Make Every Play Your Best

The speaker recounts attending a baseball camp where Coach Monty Brooks shared a story from a college World Series game. In the final inning, a remarkable out made by three outfielders secured the team's victory and received widespread praise. However, Monty emphasized that an earlier, less celebrated play by the team's third baseman in the second or third inning was actually the most crucial moment of the game. His point was that every single play matters equally in contributing to a team’s success, even if only the final or flashy plays get recognition.

The speaker draws a parallel between this idea and preparing a persuasive speech. Just like in baseball, every step in speech preparation—from choosing a topic, researching, outlining, practicing, to delivering—counts toward the final success. They encourage students to give their best effort in every part of the process, not just for a grade but to prepare for real-world situations where effective speaking is essential for success. The message is to “make every play your best” so that when it’s time to speak, you can truly shine.

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