Just like in each game of strategic decision-making, which is the study of how to make good strategic decisions, achieving a positive result in a youth baseball game often comes down to strategy and planning. A lawyer’s goal in contention law, or neighbor lawyering, is to ensure that not only are the facts in his or her favor, but also the strategy. Here, the goal in contention law works equally as well as a metaphor for winning youth baseball games. A huge part of contention law involves knowing and understanding the opposing party’s goals and understanding both the law and the rules governing the case. In baseball, as a youth coach, I always make it a priority to inform players about the rules of the league, the rules of the game, and the rules pertaining to each game. Some important aspects include the following: Preparation is an essential component to both winning a legal matter and winning youth baseball tournaments. Whether it is preparing for a deposition, or preparing the lineup for a baseball game, taking the time to identify a strategy makes a substantial difference. Keeping with the sports analogy, each legal matter has the potential for conflict, and conflict will be inevitable. Conflict during a deposition can range from preventing the witness from answering a question to simply not allowing the witness to ask a question, while conflict in youth baseball often looks like coaches and fans arguing over a call. However, with the right strategy and preparation, it should be much easier to find and execute a successful path to resolution. In contention law cases the parties may go to court and a judge or jury will make the ultimate decision. However, the goal and strategy should be to avoid this type of situation at all costs. Additionally, the court system was not designed to resolve every type of dispute, nor most of the disputes that it sees. Therefore, it makes sense that avoiding court and actually resolving the matter without any type of third party intervention, should be the goal. In the same way, with youth baseball, the goals should be to teach valuable life lessons through the game, teach teamwork, foster sportsmanship, and play your best. Going to the championship game, even if you do not win the championship should be the ideal situation. Just as it is vital to anticipate the needs of the opposing party in a legal matter, it is equally as important to think strategically about what the other team is going to do in a baseball game. Understand the rules are crucial in both fields. This is much easier said than done, as there are countless factors that need to be taken into consideration by a lawyer, or coach. With a little thought and contemplation, success should be realized. Anticipating how the opposing party will act and how this will affect your position in a legal matter is as important as preparing for the possible plays of the opposing baseball team. My personal feeling, and approach, is that both legal and athletic success requires foresight, planning, performance, and finally some luck. Each lawyer and coach go into their respective field with the same goal in mind each day, to win. Without strategy, each process, whether it is advocating a position legally, or working toward winning a youth baseball game, becomes much more difficult. Strategy encompasses knowing the rules inside and out, and figuring out how to win. Let’s think for a moment about a strategy that I had in my first year as a legal assistant in a state court case. The opposing attorney took a very aggressive and assertive approach. After speaking with my attorney, we agreed that we were going to implement a different scope of discovery. I will save the long-winded details and will simply say that after following our new plan to a tee, we were able to win the case. Furthermore, at scrum, after court, the opposing attorney admitted to me that if I had not created this new plan of action, he would have been successful. Bringing this back to youth baseball, your hands cannot shake, you can’t pull back, or bite your fingernails. Instead, you must stick to the plan and concentrate on what you need to do to achieve success. Preparation is an integral part of being successful. Practice as much as you can as a legal advocate before going to court, and before summer baseball starts, practice as many hours as you can with your team so that everyone can improve. Even outside of official practice times, work with your kids individually and get them out on the field at your convenience. Practice makes perfect because dedication is what makes success. Teamwork is essential in both practices and games. Legal proceedings and youth baseball games will always be more successful when everyone works together towards a specific goal. Everyone must put forth their best effort, just as I do every night when I am preparing for a mock trial. Even though my kids don’t know it yet, they are learning teamwork at an early age. I have seen firsthand the benefits that are gained through teamwork. Just the other night, we won the semi-finals of our tournament to get to the championship game. My dad always reminded me that the more experience you have in any field, the better off you will be. You always want more, and I know that I am always yearning for more experience. In contingency law, the more experience you have, the better off you will be. The same goes for winning youth baseball games. Strategy and teamwork will be your biggest allies, and with all of these components, winning will be inevitable.

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