Another coach who doesn't know how to coach...

[sluggers]

So, I'm out at the ball park and a team is practicing.

It is the traditional dumb coach practice: He stands at home plate. The girls are arranged in their positions, and he hits balls to them, one at a time. After about 15 minutes, the assistant coach, who has the traditional "beer-and-dogs softball daddy from Joliet" look, wanders into the infield and *he* takes a few ground balls. He then tells 1B to rest a while, and he starts fielding that position.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Sluggers, is this what I have to look forward to when DD goes off to college? First youre watching kids play kickball, and now youre watching some idiots coaching and fielding player positions?

You better ask for some grandkids before you go nuts!!

 

[cshilt]

I hope they were working on plays and situations. Nothing worse than having an entire team essentially standing around while one kid gets a ground ball. It's even worse when they're swapping kids in and out. Even worse than that is having coaches standing around doing nothing. Worst of all, the coach standing around doing nothing gets bored and takes reps away from a fielder.

 

[rowdy]

That would be a productive practice for our HS coach. At least she and her assistants would not be sitting on buckets.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

So, I'm out at the ball park and a team is practicing.

It is the traditional dumb coach practice: He stands at home plate. The girls are arranged in their positions, and he hits balls to them, one at a time. After about 15 minutes, the assistant coach, who has the traditional "beer-and-dogs softball daddy from Joliet" look, wanders into the infield and *he* takes a few ground balls. He then tells 1B to rest a while, and he starts fielding that position.

This is EXACTLY why I will be volunteering as a Little League Softball coach in my community once DD goes off to college. I want to share the knowledge that I have gained through the years.

I think it's a little bit unfair to say "Dumb Coach", most likely it is "No Knowledge Coach". As you well know, at low level softball it is almost always a daddy coaching the team. More often than not "daddy" has only high school baseball experience 20 years ago. Thank God he is there so these kids at least HAVE a coach.

 

[marriard]

This is EXACTLY why I will be volunteering as a Little League Softball coach in my community once DD goes off to college. I want to share the knowledge that I have gained through the years.

I think it's a little bit unfair to say "Dumb Coach", most likely it is "No Knowledge Coach". As you well know, at low level softball it is almost always a daddy coaching the team. More often than not "daddy" has only high school baseball experience 20 years ago. Thank God he is there so these kids at least HAVE a coach.

I also put some of this on the league/organization.

When you have someone who is willing to volunteer you can't just hand them a bucket of balls and say "Go for it". If you want the playrs to develop and the league to stay strong you have to provide the resources to help them succeed.

As a league, we have a full coaches clinic before the season which includes going through how to organize a practice, how we would like the girls to learn various skills and then we go through some drills to help teach the skills. We also have three sets of generic practice plans that we provide which is enough for about 20 practices. We also require our coaches to watch the skills clinic run by our local HS coach which has 14 stations (his entire Varsity and JV squad help run each station). We are also lucky to have a group of experienced coaches who are willing to come out and help the new coaches if they ask for help.

 

[softballphreak]

I also put some of this on the league/organization.

When you have someone who is willing to volunteer you can't just hand them a bucket of balls and say "Go for it". If you want the playrs to develop and the league to stay strong you have to provide the resources to help them succeed.

As a league, we have a full coaches clinic before the season which includes going through how to organize a practice, how we would like the girls to learn various skills and then we go through some drills to help teach the skills. We also have three sets of generic practice plans that we provide which is enough for about 20 practices. We also require our coaches to watch the skills clinic run by our local HS coach which has 14 stations (his entire Varsity and JV squad help run each station). We are also lucky to have a group of experienced coaches who are willing to come out and help the new coaches if they ask for help.

That's how it should be done! Your kids are very fortunate!

 

[Momo'sDad]

After last night's game, please add me to the list.

 

[NorthMS]

This is EXACTLY why I will be volunteering as a Little League Softball coach in my community once DD goes off to college. I want to share the knowledge that I have gained through the years.

I think it's a little bit unfair to say "Dumb Coach", most likely it is "No Knowledge Coach". As you well know, at low level softball it is almost always a daddy coaching the team. More often than not "daddy" has only high school baseball experience 20 years ago. Thank God he is there so these kids at least HAVE a coach.

Correct.

For years in our local rec league, it's been slim pickings for coaches. If they will A) treat the kids right. B) teach them something. and C) be there, we are ahead of the curve. I'm not going to knock a man or woman that meets the ,above mentioned and willing to spend their time. Maybe give him/her some pointers.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

The coaches should go on line if no other training is provided. I think it is lazy not to look up stuff before you coach. You don't get a pass to be a bad coach because you volunteered. I hate that attitude.

We ALL hate that attitude. It doesn't change the fact that it not only exists, it is prevalent. It is never going to change. The only thing that we can do is to help change it in OUR communities.