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POISE As pitchers, you are inherently leaders. Like it or not, it is your responsibility to keep your teammates in the game
and maintain a confident, and controlled, attitude. I speak often about self-confidence and the true belief in yourself and
your abilities. Poise is a virtue that is a direct relative of self-confidence, and is defined as... a state of balance or
equilibrium; stability.
Maintaining poise essentially means not showing your emotions while on the mound. Often times,
"a pitcher having poise" refers to one that handles difficult situations without appearing outwardly affected. They remain
a pillar of strength for their teammates, and have a calming effect on nervous infielders. When Roger Clemens encounters a
ferocious opponent's rally and a hostile Boston crowd, do you see him back down, or give in? Most definitely not! Although
he may be nervous, his body language stays the same the entire time. And although he may have given up a couple hits, his
confidence remains high enabling him to make the pitches he needs to get out of the jam. Positive body language, and strong
self-confidence are two important ingredients to a pitcher with poise.
Major League Baseball Scouts will often refer
to poise as an intangible skill. That is, a skill that cannot be graded the same way as running speed, pitching velocity,
or home run power. While you can receive a specific time in the 60-yard dash or hit 85mph on the radar gun, it is difficult
to measure a pitcher's poise. Instead, scouts look to how a pitcher will handle stressful and difficult times. Will he crumble
when the going gets tough in the second inning? Or, will he maintain the exact same demeanor he displayed while striking out
the side in the first inning? When applied to the rest of your lives, the concept of maintaining an even disposition or having
poise can assist you when the going gets tough.
- Have you prepared thoroughly for your class presentation? When the
teacher asks you an unexpected question, will you have the poise to handle the pressure and answer calmly and confidently?
Will you stand tall with poise or slouch with timid insecurity?
- When you go to pick up your date for your first
school dance, will your shirt be tucked in... your hair neat... and your appearance sharp?
- When you stand at the
free-throw line with the score tied and two seconds on the clock, will you show the other team you are scared? Or, will you
assure your teammates that you have everything under control?
POISE - Do you have it?
This tip was contributed by Dan Keller
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