Hello ,

I like to tell you a story that inspired me, it is a speech given by baseball Coach John Scolinos, who was legendary among college baseball coaches. 

In January 1996, the 78-year-old Scolinos addressed 4,000 baseball coaches at the 52nd annual American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Nashville, TN. For many, his presence alone was worth the cost of attending.

He took the stage to a standing ovation. Dressed in dark pants and a light blue shirt, his outfit was accessorized by a full-sized, bright white home plate hanging from a string around his neck. He spoke for 25 minutes without acknowledging his unusual attire. 

And then, he explained. “You’re probably all wondering why I’m wearing home plate around my neck. Or maybe you think I escaped from Camarillo State Hospital,” he began. “No, I may be old, but I’m not crazy. The reason I stand before you is to share with you baseball people what I’ve learned in my life, what I’ve learned about baseball in 78 years.   

“Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League?” he asked the Little League coaches who were there. “Seventeen inches,” someone replied.

“That’s right,” he said. “How about in Babe Ruth’s day?” Another coach hollered out, “Seventeen inches?”

Addressing the high school coaches in the room, “How wide is home plate in high school?” “Seventeen inches,” came the reply.

“You’re right!” Scolinos barked. He repeated the question to the college, minor league and major league coaches in the audience. The answer never varied. Seventeen inches.

“And what do they do with a big league pitcher who can’t throw the ball over 17 inches? They send him to Pocatello (Idaho),” he said.

“What they don’t do is this: They don’t say, Ah, that’s okay Jimmy. You can’t hit a 17-inch target? We’ll make it 18 inches, or 19 inches. We’ll make it 20 inches so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can’t hit that, let us know so we can still make it wider, say 25 inches.

“Coaches, what do we do when our best player shows up late to practice . . . What if he gets caught drinking . . . Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him? Do we widen home plate?” he challenged the audience.

Scolinos went on to illustrate his points, drawing on the home plate he wore. He outlined the consequences of bending the rules and failing to insist on performing up to standards not only for players but for themselves, their children, schools, churches, and government. The spellbound crowd learned so much more than baseball lessons that day. 

The lesson is about accountability and standards: in life and coaching, you should never widen the plate (or lower your standards) to accommodate mistakes. Instead, hold yourself and others accountable to the right standards for personal growth and success.

In what areas of your life do you find yourself “widening the plate” or lowering standards, and how can you hold yourself more accountable?

Please hit reply and let me know, How can maintaining strict standards, like staying at 17 inches, benefit both personal development and professional success.

To your health and well-being,

Jessy.