What makes a great coach?

[Huskerdu]

I have been thinking about this for the past few days. Not that it matters, but for context, I have an MBA in Strategic Management, I am an executive director in real life with close to 60 employees, 90% of which are women, nurses and such. I was a college baseball player, and have been coaching, umpiring, refereeing, baseball and softball for the past 15 years. I took a bunch of rec girls and turned them into the best 12u team in our org last year.

So now managing a team of 11-14Us would seem to be relatively easy right? I have a pit in my gut right now because I was able to combine the two of the best 12u teams in our organization and I thought I was going to have an elite team and it hasn't materialized. I am now questioning what makes a great coach and I am concerned now how many of these kids are going to want to return next year.

I have put my heart and soul and pocketbook, and even in some cases my dignity (fundraising) into these kids...

As you know success breeds content and losing/disappointing Sundays breeds contempt.

So, even though I have read several articles and videos and sessions on the mechanics of coaching I ask, what makes a great softball coach in your grassroots opinion?

Thanks,
Coach

 

[JJsqueeze]

Caring about the girls coupled with hard work, constant learning, fairness, the ability to communicate in 13 very specific ways and an even keel.

 

[sluggers]

First, I want to say it takes an adult to ask for help...and I certainly want to give you credit. Most people don't have the guts to ask for it.

Second, I'm going to answer your actual question: "Why did I fail?"

1) High level TB is about talent, not coaching. Sure, coaching is important, but no where near as important as the talent. The truth (which parents wish to avoid at all costs) is that truly talented athletes are created by God. Coaches and parents hone already existing raw talent.

2) The talent, however, is not enough. High level TB talented players need a tremendous amount of work. What am I talking about? My DD#1 was a high level TB player. She and I worked together 2 hours a day, 40 weeks out of the year, for 10 years. Every parent on this board who has a high level TB player works that much or more with his/her child. If your parents weren't willing to put that much time in with their kids, you were never going to have a high level TB team.

3) Baseball is not softball. They look a like, and for rec ball, the differences aren't noticeable. With high level TB, the differences are significant. The 60 feet distance from base to base changes everything. You cannot coach defense in softball like you do defense in softball. You play a high level TB team using baseball defensive tactics and you'll be run off the field. (E.g., "double pumps". Double pumps in baseball are not fatal...you usually get the runner 9 out of 10 times. Not so in softball...)

4) You picked, without a doubt, absolutely, the *worst* age to start coaching TB. A huge number of kids quit playing softball at 13YOA. Read articles about "psychological development of adolescents". At 13YOA, they start developing a sense of self. They start developing lots of other interests...band, boys (of course), drama, art, reading, etc. So, a great number of them lose interest and quit softball. It is not your fault.

 

[slaphappy]

the ability to communicate in 13 very specific ways and an even keel.

I think this is one of the most important traits a coach can have, especially at the younger ages. Kids/people learn in many different ways so you need to be able to adapt to each kids learning style. You cannot get mad at a girl if you have told her over and over how to do something but have never showed her how to do it.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

A good TB Head Coach may or may not know a lot about the actual minute fundamentals of hitting, pitching, and defense. They should have or do the following:

Outstanding leadership qualities;
Hold players accountable;
Be an excellent game manager.

They should also surround themselves with assistant coaches that are experts in hitting, fielding and pitching. They should also listen to those assistants when required.

 

[RetiredCoach]

I like what sluggers said. This is probably not on you! Those girls that you are coaching are at the age where it is on them. They have to bring their spirit, put in the work, and play hard. Provided you are not interfering with that, this isn't your fault.

 

[Cowdogz]

You're not over-coaching. are you? I AC for a guy who chirps at his hitters between every pitch ("You're late, you're early, stay back, two strikes you gotta protect, etc, etc."). It drives me nuts. For three years I've been trying to get him to stop, but he won't. Last year I even told his own daughter to ignore him and just hit the softball. I AC'd a few years ago for a guy who nagged his defense between every pitch, adjusting, re-adjusting, trying to make corrections on the field, instead of waiting until he could get an individual kid off to the side for some 1-1 between innings. IME, kids rarely respond well to this stuff, no matter how knowledgeable you are. Half of them will wind up tuning you out, and the other half will wind up paralyzed, afraid to make a mistake and making more mistakes as a result. Let them make mistakes. Don't tell them what they did wrong, ask them. Most of the time they will be able to tell you. As a HC, my job is to know my players' strengths and limitations, put them in the best position to succeed, and just let them play.

 

[chrispots]

What makes a great coach?

I am not a great coach...so while some of this may sound omnipotent, it is not meant in that manner at all...these are some of the things I do\try to do based on what I've seen\learned\experienced in the 20 years I've been coaching baseball, softball, basketball and golf. As a reference, and similar to the OP, my master's is in organizational leadership.

For starters...

Have a Plan and run your team like you're the CEO of an organization...

Some things to consider when making this plan...

How big? What's your vision of this team in 2-3 years?
Are you looking to build a team that is competitive in...your county? Region? State? Nationally?

Everyone I ask this question to seems to gravitate to either the high end (nationally) or the low end (county).

In any case, IMO a great coach will ask him\herself "what's my plan" to these questions:

What are you going to do to get your team into the upper echelon of the competition you are playing against?
How are you going to develop hitters\pitchers\fielders? Are you going to "outsource" some\all of this or are you going to give it a go on your own?
What is your plan to implement a physical fitness program?
What are you doing for assistant coaches? Parents? Former players?
What are you doing for facilities? Especially in the fall\winter if that's applicable to you?
What are the goals for your team? This week? Month? Year?
Set individual goals for the girls...what are specific points of improvement?
Give homework...parents need to be involved!

Those are just the tip of the iceberg, but I think you get my point...

Onward...

Your plan above should be dynamic and evolving. However, too much change too soon can wreak havoc. Plant the seed, cultivate the seed and see what fruit it bears before you start making more changes. Putting a stake in the ground to help support a struggling "plant" is OK....just don't strangle it and give it enough room to either succeed or fail.

You should be always looking 3 or 4 moves ahead like a good chess player or billiards player. This is not only applicable to how you run your team but also how you manage the game.

A great coach is selfless and humble. A great coach never looks for accolades regardless of how much success the team has.
A great coach also is strong enough to absorb the team's lack of success and handle the criticisms.

A great coach realizes they can feel a tremendous amount of isolation and are strong enough mentally to not let it bother them.

A great coach plays to win instead of playing not to lose.

A great coach listens to parents and players concerns. That doesn't mean they have to act on those concerns but they need to have an open door to hear these concerns.

A great coach realizes not all of his\her players are going to like their coaching style and don't take it personally if they quit altogether or leaver to go to another TB organization.

A great coach realizes the team comes first - over their own DD and even over the best player on the team who is arrogant and\or has PITA parents. A "team first" mentality will build chemistry, synergy and success over time.

A great coach recruits the right kind of player(s) that will fit into the team's chemistry.

A great coach will never stop learning and developing him\herself to the betterment of themselves and the players. To me, one of the great litmus tests of a coach is their level of commitment to their players.

A great coach never loses sight of the horizon and it's ever changing landscape...

A great coach has tremendous patience and understanding and develops a rapport with the players

Lastly, a great coach develops and nurtures leadership from within the team...

Again, these are some of the things I have tried to do with my team since my daughter was 8...she's now 10 as a point of reference...CP