Corbin Burnes Uses The Off-Season to His Advantage
What are you doing today to advance your ball game? Do you feel the lock down is causing your game to be put on hold?
Even though you are experiencing time away from baseball due to the coronavirus, you have a golden opportunity to evaluate your game.
If you play baseball or softball year-round, you may feel you have little time to truly evaluate your game, create a clear vision for the future and identify a specific plan to raise your game to the next level.
You should identify both your strengths and weaknesses, so you can evaluate your game with some degree of objectively.
To effectively evaluate your game, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are my strengths on the field?
- What parts of my physical game need improvement?
- What are my mental strengths that help me play my best ball?
- What mental aspects of my game is holding me back?
When you assess your strengths objectively, you can build confidence and advance your game.
When you can identify your weaknesses and create an improvement plan, you will sustain a level of motivation to follow your plan even when you experience bumps in the road.
Even though baseball and softball seasons are paused for now as a result of the coronavirus, you can treat this period of time like it was the off-season or a time to improve your game with little distraction.
Case in point, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes considered his off-season as an opportunity to prepare and improve for the next season.
In his rookie year, Corbin Burnes was 7-0 with a 2.61 ERA in 38 innings of work but took a step backwards in his sophomore season, 1-5 with an 8.81 ERA in 4.9 innings.
Though his season was not productive, it was not a total loss. Burnes learned lessons from his seasons that he plans to apply in the 2020 season.
BURNES: “For me, it was [a matter of] when things go bad, how do you find that reset button. Whether it’s after a pitch, after an inning, whatever it may be, to get back on track. That’s something I worked on hard this offseason, you know, the mental game, what aspects I was lacking in, what I was strong in. So, that kind of shaped my offseason program.”
You can apply the same practice as Burnes to evaluate your game during your break from playing competitive games. You have a great opportunity right in front of you.
Take advantage of your increased time with minimal distractions to assess your game and create a goal-getting plan of attack to improve your game for the near future.
Hit the Reset Button and Evaluate your Game
What can you do to hit the reset button? Do you have some area of your game you’ve wanted to improve, but didn’t have time?
Design a chart with three columns. In column 1, write down your mental, physical and technical strengths. Explain how these strengths help your game.
In column 2, identify areas that need improvement. Include how these improved areas will advance your game, such as hitting, fielding, base running, flexibility etc.
In column 3, create a three-step plan to improve each area needing an upgrade. What is the goal? What is the plan? How will you go after the plan each day with intensity?
We help ball players with the mental game plan. Contact us when you are ready to hit the reset button with your mental game!
Get The Mental Edge For Baseball and Softball Players!
Do you (or your athletes) lack full confidence in your skills when you step on the field as if your game disappears at game time?
Do you lose composure easily after you make your first error of time game?
Do you feel embarrassed after striking out and carry this with you for longer than one inning?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, check out The Mental Edge For Baseball And Softball Players!
Boost your (or your athletes mental) toughness! Learn 8 mental toughness lessons to help ball players improve confidence, focus and composure.
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What are baseball mental game customers saying?
“Dr. Cohn, I’ve been tearing it up lately!!! Every single thing you taught me works perfectly in every situation I’ve been in. I’ve been so into every game and focusing on the process and not the outcomes and everything falls right into place . In the playoffs I’m 5-7 with 2 run home runs and 5 RBIs. I feel great at the plate and focusing is a breeze now. I just wanted to thank you for everything and keep you posted with how everything was going.”
~Jalen Phillips, College Baseball Player
“With your help, I have been able to deal with stress and pressure of the game of baseball more efficiently. I have learned to help me keep my focus and disregard negative thoughts and energies. This process focus will keep me from getting my head in the way of my performance, from working against myself. Thanks for your help. I look forward to speaking with you again.”
~Keith Donnell, college baseball player
“Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with our team. It was greatly appreciated and really helped a lot. I found myself implementing your teachings in our first practice right after you left. I really enjoyed the way you implemented already known ideas, but gave us a different way of viewing it. Thank you.”
~Amber Prosser, Clark College Softball
Boost Your Self-Confidence And Focus With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“As a college softball coach I experience great pleasure in helping youth league coaches develop their young players. As reversal of that process, I, as the student, look to experts like yourself to give me the “mechanics” of sports psychology so that I may better impart my knowledge to the players and coaches. Your contribution spreads like wildfire and helps hundreds of youngsters as well as us “oldies.” Thanks for your contribution–it means a lot.”
~Tom Moore, College Softball Coach
“A quick note to let you know how effective your programs worked for my son who is 17 and plays varsity baseball in VA. In late 2009, I ordered the Relaxed Athlete program for my son because I saw he was pressing too hard at the plate and had disappointing results for the 2009 season. Thanks to your programs, my son now has a completely new approach to the game of baseball (and school) and it’s more fun for him now. He made all-district player at his position and hit .443 this season. A complete 180 degree turn around from last year.”
~Mark M., sports parent
“Dr. Cohn has put together a program that has enabled myself and our players to approach the mental game in a systematic way that is easy to use and apply. Our awareness level has greatly increased.”
~Marty Hunter, Head Baseball Coach George Fox University
Disclaimer
*Testimonials found on this site are examples of what we have done for other clients, and what some of our clients have said about us. However, we cannot guarantee the results in any case. Your results may vary and every situation is different. No compensation was provided for these testimonials.
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