Brain over load

[cdolson00]

Just got back from a 3 hour class from Coach John Tschida from ST. Thomas College. Wow! Lots of information but how do you brake all that down to a 10 year old. Let alone remember it all. What is your best way of remembering everything from the clinics you go to?

 

[MountieSB]

Just got back from a 3 hour class from Coach John Tschida from ST. Thomas College. Wow! Lots of information but how do you brake all that down to a 10 year old. Let alone remember it all. What is your best way of remembering everything from the clinics you go to?

The first thing is to take really good notes, especially the first few clinics you go to. Then, as well as you can, go out and start applying it. If you take notes, don't use them for a few weeks, and then look at the notes again, you may be asking yourself, "What was I thinking when I wrote that?"

The next thing is to keep reading, watching videos (on here and on YouTube or wherever), continue going to clinics and don't be afraid to ask questions! The overload will subside the longer you keep at it. You won't remember, understand, and be able to implement everything you learn from the first clinic you go to.

I would determine what is the most important thing to you (or your daughter or team) and focus on that one thing. Don't get overwhelmed - there's a lot of great help on this board. Enjoy the ride!

 

[redhotcoach]

Just got back from a 3 hour class from Coach John Tschida from ST. Thomas College. Wow! Lots of information but how do you brake all that down to a 10 year old. Let alone remember it all. What is your best way of remembering everything from the clinics you go to?

UH DUDE!!! The only way you could get everything from Tschida is record it and go over the recording for the next month. That guy talks so fast and says so much...I know how you feel!

 

[Ken Krause]

Yes, John has a wealth of information that he willingly shares with everyone. Imagine what's up there that you didn't hear in your three hours.

Part of processing the information depends on where you are in your coaching career. When I first started going to the National Sports Clinics I would walk out with the notebook they give you filled with notes, and a bad care of writer's cramp. After a few years I found that a lot of the information was stuff I'd already learned, so I'd take notes on new drills or information, or good ways of presenting information, and just listen to the rest.

One thing I've found helpful is to try to organize the information. For example, put all the drills together, broken into offensive and defensive or however you want to do it. If there were contests or games, put them in a separate category. Mark the ones you really like, or you think your team can handle best or needs most. They are your priorities.

Now develop an overall plan for the year. It doesn't have to be very detailed. Think about what a successful year will look like to you. Worry less about outcomes such as winning a tournament or a league title, and instead focus more on what your team will look like when it's playing. What do they need? Are they beginners who struggle with throwing and catching? You might want to make that a priority. Do they know how to bunt? Can they hit decently (they don't need MLB-level swings, although that would be nice), or would they have trouble hitting water if they fell out of a boat? If they're new to you and you're not sure, assume you have to teach them everything.

With your overall plan and priorities in place, start fitting the drills and other information into your first few practices. You may need to break them down a little more. Remember that John works with college players, and good ones at that. See what works and what doesn't, and then make adjustments from there. And don't worry if you forget something or don't get to it all this year. You'll tend to find it as you need it.

When I went to the NFCA coaches college course at the end of November I grabbed one of my old NSC notebooks. In it I found a listing of priorities for 2005. As I looked through them, and the plans I'd had, I realized there were some good ideas in there that I'd forgotten about. They're now being used again for this year's team. Makes me wonder what else is lurking in old notebooks?

The key is to organize it now, while it's fresh, so you can refer back to it later. I find that once games start, practices tend to write themselves.

 

[coach james]

protect the plate!

"PROTECT THE PLATE!!!"
We've all said it when our girls have two strikes... I rarely get angry with a player except when I think she is looking for a walk. Dont get me wrong, because we've all been abused by a good pitcher before. This is about the girls who have two strikes and then take a "meatball" right down main street, and she was obviously not at the plate looking to score, but rather waisting a spot in my lineup! How do we coach or teach a kid to have that "killer instinct"??? Do you think this trait can be taught or are they born with it?

 

[Perfect Circle]

The key is to organize it now, while it's fresh, so you can refer back to it later. I find that once games start, practices tend to write themselves.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

How do we coach or teach a kid to have that "killer instinct"??? Do you think this trait can be taught or are they born with it?

One thing we can teach that not many coaches work on is the "emotional side". Most great athletes from the batter's box to the pitcher's circle have great control over their emotions. Too high of emotions trigger receptors in the old noodle (brain) which then can release chemicals from glands that increase heart rates, slow or raise breathing, hot flashes, sweat, muscle spasms, etc. All things that can physically affect negatively. Slow steady levels of emotion affect positively.

To me "killer instinct" would be more for full contact sports. Where the diamond game is slower paced and has more complex mental stratigies.

Emotional Flexibility - The ability to handle different situations in a balanced or non- defensive manner. Emotional flexibility also speaks to the skill of drawing on a wide range of positive emotions - humor, fighting spirit, pleasure.
Emotional Responsiveness - You are emotionally engaged in the competitive situation, not withdrawn.
Emotional Strength - The ability to handle great emotional force and sustain your fighting spirit no matter what the circumstances.
Emotional Resiliency - Being able to handle setbacks and recovering quickly from them.

One of my favorite signals to give is simply raising my hand/arm and pointing to my head. "Think" I tell mine I need them to make it 60' down the line, just get on base. Doesn't matter if it's a hit, error, BB, HBP, D3K.........just get on. We can't score if they can't get on base. It's been a mental building we have been doing for years.

Here's my thing. A DD strikes out, flies out, grounds out she is an emotional mess. ( we see them drag back to the dugout ) A DD gets on ( any way they can ) there is usually "life" on base and a smile. ( it's a high ) I know it sounds simple, but your "teaching" them the emotional response for getting on base, and they like the chemical feel from the body. And over time the mind craves the "feeling" and in turn heightens all the senses to achieve the "high" again. ( hope this came out right )

Reflexes, drives, instincts, cognitions, all have a place and time in this sport. Sorting them out is the tough part and takes time working on each.

There is a line between too aggressive and too relaxed, you want to be right in the middle.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

Just got back from a 3 hour class from Coach John Tschida from ST. Thomas College. Wow! Lots of information but how do you brake all that down to a 10 year old. Let alone remember it all. What is your best way of remembering everything from the clinics you go to?

I heard Coach Tschida at an NSC event in Charlotte two or three years ago. I couldn't take notes fast enough. Being a Southerner, I could be accused of not just talking slowly. but also listening slowly. Guess that wasn't necessarily the case!

 

[cdolson00]

Thanks for the help. Coach talked a lot about measurements. That I need to find a way to measure there skills to see how there improving. I love the idea.
I have thought of a few for my pitchers. I am making a target with for zones, my pitchers will compete with each other playing horse, like in basketball. My girls are only 10u.. They need to learn there spots. They are good enough to start this. Any other ways of working in this?
You talked about finding what's important to my team. Here is my problem. They need it all. I need to teach them the concepts. But where can I find a list? Because I think of them during a game and then forget them. Well not all of them but some. When teaching this how much time do you spend with a white board and pen?

I have been coaching for a few years now. The more I learn , the more I realize I need to know more.
I am going to work on my plan. I will let you know how its going. Thanks

 

[chinamigarden]

"PROTECT THE PLATE!!!"
We've all said it when our girls have two strikes... I rarely get angry with a player except when I think she is looking for a walk. Dont get me wrong, because we've all been abused by a good pitcher before. This is about the girls who have two strikes and then take a "meatball" right down main street, and she was obviously not at the plate looking to score, but rather waisting a spot in my lineup! How do we coach or teach a kid to have that "killer instinct"??? Do you think this trait can be taught or are they born with it?

Sue Enquist talks about this in the beginning of this clip, its really the entire hitting strategy we should teach hitters.