ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Coach Tory and Coach Don McKinley introduce episode 444 of Everything Fastpitch, recognize the passing of Georgia fastpitch leader Ernie Yarbrough, and name Spokane, Washington as City of the Week. They take a listener question about whether an injured travel player should still attend practices and games, concluding that, health permitting, injured players should remain involved to learn and contribute. In an interview, mental performance coach Ron Schmittling discusses teaching performance psychology skills through routines, evidence-based confidence, handling failure, and involving coaches and parents; he shares resources including his books Winning Starts Within and Into the Storm, his podcast, and website. The coaching tip focuses on creating “blind faith” in coaches’ decisions so players execute team strategies without distraction, with postgame discussion used to build softball IQ.
