Hello Firecracker Families -

We all woke up this morning to find ourselves with a new, and hopefully short-term gift. The gift of time. Time to spend with our families, time to find new ways to learn, and time to keep finding ways to stay connected with others. 

Some of us may use this time to do some of that housework we have been putting off, such as cleaning out our closets. Getting rid of the old items and putting the important ones in an order that is much cleaner and more accessible. For us as Firecrackers, we can do the same with our softball skills. We get so busy competing, that we sometimes forget to focus on the basics to clean out our own "mental closet". Whether that be getting rid of bad habits, or taking the time to organize and practice our key fundamentals. 

Many of you have looked at the vast amount of content available on FC OnDemand (over 40 hours of videos). There is so much to learn, that it's difficult to figure out where to start and how best to retain it. We have been working on a system to make FC OnDemand work better to directly translate to the field of play. This was slated to launch in September, but given recent events, we are going to start to roll it out now (note: these materials are still in beta test form, so please keep in mind that some of the materials are still being refined and completed).

Later this week, we will roll out a package meant to support the "Fielding" section of FC OnDemand. This will include helpful notes and charts to help drive home the skills in the video. It will also include a "true or false" quiz for each video to ensure the information sticks. As an organization, we'd like to see our players and coaches watch the videos, study the notes, take the quiz, and practice at home (many of these are filled with simple, repetitive drills that can be done at home without a coach on-site). This will help keep us mentally and physically sharp when we retake the field. Look for more content on Hitting, Throwing, Mental Game, and much more as time goes on. 

Also, we are pleased to announce that episode 2 of "Inside The Firecrackers" is available online. These programs are meant for education and entertainment as you peek into the lives of the players of FC Rico/Weil. We also hope these videos will inspire and educate other players on their softball journey. 

With all of the crazy news, let's remember to keep professional and stay calm. We expect to position you for success within this new challenge much like our "O.D.A." game-day attitude (Observe, Decide, Adjust). Using this time to focus on our minds, sharpen our skills, and maintain our physical strength, we will hit the fields as stronger players and better people. 

FC OnDemand-Episode 1 https://youtu.be/BT2LIsipUMg

FC OnDemand-Episode 2 https://youtu.be/Rs3SAiCgtc4

Tony