Coach Tony
Member
1. We play WAY too many games and practice FAR too little - I read this somewhere: if your ratio of games played to team practices is more than 1.5 to 1 you may be playing too many games OR practicing as a team too little. In college, there are about 1 game for every 3 practices (ratio is probably a lot higher)...I could write a 50,000 word post on why team practices are good and why it is a problem that we practice so little, but I will spare you the diatribe
2. As coaches we over practice ground ball double plays and under practice other types of double plays - Almost all of us have probably incorporated "turn two" into our infield practice routine. We hit grounders for 6-4-3, 4-6-3, and 5-4-3 double plays. We probably far less frequently practice unassisted double plays, line drive outs into doubling off a runner who didn't tag, or making back door throws on other runners after an initial force out of a batter runner. Considering ground ball double plays make up a minute number of your team's outs in a given season, maybe we practice them all together too much?
3. Unless you are a pitcher and catcher, more than 90% of your time in a game is spent WITHOUT the ball - Try this: From the start of game to the last out, take a stop watch and time every time your daughter (if she is not pitcher or catcher) 1) directly fields a ball hit to her and throws it to another player 2) receives a throw 3) grabs a ball from the ground and holds or throws it... essentially, any time your daughter is directly involved in fielding/handling/throwing the ball in the field. Also track the time during your daughter's at bats where the pitcher has begun her wind up until just after your daughter strikes the ball or it is caught by the catcher. Add all of that time up and then compare that to the total time of the game. You will be amazed how little time is spent "with the ball". What is she doing to help her team in that time frame? - things to improve on backing up bases, covering bases, base running, spending time in the dugout, being "in the hole," being "on deck," communicating, etc.
4. Many softball players have atrocious leads as baserunners - in my spare time, I am a fledgling umpire and I am perplexed by the number of players who get late jumps on their leadoffs from first and second base. In some tournaments I have been at, the ball is being caught by the catcher before the baserunner has left the bag.
5. There are not enough female coaches in travel softball - We need female coaches. This is not a knock on male coaches. There are many great travel coaches who are dads, non-parent male coaches, etc. But if your daughter has plans to play in college, she almost assuredly will play for one or more female coaches. Your daughters should see females in coaching roles and positions of sports leadersip from an early age. We need to reach out to former collegiate players and travel "alumni" to be head coaches and/or assistant coaches. Consider paying these women to help out or run your team...
Feedback or any discussion on these could be more fun and useful than some of the more recent drama threads...
2. As coaches we over practice ground ball double plays and under practice other types of double plays - Almost all of us have probably incorporated "turn two" into our infield practice routine. We hit grounders for 6-4-3, 4-6-3, and 5-4-3 double plays. We probably far less frequently practice unassisted double plays, line drive outs into doubling off a runner who didn't tag, or making back door throws on other runners after an initial force out of a batter runner. Considering ground ball double plays make up a minute number of your team's outs in a given season, maybe we practice them all together too much?
3. Unless you are a pitcher and catcher, more than 90% of your time in a game is spent WITHOUT the ball - Try this: From the start of game to the last out, take a stop watch and time every time your daughter (if she is not pitcher or catcher) 1) directly fields a ball hit to her and throws it to another player 2) receives a throw 3) grabs a ball from the ground and holds or throws it... essentially, any time your daughter is directly involved in fielding/handling/throwing the ball in the field. Also track the time during your daughter's at bats where the pitcher has begun her wind up until just after your daughter strikes the ball or it is caught by the catcher. Add all of that time up and then compare that to the total time of the game. You will be amazed how little time is spent "with the ball". What is she doing to help her team in that time frame? - things to improve on backing up bases, covering bases, base running, spending time in the dugout, being "in the hole," being "on deck," communicating, etc.
4. Many softball players have atrocious leads as baserunners - in my spare time, I am a fledgling umpire and I am perplexed by the number of players who get late jumps on their leadoffs from first and second base. In some tournaments I have been at, the ball is being caught by the catcher before the baserunner has left the bag.
5. There are not enough female coaches in travel softball - We need female coaches. This is not a knock on male coaches. There are many great travel coaches who are dads, non-parent male coaches, etc. But if your daughter has plans to play in college, she almost assuredly will play for one or more female coaches. Your daughters should see females in coaching roles and positions of sports leadersip from an early age. We need to reach out to former collegiate players and travel "alumni" to be head coaches and/or assistant coaches. Consider paying these women to help out or run your team...
Feedback or any discussion on these could be more fun and useful than some of the more recent drama threads...
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