The Mental Game of Pitching

The Quakers baseball and softball teams are looking to win games at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournaments as post-season play begins. To be successful in the ODAC Tournament, both teams will have to hold opponents to as few runs as possible with productive pitching. This article focuses on the art of pitching, coming from the players who do it best. 

Will James has the lowest earned run average (4.42) for pitchers who have thrown more than 30 innings for the Quaker’s baseball team this season. Pitching’s most important aspect isn’t how you hold the ball or finish your dealing. It deals with the mental facet of the game. “The most important thing that a pitcher can do in a game is keep composure while pitching,” James said.

The mental game is just as important in softball as well. “The most important thing is to relax and never show signs of defeat if the opponent is hitting the ball. Pitching is a mental game in which you need to focus on what you need to do and only then you will be successful,” said Guilford rookie Ashley Boteler.

Ace pitcher Jessica Burcham put together a record-setting season for the Quakers. She broke her own record for wins in a season with 13 and posted an outstanding 1.80 ERA, which ranks fourth in the ODAC.

She also commented on what a pitcher needs to accomplish mentally in a game. “Don’t let factors that you cannot control affect your performance. You can only control what you do, your attitude and your mindset. You cannot control what your teammates do, so try and stay focused on pitching and not let other aspects affect how you play.”

With the mental aspect of pitching so crucial, there must be a certain mindset with which pitchers approach the game. Factors that can play into this include; how they feel, what pitches worked in warm-ups and which ones didn’t, and nerves. Above these concerns is the pitcher’s attitude towards the opponent. If the pitcher can psyche out the opponent, they have a much better chance at being successful.

“A pitcher has to go into a game with the mindset that you are much better than every hitter you face. You must have confidence in yourself to throw all of your pitches at any time in any location,” James said.

“When you’re pitching you have to believe you are in control,” Burcham added. “The other team might hit the ball and when they do that is okay, but the next pitch has to be even better and harder. As a pitcher you have to have a short-term memory, batter to batter.”

We’ve delved into a pitcher’s thoughts when entering and competing in a game, but what happens physically? How does throwing the ball to the catcher become so effortless? How do pitchers work their magic? It’s not as simple as you might think.

“For a pitcher to have an effective motion, they need to have a comfortable pivot, good balance point, and follow-through when delivering the ball to home plate,” said James.

A pitcher’s motion is one of the most difficult parts about pitching. In order to deceive hitters, the motion has to look exactly the same as the last pitch or else the batter won’t be fooled. This requires a lot of work and preparation off the field. Being a former pitcher myself, I know the difficulties of repeating a pitching motion. Two of the most difficult aspects of it are finding the correct balance point and the right release point for all your pitches.

The balance point is vital because it centers the pitcher to throw the ball. If the balance point is off, the pitch will lose effectiveness because it will not be thrown in the right location. When this happens, hitters are more likely to hit the ball hard. The release point is also essential because of the different pitches thrown. In order to get a batter off balance, the release point needs to be the same for every pitch thrown. If a hitter recognizes you’re throwing a certain pitch at a different angle, the batter will know what’s coming.

            Softball is a bit different. The key fundamental is how pitchers finish their motion to get the most movement on the pitches. “Snaps are very important,” Burcham said. “If your wrist snaps are not quick then your pitches aren’t going to jump like you want them to. The pitch will just drift rather than break hard the last five feet. You can do everything else right, but if you don’t finish the pitch then it doesn’t move the way you want it to, and it’s more likely to get hit.”

            When pitchers’ motions become muscle memory, it becomes a matter of instinct. With all the stress put on pitchers to perform well, there are benefits of being the main focus on defense. “I love being in charge of the game. As a pitcher you control what goes on during a course of a game and what can happen,” Boteler said.

            “My favorite part about pitching is that you are center of attention, you either fail or succeed. There are no other options. I love the pressure,” said James.

            “I know I’m not going to strike every batter out, but when I do, I love it. When I know it was a good batter that I just struck out, I feel accomplished,” added Burcham.

            It also helps when you’re favorite moment about pitching is just getting the opportunity to pitch at the Division III level.

            “My favorite pitching moment was the first time I was given the opportunity to pitch here at Guilford. That first game I was so nervous, but with the help of my teammates and coaches believing in me I was able to push through and pitch a pretty good game,” Boteler concluded.            

            James, Boteler, and Burcham will take their talents do the ODAC Tournament where they will try to keep hitter’s off balance with their physical and mental tools.

           

The Art of Hitting

Spring sports are in high gear at Guilford College. The Quakers baseball and softball teams are looking to make a run at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournaments as the regular season dwindles down to the post-season. To perform well in the ODAC Tournament, both teams will have to hit and score runs. This article focuses on the art of hitting, coming from the players who do it best.  

            Quakers’ first baseman Kyle Wooden is having an outstanding season, hitting .480 in 33 games with a team-leading 29 runs batted in. He also tops Guilford in on-base percentage (.537)   and slugging percentage (.661). Furthermore, he has the fewest strikeouts on the squad with three, which means he puts the ball in play. However, what matters most to Wooden is the mental aspect of hitting.

            “The most important thing a hitter can do in a game is have confidence. If you ever feel overmatched at the plate, you do not have a chance,” said Wooden. 

            Infielder Ami Hutcherson has a .418 season batting average with 21 runs batted in on the year, which ranks among the top five on Guilford’s softball team. Hutcherson agrees with Wooden about having mental confidence at the plate. She explained that one of a hitter’s most important jobs is to know their role in every at bat. Every time you step up to the plate is different, depending on the score and where the runners are. A hitter can only do this if they have the right mindset.

“I think the most important part about hitting is to go to the plate with positive thoughts and confidence in yourself to produce,” Hutcherson said.

            Hitters also have to think about body positioning when they are at the plate. They must be conscious of where their hands and feet are when the pitcher throws the ball. Hitters need to be aware of what their body is doing in order to quickly correct mistakes during an at bat. “I always make sure that I am getting my hands loaded and my front foot down earlier so I have time to see and read the pitch and decide whether to swing or not,” said Wooden.

            Softball is no different than baseball when it comes to hitting. “My complete swing begins with my hands high, then typically hands through the zone first, level, and a hard cut and finish by letting go of the bat with my top hand. I also have to think about my feet because I am a “slap” hitter, I have to go straight at the pitcher with my feet and make sure my feet are in correct form when I make contact with the ball,” said Hutcherson.

            This seems like a lot to remember, but when a hitter steps up into the box, instinct takes over for the athlete. That’s why hitters try to attack the pitcher and be aggressive in their at bat. Outfielder Courtney Kozar, also a slap hitter, believes that aggressiveness at the plate is a vital part of hitting.

            “Being aggressive means not letting the good pitches go by while staying mindful of the bad ones. I think being aggressive is one of the best things you can do as a hitter. If a pitcher knows you’re aggressive, then they will have a harder time pitching to you,” Kozar said.

            Infielder Kent Peterson agrees that aggressive hitting pays off during at bats. “Aggressive is getting ahead in the count and hitting the ball as hard as you can. You have to attack the fastball and when you have two strikes fight off every pitch you see until you get one to drive,” he explained.

            Sometimes being aggressive isn’t enough when you’re facing a tough pitcher. Hitters must discover a way to exploit a pitcher’s weakness in order to find their way on base. However, batters can only do so much. Are there ways to disrupt pitchers to get them off his or her game? The answer is yes.

            A key strategy for batters is movement in the box, which mean where their position in relation to the pitcher. This plays a critical role in the type of pitches a pitcher can throw. Where a hitter stands seems like a miniscule detail, but it can determine if a batter gets solid contact or a whiff.

            “The best approach is to change where you stand in the box. If the pitcher has a good rise ball, you can move to the front of the box to take that strike away from her. If the pitcher shifts the defense, you stand accordingly inside or outside of the box to match that pitch and send it in the opposite direction,” Kozar said.

            “If a pitcher is throwing a lot of fastballs you can stand up front to catch the ball before it breaks for better timing. If the pitcher is throwing a lot of off-speed pitches like change-ups and curves, you can stand towards the back of the box to give yourself more time to see the pitch,” said Peterson.

            Sometimes even superstition allows for a hit once in awhile. Sometimes rubbing hands in the dirt or changing batting gloves gives the batter extra luck to get on base. “I tap and cross the plate with my bat every time and it hasn’t failed me yet,” Wooden said.

            “I have a certain bat for hits. I tape the bat where I don’t need it and I always tap my helmet before I step into the batter’s box,” Kozar said.

            Both of Guilford’s baseball and softball teams will take their hitting abilities and superstitions to the ODAC Tournament this year.

A Look Into The Football Offseason

As official start of spring is underway, Guilford’s spring teams are already in high gear. This time of year is devoted to sports such as lacrosse, track and field, softball, and baseball. Most fans are thinking about the fresh green grass, the clank of colliding lacrosse sticks on Armfield Athletic Center, the crack of the gun in track meets, and the seat they are going to get at McBane Field for the baseball game. Hibernal and autumnal sports such as basketball and football are put into the periphery of everyone’s mind as they anxiously await the warmth of summer. 

But what happens in the offseason for Guilford’s football team?  What goes on behind the scenes when the Quakers aren’t on the gridiron every Saturday?

In this particular offseason, Guilford football is in a different position than normal. The Quakers hired a new head coach, Chris Rusiewicz, in January to invigorate a program that did not win a game last fall and has just three victories in the past two years.

The lack of winning did not turn Rusiewicz away from Guilford, however.  “I wanted to come to Guilford because of the community’s hospitality, the academic prestige of the college, and the program having the talent to win.”

Rusiewicz explained there is no set schedule for him in the offseason. This doesn’t mean he isn’t busy. There are morning staff meetings combined with responding to sporadic emails and phone calls throughout the day. He checks on players to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to, which includes attending player meetings and academic progress appointments. Rusiewicz also makes time for recruiting and reviews video of potential future Quakers.

As for coaching, Rusiewicz said that three items need to happen in order to be a successful head football coach this offseason.

One is recruiting, which means bringing in quality new students who can help the team right away and in the future. Two is evaluating, which means making sure the students keep up with their academic and conditioning programs as well as preparing for next season’s opponents. Emphasis is put on the academic program because at Guilford, they’re students first. The last element of a successful spring is mentoring and helping the guys on the team walk through life and grow into responsible men.

He is also preparing his team for the spring by instituting a strength and conditioning program and implementing the new offensive and defensive systems.

The strength and conditioning program works every muscle in the body. The exercises vary from squatting, cleaning, to the bench press. What makes Rusiewicz’s program different is the core work. The players have a regular regiment of core work three days a week, which helps them with balance.

“Our program is unique because we have our players hustling to every station to keep them constantly moving. This keeps their heart rate up and forces the players to keep up their endurance,” Rusiewicz said.

The number-one goal of the program is for the players to get bigger, stronger, and faster. This will allow the players to stay healthy throughout the grind of the season and stay away from injury.

From Rusiewicz’s explanation, the offensive system is similar to that of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Formations will have a lot of movement and shifting, allowing the same play to be run out of four or five different looks. “The offensive will be run oriented and we’ll try to control the clock and the game. However, we’ll have some passing as well in a west-coast type style,” Rusiewicz added.

All of this teaching and coaching takes time to resonate with players because of the new terminology and different style of play.

 “As a coaching staff, we try to spend as much time as we can with our players,” said Rusiewicz. “Whether it’s watching film, strength and conditioning, or academics we are here to help and teach these students.”

This philosophy confirms Rusiewicz’s message to the team since day one, “full commitment and effort.” He explained that everyone, from staff to players, has to believe and trust the philosophy of the program as a collective group and individuals. “We are trying to instill in everyone the importance of the amount of time and effort that goes into a championship-caliber team. It takes commitment,” said Rusiewicz.

He also has instituted a mandatory academic mentoring program. “The mentoring program important to have because the program encourages players to do the right things such as talk to professors, raise their hand in class, and make sure they have time for schoolwork, because that’s why they’re here.”

Besides guiding the players on classroom behavior, the program features scheduled study session hours and sessions with Guilford’s Learning Commons if needed. It encourages excellent time management skills. Rusiewicz and other coaches follow up with teachers about assignment grades and class attendance.

The mentoring program also has stiff discipline. There are penalties for skipping class or not attending a workout. Some of the penalties include; extra running, making up a study session on a Saturday night, more drill work after practice, or even loss of game time. 

“The goal of the mentoring program is to instill priorities about what is important, and academics is number one,” Rusiewicz said. “If a player needs to meet with an advisor to miss the start of practice, that’s okay. The program is designed so that we know where everyone is going to be at.”

While limited from full contact practice per NCAA rules, Rusiewicz and his staff are thrilled to get on the field. “In the spring, the players get to play and the coaches get to coach,” he said. “We get to do what we love while getting the process rolling by playing with pads and seeing what we can do on the field.”

It's All About Fundamentals and Fun for Men's Lacrosse

To say the Quakers’ men’s lacrosse team has struggled in recent years is a bit of an understatement. Guilford has endured 18 straight sub-.500 seasons and had won only eight games in their years of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference membership. Then Guilford hired Tom Carmean.

Carmean had been the men’s lacrosse coach at Amherst College for the past decade before joining the Quakers in June 2010. Carmean played at the University of Massachusetts for four years, setting the school’s all-time goals and assists records. He also enjoyed a successful 11-year professional career and was named an all-pro five times.

Guilford’s men’s lacrosse team currently sports an 8-4 overall record (2-1 ODAC). Casual fans will see this as a decent record. For Guilford however, this record is great. The Quakers’ eight wins are the most since 1992, when Guilford won 10 games.

“There is no added pressure. There is no pressure to start with,” said Carmean.

He stressed this season is about getting back to basics. “The season is definitely not about records.”

Senior Charlie Robinson echoed this stance. “We’ve been taking the season one game at a time. Every play is 110 percent effort from everyone on the team. We can focus on the more difficult things if we take care of the fundamentals.”

Carmean has tried to establish an effective system for his team; a style of play where the Quakers can succeed individually and as a group. Carmean says the wins will take care of themselves.

Carmean and assistant coach Nate Bates tried to build the offense to the personality of the unit. This means designing the offense around what the squad does best, which this year is an uncanny ability to be unselfish.

Fourteen players have scored a goal this season and leading the way is Henry Farley with 18. Including Farley, the Quakers have eight players with five or more goals over the course of 11 games.

Multiple sets are created based on the offense’s passing ability and opponents’ tendencies. The offense works, “because multiple guys are contributing, we have balanced scoring through midfield and attack, not just one area of the team,” said Carmean.

The defense the Quakers use is pretty standard. “We just try to be solid on fundamentals,” said Carmean. “We’re not running any crazy zones. We just go at teams straight up, man to man.”

Senior Kevin Keesee backed up Carmean’s positive attitude. “The energy of the team after the opener and the overtime win against Virginia Wesleyan is the highest I’ve seen here in the past four years.”

Another basic principle for the players is leadership. The Quakers have been stabilized by the seniors who have remained. Carmean notes the seniors are great leaders who do what needs to be done. There are five seniors on the roster, and three of them are captains.

The seniors have a great sense of who they are and how they play. This confidence guides the quick growth and contributions of the younger players. The Quakers start three defensive first-years, and have seven first-years playing integral roles in every game.

            “We work on fundamentals every day no matter what we are preparing for,” Keesee said. “We need them to play good solid lacrosse. This has allowed key players to step up and assume roles that needed to be filled. I think this has made the biggest impact on our season.”  

The seniors also apply their leadership on the practice field where the team works on ground balls, shooting, and positioning. “If we do our fundamentals correctly, we have success in games,” said Carmean. “If we have a bad game or a bad quarter we revert back to old habits. We use that as an example of things we cannot go back to.”

Another point of getting back to the basics of lacrosse and sports in general, is to have fun. This is sometimes lost in college sports when practicing, playing, and working out can feel like a job. Carmean stresses to his team every day that every player needs to enjoy playing lacrosse. One of his messages has been to thoroughly enjoy the process of working together and that it is a privilege to play every day.

“There is a super positive energy around the team because the players’ efforts are paying off, and because they are having fun doing it,” added Carmean.

According to Carmean, having fun is one of the best things that can happen for a team. When players have fun, they will thoroughly enjoy playing. This gets players to practice and train hard because they want to improve. Improvement surfaces on the field when the team does well.

 “Having fun sets off a positive chain reaction with players enjoying playing, better practice levels, and in-game challenges, but we meet those challenges right away with nothing but positive gains.”

            Robinson is having a lot of fun this season and is taking it all in. “Overall I’ve had the most enjoyable season of my Guilford lacrosse career. We’ve been getting more support on the field and I’m glad to be a part of the success this season. I couldn’t be happier with a season like this for my senior year.”