Getting to be aggressive

[tammynchris2011]

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Aggressive
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tammynchris2011
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What are some ways to get all your girls to play aggressively. Reason for asking: We are new a new team, its our first time coaching a14U team but have been involved with t-ball, 6u baseball, and coached 8u for 4 season as our now granddaughter age 13yrs now has played since 2016. And she's played travel ball now for 4 seasons now. She is a pitcher and utility player very aggressive, fast moving on her feet, and her first real travel ball team was 16u and she was 11 then striking out high schoolers ( she was also asked to guest play on her weekends off by other 14u and 16u teams) but we felt she needed to grow with a team her age after that team broke up. So she started just guest playing with a very aggressive, fast paced 12u team, and exceled even more, But we we're ask if we wanted to start a 14U team so we said yes because she's moving up next yr. But we recruited some girls we knew from playing there teams in rec ball, but we can't seem to get that rec ball syndrome out of them. They are some what aggressive at practice fielding and hitting BUT as soon as they get on that field I don't know what happens to them I feel my granddaughter is slowing down because of it. Help please

 

[Stedman00]

part of the issue was whom your recruited. You recruited rec ball players and are trying to convert them to higher level travel players. Won't always work.

 

[Go Blue]

Sounds like if she was striking out high schoolers as an 11 year old she should just move on to a high level 16 or 18U west coast travel team like the Firecrackers or So Cal Athletics.

 

[yocoach]

Many players coming from a rec ball background will not be aggressive for a myriad of reasons. Some may be intimidated by the level of play. Some may be afraid to make mental or physical errors. Others may be afraid of letting their teammates down. As the coach, it's up to you to find out the true reason behind each player's fear and help assuage them.

 

[tammynchris2011]

Many players coming from a rec ball background will not be aggressive for a myriad of reasons. Some may be intimidated by the level of play. Some may be afraid to make mental or physical errors. Others may be afraid of letting their teammates down. As the coach, it's up to you to find out the true reason behind each player's fear and help assuage them.

Thank you

 

[daboss]

Many players coming from a rec ball background will not be aggressive for a myriad of reasons. Some may be intimidated by the level of play. Some may be afraid to make mental or physical errors. Others may be afraid of letting their teammates down. As the coach, it's up to you to find out the true reason behind each player's fear and help assuage them.

yocoach seems to always mirror my mindset on topics so for me there's no real way to improve on his assessment. Thank you.

I will say this much, people are animals. Animals learn from each other. Exposing the girls to higher level of play and pointing out that the stellar, other team players, refuse to make their bed same as you do. This means you can do this too. lol.

I try to point things out by association and let them know that what we are working on is to teach them how they can play like this too. I find film a better way to show technique because you can slow motion and back it up to point out key elements, then video their own techniques so they can formulate comparisons. In pitching I use a large mirror a lot. It's like instant replay. I have it on a stand with rollers and have some homemade balls made from old wool socks they can actually throw into the mirror and watch themselves. You can review a lot in a hurry and girls are very receptive to adjust and change once they see it and understand it. This same concept can be used to teach other facets of the game.

Bottom line; you need to convince your team that the other girls once played just like you do now. They grew to learn, to appreciate, to have the confidence to step out of their comfort zone and risk being better.

Animals learn to hunt and play from other animals. Girls have a respect and appreciation for being shown how by other girls------not parents. Get a few skilled young ladies, preferably same age or older, to come help teach some fundamental skills while you assist in the teaching process. stay in your lane and let the pack learn from themselves.

Watch the pack. Identify the "Alpha" leaders and work with them to advance their own skills and help lead the others to that level. If they are reluctant, the pack will be reluctant. Be sure they understand the grass roots of "Why" they need to do things a certain way. Girls need to know "Why". If it makes sense, they will accept it and execute. Girls are very prolific if they understand "Why".

One of my favorite comparisons to explain the difference in coaching girls from the way you coach boys; Girls need to know "Why". Boys will do it because I told you so. Take a group of teenage boys and point one out saying "Hey you, go run head-on into that tree". He'll do it-----even if it's simply to show off for his buddies. If he questions the command, simply tell him because I said so. Girls standing in a group and point one out "Hey you, go run head-on into that tree". The first thing she's going to do is put a hand on her hip, look at you like your crazy, and ask "Why". Now if you explain to her the "How's" and "Why's" and it makes sense to her, she'll say okay and run into that tree. She's not going to do it until she knows "Why".

That's the difference in coaching boys and girls.

You want girls to take their game to a more-aggressive and higher level, they first need to know "Why" and then you can show them "How".