What You Appreciate, Appreciates A Champion Arises Out of Tough Circumstances!
- Julie Jones
- May 5
- 6 min read
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Let’s talk about perspective. Not the motivational poster kind with the mountain and the sunrise. I’m talking about the hard-earned, deeply rooted kind of perspective that shows up when you have to decide what really matters.
It’s been an emotional couple of weeks. Two weeks ago, I spent some time where it all began…at Viking Field at Cleveland State University. It was great to see so many of my former players. They made CSU Softball what it is today! CSU gave me my start, as a GA, in administration and soon after, as the youngest DI head coach in the country at the time (because I was cheap, I am sure…it’s always been a budget thing at CSU!).
But that day was different. It was the last homestand, not only of the year but OF THE PROGRAM! To balance the money it takes to “opt-in” for NIL, the administration decided to cancel wrestling, women’s golf and softball. I was upset when I heard the news. Now I am pissed…and sad!
I am sad for the current players, for our alumni, for the future of our game and mostly for the current coaching staff, both of whom played for me, Head Coach Amy Kyler at CSU and Associate Head Coach Erin Pond at Akron.
Here’s the crazy part of the story. Several years ago, CSU reduced the program’s scholarships to TWO! Since then, they won the HL Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament (2024) and this year…THEY WON THE HORIZON LEAGUE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP!
Shame on the administration for cutting such success…that is costing them less than most other programs on campus!
To take it one step further, Coach Kyler has had a hand in all three NCAA tournament appearances of the program. She led us to it in 1997 as a player, she and I recruited many of the athletes who advanced in 2008 and she took her team in 2024. Crazy! And after the last out of the season this year, she is out of a job. Now you know why I’m a bit miffed!
But with all this being said, this past season, the Cleveland State Vikings softball team gave us a masterclass in what it means to focus on what you appreciate instead of what you fear. The 2025 Horizon League Champions knew this was it. No future scholarships to play for, no next season to build toward. Just now. Just each other. Just this moment. And guess what? That FREEDOM, yes, freedom, from the weight of what comes next? It fueled them. They didn’t spiral. They SOARED.
Amy told me a story yesterday about the emotion they felt right after the announcement of the cancellation. She said a few kids were late for their next practice. Once everyone arrived, she sat them down and said, “You have 5 minutes to decide if you are in or out.” “You were given the option to take a red-shirt year, and if you want to do so, we are happy for you.” “But if you decide to stay, you are in, and this is not going to define us.” She went on to talk about building on what
they had started, focusing on what they could control and making it about each other and what they could do together, regardless of the circumstances.
And they ran with it from there! Why? Because when the end is in sight, the vision gets clearer!
There’s something powerful about knowing our time is limited. Psychologist Dr. Laura Carstensen, director of Stanford’s Center on Longevity, calls this the socioemotional selectivity theory. Her research shows that when people perceive time as short, they shift their focus toward emotionally meaningful goals, things that truly matter rather than chasing future outcomes. They zero in on what brings value and connection.
That’s what the Vikings have done. They have leaned into what is real…and important. At first, it was a blow…and complaining (me included) kicked in. But as Coach Kyler said, this was not going to define or limit them. They worked to stop wasting time complaining, blaming, or wondering “Why us?” Instead, they are playing for each other, for the love of the game and for the joy of being in it together one last time. And that clarity? That togetherness? That PURPOSE?
That’s performance fuel.
But what does this perspective stuff do to our brain…and batting average?
Neuroscience research from UCLA shows that practicing gratitude actually changes the structure of our brain. It lights up the hypothalamus, which influences stress and sleep, and activates dopamine, that feel-good chemical that boosts motivation – the molecule of more!
Want more? You’ll remember Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s research shows positive emotions like gratitude broaden our thought-action repertoire. To put it in softball coach terms, we see more options, take smarter actions and recover faster when things go sideways!
When we focus on what we appreciate, our teammates, our health, our effort and the simple privilege of competing, we literally play better. We use our RESPONSE-ABILITY and respond instead of react. We trust instead of tense. We connect instead of collapse.
I am sure that every day through this disappointment brought the opportunity to get caught up in stuff that wasn’t right…that was hard…that they could not control!
In everyday life, let alone program-ending or life-changing circumstances, it’s so easy to get caught up in the little stuff: bad calls, who didn’t hustle, what someone posted, why we’re not getting what we “deserve.” But here’s the truth: we only have so much attention to give.
Performance psychologist, Dr. Jim Loehr says, “Attention is your most precious resource.” Not energy. Not time. Attention. Because where we place our attention determines our thoughts, and our thoughts drive our emotions and actions. AND OUR ACTIONS DRIVE OUR PERFORMANCE!!
That’s why the best teams, like this year’s CSU squad, put their attention on what’s in front of them. Not next year. Not the politics. Not the pain. The pitch. The play. The person beside them.
Although your program may not be ending, we can learn a lot from the idea of WINNING WHAT’S IN FRONT OF US…and appreciating THIS opportunity.
Our culture, especially in sports, seems to want us to look for something better all the time. Not getting what you want? Transfer. Is this opportunity not big enough for you? Look elsewhere. I am not asking anyone to lower their standards. But what we must realize is that if we don’t do what we can, with what we have, where we are, we aren’t making the most of our opportunities…and only our best will get us to our best! If you don’t play well here…who is going to want you there?
So here’s what we can learn from the Vikings and decades of research!
Purpose enhances our performance. When we know our why, the how gets easier. (Learn more about this on our Game Changers: Athlete Edition Podcast Episodes 3 &4).
Coach Kyler set the tone for “why” right away. They were doing it to be their best…together! Like the t-shirts she had made for our 2001 team said, “Let’s Roll!”
Gratitude grounds us. It keeps us present and emotionally regulated under pressure. The Vikings may not be grateful for their circumstances, but they are grateful for the opportunity to go out on top…that was the goal and they took each day, one at a time, to fight through adversity and use gratitude as their guide.
Unity outperforms ego. We know that playing for each other is stronger than playing for stats or accolades. Even though we know it, stats and playing time still pull us. But this year was “it”. They chose to risk the year, if you will, rather than get it back to use somewhere else. They committed to “we” instead of “me” and it has paid off!
Let go to level up. Even up until this past weekend, Coach Kyler did not want to talk about the end. She told a reporter that she would not talk about the situation, only the team. She keeps choosing to release what she can’t control she can pour into what she can.
And finally, and maybe the most important thing to learn is that TODAY is the game. Not tomorrow. Not next season. NOW is where the power is.
So, whether you’re gearing up for a championship game, leading a meeting or just trying to make it through a tough week, ask yourself:
Am I focused on what matters most? Or am I letting the little stuff take me off my game? Am I ready to WIN WHAT’S IN FRONT OF ME?
Let’s follow the Vikings' lead. Let’s play like it’s our last shot because when we do, it often becomes our best shot.
And most of all…let’s appreciate what we have. Because what we appreciate, appreciates, in life and on the scoreboard.
Manage the moments!
Julie
P.S. Thinking about next year? Let’s work together. Shoot me an email or text – juliej@ssbperformance.com or 234-206-0946 We can build a program that fits your team!
Julie Jones
Mental Performance Coach
SSB Performance
juliej@ssbperformance.com • 234-206-0946
Mailing Address : mailing_address
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