Summary: In this episode of Transcending sport, I am joined by the coach of the Virginia Glory founder and Bishop O'Connell HS Varsity Coach, Suzy Willemssen. She gives some insight into her process behind building a winning team and how she helps her athletes become better players.

Episode Highlights:

[03:02] Coach Suzy shares her journey into softball; she recounts being on the cusp of Title IX, so if she wanted to play any sports, she would have to go down to the YMCA. She was the first female to play baseball in her community, and by the time she was a sophomore, softball was brought to her school, which marked the beginning of her love for the sport.

[09:45] Coach Suzy shares how she became a Virginia Glory coach. The Washington Glory Professional Softball team wanted to create a developmental team using their training facility. Having already coached a team called the Blue Jays, Suzy knew she was qualified, so she applied and was selected to be the 18 yr coach.

[12:38] Coach Suzy reveals her tricks to building a great team, which includes staying true to what you believe and allowing it to grow organically.

[16:07] Coach Suzy recognizes that a team cannot succeed without the support of the parents, beyond encouraging players to stay true to themselves and sticking to their core values. It's the three prongs, as Coach Suzy puts it, that allow for growth; parents, coaches, and players.

[19:00] Coach Suzy discloses her secret to growth mindset. She emphasizes the importance of allowing players to own their success and their failures. When players step out of their comfort zone and tackle a challenge, they open up new opportunities to grow and learn from their mistakes

[35:17] Coach Suzy puts emphasis on curiosity; it’s an essential characteristic to have as a player. She also gives insight into the perspective of an athlete and what influences them to do better. That being having a coach who is also a continuous learner. If a coach is learning, then so are their players.

[41:11] Coach Suzy shares a few things she has in the works coming up. She is gearing up for a new team since a lot of the players will be away at camps, she will be on a showcasing tour starting mid-October, and most notably, she will be speaking at the NFCA convention as part of the high school caucus.

[44:57] Coach Suzy shares the most challenging aspect of getting athletes to push through their mental hurdles: comparing themselves to others. She continues by calling attention to social media and its pressures to always want to appear perfect

[48:26] Connect with Coach Suzy

VA GLORY Website

www.gloryfastpitch.org

TWITTER

• @suzywillemssen

Key Topics:

• Journey into softball
• Virginia Glory Fastpitch
• Building a prestigious team
• Managing and developing a team
• Growth mindset
• Learning and curiosity
• Difficulties in helping athletes get over mental hurdles

Quotes:

• “It's the coaches, families, and the athletes that create what we're trying to do with our mission.”
• “There are three prongs, parents, coaches, and players. When the coach and parents are on the same play and going the same direction, then the athlete wins out.”
• “Curiosity is one of the greatest characteristic to have”