Development Zone®

   

PCA Resource Center

Dusty Baker On Overcoming Failure

Share This Resource

Dusty Baker, Manager for the MLB's Houston Astros, is a PCA National Advisory Board Member. His career is highlighted by four division championships and by being named National League Manager of the Year three times by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. From 1968 to 1986, Baker played for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics as an outfielder. He won the World Series with the Dodgers in 1981 and was twice an All Star and earned a Gold Glove Award in 1981. He also managed the Giants, Cubs and Reds.

In this video, Baker talks about how he tries to turn failures into successes to better rebound in sports. It’s tough as an athlete to deal with failures, but it’s also a part of the game. Baker also reminds us that mistakes aren’t necessarily failures, and athletes need to separate these in their minds.

The example he uses in baseball is of a player hitting a ball hard, but right at a fielder who catches it. Even though that registers against the batter statistically, it's not necessarily a "failure" because the ball was successfully hit hard. This often upsets players, but it’s a learning opportunity for the next at-bat. As Baker puts it, “It’s okay to get down, but don’t stay down.”

LittleLeague-BaseballSoftball