Get Your Head in the Game: Pay attention, stay focused, and be ready to do your part

 

Get Your Head in the Game!

Pay attention, stay focused, and be ready to do your part

By Bill Conley

At my six-year-old grandson’s baseball game, I noticed something that had very little to do with throwing, catching, or hitting.

Several children in the field were playing in the dirt, looking somewhere else, sitting down, or daydreaming. The game was happening around them, but their attention was somewhere else.

They were on the field. They were wearing their uniforms. But they were missing an important part of being a player: being ready to participate.

At six years old, children are still learning how to focus. They need patience, encouragement, and plenty of reminders. A baseball field offers a wonderful place to practice a lesson they can use everywhere.

When you choose to participate, give your attention to what you are doing.

Listening Is the Beginning

When your coach explains where to stand or what to do with the ball, listen carefully. Stop talking, pause your playing, and give those instructions your attention.

If you do not understand, ask.

“Coach, where should I throw it if it comes to me?”

That question shows that you want to learn and help your team.

But listening to the instructions is only the beginning. Once the game starts, you have to keep paying attention so you can use what you learned.

Be Ready Before It Is Your Turn

Imagine a ball rolling toward you while you are busy drawing circles in the dirt. By the time someone calls your name, it might already be past you.

Now imagine watching the batter, knowing where the ball is, and being ready to move.

You might catch it. You might miss it. Either way, you gave yourself a chance because you were paying attention.

You do not have to make every play perfectly. Your job is to be ready and give an honest effort.

A simple reminder can help:

Watch the ball. Know your job. Be ready to move.

Before each pitch, ask yourself, “What will I do if the ball comes to me?”

That little question gives your mind something useful to do.

Your Team Is Counting on You

Baseball is a team sport. Your teammates need you to pay attention, just as you need them to pay attention.

Think about throwing a ball to someone who is looking the other way. It is frustrating, and someone could get hurt.

Being engaged means knowing what is happening and being prepared to help. Sometimes that means catching a ball. Sometimes it means backing up another player. Sometimes it means listening when the coach changes your position.

Every player has a part to play, even when the ball goes somewhere else.

Taking It Seriously Can Still Be Fun

Laugh with your teammates. Celebrate a good hit. Enjoy running the bases.

Taking the game seriously means caring enough to try, learn, and follow directions. You can smile and still be ready. You can have fun and still pay attention.

And when you make a mistake, stay involved. One missed ball does not mean you should stop trying.

Take a breath. Listen to your coach. Get ready for the next play.

Practice Bringing Your Attention Back

Everyone’s mind wanders sometimes. When you notice yours wandering, bring it back to the game.

Look toward the action. Remember your job. Get into your ready position.

Each time you do that, you are practicing focus.

The same habit helps at school when your teacher explains an assignment. It helps at home when your parents give you a task. It helps whenever someone is depending on you to understand and follow through.

Show Up Ready to Participate

You do not have to be the best player on the field to be a valuable teammate.

You can listen. You can watch. You can learn. You can give your best effort.

Those are choices you can practice every time you play.

So, when you step onto the field, bring more than your glove.

**Bring your attention,