Question about a coaching style

[pappy1271]

Good evening,

It has been quite a few years since I played any type of organized ball so I wanted to ask some coaches to see if they agree or disagree with a coaching practice I have witnessed recently. My daughter plays for a middle school softball team of which there is a new assistant coach this year. This coach, besides yelling at the girls constantly, has the girls run every time they make a bad throw. From my years of playing and when I did coach, I found that positive reinforcement worked better than being negative. If you go to make a throw and you are thinking "don't make a bad throw" is just like when you go to hit and are thinking "don't strike out", of course that is what's going to happen. Please give input whether you agree or disagree and advice on how I should approach this situation is greatly appreciated.

 

[nanotech14]

Be careful, because your dd will pay for it. Do I agree with the coaches methods? No, I don't! Now if it was because girls are messing around and not listening, then maybe a punishment is in order. If they are having problems with throws, then maybe the coach needs to take a step back and work on it. The girls running is not going to help their throwing.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I agree with Nanotech.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I'm not condoning anything, but are these poor mechanical throws or bad throws ( rushed, in the dirt, throwing the ball away, etc )?

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

IMO, as long as the kids aren't being injured physically or mentally there isn't a lot you can do if you aren't a coach or the AD at the school.

I agree with nano that if you approach the coach, your DD will pay for it.

Your DD will go through some good coaching and bad coaching and they will all teach her SOMETHING, even if it's how to deal with a fool.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Your DD will go through some good coaching and bad coaching and they will all teach her SOMETHING, even if it's how to deal with a fool.

Well put.

 

[PA SB Dad]

I will on occasion make a player go chase the balls they throw over the head of their partner in a catch, if only to make the point that it is a team sport and their partner should not be the one suffering if they are not concentrating on making good, mechanically sound throws. But running every time a mistake is made is counter-productive.

 

[David Carter]

It depends are they throwing to the wrong base, you then correct them 3 or 4 times then they throw to the wrong base again, during All Stars we practiced in a smaller field and we would just yell out 180 which meant they had to run to the 180 sign and back to their position.

If they are throwing to the right spot I don't usually say much; are you really upset because the throw was to the wrong side of the bag or had a little extra air under it...I guess it might depend on age group but anything short of 16U I am happy with a solid throw to the correct base.

 

[smddad]

There are two things I make them run sprints for. The first is for not using two hands when catching the ball. The second of for not hustling. And I have the whole team run when on of those items happens. After the first couple of practice, this essentially becomes a non-issue.

 

[chinamigarden]

You have them run for not using 2 hands to catch the ball? What about when using 1 hand is the proper way? I like to see 2 hands but who gets to decide when 1 is correct?