CoachTEA
Active Member
I am not the "ultimate authority" on fastpitch but I have 15+ years of coaching experience and have founded 2 organizations. Like many others I have made numerous mistakes along the way and hopefully I have learned something from those mistakes. Here is what I have to offer:
Understand your own motivations: Why are you doing this? Is it just for your daughter or yourself or is it for the "love of the game"? Or are you simply filling a void in your community? What type of team are you looking to have? Some folks want more of "friends and family" type of team (and that is fine); others want to pursue the "next level" like I did. Know yourself and why you are taking on this endeavor.
Clearly set the expectations from start and live up to them. When I transitioned from playing Rec A to Select, I made the emotional mistake of offering all of my Rec A players on a very successful team, a roster spot on my fledging select team and we were not as competitive that first season and worse we were misaligned in our expectations. After that first select season, I had to make some difficult decisions like not inviting players back that had been with me since tee ball. Some of those not invited back were very talented, but I didn't want to deal with their families. Some of the players were not willing to make the appropriate sacrifices or put in the work that I deemed to be necessary to grow and succeed. As difficult as those conversations were at the time, I recognized our priorities and goals were misaligned and I knew I was not the right coach for every player/family. There are many players and families that I like on a personal level that are not a fit for me or my team. Is your team "performance based" or more of an equal playing time and development type of team.
Be very careful who you decide to throw in with. Whether you are starting your own team or joining a more established organization, listen to your gut, listen to your spouse, solicit feedback, do your own research/background checks, etc. and really get to know who you are throwing in with. Do they share your values and mission? Do you trust them with your kids? The first organization that I co-founded with another individual I ignored my instincts/misgivings that I had about the other person's character and I regret it to this day.
Decide what role the parents will play on your team. I do not entertain conversations with my parents around positions and playing time. We strictly enforce the "24 hour rule" around any conversations. Likewise I clearly tell the parents what my plans are and I do not solicit input on tournament schedules, camps, or training.
Be a student of the game. I coach fast pitch because I love the kids and the game, but even with all of my experience I do not claim to know everything. I rely on special instructors and trainers, I learn from peers and college coaches, I watch You Tube videos and other training material, etc. Avoid anyone who claims to "know it all".
Establish a Code of Conduct and stick to it. I tell my coaches, players, and parents to never embarrass the team/organization. I have learned the hard way, no player (regardless of her talents and skills) is worth putting up if she and/or her parents are PITAs ("Pain in the A$$"). If it is your goal to get your players into college ball establish guidelines for conduct off the field including social media. College coaches follow players post on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and they will drop a kid who may embarrass their team/school. I do not tolerate drama or dishonesty from the parents or players and I have cut players for lying to me.
Be careful about making promises. When I am recruiting/evaluating talent, I try to be careful about what I say to players and parents because often times they only hear what they want to hear. I have encountered parents who want phone calls and conversations (or even written evaluations) after tryouts. It should be this simple; "If I am interested in your daughter, I will contact you. If not, then I won't". Some people want guaranteed positions or playing time; I can speculate where a player fits, but I run a "performance based" team. If little Susie isn't getting it done, I will insert someone else.
I would love to see the thoughts and inputs from this community from all levels (new to experienced).
Understand your own motivations: Why are you doing this? Is it just for your daughter or yourself or is it for the "love of the game"? Or are you simply filling a void in your community? What type of team are you looking to have? Some folks want more of "friends and family" type of team (and that is fine); others want to pursue the "next level" like I did. Know yourself and why you are taking on this endeavor.
Clearly set the expectations from start and live up to them. When I transitioned from playing Rec A to Select, I made the emotional mistake of offering all of my Rec A players on a very successful team, a roster spot on my fledging select team and we were not as competitive that first season and worse we were misaligned in our expectations. After that first select season, I had to make some difficult decisions like not inviting players back that had been with me since tee ball. Some of those not invited back were very talented, but I didn't want to deal with their families. Some of the players were not willing to make the appropriate sacrifices or put in the work that I deemed to be necessary to grow and succeed. As difficult as those conversations were at the time, I recognized our priorities and goals were misaligned and I knew I was not the right coach for every player/family. There are many players and families that I like on a personal level that are not a fit for me or my team. Is your team "performance based" or more of an equal playing time and development type of team.
Be very careful who you decide to throw in with. Whether you are starting your own team or joining a more established organization, listen to your gut, listen to your spouse, solicit feedback, do your own research/background checks, etc. and really get to know who you are throwing in with. Do they share your values and mission? Do you trust them with your kids? The first organization that I co-founded with another individual I ignored my instincts/misgivings that I had about the other person's character and I regret it to this day.
Decide what role the parents will play on your team. I do not entertain conversations with my parents around positions and playing time. We strictly enforce the "24 hour rule" around any conversations. Likewise I clearly tell the parents what my plans are and I do not solicit input on tournament schedules, camps, or training.
Be a student of the game. I coach fast pitch because I love the kids and the game, but even with all of my experience I do not claim to know everything. I rely on special instructors and trainers, I learn from peers and college coaches, I watch You Tube videos and other training material, etc. Avoid anyone who claims to "know it all".
Establish a Code of Conduct and stick to it. I tell my coaches, players, and parents to never embarrass the team/organization. I have learned the hard way, no player (regardless of her talents and skills) is worth putting up if she and/or her parents are PITAs ("Pain in the A$$"). If it is your goal to get your players into college ball establish guidelines for conduct off the field including social media. College coaches follow players post on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and they will drop a kid who may embarrass their team/school. I do not tolerate drama or dishonesty from the parents or players and I have cut players for lying to me.
Be careful about making promises. When I am recruiting/evaluating talent, I try to be careful about what I say to players and parents because often times they only hear what they want to hear. I have encountered parents who want phone calls and conversations (or even written evaluations) after tryouts. It should be this simple; "If I am interested in your daughter, I will contact you. If not, then I won't". Some people want guaranteed positions or playing time; I can speculate where a player fits, but I run a "performance based" team. If little Susie isn't getting it done, I will insert someone else.
I would love to see the thoughts and inputs from this community from all levels (new to experienced).
