coaching

[ILcoach]

My oldest DD is 18 and will be done with travel softball in about a month which means my 10 year coaching stretch will also end. I was recently asked to share some of my original ideas (though I'm sure others have used them) with a group of coaches.

1. When girls are about 12, take your outfielders to a high school baseball field and hit them balls so that they have to play defense in a huge OF. It will make them better OFs and they learn to cover a smaller softball OF better.

2. When the girls are about 14 (and every year going forward), make them go back and watch 10U girls play a game. I found that it is a great break from practice in the middle of the summer. It helps the older girls remember why they love the game & re-energizes them. Plus the 10U girls love to have the older girls watch them.

 

[Ksphenom]

Good job Coach!

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[ANNASDAD]

2. When the girls are about 14 (and every year going forward), make them go back and watch 10U girls play a game. I found that it is a great break from practice in the middle of the summer. It helps the older girls remember why they love the game & re-energizes them. Plus the 10U girls love to have the older girls watch them.

I really like this!!

 

[SiB57]

I really like this!!

I like this too. As a 10U coach I ended a few practices early and took my team to watch older teams in our organization finish a game or two so they could experience a higher level of play. I never thought about them going the other way, but I know as a coach that would be a huge boost to the concentration of our kids if they knew the older girls were watching

 

[canyonjoe]

We are lucky as there is a Triple crown even here every year. I always took DD to watch a couple of games. You could learn a lot about how the top teams handled themselves. It was also nice to watch the bronze games to show that not all teams were Firecracker-Rico caliber.

 

[yougonnaeatthat]

I got lucky and had another DD when the first was done, so I am sorry for your loss. I love that your older girls watched the younger ones, as I have a 3rd DD who loves when her older sister comes to see her play. The rest of the girls on her squad wait on her every word. Makes me think maybe some of the older ones should come to the younger practices, or maybe even help. The interest and enthusiasm from the younger girls is amazing when the older ones are cheering.

 

[NJgators14uSPARK]

I have a 14u team and we run clinics for local rec or travel programs at the 10u level. I create the schedule and my athletes run the stations/clinic. It is a win-win for everyone. It helps our athletes tremendously with being able to teach it to others. If they can teach it they have a great understanding of it. It is great for the youger girls, because they are getting taught good lessons in a very stress free way. Additionally, there is never any cost to any of the players or organizations. We talk to our athletes about giving back to the game.