When a player is young and playing with his team and they are laughing and enjoying themselves he is building a passion for the game.  This passion fuels players at a later time but when they are young it simply keeps them coming back to play each season.  Passion starts with the coaches and this is where Little League coaches come in and make a huge impact.  If the coach makes practice quick and fun the players will respond and enjoy coming, if the the coach simply throws BP while others stand around kids will get bored and eventually tire of the game.  Coaches at young levels 5-12 can do more good letting kids play all the positions because we do not know where they will end up.  They can also keep players spirits up, these kind of actions help build passion for the game.  As a kid grows and starts taking the game a little more serious that passion turns to fuel which carries them through the hard workouts and batting slumps.

Without Passion for baseball it is hard to succeed and even harder continue playing.  Passion is understanding the game and how it works and it is also about working harder then anyone else and going the extra mile.  Passion is the fire in your belly that makes you go outside and play with your friends because you can’t wait until next weeks league game.  So instead of waiting you play pick up ball, or a simple game of catch, or you and friends make up a game somewhat like 500.  Passion gets you off your butt and puts you into action.  Passion makes the game something you can not live without and in order to be successful in this game you have to feel that way.  You have to always get better, and in order to do that you have to work, and you have to work at it while everyone else is hanging out and going to movies, or playing video games.  The thing is the love you have for the game makes taking extra swings from the tee, lifting weights, or taking extra ground balls fun.  Your passion makes the other stuff second and your passion is what gets your girlfriend mad at you because she is second to the game.  Baseball can not be played without passion, the players must have it and if they don’t the fans will lose it, but when a team is full of passionate players they are usually a really good team and in turn their fans are full of the same love and passion and show up by the thousands to support them.  If you want to be successful in baseball or anything in life you have to be driven, and that drive comes from passion.  If you have it people will recognize it and they will be drawn to you and you will be able to make them better.  Love this game and play it right or find something you do love and give 100% to it.