some coaches see that their verbal abuse is non-effective and will resort to more drastic measures to "toughen" up the child, so now not only is their mental game affect but the physical body is at risk.

peers aren't the only ones who can affect psychological aspects, adults have control over youths as well.

everyone wants to win, but what coaches are willingly to risk, such as damaged confidence, is going to the extreme.

it's not only affecting their confidence during the competition, but also outside of sports.

it's not only the minority that are affected, in many cases the athletes with the most talent are targeted because the coach feels their coaching mechanisms will toughen these kids minds instead they mentally break their confidence.

many see their techniques as ways to build confidence to prepare them for high pressured situations and the real world.

parents will tell kids I am the adult but yet they aren't communicating like they should with a child, and treat them like adults when they aren't. Many times they give up on the conversation but then come back to unnecessary yelling and treat them with disrespect and make them mentally disabled and they teach them fear. (34:00)

Many times they will tell the child that they are done and that was the worst they've ever played, which would mentally break anyone because they pushed them to a breaking point.

by the parent being in their presence, the child feels pressured to do good and become tense because their parent gets inside their mind and they can't maintain focus. 29:00

The parent might also try to bring outsiders into the conversation and continue to drag their kid down indirectly, but they embarrass both them self and their child. They also try to put the blame of the entire game on them, "if you wuld have done this, this wouldnt have happened, and you wouldnt have lost."

parents also use verbal abuse by telling the child the next time a mistake is made, they threaten to physically abuse them (21:45)

Parents refuse to see that their behaviors are mentally breaking them and not making them tough, they don't see that they make the kid question their passion for the sport.

Many times the parent makes the kid cry because they tell them they are failure and that makes them feel like they are failures, not just to themselves but to their parents. Which they spend their whole lives trying to make them proud. But the parent makes them feel like they can't compete at this level and that people with less skill, or anyone else can do it better.

Talks on the way home always break a kid mentally because it consists of the child getting criticized for everything they did wrong instead of what they did right. Negatives are focused on by the parent who has a tone of anger in their voice, and they continue to yell at the kid who has no say in the conversation until the parent gives them a situation in which they child, again is inferior.

they also argue with officials because they feel their kid never gets enough credit, but by doing this they build up the kid's cockiness but the confidence is down

Parents continue to yell out to their children during competitions because they feel that will help their kid play better by telling them what they already know

some outsiders are gentle and discuss mistakes with the child so they feel comfortable and can fix their mistakes without being dragged down completely, while the parent insists on redirecting the child's focus by pointing out flaws in a unnecessary manner. 10:40

teaches them to see difficult situations in a new perspective and allows them to participate and engage in social interactions.

being the player's best supporter is the number one factor of a coach because it creates a good mind-set, this prevents athletes from quitting at a young age and helps later in life.

fear of making mistakes leads to anxiety and worry that they won't be good enough, resulting in bad outcomes

positively and negatively

Meaning their actions and behaviors reflect on the young athlete, both physically and mentally.

suggests that the coach has some control behind the way a player can perform. By working these structures, they create a positive environment and a positive mind-set.

When they don't meet their goal they feel as though they have failed and begin to beat themself up

when a reassured that the player is doing good or is a good player, it's a boost of self confidence.

some players feel weak and insecure when they are placed among teammates because they feel they compare themselves and feel as though they aren't 1. good enough or 2. don't belong.

not every athlete experiences negative psychological development, but it's not uncommon, it mostly hits elite athletes

not uncommon to use many athletes have teammates that bring them down because they are better than them, however the negative comments are just used for motivation

a teammate can make you act negative yourself they give you influence on how you see yourself and how you act.

talking bad about another player makes them not trust each other and that leads to miscommunication on the field and mentally breaks another player's confidence.

players with happy go-lucky attitude make an athlete feeling up and ready to go and pumped, enhancing performance, makes them want to engage in the fun.

team sports rely on each other to pick them up, if they are negative and always yelling they will you down and denounce performance.

teaches them to see difficult situations in a new perspective and allows them to participate and engage in social interactions.

being the player's best supporter is the number one factor of a coach because it creates a good mind-set, this prevents athletes from quitting at a young age and helps later in life.

fear of making mistakes leads to anxiety and worry that they won't be good enough, resulting in bad outcomes

positively and negatively

Meaning their actions and behaviors reflect on the young athlete, both physically and mentally.

suggests that the coach has some control behind the way a player can perform. By working these structures, they create a positive environment and a positive mind-set.

When they don't meet their goal they feel as though they have failed and begin to beat themself up

when a reassured that the player is doing good or is a good player, it's a boost of self confidence.

some players feel weak and insecure when they are placed among teammates because they feel they compare themselves and feel as though they aren't 1. good enough or 2. don't belong.

not every athlete experiences negative psychological development, but it's not uncommon, it mostly hits elite athletes

No coach wants scrappy players handed to them so they can mold them into better players. They want kids who are already talented, so they don't have to teach of or coach much, they want to win with the talented, already prepared team.

The child can never escape the parent. "Daddy-ball" coaching is a term used in elite softball, where the dad coaches his daughter to showcase her, but that also means she will never escape the constant talk and comments of her performance, because the coach is everywhere. He tells her she needs to work harder, even on top of everything she already does, and play through that injury. He is breaking her because she has no off time of this one sport

it's not fun because of all the hard work, mental breakdowns, and non-successful outcomes. why work so hard for nothing in return?

That's the main reason all kids play at the elite level, because the teams who win are the ones who get college scouts to look at them, which leads to scholarships, who cares if your mental health isn't all that great, what matters is that scholarship, that's what the parents see anyways.

thousands of dollars a year to get this college scholarship, in all honesty, it feels like you're putting in more than you're receiving in the long run.

and some say, I will never be as harsh on my kid like mine was to me, but there is no escaping it, at least that what it seems like. Every athlete turns into the psychotic, obsessed parent they try to avoid.

When you've played at high level competition for the majority of your life, you know when kids play rec league or sit out a year because their skills aren't so developed

That hardly ever exists anymore, and even if it did, the two teams would still compete like it's a championship game because they hate losing.

I can agree with the physical and emotional, some parents push their kids so hard and teach them to fight through pain, which can potentially make the injury worse. As for psychological state, they beat up on their kids and make them quit because their dreams of being an all-state, all-area, big league players will just be dreams.

all the attention is put onto the more talented players because that's where the champions are, where the scholarships are given, where the greats could potentially be, and the less talented are over look, not that they don't work hard, they just don't have the look or skill.

huge factor, the tone of the coach's voice when yelling can be perceived differently on the athlete's point of view. A intimidating, threatening yell breaks confidence. A re-directional, instruction yell reassures the athlete of their mistake or how to fix it or what to do in that situation, not harmful but helpful.

I know this happens to me when my dad yells off on the sideline he distracts me because I begin to think about what he's telling me and end up making a mistake

occurs when athlete's know their own potential and think that this factor doesn't matter, they know they don't have to listen to them because they know the player they are.

Some kids respond well when they get yelled at because they use it as motivation to prove the other person wrong

how does a coach expect a kid to perform their best when they know their coach has no confidence in them, so they have no confidence themself

Or this one high school coach could have affected the players mental game forever that proceed into later life, like college ball or just forcing the kid to give up on the sport he loved most

We also see that this behavior only occurs when playing for one specific coach, typically a high school coach, but when paired with another coach that is fond of, the player will begin to play with confidence again and ease performing exceptionally.

Player's often find themselves focusing on not making a mistake rather than bettering them-selves because they fear that if a mistake is made they will be benched or yelled at. This is the mental side that we focus on.

however if a coach is physically abusing their players this can be seen as unnecessary harmful action

This can be a tricky situation because those kids who have been in travel are used to the yelling and when they get yelled it's because they know the coach knows that they can do better after a mistake. usually a coach will pull a player aside and explain this concept, they aren't yelling because they are mad at you they're mad because you have more potential than that.

intimidation is completely on the opposite scale of motivation because motivation is believing in a player's capabilities while intimidation is like trying to prove to that player that they are a non-factor.

the most important factors that play a role in mentally breaking down a player from a coach's point of view

notice here that some coaches are always a talented athlete themselves in the past who have experience

This author looks into the story of Billy Beane, a manager of the Oakland A's and his mechanisms of trading players in the pro league of baseball. He describes the story in such imagery to display a scene for the reader to understand the mental side of Billy Beane's mind in the trading process. The author's main point is that the stats of one player could make or break the team's overall outcome in a season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZerYBHIacOI This is a visual of what the trading scenario looks like, this clip (also a movie about stats in baseball: Moneyball) is based off of this exact event in the article.

The author uses a great analogy to express Billy's ways of making a deal seem like a scheme a trap if you will, into making him benefit more than the other side of the spectrum.

major downfall in hitting, you cannot be afraid of failure because then it will happen, the author makes it clear that Billy had gone through this suffering.

I'm not sure the author did a sufficient job of placing Billy's past here because it interrupts a previous, unfinished story.

presentation of yourself is a major key for success and the way the author describes Billy Beane sounds as if he was sculpted by a god. I can visually see the features he describes

each decision can make the difference of winning and losing, that's why it has to be well thought and knowing what's best and who's specialized enough really plays a role in this game

again the author wants the reader to understand that this game is far more complex than what people perceive it to be.

the author focuses more on the traits and characteristics of a player, how they correlate to the different elements of baseball, rather than just seeing it as a game of hit the ball, catch the ball.

Batting average: affected by the amount of hits you get at the amount of numbered at bats, also depending on the type of hit ie. single, double, triple, etc. On base percentage: how often do you get on base from walks, hit by pitches. although batting average is important, on base percentage is more important in order for you to get an opportunity to score

The author molds his story around the lives of these young elite baseball players to show that baseball is not just a game, but a lifestyle. He argues that these kids give up many sacrifices to travel across the nation and compete with the best teams in hopes to make it the collegiate, even professional league. The author also argues that these kids have grow up quicker, and they don't have normal childhoods due to baseball; these children aren't much children at all but young adults by the age of 12.

I love this phrase because it shows how children are being treated like adults in the majors rather than being introduced to a sport

Many kids push themselves too much and avoid the pain to avoid being out of the game for an amount of time, however they harm themselves more and risk severe surgery and possibly risk a not full recovery

Kids push themselves harder in hopes to make their parents proud of them, rather than focus on their health, that's what the author is trying to point out.

To these kids, the ones who invest so much time and make so many sacrifices, it's no longer just a game. Of course they want fun, but it's not fun unless you're winning Any athlete could tell you that, no one wants to lose, everyone wants to win, but it's about what you're willing to give up to be the best and how long you can be in the game for.

The author takes the life of one of the best pitcher known in baseball history, but he shares the true, unbelievable story. He uses imagery to portray the time the story took place and describes in detail how any person, like Sidd Finch could be miraculous at this game, and with no professional training. The author's main point was that the game of baseball is all a mind set, not the entire game is focused on the physically ability, but the mentality.

It seems that he has no career in baseball due to the fact of his attire, no cleats or even gym shoes

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi0zN6DotzKAhWHzz4KHaZEByQQjRwIBw&url=%2Furl%3Fsa%3Di%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dimages%26cd%3D%26cad%3Drja%26uact%3D8%26ved%3D0ahUKEwi0zN6DotzKAhWHzz4KHaZEByQQjRwIBw%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.fair-play.com%252Fproducts%252Faccessories%252Fradar-guns%252F%26bvm%3Dbv.113034660%2Cd.cWw%26psig%3DAFQjCNHx8mrRItf615T0MuT2yKjEeGSIiw%26ust%3D1454611877057317&bvm=bv.113034660,d.cWw&psig=AFQjCNHx8mrRItf615T0MuT2yKjEeGSIiw&ust=1454611877057317

Looks like a standard radar gun that police officers use!

meaning using your own body weight for strength building

The author is implying that this particular moment proves that the player's time was coming to an end in his career. Because when your best pitch can be hit and not only hit but crushed out of the park, that;s when you begin to realize you're skill is fading and it's time to give it up.

The reason they tune out from their parents is because they need an escape from baseball for just a short period of time before they start again. Another reason, they don't want to hear the criticism of their parents about how bad they performed

the author's word choice to describe the weather and how it affects the field is perfect. His imagery allows me to visualize what is going on.

the author makes a shift from the player and focuses on the parent in the sport. However this effects their child's performance too. And after all the child had to learn the sport and how to act from someone in their life.

This is very common, 6 is the perfect age for one to start teaching their kid the mental and techniques of baseball, knowing they will be a great player.

The author refers to this "normal" childhood many times because he wants to emphasize that these kids only focused on this one thing for their entire life, but for what? To make it big, because sacrificing a "normal" childhood would get them there.

I believe the author is trying to make the statement that baseball is a sport of talent and defined skills, but anyone can play as good as the next with determination, dedication and hard work, talent isn't everything. And no matter how much talent one has there will always be one kid who is better than the next.

The author is trying to describe how the role of parents shifts in youth sports. It's not just showing up for games and sitting on the sidelines anymore, they want their kid to succeed so they push them harder and treat them as though they aren't kids anymore. As the competitiveness gets more intense as does the parents' "enthusiasm" but many parents to it to extreme measures.

the league where almost every kid will be placed on the team and their skills are underdeveloped. They are not the top level of competitiveness.

I think this is the first time the author doesn't depict imagery to describe the heat in Illinois

The author implies that these "caretakers" of the animals only see them as business rather than the delicate living creature they are. But is that how they see the tourists too? Just as business and money to see their product without thinking about the feelings and treatment of these animals.

Isn't this some kind of animal cruelty? I know after hearing that kind of sound the author describe, the pig is definitely in some kind of severe pain.

The author describes the land as not one of a home, but a workplace instead which is very interesting because people want a refuge from work but from here there's no escaping it. It's no wonder people want to get away as far as they can from Illinois.

almost literally, since in Illinois you are most likely to see corn everyday

Reminds me of when I was little and always wanted to go to the petting zoo, how awful the smell was, nevertheless you always wanted to go pet the horse or sheep and nothing would stop you

it would seem that this conversation would have been one where the author would not be listening to the lady's rant, however because of the facts he provided, he was actually intrigued enough to remember details