Teams win with self-belief. And self-belief arises when teams have the talent, savvy, and toughness to play “harder for longer” however the pressure unfolds. That’s a process not an event.
Talent evolves. Player development never stops from youth to professional. Most players don’t know what they don’t know so require mentoring.
Learning the game takes time. Learning to win needs cultivation. Situational practice (close and late) and confirming wins with free throws can help. Small-sided games allow for competition with higher volume touches and decision-making.
Toughness blends innate qualities, experience, and mental training which impacts performance. Mindfulness meditation increases brain density in the learning and memory centers and reduces it in the “stress response center,” the amygdala. DOT B (Stop and take a breath) can help players reset.
Develop a winning process:
Benefits of This Approach
ElementImpact on WinningConsistent ProcessBuilds confidence, reduces errorsAdvantage ExploitationConverts setups into points, under pressureMindful Reset (DOT B)Enhances composure and focusContinuous ImprovementAdapts and evolves, prevents stagnation
As a young player, I benefited from playing with the same group for six years, including years of Summer League. That helped us to three upsets in the postseason – a team on an 18 game win streak, the 22-0 top seed, and the defending State Champion.
Lagniappe. “Fly like you.”
Lagniappe 2. The offseason is an ideal time to develop power.
4 Ways to Develop Explosive Power
1. Incorporate Jumps & Plyo’s
2. Utilize the Dynamic-Effort Method
3. Throw More Medballs
4. Implement Contrast Training pic.twitter.com/U37o0BdAYp
— Alex Simone (@SimoneBaseball) August 29, 2025