Helmet Stickers

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jan 22, 2009
331
18
South Jersey
I am a coach with a new 8U team. I was looking for some ideas on helmet stickers and more specifically when to give them. I want to reward simple things such as hustle in practice, running out grounders, catching a flyball, hits, etc. I want to make them attainable but still require some effort. Does anyone else use something like this and what do the give the stickers for.

Thanks
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
I use them. Started doing it with my girls when they were 12U. I figured last year when they were 16U they didn't mean much anymore but it was tradition. I was wrong. I actually had a couple of players chastise me for handing them out too easily and thus removing the meaning from them. I stopped doing that pretty quickly.

I have several things I always give them out for: on offense, it's getting a bunt down, fake bunt and slap execution, extra base hit stealing a base (legit steal, not passed ball), maybe a clutch hit. On defense, it's turning a double play, catchers throwing out a runner on a steal (catcher and receiver get one) and maybe one or two others I can't remember now. I also will hand some out at coach's discretion, such as a spectacular catch or a heads-up baserunning play. I have a special pirate sticker I reserve for diving for a ball.

At 8U, catching a fly ball is probably a good one. Bunts, hits to the outfield, catchers blocking a ball in the dirt, a heads-up play, etc. might be good ones. Don't give them for everyday things you expect; give them for accomplishments above and beyond the norm, whatever those happen to be on your team. Or for doing the "dirty jobs" that don't get praised as much.
 
Jan 22, 2009
331
18
South Jersey
Thanks Ken

I think what I will do is create a chart of "sticker worthy" plays and have a mom track them during games. I want to come up with some things that they can do in practice that can earn them as well.
 
Jan 22, 2009
331
18
South Jersey
I am leaning towards keeping the stickers on a large posterboard with the names and goals. Maybe give it to the player with the most at the end of the year. We are worried that the stickers will never come off the helmets after baking in the sun all summer and the helmets will move up to 10U with the girls next year.
 
Apr 21, 2009
2
0
incentives

I coach in 8U girls fastpitch and have decided to use iron on star patches. I use one color for "speedy stars" that pretty much everyone will get each game if they hustle around the bases (no trotting!). I use red for the "red hot bat award" and that is given to the key/best/longest hit of the game. The gold star is the "gold glove award" and that is given to the player that played the best defensive game or made an outstanding catch. The white star is "best attitude/team spirit" and is what is says it is. The girls LOVE the stars! I got mine at Hobby Lobby and they are better quality than the sports incentive iron ons featured online (they don't stay put after washing).
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,474
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top