kenkrause

The coach I remember best is from my childhood playing the local equivalent of Little League baseball. His name was Jack Harsch.

I had always been a good sandlot player, but somehow it didn't translate to organized ball. In league play for my first couple of years I was one of those kids they made they playing minimum rules for. I'd get a couple of innings in right field, one at bat, and then I'd be out of the game. I had no confidence, and couldn't break out of the box I was in.

My third year of playing I finally got a hit. I also got a chance to play second base, no doubt because whoever was coaching was desperate. But I made a play on a pop-up and that helped as well.

The next year I was put on Coach Harsch's team. He saw potential in me, worked with me, and encouraged me. I don't think he knew a lot about how to teach the game, but he knew how to bring out whatever a kid had. He put me at third base in the beginning of the year and I did alright. Then one day there was a line shot to my right and I stabbed it. He took one look at the play and told my mother "That boy is a natural catcher." He put gear on me, put me behind the plate, gave me some basic instruction, and it changed my baseball life. I went on to be a two-time all-star as a catcher with one of the top batting averages on my team from then on.

I've read many books on coaching since then and have learned from all of them. But I don't think anyone ever showed me more the difference a caring coach can make than Coach Harsch.

__________________
Mundelein Thunder 18U
Danes Fastpitch
Contributing editor, Softball Magazine
Life in the Fastpitch Lane

ang4yanks

John Wooden quotes this little poem. It encourages me to be mindful. As adults, we have such a responsibility walking in the midst of society's young people especially leaders, teachers, coaches, parents...

"A Little Fellow Follows Me."

A careful man I want to be,
A little fellow follows me,
I do not dare to go astray,
For fear he'll go the self-same way.

I cannot once escape his eyes,
Whate'er he sees me do, he tries;
Like me he says he's going to be,
The little chap who follows me.

He thinks that I am good and fine,
Believes in every word of mine;
The base in me he must not else,
The little chap who follows me.

I must remember as I go,
Through summer's sun and winter's snow;
I am building for the years to be
That little chap who follows me.

blizzardman

Being around coaching for many years, I cant count the number of times I have heard a player say "I can't" when learning a new skill. I have always had the same response to this remark, "I can't is like saying I won't try". Then I give then a little remark to help reinforce this. Instead of "I can't" I want to hear you say loudly "I can and I will". Some of the players picked up this saying and used it in every new drill. Now being a manager, we will start every drill with these five words. I beleive it gives them a boost of confidence that I beleive that they can and they will...

kenkrause

I've always liked the saying "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."

I always tell my players and my students that there's no such thing as I can't. There's I haven't and I don't want to, but not I can't. I will never ask them to do things they can't do. Things may be difficult but not impossible.

__________________
Mundelein Thunder 18U
Danes Fastpitch
Contributing editor, Softball Magazine
Life in the Fastpitch Lane