In 2004, the Headfirst Gamers program was recognized as a national award-winning organization by the Positive Coaching Alliance.
Headfirst Baseball has developed a partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a nonprofit organization based at Stanford University that has committed to helping coaches do a better job using sports to build character in young athletes. The Headfirst Gamers coaches are all trained and committed to be Positive Coaches and intend to promote three major Positive Coaching themes with our players during each season. We will also ask for parental help in promoting theses themes so that our young athletes will receive a consistent message on the field and at home. We believe that our method will work best to help them improve as baseball players and also prepare them to handle themselves properly off the field.
The three themes:
Redefining “Winner”
Regardless of what the scoreboard says, here's what winners do:- Make maximum effort
- Continue to learn and improve
- Refuse to let mistakes (or fear of making mistakes) stop them
We intend to win baseball games each season (and teach the game skills that this requires)- but teaching these lessons are, to us, far more important.
Filling the “Emotional Tank”
Each of us has an Emotional Tank that needs filling. An athlete with an empty Emotional Tank is irritable, pessimistic, and unable to deal well with adversity. Conversely, an athlete with a full tank is cheerful, optimistic, and better able to deal with adversity. Players with empty tanks are less coachable, while those with full tanks are more coachable. We want our players' tanks to be full so they are then ready to be taught, so we can share the technical baseball knowledge we have all acquired. This is not to say that sometimes we won't correct and criticize - as doing this is crucial to the learning process.
However, research has shown that a “Plus/Minus Ratio” of 5 praises to 1 criticism is ideal for learning. We will aim to achieve this ratio in our team environment.
Honoring the Game
Sportsmanship will be a priority with the Gamers. We intend to reverse the trend of yelling at umpires, showmanship, and lack of respect for opponents that we see at the professional and amateur levels. We will do this by “Honoring the Game,” which emphasizes respect for:
- Rules (both letter and spirit)
- Opponents (fierce and friendly - no demonizing)
- Umpires (respect even when you disagree)
- Teammates (on and off the field)
- Tradition (recognize the privilege of participation)
- Self (live up to own standards, even when others don't)