My Charge to Coaches, Parents, and Players

Here are my final remarks from our End of Year Celebration on June 2 as I stepped off the field for the first time since 2003:

I'd like to leave you all with a few words tonight to encourage you, provoke you to thought and perhaps spur you on in this journey to be the very best homeschool baseball program in the nation.

First, I'd like to speak to my fellow coaches.

To do this job right, you need passion ... when you wake up in the morning ... when you go to bed at night. I want you to work harder than ever before. A lot of things that are not directly-related to your on-the-field work are required to make this go. Embrace these tasks ... scheduling, communicating with players and parents, being an ambassador for the program, etc. They are essential.

Also, to do what we do -- where we compete with less practice time and often with a few more challenges -- you have to be smart and efficient. Each practice and game must be planned. And those plans are part of a larger season plan. Know where you are going. Get and stay organized.

And be a student of the game, an intentional learner. Baseball is filled with guys who have stunted their growth (and their teams', too) because they have yet to take on a learner's mentality. The way you did it when you were a player or a kid is completely irrelevant to what we are doing here. Be open to change, and figure out what works. Keep reevaluating. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

Remember your conduct before your players. If we as coaches fail, they will do the same thing, in spades.

Do your best and trust your instincts. Remember that there will always be 10-20 percent who will give you a hard time no matter what. I wasted a lot of time worrying about these folks in past years. Then, I figured out I was better off just doing what I believed to be best.

Most of all, love your players. This is the foundation of all good coaching: Care for your players ... all of them ... yes, the ones who get on your nerves, too. Once you care for them and they know it, then real growth begins.

Being a "real" coach has nothing to do with getting paid. Rather, being a real coach has everything to do with taking care of your players. The biggest challenge each year is managing the people.

Everything we do must be about team welfare, rather than a personal agenda. So, be above reproach in dealing with your sons, both in reality and even in appearance. Yes, let there be no hint of favoritism. Do you have people in your life who will tell you hard truths? Find these people.

Finally, enjoy each day you get to coach. It goes quickly. This is a fantastic opportunity. Remember what a privilege it is to coach the Mustangs and to work with young men. Enjoy each task, no matter how mundane. I honestly did.

If the foregoing sounds daunting, good. You are starting to get it. Starting. I will be here, too, to hold you to the standard. Most of all, I remain here as a resource. Know that you have my full confidence and support.

And now a word to my fellow parents ...

First of all, support our coaches and support our players.

As for coaches, let them, well, coach. That's their job. We all nod in agreement here, but what does this mean? It means that our cheering is just that, cheering, instead of giving hitting instruction before and during AB's, or pitching mechanic reminders ... or calling pitches. I have seen all sorts of foolishness in my eight years of doing this.

Please stay away from the dugouts and off the field immediately before, during and after games. Encourage your sons to come prepared, with water (food between games, when necessary or appropriate). Trust coaches to take care of players, too. No one has ever died from dehydration or hunger while playing for us. If you trust coaches and your young men to act like men and be responsible, you will likely find that they are.

Failing to honor team boundaries harms our reputation as a program, and other coaches have told me so. Also, it hinders your son's ability to bond with the team and gain the most he can from our coaching staffs.

Will coaches make mistakes? Of course, and that makes them just like players and parents. But we know that only those invited into our worlds can share with us on the journey as parents. The same principle applies to coaches. Let the system work, and it will work much better. Besides, just like the busybody who corrects your kid with their own standards and fails to understand what is going on (maybe, just maybe because you know your child and have been wrestling with his/her issues for years), the at-the-field busybody is often wrong, too.

Bottom line: Honor our coaches. If there is an issue, take it up privately and away from the field. If something is bugging you, communicate. That's the biblical model. But do it in a way that values and honors the person you are communicating with. Take a look at Proverbs 6 regarding what God hates. And you know what ... He really could care less who is in our lineup, and He has great days even on the rare occasions when we lose, too.

In short, folks, our sons are truly learning a lot more than baseball.

They are learning how to be part of a team, to be on a mission greater than their personal agenda, and to hang in there and get it done. What our sons need is our support, whether their performance is good or not, and whether they are on the field or not.

Let the petty things roll off your back. Time flies. Who cares who played the most, or batted 3rd rather than 7th? I mean ... seriously? God will work these things out. Enjoy the times with your son that are just flying by. The most special times as an athlete I remember were looking over and seeing my dad. And a lot of times I wasn't in the game. It didn't matter. He taught me that what mattered most was that I was there for my team and he was there for me.

So, value effort and character in your sons, before results. You have a lot to value.

Say thank you ... in word and deed. Build up Mustangs leadership in front of your kids. Find a way to serve that meets the needs of the organization.

And now a word for our players ...

Let me start by encouraging you with these gentle words: Get off your butts and work. Throw, catch, and hit the baseball. Do it again. Be smart about it. Work on your weaknesses, rather than mindless repetitions. Get out and run sprints and build core strength in the off-season.

When we were kids, we left the house when school was out, and we spent the whole summer outside. A lot of those summers were spent playing baseball. Stop wasting your time on the computer, X-Box, fiddling with your phone and such. Trust me, there is a very small market for "world-class thumbs."

While you pray like your working doesn't matter, work like God is not going to answer your prayers. People who work hard and smart create opportunities.

For those going off to college to play ... now, the real work begins. Work harder than ever before, and in a manner worthy of the great opportunity given to you.

Whether you are continuing to play baseball or not, remember where you came from and represent the Mustangs with pride. Always remember the privilege of being a Mustang. Stay in touch with the program. We will need people to beat in future alumni games ...

If you are a current player, I want you to watch baseball ... because you don't watch enough. How do I know? Because I watch you. Come over and watch a game with me. It's fun, but it's anything but mindless. Get your mind engaged and develop the habit of learning always. Learn the expectations of the game and exceed them.

Stay humble and hungry, but grounded. As one of my mentors Ron Wolforth said so well, "Strive to become a person of merit and value that far surpasses your ability to hit, throw, field, or run."

And meanwhile, be a good citizen of the jungle. What do I mean? When we played and one of our teammates did something silly (say, like getting a girlfriend during the season), we'd give him grief until we hounded the poor guy to change. The jungle came alive, in other words. Why? Well, a little bit may have been jealousy. But mostly, we protected our team -- our brotherhood -- from those outside who would threaten our unity and purpose. So, protect your team. Treat each other as brothers. Sometimes that means giving grief. Sometimes it means giving grace.

In short, be the kind of friend and teammate that you would want. You know, tuck your shirt in, straighten your hat, watch your dugout demeanor, fight hard on every pitch and play, and expect those around you to do the same. Play to a standard of excellence ... always.

Because I like them so much, I want to read to you four pieces of advice from Coach Wolforth to his daughter before she left for college. I think they are applicable to you all:

"1. Each day, read something that will inspire or enlighten you. Stay away from the salacious, the banal and the vapid. Stay away from the sewage, garbage and other types of poison or pollution;"

(Note: This next one explains why I leave Kirby alone) "2. Don't argue with fools or malcontents -- whether in person or on the internet -- it is a huge waste of time and others watching from afar can't easily tell the difference between you and the fool." (I love Kirby, as you know, and am just jerking his chain here.);

"3. Be nearly impossible to offend. The world is now full of people who are offended at the drop of a hat for almost any small slight or comment. In fact, victimhood is now a cottage industry in America. Don't join its ranks. It has NO future;" and

"4. Be nearly impossible to be discouraged. Be resilient. Be tenacious. Be persistent. Refuse to be denied. When faced with an obstacle, be obssessed with how you could go over it, around it, under it or smash through it."

In closing, I would offer the following:

Remember that God sees every act, every effort ... so play hard and do the right thing, both on and off the field. It will all come out in the wash. Connect your purpose in life with His and add service to others (which is usually included in His purpose, by definition) and then watch your life take off.
If you have worn our uniform and your last name is something other than Rutledge, please continue to call me coach ... because whether you see me on the field or not, that is what I will remain.

I remain here for you as long as you need me to be. Players, please stay in touch and let me know what is going on in your baseball careers and in your lives. Let me know how I can help.
Most of all, to all of our current and former players, remember that I love you. Thank you for the privilege of being your coach.

MtB Always ...