Starting over...

After taking last year "off", I missed coaching and decided to go back to coaching this year.
I always thought about taking a team of young players with the focus on player development AND fun. hopefully enabling them to build a solid foundation of skills and a love for the game.

So I'm taking a LL team of U7's with the goal that by the end of the season they will know how to swing a bat, throw and catch correctly, run correctly and have fun playing softball.
Also I hope to teach them ALL how to pitch, so if any want to, they will understand the basic mechanics of throwing underhand (as well as overhand). I was also thinking if teaching them all the basics of catching - at this age both positions can be intimidating to a kid who has never tried or been taught.

So, any suggestions/recommendations for other skills that would be good to learn? I'm thinking maybe sliding and bunting even though they won't really be allowed to do the latter until U12 LL.

I can assure you, there will be no "wrist flicks" but I may try the waterbottle drill.

Very cool! I think you have the bases covered (pun intended). Teaching them how to throw, catch, hit, run, and love the game is a full season!

Andy

Sliding is a big thing to me, at that age they have no fear.

I am not sure if I would get into pitching at this age, they are not going to pitch in games are they?

quincy said:

Sliding is a big thing to me, at that age they have no fear.

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I agree. They're lower to the ground and it doesn't occur to them that it might hurt.

I think that teaching pitching and catching is a great idea. DD's league focuses a lot on pitching, which helps because you always need pitching, but they forget that catching is important, too. There are always a bunch of decent pitchers in 8U but in most years only one halfway decent catcher.

I heard from a couple coaches that they had been getting away from kids pitching at U7 which meant at U 10 no kids arrived knowing how to pitch. Also I remember kids being afraid to catch and I heard that kids were now afraid to pitch too. Holy Crap!
I have learned from DDs PC that there are many simple/easy ways to introduce kids to the windmill motion so it feels more natural and less like a test of athleticism. Also, I have taught several kids how to catch and relax behind the dish, just not this young. I want to remove the whole fear thing so they are not afraid to play and have fun playing.

obbay said:

So I'm taking a LL team of U7's with the goal that by the end of the season they will know how to swing a bat, throw and catch correctly, run correctly and have fun playing softball.
Also I hope to teach them ALL how to pitch, so if any want to, they will understand the basic mechanics of throwing underhand (as well as overhand). I was also thinking if teaching them all the basics of catching - at this age both positions can be intimidating to a kid who has never tried or been taught.

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This is awesome! I agree with everything you have planned, and focusing on FUN is huge at that age. In addition to the goals you have listed, the ultimate goal is that each and every player comes back next year. Build a love of the game. I love the idea of focusing on pitching and catching. Even if they don't actually pitch in the game, getting them introduced to those positions can help them decide if that is something they want to do down the road. Best of luck!!