Test yourself with this little mental strength pop quiz.
Let’s say you are 0-3 at the plate in a game you are losing.
Let’s also say you are playing for LSU, ranked 9 at the time, against un-ranked Notre Dame for your season opener.
And just for fun, let’s throw two fielding errors on you as the starting shortstop.
Now. Imagine stepping to the plate in that situation.
What is going through your mind?
If you are Josh Smith, who this all happened to in LSU’s 2018 debut, you try to ignore those distractions.
“I’m not a person to hang my head on my mistakes,” Smith told reporters after the game, “Try not to take what happens in the field to at-bats, and vice-versa. It’s something I’ve always preached on.”
In the 8th inning, Smith was put to the test with the Tigers down 6-4.
Instead of dwelling on what happened earlier in the game, the sophomore shortstop belted a three-run home run to put LSU up for good.
As parents, hitting coaches and instructors we marvel at the wonderful swing Smith put on the ball.
But the real difference in this situation is what was going on between the player’s ears.
The Epstein Hitting Instructor Academy doesn’t let the mental part of the game grow moldy while gorging on swing metrics.
There is a balance of physical and mental skills that need to be taught in order for players to succeed consistently.
It’s obvious an elite program like LSU gets it.