bats or the rest of the the. You know they're. You know, whatever. They're doing so like I said to. Me. That's the biggest difference is you got. The in in age and maturity, you you just gotta you've got the younger ones that really want to please, you know coaches they want to please. They want to look good for their friends. They want to please, you know their teammates because they don't want to let anybody down. They want to please their parents. You right. Because parents give them a hard time, especially that the young age, you know, parents, parents progressively get better typically as they. Get older, but. You know how it is. I mean, you know, they the younger the. Younger it is and it's. Like you see, a lot of parents pushing. And pushing and you hear about that and not until you know, us coaches have to. Step in and have to talk. Right. Hey, you're not doing your kid any good, right? But you know, like I said, that's the biggest thing that I see is just. It's it's giving a crap or not giving a crap. And yeah, you want to give a. Crap. Like there's a difference. You. Like you want to give a crap about everything that you do, right? But.
Effort and your attitude you got.
You you kind of.
To care about it.
Have that air of. I don't give a crap right? What happens? Because I mean, you don't have control over. So much. You know what I mean. And you do that. That's that's all you can focus on and you, you focus on that and. If if you. Do good, great. If you don't. Hey, you do what you could you.
Know what I mean? That's, and that's just, I mean, I'm just so thankful for Carl and Susan Ruben for instilling that in me at a young age. And something that I have to talk parents off a ledge off a little bit more to help, especially with the younger age, around 1415 years. Old is to. Quit caring about stats like the only stats from a pitcher perspective you should care about is like your ball strike percentage and your ERA. And like, I don't even think I knew any of those until I. Got to the. College level and like from the hitting. Perspective. I'm curious what your opinion is. This will be kind of one of the last things we chat about today, but when it comes to. The younger age and the immaturity a little bit of them, still trying to develop themselves and figure out who they are and their personalities and just growing up a little. Bit more when it. Comes to like throwing on stats. With them, with their physical game. I mean, what should they care about or what should they not care about? Cuz I didn't give a crap about any. Of them, because I didn't even know they existed, basically.
Right. This that like for me the stats that are. 100% not. Subjective, right? So that that's the only ones that I would. Say that I think. Any of them should care about and I don't know if you remember because you were in the group you were in the group last year, but I put a message out there to the parents like because we we had parents. OK. Yes, yes, so. You remember, and I was like I I'll. Put a message out there and I said. I don't care what your kids game changer stats are, right? They like the for me as a coach. I look at On Base percentage, right you. Because it takes human error out. You either got on base or you didn't. I look at things like whip because that whip can kind of get a little bit off for pictures just because if it's. Better an error, right? But it's pretty consistent. First pitch strikes, hitting contact rate, right and stuff like that. So was it a swing and miss or is it foul ball like that's the kind of stuff. That you I want to pay attention to. Outside of that.
Are you, as a coach, you want to pay attention to it? But should the players? Even be stressing about all that? I mean, not.
Really. I mean the the big thing is. I mean you do you? Do want to. I think one of the big things is, you know, from a mental standpoint, you do want to know your numbers a little bit, right? Just so you know where you are. And you have a. You have a baseline to work from to where you want to get right? So like if you've got a goal as a pitcher to be like a below one, you know one whip, you gotta know where you are right now to try to get yourself there, right? But do they need to stress over it? Absolutely not. Like I mean again, it's it's one of those things that you sometimes you just can't control. Like you have a kid from any perspective you gotta have. A kid that you. Know is just. Absolutely. On fire, murder them all, but hitting it to somebody every single time. Right. And that's one of those things you can't see in a. It's that book, right and. It's you, it's, it's a. It's a just something that. Have to see and view or watching from watching the game. And you know if you get too locked up in stats too locked up in average too locked up in ERA like you don't see all that right and as a player if you get too locked up in that like you'll start letting one hit get to you you'll start letting one walk hit to you.
Thank you.
It'll start consumer. You'll you'll or you'll let. One strikeout. Get to you, right? The thing I I think the biggest thing is. Or one of the. Biggest things is for for. Players like they need to be looking at a large samples is not what happens in a specific moment or a specific department, etcetera, right? They need to be looking at, you know, 2-3 months. Worth of stuff so they can get a. That then they can kind of have their number and then, you know, work from there. You know, every every two or three months. But, you know, the long, long answer to to your question, I don't again, I don't think players should wrap themselves up in stats. There's a couple that I would look at, but it's just it's just one of those things you know. It's you. You control what you can control, and sometimes you can't. Control the stats.
And I think that's a really good point that you made is every two to three months now. Parents listening on to this, my dad looked at my stats every weekend, every game. Did he ever want to share any of that information with me? No. Would would he maybe bring it up and talk about it without using the term stats or, like, he would bring up scenarios and situations, but not necessarily numbers. But I do like that two to three months kind of follow up recap because I do know parents typically are looking at all that stuff, but I think we can keep the kids out of it a little. Bit more so it doesn't consume them because as a young female. Going through still the purity process in high school and this and boy, whatever. Whatever you're dealing with that, that 1415 year old age, the last thing we need to think about is every time we get in the box, we're worried about if our numbers go up or go down and getting on the mound and just touch towing the field like we don't need to think about that. And I have too many girls right now from the pitching. Guide who. So and so parents, I like that two to. Three months kind. Of follow up, see where you're at like a baseline. It's the same thing of how I do when I check velocity and when I check when I radar girls is I only Radar 4 * a year. Maybe more people ask, or if I'm looking for like change ups for fastball speeds like the differences of speeds. But as far as like PR's personal records. I'm only doing that. Max four or five times a year as a baseline for myself to know the growth that we're getting for the girls to know their growth. But it's not in every week. Let's radar. It's on every month. Let's radar kind of goes hand in hand. I believe with the stats and kind of understanding them and following them.
MPs I've I've had exactly 1 college coach asked me about stats on the kid.
Wow, out of how many do you think just to shine light? To the listeners.
Upon, but I mean. I mean, I couldn't. I couldn't give you a. Number but I've I like. The I've had exactly 1 asked me. About stats on kit.
So that just proves it. Right then too. I mean, coaches aren't even looking for stuff like that. They want to see how you adapt with the girl. Like they want to see if you're the perfect fit for their team and all aspects, not just as a. Player but as like a well yes, as a player an all around player as far as a person and. A teammate and a leader. And things like that. I mean, they're looking for the whole package. And stats are bottom of the totem pole because they can see what they can see when they watch video or come see you in person. They see what you control, what you don't control, your demeanor, your attitude. Your swing, like the little mechanics like all that stuff. So I think that's huge to just shine light too as well. So thank. You for sharing that.
Yeah, and.
Speaking to that, speaking to what you just said. Not going to say the kids name but great ballplayer. Pitcher great ballplayer, great hitter. Great attitude. Literally got recruited because. Not because of, like, what she can do on the field. It's because she went. To the cat, to our camp. And it was like she was part of the team, like she said in her personality was part of the team that coach asked me 0 questions about the kid. Nothing about the kid. It was she just said and she came up and then she came up. To the camp. And it was like she had been with. Those girls for years. And she said I knew instantly. I had to have her.
I know exactly who you're talking about, and I told her to her face. That's the biggest compliment you can ever get for my college coach. Like that is the biggest compliment as a recruit that you can get. And I don't even know if she realized the extent of that compliment. Like, that's huge.
Yep. So just to show you.
That's just super fun.
Your numbers aren't everything.
For sure.
No, for sure. Well, coach Ryan, thank you so much for coming on this week again for all the listeners, coach Ryan and I, we've coached, he's allowed me to help coach him on. His George with Thunderbolts team the past two years. Hopefully this season I get to help consult a little bit with the Georgia impact. Love to get back on the field with those girls here and there. My schedule allows that. But again, thank you so much for coming on tonight. For today and shining light on all these subjects, this is great information. Parents, coaches, players really soak all this and share this information with the people in your softball community because this is just huge. And it's all about growing the game, so thank you so much for everything you've shared with me the past four years growing the game. I'm excited to continue all of that and.
5:30.
Have you on? Some other podcast episodes, so if y'all have any more questions for coach Ryan that you would like for him to talk about on future episodes would be on the diamond. Feel free. Submit those questions to the home page of my website dr3fastpitch.com. There is a submission button for this podcast. Throw your questions in there. Hopefully coach. And I can find some time to record again, but for now, I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week. Great weekend and I will talk to y'all soon. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Beyond the Diamond Connect with us on all social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube at D O3 fastpitch. But Instagram is my biggest platform where I post daily content for questions or topic ideas, visit our website dearthroughfastpitch.com and submit the form on our home page. I would love to feature you on our next episode. Remember, you can find all of our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on our website dearthroughfastpitch.com. Stay tuned for more exciting discussions, stories, and insights in the world of fast pitch softball on the next episode of Beyond the Diamond. Until then, remember, the only thing that matters is the next pitch. Deep breath. Next pitch. I will see you soon.
