“It is really easy to dedicate your practice time to the things that you are already good at,” explains Casey Stangel, the talented freshman at the Univ. of Missouri, “… but the players who are going to be the most successful show up to practice with a plan and are mentally engaged in every moment.”

Casey had one of the most prolific high school and club careers in recent memory prior to her graduation earlier this year.  She was the MaxPreps National Player of the Year in 2013 after leading her Lake City, Idaho team to a second straight Class 5A state title.  The 5-foot-10 lefty pitcher/outfielder went 28-0, but she’s not just a threat in the circle—she also batted .640 and had 16 homers—and had a great summer playing for Explosion.

One of the most energetic, hard-working and passionate people you’ll meet on and off the field, we’re excited to get her perspective of softball life.  For more background info, here’s a link to an earlier story we did titled Player spotlight: Casey has a plan

In her latest blog, she talks about how your comfort level in a game will correspond directly with the amount of preparation you made in advance…

Also, click here to read Casey’s earlier blogs and those from our other standout players!

 

 

***

 

Preparation leads to trust and instinct.

I think that something we all overlook as players is completely preparing ourselves for competition. To be the most successful you need to be prepare yourself for every eventuality.

Momentum controls the game… every team is searching to find it and then keep it on their side. It is something that can shift by one small mistake and, typically, it is that one thing that you forgot to prepare for and overlooked in your practice.

You need to look at every single aspect of what happens in seven innings and ask yourself things like, “If I were asked to bunt, delay steal, turn a double play, cover a base, communicate, receive signs, hit and run, or switch positions mid-game, would I be comfortable doing the job?”

Answering that comes completely from your preparation.

Your comfort level in the game will be higher based on what you did to get ready for that moment. Also, in quick-thinking situations you won’t tighten up and make a mental error because you are doing something that you’ve done a million times before and now it is purely reaction.

Preparation to me is everything and it is all about staying in my routine and staying consistent so that when I get in a game I can play comfortably. I try to prepare and practice smarter, to think through every aspect of a skill so that I know to react and execute no matter high pressure the situation is.

It is really easy to dedicate your practice time to the things that you are already good at, and to just go through the motions without thinking about it too much. We can all go through the motions, but the players who are going to be the most successful show up to practice with a plan and are mentally engaged in every moment.

Those players have a goal to get better mentally and physically, and push themselves to be uncomfortable in a practice environment so that they can coast in a game.

Belief in yourself comes completely from preparation.

–Casey