New Coach Seeking Advice

[gdc03120]

First time poster here but reasonable-time duration reader. I'm seeking some advice for my team for this summer. I'm a first-time coach of a 16U summer ball team (league runs through roughly June/July, with playoffs in early August) and I'm looking for ways to increase my practice productivity. I have a very solid crop of 11 players (lost 4 due to work commitments and general disinterest, which is another story all together, and intense recruitment of other players has produced no interest.)

We've intended on running practices every Wednesday/Sunday since the start of May, but have only had 3 successful, full-squad practices due to weather, holiday weekends, or other multi-player obligations (games, etc.) (no open indoor facilities in the area - school district frowns on outside influences like us.) Our season looks to start by the end of June (around 6/29) or so, and I want to increase my team's productivity level because they tend to get a bit bored easily without that 1-on-1 attention. My format for a 2-hour practice is the following: Pre-practice throwing - Team running (large field lap) - stretching - Infield/Outfield practice (with scenarios), Timed Springs (HP-1B and HP-2B), some form of a defensive drill, then live hitting (off a live pitcher), and cool-down stretching/debrief.

I feel as though I could be doing a lot more, but I'm not entirely sure of what, specifically. This team has a TON of speed, defensively is improving, but could use quite a bit of emphasis on batting. Are there many drills out there where I could split the squad into 2 groups and focus on hitting both for distance as well as for contact?

Thank you for assistance in providing constructive criticism.

 

[Seattlecoach]

A couple things though I'm sure there are more:
-is there any possible way to have access to cages (preferably indoor), if so I'd have 1 of those weekly practices be hitting only
-regardless of if you have cages it'd be good to do a lot of hitting off a tee with some front toss mixed in, hitting off live pitchers has its place but I don't think should be the main source of bp
-do you have an assistant coach or interested parents? Bring them to help run a hitting station to keep the focus. Also you could have hitting groups, or if done in conjunction with team practices half come before defensive practice and half stay after
-timed sprints have their time and place (tryouts) but don't need to be done twice a week. Work on it until your sure they have good rounding going to 2, can slide, run through 1st correct ect. then you can move on to other base running (tagging, stealing, lead offs...)
-I would have the girls run and stretch before throwing so they arent throwing with cold arms
-this is totally a matter of personal preference but I would put the defensive drills first and then do situations after trying to incorporate what you worked on into game like scenarios

It sounds like you don't have a ton of time with the girls so you shouldn't be expecting huge progress but any improvements you can make would be awesome. At this point I wouldn't stress about tons of offensive drills but just give them constructive feedback on their swing and reps to get them consistant.

Good luck with your season!

 

[Katie Bearn]

I am a coach of a U12 sunday select team (thats like in between rec and travel) But we have found that the best thing to do at practice is stations. When we do them, we break them into three groups of four and then run them through three different drills. We usually have them run through those different drills then get a water break and while they are doing that, we set up three more drills and run them through those. It takes us about an hour and a few minutes to get through all six stations, thats about 10 mins at each station.

The other thing that we have found is that you have to come into practice with a game plan and know what you want to practice, no matter how many girls you have. Girls get bored very easily and if you come into practice with a game plan, it cuts down on their boredom.

Best of luck to you and your team!!!!

 

[dgfred]

Sounds like you are doing fine... especially if you have a solid, reliable 11.

 

[PlayPerfect]

If you have assistants...do stations. But make sure your assistants know what they are doing. The weakest assistants should be catching for your pitchers when they warm up, playing first when you need a glove or hitting pop ups to the outfield. You do not want them "teaching" your players.

Make sure the kids stay busy. Smaller groups, more touches. If you coach alone, do lots of situational defensive with you hitting the ball out of the hand. And don't make your kids run laps. It does NOTHING for their softball skills.

 

[gdc03120]

Thank you all for the sage advice. There are one or two things I should clarify that I didn't do before:
- A full lap run is done to start practice as our cardio. TIMED runs are usually done mid-practice here and there because I have a goal for all of my players (some who are bigger girls) to run a HP-1B sprint at 4.0 seconds or less, and HP-2B in less than 7 seconds. My assistants and I use this to discuss proper running format (rounding first, sprinting to and through the base, etc.) I found it actually motivates my girls because (since they're still young), they like to compete against each other. I allow them to re-do their 2 runs ONCE each time we do them. It motivates both themselves personally AND to beat their teammates.

- We have NO indoor access whatsoever (no cages, no nothing). Everything is outdoors with us. We've varied the practice strategies here and there, but sometimes it's hard to keep the girls' focus NOT because they get bored, but more because a couple of the girls on this squad are horrible in groups (mainly their friends - they start gabbing and not listening to me, not hustling when I ask them to. I mean, I'm not asking for marathons, but when we start a drill and ask 2 girls to run over to 1st...I shouldn't get dirty looks and no jogging.)

- I have two assistant coaches. We actually discussed the idea last night after a moderately-successful practice of doing group work - 1 hitting, 1 infield, 1 outfield type of drill each, that way we're covering 3 birds with 1 stone, and we can vary the drills as well. It's just difficult NOT having enough players as extras to help as runners in drills, extra observers, etc.

I think the biggest problem with a few of the girls is attitude. 6 of the 11 girls had me as an umpire in our local little league softball program for many years. Now that they have me as a coach, I don't believe the respect level is there yet, and I'm not sure how to go about gaining it. They are very good athletes, that's nothing I won't deny, but I've told them all that their practice levels and attitudes determine their playing time (and they aren't worried because with 11 girls and 10 spots, they're almost certain a starting spot/batting spot regardless). I'm truly not a fan of running as punishment if they get mouthy or attitudinal, but my assistant coach (a former asst. coach at her HS) said, "We may need to rethink having them drop their gear and run if they get this way - hopefully it'll curb their mouths and these problems." Perhaps as a new coach, I'm "too nice" to punish, but I want to get the message across that I'm done dealing with it and times need to change.

 

[Excel2002]

I think the above post have covered just about everything as far as different skills to do in about every form (1-1, stations, etc). The one thing left out was Game Knowledge. Watching the CWS last night one point was brought up by Curt Schilling. In my own words he said "being the best team or player during the regular season is one thing, but being the best team or player during the play-offs is another". Spend time talking to the team about game situations and pressure you will encounter in "big games". They need to be ok about making a mistake and learning to move on afterwards and not let it snowball into a 10 run inning. Its about playing "Smarter not Harder" Good luck!!

 

[NVfishing]

There's good days and bad days for the players. Sometimes everything goes right and sometimes nothing goes right. If your having issues with a drill that has worked in the past but the girls are having an off day don't keep repeating the same drill trying to get them to get it. Move on and revisit the drill at another time otherwise your wasting your limited time. Not sure if your going to do a lot of player rotation since its older league play. I rotated my girls a lot in league play this year. No real set positions for players until playoffs. I should have informed my players and parents at the beginning of the season that I would put the girls into set positions for playoffs. Some girls and parents were upset that I didn't rotate players in the playoffs. They played where they fit the team the best.

 

[gdc03120]

I have told my girls many times (starting back to tryouts) that my team doesn't need to be the strongest or fastest, but the smartest team - the team with "softball smarts" - those are the teams that win games. They take what they have and they pull the best from it. My coaches and I talked last evening and decided that breaking things up into groups might be the best way to go right after we do our stretching and cardio. THEN we can apply that information/work to infield/outfield practice and see how well they learned.

For hitting, I believe we're going to do hitting off a tee, because a lot of the girls are having trouble making contact through the ball - they swing at whatever's close without regard for where the location is and where it might end up. Many are swinging over the ball and they wonder why it barely makes it to the mound. For infielding, our girls are struggling running through the ball when they're moving toward the ball, so doing some V-drills to force them to move all the way through will hopefully accomplish that. For outfielding, we need work on vocalizing who has the throws, who has the cutoff, and how to handle backing each other up, so I think a drill we did last year that had major success is what we'll go with. We'll take each group (of around 4 each) and go for about 20 minutes at each station before we rotate them. Luckily 3 coaches = 3 groups, so we can also change the groups and the drills as we go.

Regarding their behavior, we decided we're going to talk to them at the start of practice and remind them of the Code of Conduct I made them sign at the start of the season and what is expected of them - This includes, but is not limited to (copied right from the page):

• Maintain a positive attitude toward my teammates, coaches and opponents at all times (includes officials and spectators).
• Give my teammates and coaches total support and encouragement on and off the field.
• Have discipline, focus, and 110% effort toward coaches’ instruction during practice and games. If I am unsure of something, I will ask a coach at an appropriate time.
• Communicate any negative issues with coaches after practice or game. At no time will this be discussed during a game and/or in front of the team.
• Attend ALL scheduled practices. Missing any practice, arriving late, or leaving early will result in less playing time during the following games EXCEPT in the case of school-sponsored games/Sectional playoff games. Repeated offenses will mean continued less play. I will contact the coach if I will be absent or late to a practice with a legitimate excuse. (i.e. family event, illness, religious observance, death in family, etc.)
• Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to practice time and at least 45-60 minutes prior to game time to warm-up and stretch. You should be ready to start jogging and warming up with the team at that time, or you will be considered late. Being late to a scheduled game without substantial prior notice will result in little or no playing time during that game.
• Remain attentive and focused on softball during practices and games while in the dugout or on the field.
• Give positive support to the team. Sulking or pouting in the dugout or on the field will not be tolerated.

I think we might (and I'll discuss this with my asst. tonight) implement a 3-strike rule. Every time I have to speak to a player/stop a player because they're being disruptive, they'll get a strike. 2 strikes in one practice results in dismissal from practice, 3 strikes over the course of practices/games results in a 1-game suspension. These are good girls, but they need to maintain a modicum of respect for those who are giving up work and money for their abilities.

 

[Cowdogz]

I like "Infield Circus." Keeps everybody moving.