365 Days to Better Baseball - Definition of Baseball Success

Definition of Baseball Success "Character is What You Are" - John Wooden

Numerous Hits, Home runs, Low ERA's are all important for baseball success, but not possible for all baseball players. However, the real baseball success is attainable by all, even those who never achieve the gaudy statistics. The great coach John Wooden said character is who you are, not what you achieve. Coaches who emphasize "character," win or lose, hit or no hit, good season or bad baseball season, define success for youth athletes.

With that in mind below is my "made up" definition of baseball success, based on the spelling of success, of course.

John Wooden at a ceremony on Oct. 14, the coach's 96th birthday, to name the Reseda post office after the sports legend and long-time San Fernando Valley resident. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

S Steady

U Unyielding

C Consistent

C Character

E Every

S - Single

S - Season

As mentioned, coaches, who stress what baseball success really means, as above, help kids as much or more than statistical baseball success, the usual measure of achievement. At the end of the day, most young players will not even play into their high school years, but they all need to develop the character necessary for all phases of life.

Good coaches never underestimate their influence on young baseball players and continue to talk about the character that is possible to achieve.