As a pitcher, I have always felt like I wasn’t the best, or wasn’t good enough. I felt like I was always going to be the underdog and could never achieve the things great pitchers do.
When I started talking to Coach Anderson, he made me realize that it wasn’t about being the best compared to others, but it was about being the best that I could be. He made me remember that enjoying competing makes you compete better and under emotional control. I feel like I am really starting to understand aspects of my game that I couldn’t grasp earlier.
Your body can only be pushed so far, and physically you can only do so much. But, your mind has no limit and can take your body farther than any speed camp, conditioning program, or amounts of lifting. Instilling confidence in myself made me perform far past where I was before and being able to control my focus helped me get more out of every competition.
Coach Anderson taught me to focus on the process ahead of me, instead of the end result. I began to the season with attainable goals that I feel to some extent, I achieved. My goal was never to be All- Conference or All-Area Honorable Mention, but by playing in the moment, and staying focused on the little things instead of the big picture, I achieved both honors. To me, that speaks volumes of mental coaching and its benefits because I cannot imagine how my season would have went without the guidance and support I received from Coach A.
Coach Anderson has helped me develop an unbeatable attitude, a mental focus in tough situations and a positive outlook on what is to come with my performances. He is continuing to help me strive to be a better competitor far past the physical aspects of my game and, by doing so, I can’t begin to predict what is next for my game.
-Alli Sambo, Softball Pitcher
