Welcome to the Fastpitch Softball Coaches Tip Blog. Our articles on coaching fast pitch softball, softball drills, softball hitting, and softball coaching will be informative and useful to all softball coaches.
Showing posts with label coaching softball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coaching softball. Show all posts

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Softball Coaching Tips - Why Perform Video Analysis on Your Players

Softball Coaching Tips

By Marc Dagenais

Take a look at the following situations. First, you know one of your players is doing something wrong with his pitching, but you can't exactly point out what the problem is. Or you'd like to find out why your batter seems to hit the sweet spot most of the time. You ask him about it, and all he can tell you is that that's the way he's been doing it since he was a kid.

It's frustrating, right? To give your players accurate feedback on their performance, you also need an accurate instrument to observe it. And what simple yet better way to do it than performing a video analysis of your players' game?

But let's get deeper into that. There are several reasons why you should do this, which I'm sharing with you in these softball coaching tips.

It helps you analyze your players' game closely

Because you can slow down videos of your players' performance, you can look at how they do things a lot more closely. Slowing down their throws or bats, helps you detect the tiny nuances of their actions. And even the minutest of adjustments can make a world of difference to your players.

You can repeat it over and over again

You can only make your players do so many rounds of pitches before they start complaining. So, instead of doing that just to analyze their game, perform a video analysis of their pitch. Now all you need is just several samples of their pitch, watch them, and rewind them. You can do hours of analysis without wearing your players down.

It's cheap

With new models of video cameras coming out several times per year, the old ones - usually just a year old - quickly gets cheaper. And since you don't really need a very high quality video for your video analysis, you can get year-old cameras to do the job. With the level of sophistication of these devices, you'll find most of your recording needs covered already. Well, that's just the basic record, rewind, and play buttons of course.

It's straightforward

Video cameras aren't just cheap, they're now simpler and easier to use. Gone are the days when huge and bulky cameras were the norm. Now you have lightweight cameras. Some even feature touch screens which make things easier for you to understand. So, even if you're a technophobe, there's no reason why you shouldn't use these cameras.

Or if you know how to hook your video camera to your computer, you can save your data there, so you can do your video analysis even when you're on the road. Fantastic, right?

So unless you're living under a rock, or aren't really serious about softball coaching, then, you should start investing on a simple video rig. Analyzing videos of your players' performance makes things a lot simpler for you. Aside from that, it eliminates the guesswork involved in relying just on your sight to do the job.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. Visit his site and sign-up to get his FREE softball hitting tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3090135

Friday, October 14, 2011

Coaching Softball - Important Points to Keep

Coaching Softball - Important Points to Keep
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

The overwhelming increase and demand for softball nowadays pushes softball coaches and players to think of different methods of how to make their coaching and training more effective and more dynamic. That is why a number of internet resources and guidelines on efficient coaching softball techniques are coming out and being distributed throughout the World Wide Web. It is time for every softball coach to take advantage of the multitudes of effective coaching softball techniques and strategies available online for everyone's utilization and employment.

Coaching softball is not a simple and easy task but with some of these tips, one will most definitely improve the current status and playing softball skills of his or her softball team...

The very basic aspect of coaching softball involves total and complete trust and belief amongst coach and players. Trust and belief in the entire team is the basis of everything. Without trust and belief in each other all efforts of the coach to unite and maximize the player's potential would be for nothing. That is why it is very crucial for all individuals coaching softball to establish and maintain trust at all times not only during practices but in competitions as well.

It is the job of softball coaches to always provide their team with the best softball drills and practice exercises available. When choosing the right softball drills, it is best to consider each of the player's strengths and weaknesses. You would want to eliminate certain weaknesses in your team such as slow running, low focus levels, distractions etc. There are a lot of softball practices and drills that will help solve these problems. Also, try to provide varied and new practice drills to avoid a monotonous and bored team. Keep in mind that as long as the players are excited and eager to learn and practice, they will most certainly improve and advance.

Softball coaching involves being fair and just at all times. Never ever show your team hints of favoritism. That will cause jealousy, riot, and ultimately a low team unity and trust. And as all softball coaches know teamwork and trust between each member is one of the most vital aspects of winning a game. So, it is highly crucial for you to stay unbiased as much as possible. Give each team member the punishment and praise that is due them.

When coaching softball, one has to learn how to identify and work with the player's current level or playing status and adjust from there. Not all players are capable of performing certain high-level drills so it is highly vital to give the players the proper training and coaching that is right for their current level and work your way upwards. Take coaching softball slow and one step at a time. First make a thorough analysis of the entire team and from there, develop and cultivate their strengths and abilities for ultimate softball performance and productivity. Do keep in mind that not every player of the team has equal strengths and weaknesses... asses each player's capabilities and work your way up from there. Never give them what they cannot handle.

Do keep in mind that all good things start small and advances through time and effort just like coaching softball... Remember that these points when softball coaching should be kept in one's heart and mind always for the benefit of the entire softball team.

Marc Dagneais is Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to access our directory of FREE softball drills!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Coaching Your Daughter's Softball Team for the First Time

Coaching Your Daughter's Softball Team for the First Time
By guest author: Jim Moyer

Finally, Spring is here and with it comes the beginning of Fastpitch Softball season for hundreds of thousands of little girls. Along with the start of Softball season also comes the recruitment of parents to become volunteer coaches. The FEAR, the anxiety, the hope that you don't lead your daughter's team to a winless season. Here's the good news, like just about anything else, if the new coach will find a successful mentor the coach can quickly learn what skills and strategies need to be utilized to win. However, the large majority of new fastpitch coaches are dads that think since they played baseball 20 years ago they can easily transfer that knowledge to their team and be successful. After all, it's just a bunch of 7 & 8 year old girls, right? Wrong. To be successful the new coach not only has to coach his team, he must also out coach all of the other dad-coaches.

If you think coaching doesn't make that big of a difference, then please explain how a coach went 93-4-2 over a 5 year period in 8U fastpitch softball while coaching his daughters. That's a very impressive record no matter what age you are coaching. And don't think for a moment that it was talent that led to that record. I'm talking about a team that every year lost half of it's players to promotion to the older age group and had to pick up 6 or 7 brand new players...typically girls that had never played the game. So how could this one coach pile up 5 straight 1st place finishes and compile a winning percentage of .960%?

It boils down to great coaching and knowing what strategies work at different ages. That's the only possible answer. For example, the three most important positions in 8U Softball are First Base, Pitcher and Second Base. As players get older it's certainly true that talent can make a difference. But talent still has to be coached. An athletic player under a poor coach will never achieve her full potential. However, average talent can achieve superior levels under the guidance of a great coach.

Regarding offense, most new coaches tend to build a batting order similar to how professional baseball teams put together a batting order. That's a sure way to lose games in 8U softball. The best advice is to stagger the strong hitters with weaker hitters mixed in. That way your team is able to bat further into the lineup, allowing for a couple of outs, yet scoring the maximum number of runs allowed. Many new coaches also forget to teach the girls how to bunt the ball. The younger the team is the more important it is teach girls to bunt as it helps to build hand-eye coordination while allowing the player to contribute to the success of the team.

Finally, most new coaches don't know what training tools would be of greatest benefit to their team. Typically the league will issue a sack of softball gear that might include a couple of bats, a dozen balls, a few batting helmets, and some catcher's gear and the new coach never gives it a second thought. However, regardless of age every coach needs to have a sack of plastic poly balls and a hitting tee just to name a couple of training aides. In the younger age groups a coach might want to have two or more hitting tees so his team gets plenty of practice time swinging a bat. As for the poly balls, not only are they perfect for batting practice, but they are also perfect for learning how to catch pop flys in order to prevent injuries.

Good Luck to all of the new softball coaches. Don't assume you know it all, find a mentor, do some research, teach skills that are age appropriate, and have fun. It's going to be a great season of softball and one that your daughter will never forget since her dad was the coach.

Jim Moyer is the author of http://www.mysoftballcoach.com Having coached over 500 youth fastpitch softball games, Jim decided to put the information online to allow parent/coaches to draw on his unique experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Moyer

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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Fastpitch Softball Drills - Develop Speed and Accuracy With These Pitching Drills


Fastpitch Softball Drills - Develop Speed and Accuracy With These Pitching Drills
By Becky Wittenburg

Once softball pitchers have developed their technique, they often reach a plateau where they no longer improve. However, there is always potential to be a better pitcher. These innovative fastpitch softball drills were designed to help pitchers develop their speed and accuracy on the mound.

Snap Drill

This fastpitch softball drill was developed to practice the snap of the wrist at the end of the pitch. Using the wrist muscles to snap the ball as it is released will increase the velocity of the pitch.

For this drill, two pitchers will stand about ten feet apart. The first pitcher will start with the pitching hand down at the side, holding the ball. She then takes her wrist back slightly before flipping the ball forward to her teammate, focusing on using as much power as possible. The partner will catch the pitch and use the same technique to snap the ball back. Each pitcher should snap the ball twenty-five times, working to increase strength in the wrist and velocity in the snap. This also serves as a great pitching warm-up.

Two for One

This drill for fastpitch softball helps the pitcher develop fielding skills while practicing pitches. The pitcher needs to always be prepared for a ball hit back to the mound.

Set up this drill with the pitcher at the mound and the catcher at the plate, each with one ball. As the pitcher delivers her pitch, the catcher will toss a ground ball to the mound. The pitcher should field the ball and use it for her next pitch, while the catcher will receive the pitch and use it for her next toss. Complete the routine twenty times, focusing on proper technique and increasing reaction time.

Distance Pitching

This pitching drill develops arm strength while emphasizing accuracy of pitches.

Start with the pitcher twenty feet from home plate, pitching to the catcher at home. The pitcher throws as many pitches as it takes to get five strikes, according to the catcher's judgment. Next, the pitcher should move back ten feet and pitch five strikes from that position, and so on until she is sixty feet from home plate.

Pitching from a long distance stretches the arm and increases strength, resulting in more powerful pitches. Using the catcher to determine strikes will keep the focus on accuracy, as well.

Isolation Drill

This softball drill for pitching focuses on the last portion of the pitch. By isolating the final stage of the pitching motion, players can develop the specific moves required to deliver an accurate pitch.

Have the pitcher stand thirty feet away from a teammate. The pitcher will start by raising the pitching arm and curling the wrist to form a letter "c" above the head. She should then complete the pitch from this position, concentrating on swinging the arm down, firing the hips, snapping the wrist, and releasing the pitch.

And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/
Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Softball Practice Drills - Improve Technique for Any Position


Softball Practice Drills - Improve Technique for Any Position
By Becky Wittenburg

Drills for Stronger Players

Good softball practice drills will both teach the players new techniques and allow them to see the results of their practicing over time. When used effectively, they will challenge players to become stronger in their positions and also reward them with successful game play. The following drills focus on strengthening infield, outfield, and base running technique.

In-Betweens

In this softball practice drill, outfielders learn the importance of communication while working on catching fly balls. First the team is divided into two groups. The groups form two lines in the outfield, spread out about 60 feet. The coach stands in front of the two lines and throws a softball in the air, like a fly ball from a hitter. The first two players in the lines watch and call for the ball until someone catches it (ideally the one who called for it). The players then run to the end of the line and the next two players complete the drill.

Two Line Challenge

This practice drill for softball focuses on catching in the infield and often includes diving practice as well. Players form two lines, one at the second base position and the other at the shortstop position. The coach stands at the center of the diamond and rolls the ball in the direction of one of the positions. The first player in line fields the ball, which might require diving. Once she fields the ball she quickly tosses it back to the coach and runs to the end of the line.

Base Cycles

This softball drill works on increasing speed and improving technique in base running. Players form a line at home plate, starting with the fastest and ending with the slowest. Keeping a safe distance between each player, they run from home run all the way through first base. Once each player has reached the grass, they line up again at first base and run to second, then to third, and lastly to home.

The next level of the drill incorporates base coaches. The players run from home through to second base, making sure to check in with the coach. Then they complete the drill by running from second to third and third to home. Next they run from home to third, and on the last level of the drill they run from home all the way back to home. Players should focus on proper base running technique and following the instructions of their base coaches.

And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Softball Coaching - Tips for Leading Female Athletes

Softball Coaching - Tips for Leading Female Athletes
By Becky Wittenburg

Softball coaching can be difficult, no matter what age, ability level, or gender of the players. Coaches need to be aware of what their players are going through, both in the sport and out, so that they can build trusting relationships and lead the players to be their best.

Some female athletes face mental and physical struggles when they feel pressure to perform. Girls softball coaches should know the signs of these problems so that they can know when they need to step in and help, before the situation gets out of control.

Female Athlete Triad

Softball players who feel overstressed might develop the Female Athlete Triad, a syndrome of three combined disorders that result from over exercising and not taking in enough calories.


Disordered eating: this aspect of the Female Athlete Triad occurs when an athlete stops taking in enough calories. It can develop as an effort to get their weight down or as a way to deal with stress. Disordered eating can be in the form of anorexia, where the athlete stops eating enough food, or bulimia, where the athlete consumes food but then throws it up.
Amenorrhea: amenorrhea occurs when the athlete starts missing her menstrual cycle. Athletes who normally experience regular cycles may stop to menstruate if they no longer eat enough or if they are exercising too much.
Osteoporosis: this part of the Female Athlete Triad happens when the athlete's bones start to lose their density, becoming fragile and prone to breakage. It is related to, and worsened by, the other conditions in the syndrome.

The Female Athlete Triad is not only unhealthy, it can be extremely dangerous. Watch for signs that your players might be over exercising or under eating. Ask them questions about their lives and let them know you really want to listen. When a player seems particularly stressed, make sure she knows how to relieve the pressure in a healthy way.

Helpful Tips for Coaching Girls


Let them be involved, particularly in picking positions. Have tryouts for different positions every season so the athletes can show how they perform and have a chance to try something different.
Develop a relationship based on trust. Coaches need to trust their players, and players need to trust their coaches. This means that a coach needs to respect when an athlete says she needs to use the restroom and understand that women's bodies are different from men's. This also means that a player should trust that a coach has her best interest at heart when he asks her to push harder, try a new approach, or change her position.
Remember that softball is just a game, and it's supposed to be fun. Coaches and athletes need to work hard, but practice shouldn't be a dreaded thing. Drills can be both challenging and rewarding, and if a coach is able to keep things positive, players will learn the sport, perform well, and have a good time.

For more coaching tips and free softball drills, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/
Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball practice drills, tips, and coaching ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Friday, July 9, 2010

The Traits Of A Good Coach

The Traits Of A Good Fastpitch Softball Coach
By Guest Author Jenny Stalling

Being a coach is easy. But being a good coach is another matter entirely. This job requires showing a lot of certain psychological characteristics. If a coach is to succeed, he simply has to show the following traits:

1.Knows the discipline he's coaching

It's trivial, but the coach has to know ins and outs of the discipline - the rules, the history, the tactics etc. Without it they won't be able to do their job properly and will probably quickly lose face when they start making mistakes.

2. Motivates the players

This is probably the single most important trait of a good coach. Without proper motivation, everything comes apart. Remember that a coach will need to lead a team of individuals, everyone with different personal goals. The coach's job is give the players enough motivation to make them start doing things as good as they are able to, and turn their attention from their private matters to the pitch.

3. Talks only when it gets results

A good coach will never speak without a good cause. If they talk too much, they will never actually be listened, so a coach is a person who should talk only when necessary - this will give their words an extra weigh.

4. Is able to listen

Being calmer than usual means also that a coach should be a good listener. If they are to become a good coach, they need to become a surrogate father or mother for their team and listening is the single most important trait that can make it possible.

5. Knows their team

Another important matter is knowing one's team. And it is not only about matching their numbers with the names. A good coach knows everything - both about professional and private life of their players.

6. Treats everyone individually

While (or because) a good coach should know everybody and do their best to hold the place together, it is necessary to treat every player individually. Yelling works only on some of them, the same story is with talking seriously. Using the same method to get everyone do what you say will surely end in breaking some of your players to pieces.

7. Leads by example

The last, but not least: a good coach do themselves everything he will ask others to do. They always set an example - they are first on the trainings and perform every single exercise they order other to do.

Jenny Stalling is an experienced coach, who maintains an informational website on coaching techniques [http://www.coachizer.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Stalling

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Monday, June 14, 2010

Coaching Fast Pitch Softball


Throwing and Pitching Trainers at SoftballrUs.com

Fast Pitch Softball Coaching Tips
By Judy Halaby

Coaching fast pitch softball is an art form. Let's face it, a large part of coaching is drills. And drills are BORING! But the key to being a successful coach is to make drills more engaging.

First, drills alone are not a practice. You must intersperse drills with fast pitch softball games so that your players stay engaged.

Second, drills are not boring. You can try to make them more fun. For example, make them competitive. A successful drill is one in which there is a healthy competitive component added.

Third, explain the purpose of the drills to the players. If they understand what skills they are building with each drill they will be more engaged and may even participate more enthusiastically.

Fourth, and most important, an effective fast pitch softball drill builds confidence. While doing the drill the player should be complimented on what they are doing right. Keep the feedback simple, just a "awesome" will suffice and keep a player engaged.

Your practice

The first job of coaching is getting the players to practice on time. The best incentive to get players to practice on time is to give them a sequential number when they get there and that is their number in the batting line up...which is every player's favorite part of practice.

Second, warm ups. Keep warm ups fun and engaging... stretching is a necessary evil, but a game of tag or relay race is a good way to get players warmed up and keep them engaged as well.

Third come drills, as mentioned above, keep drills as fun as possible. They are a necessary evil to every player's game. Make each drill a game and keep the drills to two or three per practice. Any more than that and your players will get bored and tired.

Finally, end the practice with a scrimmage. This is the player's favorite part of practice and keeps them most engaged in fast pitch softball.

Judy Halaby is a softball fanatic and wants to see it in the 2012 Olympics!

http://www.fastpitchsoftballbats.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Halaby

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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Coach, Be Consistent


Coach, Be Consistent
By Stacie Mahoe

When you learn about raising children, you hear about consistency. When you learn about working with animals and training animals, you hear about consistency. This key of consistency also applies to coaching softball as well.

It's only fair to your players, not to mention vital for you, that you be consistent in your actions, words, rules, and discipline as a coach. Ground rules should always be laid out at the beginning of the season. These ground rules should also include potential disciplinary actions for when those rules are broken. Be sure that you do NOT set a consequence that you will not enforce. This carries the same effect as "empty threats" in parenting. When you fall into the trap of using "empty threats" the following things happen:

1. Your players know that you won't follow through and will push the envelope as far as possible
2. You are undermining your own credibility and believability because you haven't kept your word
3. Chances are, you'll respect or make it harder to gain the respect of your players.

Whenever you give your word as a coach, be it in speech or in writing, ALWAYS do your best to stick with it. If for whatever reason, you can't follow through, let your players know before hand and figure out what you need to do to make things right. If you don't make it a point to keep your word, players will begin taking what you say "with a grain of salt" because they won't know when you actually mean what you say and when you're just talking the talk without walking the walk. This is not a good situation for you to be in as a coach. If you're players don't believe you, how can you lead them?

Avoid making up rules and consequences as you go along. Clear guidelines and boundaries from the start make life much simpler for players, parents, and coaches. Be up front about what your expectations, your rules, your guidelines, and your consequences and follow through. Choosing to follow through only *sometimes* is only asking for trouble as a coach. Make sure your rules, guidelines, and consequences are reasonable enough for everyone, including you and your staff, to follow and abide by throughout the season. Be consistent. Consistency will save you and your team a lot of heartache and frustration.

by Stacie Mahoe
Get Stacie's Free Fastpitch Tips
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stacie_Mahoe

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Friday, March 19, 2010

Free Youth Softball Coaching Articles - Free Softball Drills


FastpitchSoftballSupply.com - We only do softball & we do it right!

Youth Softball Drills
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] It's important that children find softball drills that they can use during practice sessions. In order to become better at their sport, youths need to learn through softball drills. This article has free softball drills that youths can use which will expand their skills and make them better athletes.


Girls Softball Drills
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] These girls softball drills will give you a chance of becoming a dominant softball player and increase your performance on the field. Take the time to practice these fast pitch softball drills so you can become as good as you want to be.


Free Softball Practice Drills
[Recreation-and-Sports:Baseball] Fastpitch softball drills are a great way to bettering yourself as a player. These drills are a great resource for you to perfect old skills and acquire others that are necessary in order to become a dominant softball player. The free softball practice drills here, are great to use during practice because they are ideal for those sessions and they get most of the team involved in the exercise. Perhaps, best of all, they're free of charge!


SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Coaching Your Daughter's Softball Team for the First Time

By Jim Moyer

Finally, Spring is here and with it comes the beginning of Fastpitch Softball season for hundreds of thousands of little girls. Along with the start of Softball season also comes the recruitment of parents to become volunteer coaches. The FEAR, the anxiety, the hope that you don't lead your daughter's team to a winless season. Here’s the good news, like just about anything else, if the new coach will find a successful mentor the coach can quickly learn what skills and strategies need to be utilized to win. However, the large majority of new fastpitch coaches are dads that think since they played baseball 20 years ago they can easily transfer that knowledge to their team and be successful. After all, it's just a bunch of 7 & 8 year old girls, right? Wrong. To be successful the new coach not only has to coach his team, he must also out coach all of the other dad-coaches.

If you think coaching doesn’t make that big of a difference, then please explain how a coach went 93-4-2 over a 5 year period in 8U fastpitch softball while coaching his daughters. That’s a very impressive record no matter what age you are coaching. And don’t think for a moment that it was talent that led to that record. I’m talking about a team that every year lost half of it’s players to promotion to the older age group and had to pick up 6 or 7 brand new players…typically girls that had never played the game. So how could this one coach pile up 5 straight 1st place finishes and compile a winning percentage of .960%?

It boils down to great coaching and knowing what strategies work at different ages. That’s the only possible answer. For example, the three most important positions in 8U Softball are First Base, Pitcher and Second Base. As players get older it’s certainly true that talent can make a difference. But talent still has to be coached. An athletic player under a poor coach will never achieve her full potential. However, average talent can achieve superior levels under the guidance of a great coach.

Regarding offense, most new coaches tend to build a batting order similar to how professional baseball teams put together a batting order. That's a sure way to lose games in 8U softball. The best advice is to stagger the strong hitters with weaker hitters mixed in. That way your team is able to bat further into the lineup, allowing for a couple of outs, yet scoring the maximum number of runs allowed. Many new coaches also forget to teach the girls how to bunt the ball. The younger the team is the more important it is teach girls to bunt as it helps to build hand-eye coordination while allowing the player to contribute to the success of the team.

Finally, most new coaches don't know what training tools would be of greatest benefit to their team. Typically the league will issue a sack of softball gear that might include a couple of bats, a dozen balls, a few batting helmets, and some catcher's gear and the new coach never gives it a second thought. However, regardless of age every coach needs to have a sack of plastic poly balls and a hitting tee just to name a couple of training aides. In the younger age groups a coach might want to have two or more hitting tees so his team gets plenty of practice time swinging a bat. As for the poly balls, not only are they perfect for batting practice, but they are also perfect for learning how to catch pop flys in order to prevent injuries.

Good Luck to all of the new softball coaches. Don't assume you know it all, find a mentor, do some research, teach skills that are age appropriate, and have fun. It's going to be a great season of softball and one that your daughter will never forget since her dad was the coach.

Jim Moyer is the author of http://www.mysoftballcoach.com Having coached over 500 youth fastpitch softball games, Jim decided to put the information online to allow parent/coaches to draw on his unique experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Moyer

Friday, January 22, 2010

Teaching a Balanced Batting Stance

By Andy Pohl

Hitting is a chain reaction of body movements. As with any chain reaction, the end cannot be met without a proper beginning. The purpose of the stance is to get the hitter in a body position that will facilitate a quick and powerful movement towards the baseball.

First of all, hitters need to find a stance that is comfortable and balanced. Their eyes must be focused on the pitcher. Many hitters have their heads tucked under their shoulder or tilted to the side. This consequently impedes their ability to see the ball clearly from the best angle. Make sure the head is upright with the eyes focused directly at the pitcher.

All good hitters get themselves in a good athletic position to start. A good athletic position consists of flex in the knees with the hip sockets back. If a hitter is having a difficult time getting into an athletic position or confused about what this position feels like, have them pretend they are defending someone on the basketball court. They will quickly notice that their knees are flexed, their butt is out, and they are slightly bent over on the balls of their feet. Have them hold that position and put a bat in their hands. This is the proper stance.

The stance is should be relaxing enough to have a calming effect over the body. The bat should be held loosely in the fingers or across the callous line of the hand. Never hold the bat in the palm. The hands and forearms should be relaxed as much as possible. Seeing the veins pop out of a player's arms is a good indication that they are holding gripping the bat too tight. Any tension in the hands and arms slows down the swing, which subsequently reduces power.

In order to relax, hitters should breathing slowly, in with the nose and out with the mouth between pitches. Taking practice check swings while in the box waiting for the pitcher to get set also relaxes the body and gives the hitter a sense of flow. Athletes cannot be successful hitter if their mind and body are not in a relaxed state.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Pohl
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Saturday, January 9, 2010

Softball Quotes - Getting Your Team Fired Up


By Kiev Lintz

If you are looking for a great way to motivate your team a few good softball quotes can really go a long way when it comes to pumping up your pep talk. As any coach will tell you, it's important to get your team fired up and ready to go before every game and to keep them fired up when things start to look gray. What better way to do that than with some inspirational quotes? Whether you opt for general quotes or softball quotes, a few good one liners can really drive the point home.

A great place to start when searching for good softball quotes is to search for things that your team's favorite players have said. Look for fast pitch softball quotes from famous players like Jennie Finch, Lisa Fernandez or Michele Smith and use them as examples to get your team excited about their big game. Team quotes from players that your club admires should be a key component of your pregame and post game speeches. One good thing to remember with post game speeches, is to end them on a good note, even if the game ended on a sour one. Letting your team walk away feeling like they've failed is never beneficial.

When getting your team pumped up, be sure that your speech includes inspirational quotes from players that talk about the big picture and the team's overall goals. Use softball sayings and softball quotes to remind your team that they aren't just fighting for a win for this particular game but that they are fighting for the season, playoffs or whatever your end goal is. When working with young team members it's also important to make sure that you balance motivation with tact so that you don't put too much pressure on them before they're ready.

The internet is a smorgasbord of great inspirational quotes of all types. You can find softball quotes, baseball quotes or just about anything you could possibly need. If you need tips on motivational speeches in general there is no shortage of resources available. Let your fingers do the walking and you'll find dozens of great ideas within a minutes of sitting down at your computer.

The best thing to do when working on your motivational speeches is to make sure that you keep them short and to the point. You want to pump up your team in a quick and effective manner. Fill your speech with upbeat softball cheers and encouraging softball quotes, but don't let it run on too long. If your speech drags on for too long, you'll lose your teams interest and any spark that you may have ignited will fizzle out before they even reach the field.

Being able to give a good and effective motivational speech is really an art form. If it were simple there wouldn't be whole companies based around providing motivational speakers, so don't be upset if it takes a while to perfect your inspirational quotes and delivery. Add in softball quotes from admirable players and look for softball cheers that you can adapt for your own needs and with a bit of practice your confidence and your team's confidence will sky rocket.

Sometimes you have to add that extra oomph to get your team excited. Visit our sites for motivational softball quotes and give your team a boost.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kiev_Lintz
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