1st inning issues

[Little Angels Softball]

You need to put more pressure on them in practice.

Make them GO FAST in practice .. everything done as fast as they can all the time, no exceptions. If they blow something due to lack of effort, lack of going full-speed or lack of proper technique, they do it again .... but they do it FASTER. All are held accountable for playing as fast as they can ALL THE TIME.

When they get into a game, they'll already know they can function at a high level and at high speed and the nerves won't have time to take hold.

This is another post I made awhile back on another thread. It seems to apply here, as well:

This is good advice.

The only thing I'd add is that because they seem to do OK getting the first and second outs but come unglued trying to get out number three, I'd probably say your girls don't handle pressure very well.

This can be trained. Insist not only on perfection at practice, but perfection at top speed all the time. They must do everything quickly. Charge the ball fast, get rid of it fast (with no extra motions) and throw it as hard as they can. If they don't get to that fly ball or pop-up, they do it again. If they don't charge that grounder and get to it as fast as they can, they do it again. If they don't throw the ball as hard as they can, they do it again. If they take any extra time getting rid of the ball, they do it again. And, don't forget to tell them why they are doing it again and to call them out for lack of effort when you see it. Girls this age have to know precisely what you want before they can deliver it.

Train the effort and the top speed thing first. Game situations are important but experience will help them with that and you can start incorporating situations into your practices once you are certain they understand the top speed thing.

Teach them to work under great pressure at practice and they will have no problem operating the same way during games.

 

[CoachPete]

Has the coach considered picking to be visitors for a couple games so that they can bat before they hit the field? That might release some tension. Also, maybe after warming up instead of sitting in the stands waiting on the other game to finish they could play some type of softball related game(hot potato, pepper, etc) to loosen them up but still keep them focused.

I used this all the way to 18s for pool play. If you've got some hot hitters it works great and it builds experience in pressure situations by forcing them to be visitors on Saturday.

One other idea: Sugar. After a vigorous warm-up a lot of teams come to the bench and sit down for a few minutes during the coin toss etc....by the time the game starts they're down physically. So give them some grapes/strawberries right before the game or if you're trying to win their hearts back after kicking their butts all week at practice: gummy-worms.

 

[CMMom1740]

I used this all the way to 18s for pool play. If you've got some hot hitters it works great and it builds experience in pressure situations by forcing them to be visitors on Saturday.

One other idea: Sugar. After a vigorous warm-up a lot of teams come to the bench and sit down for a few minutes during the coin toss etc....by the time the game starts they're down physically. So give them some grapes/strawberries right before the game or if you're trying to win their hearts back after kicking their butts all week at practice: gummy-worms.

We had a coach for our All-Star rec team who used to give the girls a tiny Dixie cup of Starbucks espresso before their last game of the day. Not enough to hurt anyone, and it was probably just the placebo effect, but they were PSYCHED and thought it was SO AWESOME!

 

[grcsftbll]

I totally let my kids drink coffee. I'm a bad mom like that.

 

[sluggers]

You need to put more pressure on them in practice.

Make them GO FAST in practice .. everything done as fast as they can all the time, no exceptions. If they blow something due to lack of effort, lack of going full-speed or lack of proper technique, they do it again .... but they do it FASTER. All are held accountable for playing as fast as they can ALL THE TIME.

When they get into a game, they'll already know they can function at a high level and at high speed and the nerves won't have time to take hold.

Where does your team play? I would love to see them.

You create pressure by having the kids in practice play for something. Laps, pushups, who has to put away the equipment, etc. Not enough to hurt the kids, just enough to say, "These kids won, these kids lost." Do that a few times, and their natural competitiveness comes out.

 

[BT3100]

Could be too much pressure on them pre-game.
DD pitched an important game against a huge rival last summer. I took her to the field 2 hours before the game (1 hour prior to show up time) to "work with her on her pitching". I kept stressing the importance of the game and how she needed to bring her "A" game. She went out there and stunk up the joint.
I learned my lesson. The less pressure I put on her the better she plays. It was my fault.. I cost her that game. I learned my lesson. NEVER AGAIN.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

Where does your team play? I would love to see them.

We're quite a ways west of you.