Needing Advice

[Mike]

A couple more things,

It doesnt matter how good your defense is if you cant hit, so spend a bunch of time in the hitting area on this site.

Some others have given some good advice but they also seem to think there is plethera of teams and players right up the street, and some demographics dont support that. Sometimes you have to make do with what you got.

 

[2x softball dad]

Nothing wrong there, pitching machines have a purpose, but limited IMO. What are the other 10 or 11 girls doing while he is pitching to only 1 kid?

They are standing on the field in their positions waiting on a ball to come to them...........yeah........I know......

Our 14u kids dont spend that much time standing around, I plan out practices my the minute and for the most part stick to it. Limit kids standing around to not more than say 30 seconds when doing stations, once they throw have something for them to do, lines need to move quick, During the first hour of practice I dont spend more than 7 or 8 minutes on a specific skill or station.

IMO there must be absolutes; example, every practice we cover calling the ball, the actual drill might vary so as not to get stagnent but we only spend 5 minutes a practice on it, then we move quickly to run down drills and spend 5 minutes on that, etc... Once we see a definciancy we slow down and back up a bit. Basically break the game down and then build practices based on what you think is important. Make practicing fun and fast paced. But HAVE A PLAN.

The last 20 or 30 minutes slows down a bit to work on more situational stuff that you cant really hurry through, but even then find ways to engage them all; example, practicing cut offs, Ofers are reading, reacting, getting to and throwing the ball, middle infielders are lining up for cuts, catchers are lining up middle infielders and giving commands, pitchers backing up, baserunners are reading hit balls, practicing taking leads, tagging up or going half way depending on the hit, every so often hit a line drive to the 2nd baseman and double up a runner to keep them on their toes. Thats alot going on but its pretty easy to manage with a little help. Thats just one example of many, be creative.

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[2x softball dad]

A couple more things,

It doesnt matter how good you defense is if you cant hit, so spend a bunch of time in the hitting area.

Some others have given some good advice but they also seem to think there is plethera of teams and players right up the street, and some demographics dont support that. Sometimes you have to make do with what you got.

Exactly! That's why I can't just pull her from the team and go elsewhere or start my own team and the other parents feel the same. No one wants to break up this group of girls because we know what we have. Sure, we know that we're not going to go and win every tournament. We don't have the capability to hold tryouts and pick from the best players like some areas, that's just not going to happen around here.....it's been tried by others and there wasn't enough interest. I would love to just start fresh and have my pick of the litter when making a team, but that's not going to happen. I have no doubt that when it comes to the talent of 10U girls who play softball in our area, we already have the cream of the crop. The few girls on the team that played Little League last year were by far the best players in their age group.

 

[InTheCrowd]

Heres my 2 cents....

First, the coach has to keep it fun for kids. That's the only way to keep them focused.

Next, at that age, I would try to win but I wouldn't over emphasize it. Teaching them is more important. Even in a losing season, there can be many successful moments.

The first year my daughter had her catching coach, it was her first year of 14u. She had a coach, very nice guy, respected the girls, kept it fun and we maybe won a third of our games if that. But for my DD, it was an awesome season because the coach let work on everything the catching coach was teaching her. She really blossomed as a catcher.

Focus on developing skills, not wins and loses.

 

[quincy]

First question I would ask myself is: what is best for my daughter? Am I the best option to be her new coach?

Personally I think this is the question that needs to be answered. Lot of thought needs to go into this answer. I might be better then the current Manager hopefully is not an anwser.

 

[sluggers]

Agree with KevinC and quincy...but, it seems 2x softball is determined to do it. Of course, there is a possibility that the team will be a great success and you'll qualify for the 10U ASA Nationals. However, on the off chance that this doesn't happen, perhaps you better at least think about a "Plan B". So, how long are you going to coach? What circumstances would cause you to consider when it might be best for your DD that you stop coaching? What is your criteria for success?

If you don't have any objective criteria, then what you have done is made the game about you rather than your DDs.

 

[2x softball dad]

Heres my 2 cents....

First, the coach has to keep it fun for kids. That's the only way to keep them focused.

Next, at that age, I would try to win but I wouldn't over emphasize it. Teaching them is more important. Even in a losing season, there can be many successful moments.

The first year my daughter had her catching coach, it was her first year of 14u. She had a coach, very nice guy, respected the girls, kept it fun and we maybe won a third of our games if that. But for my DD, it was an awesome season because the coach let work on everything the catching coach was teaching her. She really blossomed as a catcher.

Focus on developing skills, not wins and loses.

I agree completely.

 

[2x softball dad]

Personally I think this is the question that needs to be answered. Lot of thought needs to go into this answer. I might be better then the current Manager hopefully is not an anwser.

I understand what you're saying and that's not necessarily the answer that I would give, but that question is why we, the parents, have decided to get together and discuss what we want to do going forward. No one wants to hurt anyone's feelings, make anyone mad, etc, but we all agree that whatever we do, we need to have the girls best interest in mind in any decision that we make.

Based on what I have experienced with this coach, it's not going to take much to be better. IMO, continuing with this coach is not what is best for my daughter, or the team as a whole for that matter. Actually I know that it's not because if he continues, half of the team will quit and the team will end up disbanding because there's not enough interest in this area to replace half the team. Under the circumstances that we find ourselves in, me or one of the other dads who have coaching experience are the best option for the team. We don't live in an area where we can advertise for and get a world class softball coach, or anything even close so it seems to me that the best thing to do is go with a parent who has coaching experience and had some success with it vs. staying with a guy who has good intentions, but has failed miserably as a girls softball coach.

 

[2x softball dad]

Agree with KevinC and quincy...but, it seems 2x softball is determined to do it.

I'm determined to do whatever it takes for the team to be somewhat successful, whether that includes my taking over as the HC or not. If he is willing to change his coaching philosophy and tactics and make it fun for the girls again, then I'm all for it, but I don't see that happening.

Of course, there is a possibility that the team will be a great success and you'll qualify for the 10U ASA Nationals. However, on the off chance that this doesn't happen, perhaps you better at least think about a "Plan B". So, how long are you going to coach? What circumstances would cause you to consider when it might be best for your DD that you stop coaching? What is your criteria for success?

If the girls are having fun, then that would be a success. I think that if they're having fun, they will play better (like I know that they can), when they're having fun, the wins will come. They are a very talented team but when they are scared to death of making a mistake because they know the coach will be mad when they do, then they can't relax, have fun and play their game. As far as making any kind of nationals.....that's not going to happen. Being from a small town, with very limited facilities, especially during the winter months, there's no way that we can compete with teams from larger populated areas who can pick the cream of the crop as far as players and coaches are concerned, or have indoor facilities to where they can practice year around. That's just not going to happen, and that's not a goal of our because we know that it's not a realistic goal. Our goal is for the girls to learn the game of softball, have fun playing and have some success.

As far as how long will I coach? Who knows? Maybe until I die but as long as the girls are having fun and us, as parents, are satisfied, then I will be there for them. When I fail at that criteria, then I will gladly step aside.

If you don't have any objective criteria, then what you have done is made the game about you rather than your DDs.

Nothing could be further from the truth; like I've said, my goal is to make the game fun again for the girls, help them to redevelop a love for the game, and hopefully win some on the way. This has never been about me.

 

[Coach JV]

I haven't read all replies so forgive me if I become redundant.
Yelling at little girls-UNACCEPTABLE
what skills improved at the numerous 3 hour practices?
Where is the pitching coach? 27-0 score?
What kind of bush league manager lays a 27-0 beating on anyone?
Lopsided scores, especially at the 10U age do not benefit either dugout.

Take the team over if you desire, DEVELOP SOME PITCHERS, or find
a good fit elsewhere for your DD. At the end of the day, she is #1 for you.
Don't coach just to coach, eliminate the problems and move forward.