- Jul 3, 2021
- 33
- 8
I enrolled my daughter in as 12U fastpitch rec league for the fall. It's a draw team, so all the players that didn't register as part of a formal team. Nobody volunteered to coach and the league was on the verge of refunding everybody and dropping the draw team. I didn't want to let that happen to my daughter or the 14 other girls that signed up and just wanted to have fun and play softball. So, I stepped up to the plate and offered to coach. Everybody is excited that the girls get to play. Life is good.
It's at this point that it hit me: I don't know how to coach softball. I haven't played baseball in (*checks calendar*), 16 years. It also doesn't look like I'll have a lot of assistant coach help from the other parents. Most of the girls just finished their first season in a 10U program, some of which could still stay in 10U but we don't have enough softball interest nearby to field a 10U fall rec league. Practices likely need to start in 2-3 weeks. I'm desperate to find a way to make it a good experience for these girls because they deserve it and because rec league youth softball is struggling for participation in our area.
In addition to fun, my coaching strategy is going to have to be heavily focused on fundamentals, but I want to make sure that I'm teaching them the right way. Some google searching and YouTube viewing has yielded largely conflicting information, but plenty of comments about how "practice makes permanent." Obviously I don't want to spend the next couple months teaching them bad habits they'll just have to unlearn in the Spring.
Given the lack of an unlimited budget, what's the best bang for my buck to help put together practice plans and help me learn (quickly) how to teach the fundamental mechanics the right way? I know there's only so much I can do and I'm not expecting miracles, but I want the best for the kids. That's what it's all about.
TL/DR: Volunteered for something I haven't done before. My #1 priority is the experience for these girls and that I set them up for success so they continue to come back to the game. I don't want to leave them with bad habits that they have to struggle through in the Spring. Any helpful resources that I can drown myself in over the next few weeks would be greatly appreciated!
It's at this point that it hit me: I don't know how to coach softball. I haven't played baseball in (*checks calendar*), 16 years. It also doesn't look like I'll have a lot of assistant coach help from the other parents. Most of the girls just finished their first season in a 10U program, some of which could still stay in 10U but we don't have enough softball interest nearby to field a 10U fall rec league. Practices likely need to start in 2-3 weeks. I'm desperate to find a way to make it a good experience for these girls because they deserve it and because rec league youth softball is struggling for participation in our area.
In addition to fun, my coaching strategy is going to have to be heavily focused on fundamentals, but I want to make sure that I'm teaching them the right way. Some google searching and YouTube viewing has yielded largely conflicting information, but plenty of comments about how "practice makes permanent." Obviously I don't want to spend the next couple months teaching them bad habits they'll just have to unlearn in the Spring.
Given the lack of an unlimited budget, what's the best bang for my buck to help put together practice plans and help me learn (quickly) how to teach the fundamental mechanics the right way? I know there's only so much I can do and I'm not expecting miracles, but I want the best for the kids. That's what it's all about.
TL/DR: Volunteered for something I haven't done before. My #1 priority is the experience for these girls and that I set them up for success so they continue to come back to the game. I don't want to leave them with bad habits that they have to struggle through in the Spring. Any helpful resources that I can drown myself in over the next few weeks would be greatly appreciated!