I'm HC on a 14U all star team and as a whole the girls I have are great kids. I've coached most of them for years and have good personal relationships with most of them.
The problem I'm running into right now is that just about everyone (but a couple kids in particular) give up on a play the second they make a mistake. We'll do situation drills (runner on first; runner on second; whatever) and the ball will be hit. If they field it cleanly, they generally make the right play. But if they make the TINIEST mistake, they give up on it, roll their eyes, slump slowly after the ball, etc. etc.
We had a talk last night after practice about not giving up on plays and that if we practice lazy, then we'll play lazy in a game. I told them that I honestly don't know how to teach motivation. Told them that if they want, I can be the "jerk" coach who makes them run every time they give up on a play or don't cover their base if the situation calls for it or any other type of mistake. I don't WANT to be THAT coach, but I really can't think of a way to teach motivation other than through punishment if the screw up.
Any other ideas out there?
The problem I'm running into right now is that just about everyone (but a couple kids in particular) give up on a play the second they make a mistake. We'll do situation drills (runner on first; runner on second; whatever) and the ball will be hit. If they field it cleanly, they generally make the right play. But if they make the TINIEST mistake, they give up on it, roll their eyes, slump slowly after the ball, etc. etc.
We had a talk last night after practice about not giving up on plays and that if we practice lazy, then we'll play lazy in a game. I told them that I honestly don't know how to teach motivation. Told them that if they want, I can be the "jerk" coach who makes them run every time they give up on a play or don't cover their base if the situation calls for it or any other type of mistake. I don't WANT to be THAT coach, but I really can't think of a way to teach motivation other than through punishment if the screw up.
Any other ideas out there?