IMPACT MOMENTS - TRAINING GOALS

[radness]

CONTROL THE BALL TO CONTROL THE GAME.

This is my coaching phylosophy.
Both offense & defense!

While coaches work with their teams on defensive skills and hitting. Pitchers work on pitching.
What is the goal being communicated?

Lets chat about the philosophy of what this training is for?!

Defensive skills are working to get the ball in our hand to get an out. Hitting skills are meant to train us to hit different type of pitches, in different pitches locations, crush the ball, Bunt or slap and put the ball in play. Pitchers are working to avoid being hit. Perhaps create miss hits. Get strikes by location or create missed swings.
All controlling whats happening with the ball.

*Catchers are also a defensive player behind the plate and can utilize our glove to field and recover dirt pitches!
Dirt pitch recovery!
*To throw Runners out.
( not blocking- meaning getting hit by the ball which creates a loose ball situation)
Catcher should also be training pass ball/wild pitch recovery.
Attacking bunts/pop-ups with range on the infield.
*AND receiving throws to the plate with a tag. Which can/does include fielding shorts hops

While this post is a discussion about coaches phylosophy of goal in training,...
It is as well a message to remind coaches and everyone....
*Catchers are a defensive player.
Train like one!!!
Using our glove is a skill set all other defensive players work on. Fielding grounders and short hop throws is a standard expectation on the field!
Catchers fielding dirt pitches
Will and does put the ball in our hand quicker!
This controls the ball and can control runners efficiently with zero downtime!

Want to encourage everyone to develop and utilize all of our skills sets!
Think about the reason and purpose we are developing to achieve our goal!

 

[radness]

Here is an example to put the ball in play
Certainly ya'all coaches have stories and phylosophies to share on all topics as well !

While instructing at catchers clinics. As I teach catchers to 'field and recover dirt pitches'
to transition directly into our throws. While instructing on these mechanics. Coaches have approached during the break in a clinic and after clinics to express these comments.
They recognized...
1. They were telling their catchers to block every pitch in the dirt. And worked with them on that. Which they can see the loose ball.
2. They were telling their runners when you see a dirt pitch, and catcher drop down to block. Take advantage to steal the next base.
3. Coaches recognized they were coaching a defensive strategy another team would take advantage of!

*What a wonderful and Powerful moment for a coach/person to step forward and recognize their own learning experience!

Some coaches were delighted to see what they were already emphasizing and coaching on,
field the ball/ pick with glove
being re-enforced at the clinics.

I encourage using the glove behind the plate...because
due to spin and softball pitch trajectory being released at the knee, majority of dirt pitches stay low. On erratic high bounce can utilize chest protector.

Simply posted this discussion as I encourage people to think and share opinions feedback and philosophies in softball.

ENJOY

 

[radness]

Here is another conversation brought up this weekend by a 1st year 14u travel coach.
( this coach coached 12u rec 1 year. & 1 year 12u travel. Just started 14u)

Coach said
"I cant seem to get my relay throw from the outfield to the base in time to stop runners advancing. Never there close to getting an out either."
I asked
"you mean?.... Keeping the hit to a single?"
Coach Replied,
"Yes, or a runner from 1st reaching 3rd "

so we discussed what was happening on the field.

Coach said
" I always have the outfield throw to the relay/cutoff .
it's the relays job to then get the ball to the base."

I replied.
" Actually the outfielders should be able to throw the ball directly to the base.
Consider how fast the ball would reach the base without the delay of a cut-off!!
When the ball is hit to the outfield where they stand,
in front of or able to cut off...they should throw directly to the base.
When competitive enough or older levels outfield can throw the ball from the fence all the way to the base.
There are times to use a
cut-off but not when the outfield should be getting outs at the bases/home plate.
Or controling the runners.
By throwing to a cut-off all the time you are telling the other team,
keep running!"

* should not always have the outfield throw to a relay cut off.
* outfield is also responsible to
THROW RUNNERS OUT!

_________________

Sharing these stories as everybody, at some point, has a learning curve in the many developmental and competitive levels in softball.

In the spirit of growing softball...
Please share your stories
to grow softball!

ENJOY

 

[radness]

A simple conversation can accomplish a lot!

Last saturday was a guest at a 12u practice.
Coach was working on catchers throws to bases.
He told me
"At practice the infield responds quickly to get to the base on throw downs.
In games it looks like we never work on this. Base is not getting covered"

Proceeded to watch simple
practice with catcher and infield throw downs.
Pitch to catcher
( no batter)
Defense sprint to base
Catcher throw. Ball made it to defense glove and imaginary tag.
Coach said
"See they can do it!"

Said to coach
"Add a batter, do game situation."
Runner selected when to run.
*Not on every pitch.
Sure enough reaction time fell short.

I called the team into a chat huddle and asked.
"What do you think is going on in games when not covering the bases or not in time?"

Simple response from team
" We dont know if the catcher is going to throw or not."
" Practicing throws we know catcher is throwing everytime"

My response
"In a game defense doesnt know when or if the runner is going to run. Its our job if the batter doesnt hit or bunt...
To react to cover the base and the catcher to react to throw runner out. We have to be there just in case.
'Already Be Ready'
No time to waste waiting to see.
Sometimes catcher will also throw at the base the runner is at, and not trying to steal."
( explained back picks)

Shortstop asked
"Every pitch?"

Response
"Every pitch on defense is an
opportunity to get an out!"

Apparantly at sundays friendlies
coach told me
"Defense was like a swarm of bee's.
Moving on every pitch with runners on."

Simple conversation can accomplish a lot!

What have you shared with your dd or team that helped impact GROWING SOFTBALL ?!!

Please share Impact moments in your softball adventure!
All the parents of sb athletes?
All you coaches on dfp?

 

[SonicMojo]

I wish there was a way to translate all this to English!

 

[CrazyNani]

I wish there was a way to translate all this to English!

Would have been nice although, I think I got the gist of it.

 

[radness]

From the questions coaches & people ask thru pm's.
It became clear perhaps
sharing on these topics may be useful.


The little details that can make a big difference!
Please add yours!


ENJOY YOUR SOFTBALL ADVENTURE

 

[sluggers]

RAD, great posts. I'm with you on cutoffs.

a) If the OF decides not to make a play on the runner, the OF should simply run the ball into the IF and then hand the ball to the pitcher. It is not like it takes 20 minutes to run from RF to circle.

b) People do all this work on cutoffs and spend *ZERO* time on backups. Learning how to properly backup throws is priceless...it encourages fielders to throw the ball and try to get the out.

 

[CrazyNani]

I'm not a coach, just someone that has been an avid fan for many years. I coached several years of Little/Junior/Senior league when my son was growing up and now, I don't miss any of my granddaughter's rec and travel games.
One thing I have often wondered is, why the throw goes to either the 2B from the right fielder or to the SS from left when the ball can definitely be thrown and reach the 2nd base bag? And, if you are going to throw to those other locations, why are they not lined up with the 2 bag in case the ball gets by them? I don't understand this. Is there something I don't know?

 

[Strike2]

I'm not a coach, just someone that has been an avid fan for many years. I coached several years of Little/Junior/Senior league when my son was growing up and now, I don't miss any of my granddaughter's rec and travel games.
One thing I have often wondered is, why the throw goes to either the 2B from the right fielder or to the SS from left when the ball can definitely be thrown and reach the 2nd base bag? And, if you are going to throw to those other locations, why are they not lined up with the 2 bag in case the ball gets by them? I don't understand this. Is there something I don't know?

Whenever possible, the throw SHOULD go directly to the appropriate bag. Not doing that invites the other team to take extra bases. At younger ages with less experience, 2B and SS often go out to get the ball regardless of how close the OF is to the play. However, with age and experience, 2B and SS should be taking a throw from the deep OF only as a relay to the play at 3B or Home. For the throw home, an infield cut-off near the circle (either P or 1B) looks to nail a trailing runner if there's no chance at the plate.