Have More Fun, Win More Games...

"Winning the Mental and Emotional Games of Youth Baseball and Softball...

... How to Coach, Parent and Play with Total Confidence, Focus, Consistency and Emotional Control"

A Step-by-Step Guide to Leading Young Players to Overcoming Frustration, Anger and Fear, and Instead Having More Fun, Playing Great, and Learning Life Success Skills

Dear Parent and/or Coach: 

I don't have to convince you that baseball and softball are emotional sports.

You watch your child or team ride the emotional rollercoaster from confidence to fear, laughter to tears, joy to gut wrenching sorrow.

While there's a lot of joy and happiness (for some), there's guaranteed failure and heart ache.

Guaranteed failure means guaranteed negative emotion!

Anger at a strikeout.

Embarrassment at an error.

Devistation at a season-ending loss

And you get your heart ripped out too! (I know, I've got my kid in little league now.)

How do you feel when your kid strikes out?

Walks in a run?

Boots an easy play? 

Hangs his head in defeat or shame?

Cries about something that happened in the game or practice?

Here's the Bad News...

Baseball and softball are emotional games. They turn up the intensity of life experience.

Yes, school churns up emotions. But in baseball/softball you can't hide in the back row.

When your son is up to bat, HE is up to bat. Everyone watches him. Everyone sees what he does. His performance is totally public.

(If Johnny is having trouble in school it is kept hush hush.)

If a ground ball comes to your daughter, it comes to HER. Not to her team; HER.

Add the fact that failure is built into the game (the game is extremely difficult)- and you've got a recipe for emotional disaster.

Yes, for wonderful things as well. But in baseball and softball success is not guaranteed... failure is.

How your child learns to handle these extreme emotions now will profoundly affect how he/she deals with adversity the rest of his/her life!

And Most Coaches are Dropping the Ball...

What do most coaches teach to help deal with the emotions of the game?

Mechanics. Technique.  

"Yes you struck out, but if you take a shorter path to the ball..."

True, but the technical aspects of the game are dwarfed by the emotions.

Proper technique is important (the laws of physics always apply). But when a kid feels good, is confident and focused, he's got a chance to have fun and play well.

Only then will his mechanics help him. (If he's scared at the plate, all the dollars you spent on those technique lessons get swept down the drain!)

Coaches and parents will also say "Do your best." "You'll get over it." "Keep your head up." "Get'em next time."

Good stuff, and from the heart those words can help. But they hardly give the kid anything to sink his teeth into.

They'll teach your child precisely how to throw a pitch, but leave him/her on their own to deal with the demons of self-doubt, self-condemnation, and fear.

(This isn't to fault the coaches -- raise your hand if you've been trained on how to handle your emotions -- I'm just pointing out an important truth.)

So the bad news is that the most important element of the game, emotions, is not coached. At least not systematically, intelligently.

The kids aren't guided on how to handle the tidel waves of emotions the game creates in them.

But Here's the Good News...

It isn't the striking out that is so critical, it is how it is "framed." How the child sees it.

Much of how he/she sees it will but culturally determined. Kids know the difference between success and failure.

But also much of how he/she sees it will be contextually determined -- by the context the coach and parents have created around the experience.

So the good news is you can powerfully affect the experience your child has. You can learn how to turn any experience into a positive one.

In fact,...

Coaches and Parents: Your #1 Job is ...

... to create an emotional context that maximizes the likelihood of each child making empowering interpretations of their experiences.

(You might want to read that again while I think of how to say it simpler...)

If the team and league emotional context (prevailing mood, attitude, energy, focus,) is fear (kids get yelled at when they screw up), that will lead a player to negative interpretations about him or her self.

If the team and league emotional context is love (kids are supported unconditionally), a player is much more likely to make positive interpretations about what happens.

(Now unconditional support doesn't mean you let them do whatever they want, or never yell, it means you support them unconditionally.)

That means the focus is on them and their development, not you and your ego.

You might wisely ask...

"But how do I create a loving, supporting 'emotional context' so my kids learn to be confident and overcome failure?"

Finally, A Step-by-Step Program for Creating a Supportive, Loving, and Successful Environment in Which Young Players Thrive

I created "Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball and Softball: How to Coach, Parent, and Play with Confidence, Focus, Consistency, and Emotional Control" to empower parents and coaches to provide the best possible experience for their young athletes.

After 25 years of coaching the mental and emotional aspects of baseball and softball, I've created two simple exercises you can take your team or child through, giving you a system for successfully coaching them on the emotional elements of the game.

These two techniques simplify the game enormously.

Not just the "outer game" of baseball/softball (the game we all see with our eyes), but the all important "inner game" of your kids' emotions, confidence, focus, and motivation.

Virtually every mental and emotional game question you might have can be answered by these two "magic bullets."

And the best news is that teaching these techniques not only improve players overall life skills...they're the best way to WIN!

"Guides Your Kids to Success Through the Game's Crazy Ups and Downs"

With this program you'll be able to guide your child or team through the labyrinth of emotions and mental challenges the game puts them through.

In addition to numerous mental and emotional game tips, I give you two "golden threads" to hold as you make your way through the maze of complex situations and obstacles.

You'll be able to help your player...

	Overcome failure (so the game stays fun)
	Be confident regardless of recent results (so the game stays fun)
	Stay motivated (so the game stays fun)
	Stay focused (so the game stays fun)
	Play one pitch at a time (so your child plays great)
	And you'll get the team on the "same page" (so the team plays great consistently)

You get a system for doing all of the above.

All success is the result of following a proven system.

Take the guesswork out of it.

Know what to say in those tough moments (first inning jitters, last inning chokes, silent car rides home).

(What would results like these be worth?)

Here's What You Get...

	The DVD (1 hour, 20 minutes) (show your kids clips of it at the field on a laptop).
	A CD of a 45-minute recording of a call where I review the key concepts with the coach in the video spelling out step-by-step how to implement the two basic techniques of the program.
	A big manual with simple simple forms for you and players to fill out.
	A transcript of the DVD so you can take read along orthe program with you anywhere

Here's What You'll Do When You Get It ...

1. Read the one page "READ THIS FIRST" page. It gives you the whole program on one page.

2. Watch the whole video. Watch me teach the ideas and lead the exercises (you'll get a sense that "I can do that.").

3. Read through the manual for my step-by-step instructions for how to implement the techniques.

4. Listen to me explain how to use techniques to the coach of the 12-year-old team in the video.

5. Show video clips to your players.

6. Teach the material yourself.

7. Share it with other parents and coaches on your team so you can get everyone on the same page.

8. Enjoy the peace of mind you and your player(s) experience as a result of knowing how to handle the frustration, anger, disappointment and even embarrassment that so often comes with baseball and softball.

9. Experience the satisfaction that you've taught young people you care about how to be confident, focused, consistent and emotionally in control -- LIFE SKILLS they'll use for everything they ever do.

10. Enjoy it when they say "Thank you."

And if you have any questions once you get started, just email me.

If you aren't thrilled with the program, send it back for a full refund.

Remember: The ability to manage emotions determines success not just in baseball and softball, but in all aspects of life.

Do you want your child to benefit from a proven system for "emotional success" or just go out alone and be told: "Do your best?"

Order "Winning the Mental and Emotional Game of Baseball and Softball" and you'll be choosing to provide a wonderful environment for your child or team to:

	Have more fun
	Play great consistently, and
	Learn life success skills

I'll look forward to hearing your success story.

(See below for other success stories from people who already have the program.)

Sincerely,

Dr. Tom Hanson, BaseballConfidence.com

p.s. As you saw in the quote above from coach Dan, focusing on what I coach you to focus on not only creates a much more helpful, humanistic, and empowering emotional context -- it also is the best way to win!

p.p.s. Moms and dads, the less you know about baseball and softball, the more valuable this program will be. Youth league success is not just about technique. The mental and emotional aspects are much more important than technique.

If you want to know that you are following an excellent system for "creating an emotional context that maximizes the likelihood of each child making empowering
interpretations of their experiences," this is the way to go.

NOTE: I recently asked people who have previously invested in this program: "On a 1 (low) to 10 (high)scale, how likely are you to recommend 'Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball and Softball" to your friends and collegues?'

The mean response was 9.1. Here are a few of the comments:

Tom,

10.

I tell people that the program provides specific methods to build and maintain confidence and a positive attitude.

Too often coaches say "do this" [as in “Go out and play with confidence] but do not give any means to achieve the end.

Thanks,

Don

p.s. - we are on our way to Cooperstown Dreams Park and will be using the ABCs every day!

Don Kellet, Littleton, Colorado

Dr. Tom,

I am struggling with the question "how likely are you to recommend this to parents/friends". On one hand I think the program is outstanding and is exactly what is needed for my team. 

I have many boys who take things very seriously, they think that because they are good that they should hit every pitch, make every play and get out every batter. They struggle when things do not go well and actually compound the errors. 

 On the other hand, my competitive side says that I do not want to share this process with other coaches that we might compete with. I am more than happy (10) to do it with friends, parents and non competing coaches.

 In the long run, I guess I will just have to use my emotional intelligence and think of the greater good and say that I would recommend this to everyone.

Thank you,

Michael Betz, California

10 - Tom, I'm starting to use this with my 10 year old all-stars and have incorporated some of it into my lessons. Great stuff! Thanks.

Mechanics are just a part of the picture. The ABC's of the mental game will help you focus and play better and thus have a lot more fun.

I believe that the mental game is what separates players in a big way when talent or athletic ability are equal. I'm looking forward to learning more about it.

Ken Hayner

www.HaynerSportsBarn.com

Half Moon, New York

Tom,

10, I recommend it all the time.

After I got the program I also bought heads up baseball and by reading that after working with the program it really helped tie things together.

The fun thing is once you have worked with it and have confidence yourself, you recommend it and you get the look like "why would I need that" or "that's too weird" you just smile and realize the gain you got and the loss to those that won't try it!

Thanks,

Dave Heinevetter,

Watsonville, California

"10"  

Will be playing in the Arkansas 12U "AAA" USSSA State Tournament this weekend. Have begun implementing some of your system into practice and games.

I have preached about the "mental" and "doing the little things" for several years, this allows you practice what you have been preaching.

Kevin Huff

Texarkana , Arkansas

Parents and Coaches:

If you want to see a guy who relates to kids without being parentally overbearing - then you just gotta see this DVD/CD and read the manual.

What you take from it and adapt for your own personal use/delivery - is up to you - but you will most definitely gain insight from it

The one thing that I have learned when dealing with adolescents - is that you cannot - must not - "speak down to them" - you must always be - "on their level" - in control but not "superior" (so to speak)

Tom, I just loved the way you spoke to and related to your young charges

Regards.

Gil Gurney

New Zealand

Additional Comments from Coaches and Parents...