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[softball65]

We had a coach this past summer (for a team that finished in top 5 in PGF Nationals premier division) that insisted all of the time, what a great coach she is. She was not at all bashful in telling us daily what a great coach she is. Her idea of a great coach is singularly tied to "how hard you work" which in turn means how hard she pushes you (her her eyes that is). The quality of what she says and more importantly the substance to what she said, was void of any detail. For example, "work harder if you want more innings", "let the ball get deep", "trust your teammates". Perhaps for those of us around the game for 30+ years, this all seems obvious. To a 16 year old, I'm not sure it means anything.

"let the ball get deeper". Ok, how? What do I do in order to do that? What does that look like? How do I let the ball get deeper? Seems the kid would already be doing it if they knew how to do it so is this really coaching? Working harder to perfect the unaddressed errors in your swing, is not productive. So "work harder at what?" What should I be doing specifically and I will work harder at it. I heard her tell another player at the end of the season, she didn't play much (and she was already committed D1) because she didn't work hard enough. Perhaps true but where is the bar? What is

Point being, this coach sees herself, and she will be the first to say this, as a "great coach". She thinks simply seeing the issue and calling it out is coaching. I could not disagree more. An effective coach is a teacher, instructor, motivator, inspirer, and frankly someone who makes the game fun but pushes and stretches the player and helps the players want to be better.....for the coach and their team if not themselves!! Not every coach is great, I take issue with this one who was the only one I ever heard calling herself great (daily) and she had no results or facts to point to in order to support that claim.

[Cannonball]

Here is an excerpt from one of my presentations on coaching:

Coaching 101- Coaches can’t make players athletic. They can help make a player more athletic. They can make bad players good and good players great. However, this requires the player themselves to be motivated to change. Coaches instruct fundamentals and improve a player’s knowledge of the right and wrong way to play the game. Ultimately the player has to decide whether or not he/she uses this knowledge. It is then the coach’s job to decide who plays.

Tips:
1. Good coaches suggest improvements. If the player doesn’t adjust then for the good of the team, a good coach then tells the player exactly what is demanded of them in order to be successful and in the lineup.
2. Be a mentor, not a tormentor. No player should move any coach to lower themselves to threats in order to motivate the player.
3. When you give a player a drill, tell them why they should do it. Give them the benefit of knowing what it will do for their performance.
4. Put aside EROC (End Results-Oriented Coaching). This is such huge problem for coaches. They see one good swing or good catch and they focus on saying something positive without understanding that one good hit or catch out of 50 isn’t coaching. It is so annoying to see this. Instead, when a player fails or is successful explain why. You have to explain both if a player is to improve and understand what they did. If you do this their performance will improve and they may go on to the next level. You have to be a “people person” with communication skills.
5. Ask questions. Get feedback from your players. "How did that feel to you when you widened your stance? Your stride was shorter; did you see the ball better?" If the player says no, then you must take a second look at the method. Make sure you know what questions to ask. Often coaches ask the wrong questions, get simple answers and the player waist opportunities to improve.
6. Sometimes it's better to keep 'hands off' for a while. If a player is struggling and yet is trying their best, give them some room. Let them fail a little doing it their way. Watch them carefully. Learn. Then when you come to them again, they may be more receptive.
7. Seek out and destroy all negative language in your vocabulary. Use positive reinforcement. If you have trouble with this, film yourself and get better.
8. Give your instruction in small doses. Too much at one time may negate the effect you are trying to achieve.
9. Your definitive job as a coach is to try to improve your players and help them move on to the next level. They are not there for you to feed your ego. Put that ego in your back pocket, learn all you can and open your eyes to your player’s possibilities. Helping them open their eyes just may become a definitive time in their lives.

[Pale Rider]

[Dowhatulike]

We had a coach this past summer (for a team that finished in top 5 in PGF Nationals premier division) that insisted all of the time, what a great coach she is. She was not at all bashful in telling us daily what a great coach she is. Her idea of a great coach is singularly tied to "how hard you work" which in turn means how hard she pushes you (her her eyes that is). The quality of what she says and more importantly the substance to what she said, was void of any detail. For example, "work harder if you want more innings", "let the ball get deep", "trust your teammates". Perhaps for those of us around the game for 30+ years, this all seems obvious. To a 16 year old, I'm not sure it means anything.

"let the ball get deeper". Ok, how? What do I do in order to do that? What does that look like? How do I let the ball get deeper? Seems the kid would already be doing it if they knew how to do it so is this really coaching? Working harder to perfect the unaddressed errors in your swing, is not productive. So "work harder at what?" What should I be doing specifically and I will work harder at it. I heard her tell another player at the end of the season, she didn't play much (and she was already committed D1) because she didn't work hard enough. Perhaps true but where is the bar? What is

Point being, this coach sees herself, and she will be the first to say this, as a "great coach". She thinks simply seeing the issue and calling it out is coaching. I could not disagree more. An effective coach is a teacher, instructor, motivator, inspirer, and frankly someone who makes the game fun but pushes and stretches the player and helps the players want to be better.....for the coach and their team if not themselves!! Not every coach is great, I take issue with this one who was the only one I ever heard calling herself great (daily) and she had no results or facts to point to in order to support that claim.

UUUHHHHHHHHHH REMEMBER THEY DON'T GET PAID TO COACH IT'S A TRAVEL TEAM.....STOP CRYING AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK

[softball65]

We had a coach this past summer (for a team that finished in top 5 in PGF Nationals premier division) that insisted all of the time, what a great coach she is. She was not at all bashful in telling us daily what a great coach she is. Her idea of a great coach is singularly tied to "how hard you work" which in turn means how hard she pushes you (her her eyes that is). The quality of what she says and more importantly the substance to what she said, was void of any detail. For example, "work harder if you want more innings", "let the ball get deep", "trust your teammates". Perhaps for those of us around the game for 30+ years, this all seems obvious. To a 16 year old, I'm not sure it means anything.

"let the ball get deeper". Ok, how? What do I do in order to do that? What does that look like? How do I let the ball get deeper? Seems the kid would already be doing it if they knew how to do it so is this really coaching? Working harder to perfect the unaddressed errors in your swing, is not productive. So "work harder at what?" What should I be doing specifically and I will work harder at it. I heard her tell another player at the end of the season, she didn't play much (and she was already committed D1) because she didn't work hard enough. Perhaps true but where is the bar? What is

Point being, this coach sees herself, and she will be the first to say this, as a "great coach". She thinks simply seeing the issue and calling it out is coaching. I could not disagree more. An effective coach is a teacher, instructor, motivator, inspirer, and frankly someone who makes the game fun but pushes and stretches the player and helps the players want to be better.....for the coach and their team if not themselves!! Not every coach is great, I take issue with this one who was the only one I ever heard calling herself great (daily) and she had no results or facts to point to in order to support that claim.

UUUHHHHHHHHHH REMEMBER THEY DON'T GET PAID TO COACH IT'S A TRAVEL TEAM.....STOP CRYING AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Its true, ignorance is so much harder to disguise. Why do you assume I didn't do my homework? Is it because everyone is always so 100% honest about what their intentions really are that if I'd simply thought to ask the right questions, my homework would have uncovered their incompetence and their true motives?? I'm sure because you obviously know everything, that you also knew that the coaches I referred to were paid coaches and assigned to the team AFTER the team was formed? I have no patience (or respect) for self righteous condescending judgmental remarks for stupidville. My suggestion to you: is its better to say nothing when you know nothing than to open your mouth and remove all doubt of your ignorance.

[PDad]

I'm assuming you gentleman are from California. I received my undergraduate degree and played college softball in California.

Huh? I thought you played in the Big Ten.

[Mark H]

Law school. Hmm.

[Tyler Durden]

lol you boys play nice.

[Hurricane]

I just put down the popcorn and soda to post. Very entertaining thread. This is a very good topic...and...I enjoy the banter, too.

A while ago, my DD had moved to a different team because the organization decided that her coach (and I use the term lightly) should actually get paid: paid for unorganized workouts and practices; paid for poor in-game decisions; and paid for preying on the fears of the children being coached.

This coach also favored certain players because they didn't tell their parents about all of the "other stuff" that was going on. I know favoring players is not unusual, but this "secrecy of communication" was a huge red-flag for me. When I had confronted the coach, I was told my daughter should find another team.

Even in softball rich Southern California, you will find some very bad coaches and mentors for the children that play the game. And yes, don't ever forget that 16 year old girls are still children.

So, thank you Softball65 and C77 for the thread.

[PDad]

Pdad- I said I played at the big 10 level. You surmised that I played in the big 10.

Nope, you posted "I'm a graduate of Yale University law school with honors, and a former big ten softball player." http://www.heybucket.com/viewtopic.php?f=410&t=83924&p=434759

Regarding your claims of graduating with honors, I think you misunderstood when they said "Cum loudly!"