Things to do When it Rains for Two Straight Weeks

Sick and tired of rainy, cold, miserable "spring" weather? Of course you are. I don't know a single coach that is saying, like Crash Davis in Bull Durham, "Man, we could really use another rainout!" We've all had our fill of rainouts for this season. In fact, we've had enough rainouts to last us a few seasons!

Nevertheless, there is one thing that (nearly) every rainout has in common, and that is we CANNOT CONTROL IT. Note that I said "nearly," because there is the rare occasion when a game might get canceled because not enough effort was made to get the field playable, but I don't know of any coaches who fit this description. Usually when a game is canceled, it is completely out of the coach's control.

Which means, the event of the canceled game and whatever caused it does not deserve any of our energy. There is absolutely nothing productive that will come from complaining about it. There is nothing you can do to change it, influence it, or control it. And anything that is outside of your ability to change, influence, or control does not deserve your attention.

Instead, what deserves your attention is your team! And your team's progress of getting better every day! Rather than wallowing in self-pity and bemoaning about the weather, use your time to be creative about how you are going to make your team better today. While other programs are sulking and drowning in the monotony of having to go back inside the gymnasium and "do the same old things we were doing on February 19th..." YOUR team could be taking huge strides to get better because you have seen these days not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity!

The truth is, this weather is only an obstacle if you choose to perceive it as an obstacle. Everyone is having to deal with it. Before we know it we will all be back out on the field and there will be a significant difference in the teams that used the rain days as opportunities for growth vs. those that just sat around and complained about them while begrudgingly taking more indoor BP in the cage.

Those who look at the obstacle of the weather and say, "This too shall pass... but while it is here we are going to choose not to perceive it as an obstacle, rather, an opportunity. We will get better through this!" those are the ones with a CHAMPION mindset.

What are some of those things you can you do to see rain days as part of the process and use them for growth rather than an obstacle? Here are just a few ideas that come to mind:

• Take an entire indoor practice to work on "mental" strategies. Shadow bullpens, shadow at-bats, shadow infield and outfield situations... all simulating negative events and then each player practicing their routine for how they are going to respond to the negative event.

• Invest in your team's leadership. Give everyone a chapter in a book to read or a leadership topic to research and have them be ready to present it on the next rain date.

• Put together highlight videos of (your own team if you have game film, but if not, find highlights of college players or pros) playing the game and doing things the "right" way. Focus on the highlights, not the lowlights. Show them things they do well.

• Go over your signs and plays, and then go over them again, and again and again until they are all fixed in every player's mind. Many teams neglect to spend much time ensuring that all players know the signs with 100% confidence, but then we get angry when a player misses one of the signs in a game. We could have used a rainout practice to ensure all of our signs are committed to memory.

These are just a handful of ideas for rain days. Use rain day practices for those things that are typically "outside the box." Use them to fill in the little gaps that tend to fall between the lines. There are often times during a baseball or softball game when something happens and we as coaches realize, "Dang, we haven't gone over that enough in practice." Write those things down. Make a list of the "neglected" things, or the things that never get your full attention in "normal" practices, and build your entire rain day practice out of those things. Use rain days to become great at the between-the-lines aspects of the game!

One example that I have talked about before (and often these days) is the mental game and practicing mental strategies to help release negativity and refocus on the next pitch or play. More and more people are becoming believers in how much the mental game affects our ability to succeed. If you believe 50% of your success is mental – meaning, it is based on your ability to handle the mental aspects of the game – then in reality we should be investing 50% of our practice time in mental reps and practicing those mental strategies.

I'll bet we don't, though. I get it, practice time is precious and scarce. We need to get in plenty of swings, ground balls, PFPs, situational drills, etc. We don't have time for deep breaths and visualization and all that mental stuff!

Well, we'd better start making time for it. Or better stated, we'd better begin using our time more wisely and including those reps in our practices. What better time to fit it in than on rain days?!

This weather is not an obstacle. There are teams out there right now that are taking advantage of every day, and they are growing stronger, more confident, and more prepared to succeed. Nicer days and sunshine are coming. And when it comes, there will be a noticeable difference in those teams that complained about the weather from those teams that used the weather to their advantage and growth. It's all in how you perceive the obstacle, and how you USE it!

Which one decribes you?