How does a coach go from successfully coaching boys in baseball for 10 years to coaching girls fastpitch for the first time? How does the mental game change with girls? What motivates them? How do I reach 12 year old girls? Are they serious? One minute I'm talking to level headed young ladies....the next minute they are playing Little Sally Walker.
Coaching Girls vs Coaching Boys
- Thread starter tward1993
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I have no idea who Little Sally Walker is, but if you think that the girls can't be serious or play as hard as the boys, they won't. You need to be prepared in practice and keep the girls motivated. They will spot an impostor from 60 feet.
Maybe you could work as an assistant coach in softball, before moving to head coach. If not, there are a lot of books out by college coaches. I really like to read them.
I think I should write one on how to move from baseball to softball. I still teach quite a few boy's pitching lessons.
Maybe you could work as an assistant coach in softball, before moving to head coach. If not, there are a lot of books out by college coaches. I really like to read them.
I think I should write one on how to move from baseball to softball. I still teach quite a few boy's pitching lessons.
- Jul 28, 2008
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You can't yell at the girls like you can with boys to motivate them. It does not work. I was at a clinic once where they mentioned that you need to sandwich the criticism with positive remarks. Example: "Sally, nice movement to the ball. Get down lower for those grounders by bending your knees. Keep up the good hustle!"
Use a lot of positive reinforcement. Another item that has worked for me is showing them examples what I'm looking for. The visual helps out tremendously. I also bought one of those mini Kodak movie cameras recommended by Ken. Showing them what they're doing and letting them know what they need to be doing is a big help.
Good luck and have fun!
Use a lot of positive reinforcement. Another item that has worked for me is showing them examples what I'm looking for. The visual helps out tremendously. I also bought one of those mini Kodak movie cameras recommended by Ken. Showing them what they're doing and letting them know what they need to be doing is a big help.
Good luck and have fun!
- Jul 26, 2010
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You have to be able to "show" what works. If you, as the coach, can't do the skills yourself, make sure you have older girls/coaches that can. Because you cannot touch the girls at all, you can't correct them the same way you would a boy. You can't move their elbow or foot to correct their stance, for instance, they have to move it themselves.
As for the mental game, one thing you need to learn quickly is to never single a girl out, not even for a positive reason. If they do something really well, don't bring it up in a group setting, as you'll find this stresses them out and makes them feel ostracized more then it picks them up and makes them feel good. Boys are the opposite. Either let them know privately, or let their teammates call them out on doing a good thing. You can be generic, like "we had a great catch in center field", but don't say "Sally made a great play in center field".
Good luck.
-W
As for the mental game, one thing you need to learn quickly is to never single a girl out, not even for a positive reason. If they do something really well, don't bring it up in a group setting, as you'll find this stresses them out and makes them feel ostracized more then it picks them up and makes them feel good. Boys are the opposite. Either let them know privately, or let their teammates call them out on doing a good thing. You can be generic, like "we had a great catch in center field", but don't say "Sally made a great play in center field".
Good luck.
-W
Back to your original question about coaching boys and girls:
You have to stop the formation of cliques. They are deadly, and, being a guy, you won't even know what is going on until it is too late. A clique is anytime there are 3 or more girls sitting talking and excluding the rest of the team from the conversation. The next thing you know, you've got 2 or 3 girls alienated from the rest of the team, and then you have a team that will make everyone unhappy, including you..
A rule that helps is simply, "Once the practice starts, everyone does everything together." That includes going to the bathroom or getting a drink.
They are more emotionally mature than boys. Saying they aren't as "serious" as boys is not accurate. They see the game for what it is--a game. If you are expecting the girls to go jump off a cliff because they lost a game or struck out, forget it.
Playing time...playing time...playing time. This is the maturity thing again. They know that the only thing that really matters is whether they are playing. So, you have to reward the conduct and performance that you want with more playing time.
If you try to do anything else--make them run, yell at them, praise, whatever--it isn't going to work. And that goes for your best player as well as the worst player. If you let your best player get by with something, then the whole team will do it.
The very best thing to do is at the first game, make an example of the best player. She does something wrong, like running threw a stop sign or failing to get down a bunt, bench her. The whole team will get the message.
They are more emotionally mature than boys. Saying they aren't as "serious" as boys is not accurate. They see the game for what it is--a game. If you are expecting the girls to go jump off a cliff because they lost a game, forget it.
"Crying" is an emotional outlet. It is no different than a boy going into a dugout and throwing something for striking out. It is two sides of the same coin.
Finally, boys learn by watching. It almost doesn't matter what you say to a boy. For example, a boy will watch Josh Hamilton, and try to copy his swing. Girls, on the other hand, will do exactly what you tell them to do--even thought that is not exactly what you meant by it.
You have to stop the formation of cliques. They are deadly, and, being a guy, you won't even know what is going on until it is too late. A clique is anytime there are 3 or more girls sitting talking and excluding the rest of the team from the conversation. The next thing you know, you've got 2 or 3 girls alienated from the rest of the team, and then you have a team that will make everyone unhappy, including you..
A rule that helps is simply, "Once the practice starts, everyone does everything together." That includes going to the bathroom or getting a drink.
They are more emotionally mature than boys. Saying they aren't as "serious" as boys is not accurate. They see the game for what it is--a game. If you are expecting the girls to go jump off a cliff because they lost a game or struck out, forget it.
Playing time...playing time...playing time. This is the maturity thing again. They know that the only thing that really matters is whether they are playing. So, you have to reward the conduct and performance that you want with more playing time.
If you try to do anything else--make them run, yell at them, praise, whatever--it isn't going to work. And that goes for your best player as well as the worst player. If you let your best player get by with something, then the whole team will do it.
The very best thing to do is at the first game, make an example of the best player. She does something wrong, like running threw a stop sign or failing to get down a bunt, bench her. The whole team will get the message.
They are more emotionally mature than boys. Saying they aren't as "serious" as boys is not accurate. They see the game for what it is--a game. If you are expecting the girls to go jump off a cliff because they lost a game, forget it.
"Crying" is an emotional outlet. It is no different than a boy going into a dugout and throwing something for striking out. It is two sides of the same coin.
Finally, boys learn by watching. It almost doesn't matter what you say to a boy. For example, a boy will watch Josh Hamilton, and try to copy his swing. Girls, on the other hand, will do exactly what you tell them to do--even thought that is not exactly what you meant by it.
Thank you for your input. I posted the question from the perspective of a coach, because that is the information I was looking for. My DD actually plays for this coach (though he would never ask for input). He stated that he didn't understand why the fastpitch team wasn't "coming together". I have casually suggested he tweek his style for the girls. My 12YO DD even had a one on one with him. She told him how the yelling and constant critisism made her feel. His response was "you are not going to change the way I coach". She feels better for getting it out there.....at least he can't say he didn't know how she felt.
- Oct 25, 2009
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You're right, sluggers.
I remember some years back working with a new 13U rec team. The CF would run towards a fly ball with both arms out like an airplane. I told her to pump her arms as she ran just as if she didn't have a glove on, get under the ball, throw your glove up and catch the ball. On the next hit she ran under the ball and literally threw her glove up at the ball. When I asked her what she was doing she said "what you told me to do." I said "I didn't tell you to throw your ..." I caught myself--that's exactly what I had told her. And she was serious, she wasn't trying to be a smarty.
I remember some years back working with a new 13U rec team. The CF would run towards a fly ball with both arms out like an airplane. I told her to pump her arms as she ran just as if she didn't have a glove on, get under the ball, throw your glove up and catch the ball. On the next hit she ran under the ball and literally threw her glove up at the ball. When I asked her what she was doing she said "what you told me to do." I said "I didn't tell you to throw your ..." I caught myself--that's exactly what I had told her. And she was serious, she wasn't trying to be a smarty.
I wouldn't play for that guy.
- Oct 21, 2009
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I was at a clinic a number of years ago when this topic was discussed. A coach from a division one school said that the best advise he ever received was from his father, who had coached girls fastpitch for many years. When he asked his dad what the secret was his dad said "Just love them". I have found this to be very true. If the ladies know that you really care about "them" as people and that you have "their" best interests mind, they'll run thru a wall for you. You also can't fake it. It has to be from the heart.
