The Day I Threw My Glove

[RetiredCoach]

Utilize that very positive trait called "patience".

Forget this practice and go into the next one enthusiastically and optimistically. Your personal could be the agent of change.

Everyone has bad days. And with a ton of snow falling, the girls may just not have been able to get their heads around softball.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Many a day I felt like this. Take care of what you need to, in order to move the team forward, even if that means tough love decisions.

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[reagansdaddy]

If a player refuses to participate in drills and deliberately is throwing improperly and ignoring coaching, I'd say it is past time to sit down with her and her parents and explain that being a team member is a honor and not a right and it might be time to move on to another team or activity. Sounds to me like you might have one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch right in front of your eyes.

Beyond that, I'm inclined to agree with the prevailing idea that kids have bad days and sometimes they have them collectively. Move on and always make sure your throwing lane is clear if you have to toss the glove again!

 

[Easton33]

Guess I will represent the other side of this...
Make them stop what they are doing and run them. When you get done let them have a breather and water break, then run them some more. Never let a player have the option of doing something different than the rest of them team, unless medical reasons. All players, girls and boys, get into a funk occasionally. This happened at practice and you or they don't how to get out of it. Work on identifying their mental state and make them work to get out of it. This will happen in tournaments, are you ok with being 4 and done? Don't let this pass because you will deal with again soon. Next time be prepared. TB is voluntary but once you are on the team, drills, exercises, or listening to coach is not optional. If they are not going to take it serious send them down to the butterfly league and call up another player.
Running is underrated. Last practice I asked for help and 3 girls helped me, the rest took a water break sat down and watched us. When we were done, I called all the others to home plate and explained that if they were not gonna help I would just run them instead. So I did. 30 min later needed help with something and every girl got busy immediately. You are teaching your players what is ok. Everyone has off days but they have to learn to be successful on those days and not just shrug it off.

 

[quincy]

That seems a little heavy handded to me and before I get yelled at for both boys and girls.

Not that it will not work but not my style.

 

[Easton33]

That seems a little heavy handded to me and before I get yelled at for both boys and girls.

Not that it will not work but not my style.

Well, it's good to be self aware. Not that I am trying to change your style or anything but maybe you have 1 or 2 players that do not work well with your style. Some kids respond better with a more aggressive coach and others do well with a less aggressive coach. The thing is, you have to have kids the respond well to your way of coaching and the girl that opted out may not be a good fit for you. Just my .02

 

[BobInMadison]

Well, it's good to be self aware. Not that I am trying to change your style or anything but maybe you have 1 or 2 players that do not work well with your style. Some kids respond better with a more aggressive coach and others do well with a less aggressive coach. The thing is, you have to have kids the respond well to your way of coaching and the girl that opted out may not be a good fit for you. Just my .02

I've known of cases where one girl on a team may think a certain coach is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and another girl on the same team can't stand that coach.

Some people have wondered why I haven't had DD #3 try out for a higher level team. One reason is she likes the coaching. DD #1 had DD #3's TB coach in rec ball, and thinks VERY highly of this coach.

 

[canyonjoe]

Maybe I'm not hard enough on the kids, but to me if you line them up and make them run you will teach them a valuable lesson. The next time it snows, rather than get out and shovel, clear the car off and drive on snowy streets, just stay home.

As far as the one kid that doesn't want to do it, just sit her the first game or 2 in the next tournament.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

Guess I will represent the other side of this...
Make them stop what they are doing and run them. When you get done let them have a breather and water break, then run them some more.

John Wooden would be disappointed.

Practice should be a desirable activity, and a simple correction from you should be enough. When it isn't, a more serious one on one is called for. No need for physical punishment.

 

[Easton33]

John Wooden would be disappointed.

Practice should be a desirable activity, and a simple correction from you should be enough. When it isn't, a more serious one on one is called for. No need for physical punishment.

Good because I am not looking for approval from a coach that was known to heckle the other team's players. Since yo brought it up though Wooden was dealing with college level athletes they had the desire and the drive to make it that far. The girl that opts out of exercises is not the type of kids he had. Again, he had kids that were worked best with his coaching style. I am sure throughout the years he had kids he couldn't reach and those stories you will never hear about. College level is different and I doubt you find many good college coaches that have to use running as a form to realign the mental focus, attitude, or effort of their kids. They are college athletes and so the problems are somewhat different. Would a college player opt out of doing drills? Would a college player put her head through her legs and watch the ball roll off? You are not comparing apples to apples here.