2 Questions for Coach Strov

What kind of player are you looking for at the upcoming tryouts for the Blue Line Rangers?

Talent and ability is important for making any team but for me, three things are just as important if not more important. Firstly, I want players who love to compete. True competitors seek out competition. They want to test themselves against the best. They love a challenge to play and practice at the edge of their ability. They want to have to play hard to win. Great competitors, the Pete Rose’s ,Derek Jeter’s, Kobe Bryant’s and Michael Jordan’s of the world, want to be in a position in which the game/outcome rests on them. Their need to compete overshadows any fear of failure and will do whatever it takes to win. They hate a rainout because it means they don't get a shot at winning today. That's a competitor and what every Suffolk County High School baseball coach hopes to have on their team and exactly what we want in a Blue Line Ranger.

Secondly, I'm looking for is someone who teams well with others. When part of a group, they can contribute to it's success. In wrestling there is an expression "you're only as good as your partner". This means that you have not only a responsiblity to yourself to get better but to assist your teammates in getting better. It also means you are receptive to help and ideas from your teammates. If you take a day off, it hurts your teammates and you. In a team sport like baseball, teaming well produces a sum greater than its parts. Ask yourself, are you the guy that gives and receives feed back well? Are you the guy that picks up your teammates? Sure, getting the big hit when it's needed or relieving a guy who's tired and finishing the game is picking someone up but the the over looked stuff as well. Things like hustling from the outfield to back up a base, anticipating an errant throw and being there so the runner can't advance, communicating by calling for the ball loudly, are examples of teaming. It's being trustworthy to contribute in anyway possible, watching the pitcher to see if he's tipping his pitches and alerting your teammates. It's getting a guy over to third with a ground ball to the right side with no outs. It requires an unselfish approach for the good of the team. It's committing to bringing your best on days you don't have or feel your best.

Thirdly, I want high character people. Players that will make me proud that they're wearing the Blue Line Ranger uniform. Players who are good people. They're respectful, considerate, honest, hard working, have self control, not interested in taunting or stirring up their opponents. They won't bring negativity to the team. Players who behave themselves in the dugout, trustworthy to do the right thing at the hotel on away trips. They shake hands after the game and then pick up after themselves in the dugout. We want our Rangers to wear the white hat.

What are the traits of the best players you have coached?

Ultimately our purpose and goal is to develop our Blue Line Ranger players to become that type of a player. So going beyond the three things mentioned earlier (competitor, teams well, high character) the best players I've coached had character traits and a mentality that separated them from being good to being great.

They have a growth mindset. They want to get better and seek out others who can help them become their best. They want to be coached up and realize the learning never stops whether they're 16 or 66.

They're able to flush the bad and get right back to competing. They don't let a poor AB, a fielding error, a rough first inning on the mound compound over the course of the game. They're the same player whether they are 4-4 or 0-4. They're competing. Basically, you wouldn't be able to tell, if you showed up in the 7th inning, that player was having a rough day.

They control what they can control. They can't hit the ball 10 ft. away from the second baseman so they focus on hitting a strike hard somewhere. If it's a line drive at the second baseman they did their job in their own head. They're less concerned with the outcome then they are with the process. They understand that with the process, you focus on the things you can control like bringing your best energy. They hustle every ball out, back up every base, dive for balls, slide hard. They're in "go mode" the moment they get to the field. Their energy is infectous and don't need to be told to hop when the ball is crossing home plate. They yell the outs. They throw the ball around the infield with intent and purpose. They're energy fountains not drains.

Focus. Paying attention to where they are playing you in the field, how the pitcher threw to you the last AB, if you're on the mound what the guy did the last time up, how you got him out or what he hit off of you. On defense, they use the 10 seconds between pitches to remind themselves of what they will do if the ball is hit to them, if it's hit to someone else, the outs, what the score is and what the runner on base means, where the batter hit the ball the last time up, where they are in the order. They don't get distracted by the other teams antics.

Attitude. They understand attitude is a choice. They decide to have a positive outlook, believing they're capable while holding themselves accountable. They choose not to beat themselves up when things are going bad. They know they're human and that errors, wild pitches, poor swings are going to happen and someone is going to make a great play on them. They don't blame their teammates, the coach, the umpire, the opponent for whatever is going wrong. They choose to be positive and act confident to be confident.

Habits. They have excellent and consistent habits. They prepare as if today is the most important day. They have preparation rituals they use before games and practices . They're self motivated to do the things designed to make them grow as a player. The'll time the pitcher up on deck and during pregame. The'll do their band work, follow a warm up routine ensuring they are ready to pitch. They'll show up to the pregame early so they get extra rounds of BP.

These things take no talent but are completely under their control. They bring their best every day, even when they don't feel like it, regardless of who their opponent is, they bring their best.

Lastly, all these traits rely on mental toughness. The best players are consistently, mentally tough. Without mental toughness the process breaks down. You can't stay focused, bring energy, commit to consistent habits, have a great attitude, be an unselfish teammate and compete without a heavy dose of mental toughness. This game is hard and meant to be played/practiced hard. To do that daily, you need to be mentally tough.