University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Hard Work Is the Key
9/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Monday, Sept. 1, 2003
FROM THE DESK OF COACH - 09/01/03
Labor DAY - hard work is the secret!
The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.
--Vince Lombardi
Happy Labor Day to all! And to all who have labored on behalf of the Lady Cajuns - thank-you for all you do. The success of this program is not possible without the labor of so many behind the scenes (mostly as volunteers out of the goodness of their hearts). You are an inspiration to our girls and are the BIGGEST part of our team.
Don't forget - we NEED your help again this year. If you are reading this article, there is something you CAN do to help OUR program and help these girls chase their dreams of winning a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. E-mail me at slotief@louisiana.edu.
Somebody asked me yesterday, WHO IS THE HARDEST WORKER ON THE TEAM? As a coach you never want to single any player out especially on OUR team because so many of our players work so hard, so I politely side stepped the question - ALL of our girls work hard.
WHO IS THE HARDEST WORKER ON THIS TEAM? The Lady Cajuns HARD WORKERS and in this article I am going to spotlight one of "OUR GIRLS" - a senior from Acadiana High School, #10, a hard worker and a leader - JILL ROBERTSON.
I have had the privilege of coaching Jill since she was 12 years old. And I can tell you that she has been a hard worker from DAY 1
As a former college athlete, I know that everybody wants to win. Every athlete wants to succeed. But the ones who do win are those who not only want to win but are willing to make the sacrifice that winning demands.
After the first couple of weeks of practice, you can start getting a feel from player's body language or comments, which ones are determined to pay the price to make their dreams come true. Winners always hustle on and off of the field; they never slack or drag. A winner will not let an injury or a "bad day" be an excuse. A winner -on their worst day- can still find a way to compete and do their best.
The Lady Cajuns are WINNERS. And Jill is a winner.
A couple of Jill stories: At Florida International 2 years ago, we lost the third game of the four game series - it was our first conference loss of the year and Jill made a costly fielding error. So what does she do - in game four with the win blowing in at about 25 to 30 mph - the game in doubt as well as who would be the Sunbelt conference champions -she rises to the occasion and she hit a bomb - homerun into the wind, straight away centerfield about 220 feet to win the game. I have never seen a ball hit that hard - maybe a couple - Gomez in the World Series, you know the one that hit the 300 foot fence was a pretty good shot. Oh yeah, that one does not count - because I was jumping up and down so much I don't think I saw anything after I heard - crack.
At the KIA Jill's freshman year, we are playing Arizona (who was undefeated and ranked #1 in the country and went on to win the National Championship that year), in a scoreless game in about the 4th inning, Jill came up with runners on 1st and 2nd and hit a 3 run homer into the left field scoreboard. What a moment to step-up. We went on to beat Arizona 4-3.
Not many people know this but Jill has had to overcome adversity every year - in summer ball she tore her ACL and had surgery and had to go through rehab. In between her freshman and sophomore year, Jill had surgery on her throwing shoulder and had to go through another rehab. By the way, she played her entire freshman season with the injury in pain and NEVER missed an inning, nor a practice, nor a work-out, nor a ground ball.
In sports, as in life, there is no substitute for commitment. Vince Lombardi called it HEART POWER.
"A man (and if Vince would have known or coached these Lady CAJUNS - he would have said - a WOMAN or an athlete) can be as great as he/she wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done. Once you have made a commitment ... then you have put the greatest strength in the world behind you. It's something we call heart power. Once you have made this commitment, nothing will stop you short of success."
This year's team has heart power. This year's team is willing to make the commitment. These girls have courage and determination and dedication and competitive drive. These girls are willing to sacrifice and pay the price. I know - I can see it - I can feel it.
Jill is a senior and her leadership will demand that from her teammates when necessary. It is not the Lady Cajun way to do just enough to get by. We are successful and maintain that level of success because we push and we have leaders who push a little bit harder and do a little bit more everyday.
Last year, in our opening series guess what? Jill separated her other shoulder (her glove hand shoulder - remember she already had surgery on the other one). The same type of injury Derek Jeter of the Yankees had that kept him out 6 weeks. The doctor and trainers told her to stay out 3-4 weeks - guess what? She sat out one game (we lost by the way to Tulsa) and one practice and was back in the line-up against Auburn 3 days later and we run ruled them.
Some people say that is stupid or wreckless or irresponsible - they say, "it's just a game". To Jill it's more than a game - it's life; it is how she competes.
This kid is majoring in engineering - she will be our first Lady Cajun with a degree in engineering. Do you know how hard it is to work as hard as she works in softball and then maintain EXCELLENCE in the classroom in a curriculum such as engineering. Our engineering program is in the tops of the country. She is in the top of her class academically.
It has been my privilege to coach and be associated with such a wonderful young lady for the past 9 years
One other trait about Jill - coming out of high school (Acadiana High School) - she was Miss Everything - champion in track, awesome volleyball player, point guard on the varsity basketball team - and she was recruited to go to ANY school in the county - LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, anywhere her heart desired. And you know what she decided - to be a Lady Cajun. And I asked her why and she said: great school, great community, the BEST softball fans in the country, to be close to my family who I love and want and need their support and because I wanted to play on the BEST softball team in the country.
Loyalty, appreciation, trust, love, commitment, optimism, love of family and friends, being part of team and community and something bigger than just me, making history regardless whether others tell you it cannot be done, not shirking work or a path just because it is difficult - all traits that belong to Jill. She is a WINNER.
How about the BOMB against Oregon this year in the finals of REGIONALS? A lead-off homer to give the Cajuns the momentum and the belief. What a statement of belief at a time when many, if not all, doubted. She believed. Guess what - there were a bunch of girls and coaches in that dug-out and fans in the stands who believed. They just needed a little spark.
Jill performs best when the "odds are against her" or when the "stakes are the highest". What a homerun. What a moment.
O.K. - one more Jill story - last year, a dad of one of the freshman told her, I want you to make me just one promise - I don't care if you start or how many homeruns you hit or any of that, just promise me that you will not be out worked by anybody, O.K.? The kid said o.k. and off to school she went. And when she got back for the Christmas break, he asked her - did you keep your promise - are you the hardest worker on that team and she said, daddy, there is no way to out work Jill.
Last year, was a big accomplishment for this program and it was a product of alot of hard-work from our players, coaches and fans. When people achieve something that they've really worked hard for - it makes them feel great. Work should bring people joy, fulfillment and self-esteem. And when you have a job to do - whether you are getting paid one dollar or a million dollars or ZERO dollars just doing it for the love of the game - do the same great job. Put everything you have into it every time out.
My mom and dad taught me and used to tell me all the time - be proud of who you are and be proud of your work. Remember, it has your NAME on it.
There is only one person who outworks Jill on OUR team. And that is her dad, George Robertson.
I have never been around someone who works as hard as George or cares as much as he does or who does so much for so many or is as committed or loyal as George Robertson. I have coached with George since 1993.
He and I have been through all the battles together; both good and bad times and he never once questioned me nor thought about "getting off of the rope".
Every year, he has painted the outfield fence, he pressure washes the bleachers and anything and everything he can reach for that matter, he waters the grass, he edges the field, he does it all. He is a TEAM player and he does it for the right reasons and motives - what is best for the team and not just him or his daughter. George is a TRUE friend.
One George story: my first game as head coach in 2000 we got swept at home 4-0, 4-0; the first time in the history of the program that a season started with two losses and two shut-outs and the NAYSAYERS and doubters were mumbling about my abilities and many in the softball world took pleasure in our defeat. After the game, long after everybody had left, I was walking to my car. Somebody was still there to tell me that is was going to be o.k. and that we really did not play that bad and he just wanted me to know that 'HE STILL BELIEVED" and that he was so "HAPPY" that his daughter was a Lady Cajun and playing for me. That was my buddy, Coach George. A friend no matter what the score is or how his daughter plays.
I know where Jill got it from - she learned the value of hard work and team work from her parents.
Like so many of our players - they ALL have awesome parents who are so supportive of not only their daughters but also of me and this team. They have taught their kids the BEST values and manners and instilled in them the virtues of hard work and discipline and concern for your fellow man and treating people the way you want to be treated. That is why they are Lady Cajuns because they are first class PEOPLE from first class families. WINNERS in my book.
That is our challenge once again this year - it takes years of hard work to become successful. Are we willing to make the commitment and pay the price? OR when the going gets tough do we quit and blame somebody else instead of finding a way to do "ANYTHING".
Happy LABOR DAY to all.
GEAUX Cajuns!
P.S. Talk to you next week! Stay tuned.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
