Lima Locos: Player Development Part 2

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Last week I talked about how we prioritize player development while still playing games with the Lima Locos. This week I want to talk about the progress some of our players have made and what they are doing on a daily basis. It's no secret that the players that improve the most are investing the most time. Three things that will separate you as a player is consistency, adaptability, and self-care. In this post I am going to highlight a couple players and talk about what they are doing daily to improve their game.

Consistency

This one doesn't require ANY talent. Consistency is all about showing up everyday and putting in the work. It's that simple. Want to be a good player? Want to be a good businessman? Want to be successful at whatever you do? You have to be consistent. Day in and day out you have to be willing to do what you know needs to be done even on the days you don't feel like it. USC Upstate pitcher, Jordan Marks has been one of the most consistent players we have. He never misses a workout, throwing session, doesn't skimp his warm up, and he does all these things the best he can everyday. Showing up is one thing, but you still have to work hard. You can't just go through the motions. In just the first few weeks of the season Jordan has seen his best fastball go from 88 mph to 90 mph. Along with the increase in velocity he has also posted a 2.45 era in 11 innings with 2 walks and 15 strikeouts! 

Adaptability

Willingness to adapt and make changes is one of the hardest things for a lot of players to do. It's very easy to just do what's comfortable and what you know. Trying to make adjustments is hard and doesn't bring instant success all of the time. One player that has been open to change and has continued to ask questions to improve is Georgia Highlands pitcher, Jake Meyer. Jake has been open to making mechanical changes in his pitching delivery and continues to improve everyday. The main thing we are working on with him is hip and shoulder separation. Everything rotates together right now instead of the hips opening before the shoulders. We have been doing a lot of constraint work with Lantz Wheeler's Core Velocity Belt to help him FEEL the hips separate properly. For the first time in his life he says he is actually feeling the separation and the "stretch" in his delivery. 

Self Care

What I mean by self care is doing all the little things to make sure you are primed to perform at your best. These things include nutrition, recovery modalities, and proper sleep. So many players will work hard in the gym, spend time on their throwing and hitting mechanics, but neglect some of the most important parts of performance. Without proper nutrition you are not going to be able to perform at your highest level. Good nutrition will increase muscle mass and energy. Both of these things have good carryover to performance. Sleep is talked about a lot, but I still don't believe players take it as seriously as they should. Proper sleep will have a direct correlation to how well you recover and how well your body feels each day. One player that has shown to be working on these things is Texas A&M Corpus Christi pitcher, Tyler Miller. Tyler always makes sure he gets his recovery work in every single day with flossing, Marc Pro unit, recovery circuit, etc. If you want to separate yourself you have to be willing to invest extra time.

In Conclusion

These three things you have COMPLETE control over. Most of us are not gifted enough to be able to coast by and succeed. It takes a relentless approach to doing everything in your control to the best of your ability. So many players look back on their careers and wish they could do things differently. Don't be that player. Be the one that looks back 10 years from now and is proud of what they were able to accomplish. You might not become a big leaguer, but you will know that you did everything in your power to be the best version of yourself. These things will have direct carryover to whatever else you decide to do in life. Strive to be the best at everything you do. 

- Jared