Coaches Tools, knowledge, and other thoughts

[mleber]

So as coaches there are items and knowledge out there to help. What are some of the things you do to improve yourself and help others (assistants and parents)? I purchase tools/items I think make sense for fitness, skill training, etc. Ex - wobble board, T's, various ball types etc. I make what I can - Ex - rope bats etc. I train however I can - ASA cert, dvd's, youtube, this website etc.

So my questions are -

1) What are the most valuable tool items you've purchased that gave you the biggest bang for your buck?

2) What training did you best benefit from?

3) If there was a tool that combined education, training, was reuseable at practice, and could be used by skilled (coaches) and unskilled (parents), as well as decreased your practice preparation and made them more efficient what would you be willing to pay for such a tool? $50, $100, $150, $200 or $0 it doesnt interest you.

Input appreciated - Thanks.

 

[sluggers]

What are the most valuable tool items you've purchased that gave you the biggest bang for your buck?

This sounds ridiculously obvious, but balls...regulation size, mush balls, baseballs, wiffle balls (all sizes and colors).

What training did you best benefit from?

Hanging out with softball people who know the game.

 

[James Smith]

Not sure if this is what you were asking but …

Spring loaded pitching machine <$100 used- Uses real balls and easy to show anyone how to use it if a pitcher is not available

Pitching Plate < $20 – IDK why Team doesn’t have one

Hitting net @$150 – Player can get swings in anywhere

Tee(s) ? – Easy to show someone how to use and what you are wanting to accomplish in limitied space

Balls ? – You never have enough balls.

I think that is my top 5. TCB balls are nice and I use them but they did not make the top 5.

(Here is a great place to pick up knowledge as long as you avoid the pitching forum it has become how Hitting technical use to be.)

With all that said we can get along fine with 1 ball, a bat and a glove. I love seeing how much equipment people bring to the field.

 

[Indiana's DH]

2) I benefited most from the ACE Level 2 training. Highly recommended.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Personally, I think the equipment and gadgetry gets way overdone.

Lots of balls, a few bats, a net to do front toss pitching, and a net to hit into are about all I have, and I think it's enough.

I think frequenting this website is superior to the ACE Level 2 training in what it provides in terms of knowledge.

 

[FP26]

I agree with Doug but would add a tee. With a bucket of balls, a tee, and a bow net there are many things we can do. In addition my Dd can set these up and hit or pitch on her own if I am at work. I will use gadgets once in a while but more as a change of pace. One gadget I do like to use often is a short bat for one hand hitting drills.

 

[mleber]

I've put alot of various training thoughts and philosophy into our practices. ( I carried alot of my soccer training over to softball) We stress basics over and over again. We start small and build up. We stress multiple repitition.
You dont get that putting players in the field and hitting them ground balls. They get a handfull of reps only that way. We set up the drill have full buckets of balls and various empty buckets. It's constant movement with lots of repitition.

You dont get that having one player bat and everyone in the field. We set up multiple T's and soft toss. 1 to 2 mintues at each station and switch. It takes a bunch of T's, assistant coaches and parents. I am fortunate to have plenty of all.

Planning all this out takes a significant amount of time.

I am a gear nut but believe in the basics. Lots of balls, empty 5 gallon buckets, lots of T's, and LOTS of help. Especially at the younger age.

I also throw in several fun drills that are only loosely related to softball.

If they walk off the field having learned something and are laughing and having fun you did your job.
A lot of times they are having fun and dont realize they are actually learning at the same time.

I believe I have a system that I am looking to put to market. It is aimed at that multiple repitition, fast moving practice that takes all the work out of the planning and aids the assistants if they arent as softball savy as the coach.

Thus my number 3 question in what would something like this be worth if anything to the market place?

 

[YOCOACH]

I've put alot of various training thoughts and philosophy into our practices. ( I carried alot of my soccer training over to softball) We stress basics over and over again. We start small and build up. We stress multiple repitition.
You dont get that putting players in the field and hitting them ground balls. They get a handfull of reps only that way. We set up the drill have full buckets of balls and various empty buckets. It's constant movement with lots of repitition.

You dont get that having one player bat and everyone in the field. We set up multiple T's and soft toss. 1 to 2 mintues at each station and switch. It takes a bunch of T's, assistant coaches and parents. I am fortunate to have plenty of all.

Planning all this out takes a significant amount of time.

I am a gear nut but believe in the basics. Lots of balls, empty 5 gallon buckets, lots of T's, and LOTS of help. Especially at the younger age.

I also throw in several fun drills that are only loosely related to softball.

If they walk off the field having learned something and are laughing and having fun you did your job.
A lot of times they are having fun and dont realize they are actually learning at the same time.

I believe I have a system that I am looking to put to market. It is aimed at that multiple repitition, fast moving practice that takes all the work out of the planning and aids the assistants if they arent as softball savy as the coach.

Thus my number 3 question in what would something like this be worth if anything to the market place?

You would be competing against several other people that are already doing this. I have seen practice programs ranging from $29.95 on up to $149.95 depending upon how much access the coach would like to their supposed "experts." I'm not saying it isn't worth a shot, just that it's been done already. Most of them that I've seen break the team up into groups of 3-4 and 7-10 minute segments. Both Defense and Offense are worked on in their planned hour and a half practice which can be cut down to an hour or extended to two hours.

Edit to add: Even Amazon has one that you can purchase for use with their Kindle or the Kindle App itself on your tablet or smartphone for $4.99. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/Girls-Softball-Practice-Plans-Ages-ebook/dp/B0071PO4YK

 

[coach james]

Surround your self with people who know more than you regarding this game. NEVER stop being a student. Always look for additional points of view. Set high yet realistic goals for your dd and or team. Practice hard and often with a purpose, paying attention to the smallest details. Understand that practice makes permanent, not perfect. If its perfection you want, then be prepared to practice perfectly.
My favorite tools...
Softball power drive (and their website videos)
Batting cage
Pitching machine
Pro hammer bat
TCB balls

Favorite DVDs and online videos...
Rick Pauleys DVDs (pauleygirlfastpitch.com)
Bill Hillhouse DVDs
Boardmembers threads/stickys within this site
NECC DVDs
Got Bustos DVDs
Howard Kobatas DVDs
Tim Walton all access practice DVDs

 

[FP26]

I believe I have a system that I am looking to put to market. It is aimed at that multiple repitition, fast moving practice that takes all the work out of the planning and aids the assistants if they arent as softball savy as the coach.

Thus my number 3 question in what would something like this be worth if anything to the market place?

I think this is a very interesting idea! I have met two different kinds of coaches throughout my career. At the rec level, there were many that became coaches simply because no one else would do it. Many of them did not want to spend much time on the process and conduct very boring practices, IMO. Some of them, like myself, feel a certain level of responsibility to provide the players with an enjoyable learning experience. For me, spending the time designing practices is fun. I really don't mind doing it. In fact, we incorporate virtually everything you mention, from the Candrea-ish fielding drills to the multiple hitting stations. All good stuff, IMO. This leads to a difficult market place for your product. The first group of coaches I mentioned are not going to want to pay for anything. The group, such as myself, enjoys the process and doesn't mind spending the time doing it. Therefore I would like to suggest you market your idea towards "rec leagues". While the individual coaches may not be willing to pay for such a system, the rec league itself may be willing to utilize this tool as training for their coaches. Good luck with it! Like I said, I think it is a great idea!