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How do some teams' coaches address a team that absolutely does not come to the field ready to play. I mean girls not having their head in the game, errors do to not knowing what's going on, goofing off in the dugout after a complete defensive melt down, no hustle...........get the picture?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle the next practice? Don't want to engage in child abuse, but want to get the point across that this type of effort is unacceptable. These are 12 and 13 year old girls who for the most part are a very good solid team.

 

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How about a little more background information?

Were your tryouts competitive; where players didn't know if they would get cut? Or did you basically know who your players were going into the season? My point is that there may be a comfort level there, where no one has to worry about losing their spot on the team or their starting position...

 

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I think it also might need some parents help as well. My dd is usually the 3rd or 4th best hitter on the team, and solid in the field, is well aware of that if she does not hold her own while playing there are 10 other girls that would love to get her playing time. We talk about what she can do to improve all the time.

 

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My experience has been that focus starts from the top down. I have had teams that just showed up ready to play and others that I have had to "get ready" during warm-ups, pregame and a before the game huddle. Obviously the teams that just did it on their own are much easier to coach, but if that is not your group, they need to be challenged before they go on the field. How you challenge them really depends on your team and how well you know them and what makes them tick. I would definitely not wait until the next practice to let them know that their lack of focus is unacceptable. I am not a big rah-rah guy. We don't do alot of between inning huddles so when I bring the group together during the game, they know they are either going to get a butt chewing or I have something important to say that will help them. Once they start to understand the focus and motivation you require, they get it and it starts to become something you need to do less and less.

Also, it needs to be mentioned when it is lacking, but also complimented when it is good. In other words, reinforce the positive while calling out the negative. I feel like I have earned the respect of the players and parents enough that they all understand when I am critical, but appreciate even more when I am complimenting. As a coaching staff, we have the same requirements in practice as we do in games, setting the tone of our expectations so we get in the game from the first pitch and stay in it until the last. If not, they know that they will hear about in short order, but man when they are "in it" I make sure I really reinforce that.

 

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Just to be clear, this is a roster team of nine 12u players and three 14u players, playing in a 14U league in the strongest division. Over the last three weeks we've played four travel teams, one scrimmage that we lost 6-5 in the top of the 5th and didn't get our last bat do to a storm, and three in a tournament where we lost game one 2-0, tied game two 4-4 and won game three 8-4. We ended up the fourth seed and then came out on Sunday and played like I described above and lost 10-2. That team then faced the same travel team we scrimmaged and got blown out 17-2 in the semifinals.

Again last night we lost to a team that got beat 20-1 earlier in the week by a team we beat last week. It seems they either play at a very high level or they become a group of zombies with no clue what they are doing. Very frustrating.

 

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Well it is obvious you are dealing with a 12U. To say this age group can be trying is an understatement to say the least.

My wife was having this issue. So she made practice barbaric. There is almost no talking because the girls are too tired to talk. All mistakes has consequences ALL. This has forced the girls to be focus during the whole practice. Which has in turn greatly increaed there ability to maintain focus during a game. Especially defensive focus. The second practice starts everyting is managed with a stop watch and planned out for every minute. Even second. Water breaks are timed. And if they are late out of breaks they run. They run sprints for errors. They do situps for mental erorors. They do not leave any drill until it is done to almost perfection.

This will require a lot of planning and adjustment from the girls and coaches. BUT once the tempo and expectations are set the team will really start to show massive improvement in the the areas of focus and execution.

All areas are graded out during game:

base running
missed signs
watching 3rd strikes
defense errors (mental and physical)
missed bunts
pitchers hitting spots

While this may seem a bit much the girls start to thrive knowing exctly what is expected. My wife does not ever yell or scream. Or get all mad and say go run. She just looks at them and says " you know what the consequences are of your actions....". And at first she would say " we do not have to do this, if you want to be elite this is what needs to happen....but it is your choice...I have coached all levels and you can decide what you want to be".

She is a jedi master.............LOL

I think a big reason it works so well as she never sets it up as a complete negative. Or that it is her just punishing them. She sets it up in a way that the girls understand that it is part of the process. It is what you do to be the best. You eliminate errors, you focus, and you outwork the other teams......

All the parents sit in the stands and just watch and laugh. They all chuckle on how at 10U coach Reg was the cuddly teddy bear. And now she is the softball drill sargent. 4 have been with her 4 years now. And 2 girls that started with her are on our 10U still......we had a rag tag group in the beginning for sure.

 

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Just to be clear, this is a roster team of nine 12u players and three 14u players, playing in a 14U league in the strongest division. Over the last three weeks we've played four travel teams, one scrimmage that we lost 6-5 in the top of the 5th and didn't get our last bat do to a storm, and three in a tournament where we lost game one 2-0, tied game two 4-4 and won game three 8-4. We ended up the fourth seed and then came out on Sunday and played like I described above and lost 10-2. That team then faced the same travel team we scrimmaged and got blown out 17-2 in the semifinals.

Again last night we lost to a team that got beat 20-1 earlier in the week by a team we beat last week. It seems they either play at a very high level or they become a group of zombies with no clue what they are doing. Very frustrating.

You would benefit greatly from upping your practice tempo and organization. The biggest issue I suspect is the girls ability to maintain focus while playing softball ALL THE TIME. You can work on this but it takes being extremely diligent and organized yourself. I have watched it work over the last few months. What you just described is my wifes 12U team to a tee. Lose 2-1 to a top 5 team....then lose 13-1.....to same team. She has turned the bus around by really increased the attention to detail. The girls now know that once you hit the field you better be focused at all times. Ever second of practice is looked at. It is mentally taxing but the girls are playing at a consistently higher level. Few mental errors.

Note: I think you need to be careful starting this level of intensity too early. It can not be 9 months of this. I think you have to look at peaking the girls. My wife and I came up with this plan after discussing how my sons wrestling coaches get them to peak at the end of the season. Early on practice is very loose with alot of hard work. As the season progresses the drill intensity is increased and more "live wrestling is done". By the end of the season there is ZERO rote drilling. It is all about live wrestling and conditioning.

 

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Run them. After about 20-25 minutes of running, it is amazing how well they pay attention.

 

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Wow.

Pretty harsh. Not so sure I'd want my kid on a team with some of the methods spelled out here. Kinda tends to s-uck the joy outta the game.

I'm sure there have to be ways to encourage heads up play and hustle without resorting to some of these tactics.

To start off, each girl should have assigned duties. I've watched a local, very successful and respected college coach during practices and games and each girl knows what she is responsible for and is expected to do these tasks in an expeditious manner (gathering/organizing equipment, raking the field, picking up the bases, assisting catcher with gear, policing the dugout for trash, etc).

This sense of organization is carried through into play on the field. They are expected to hustle off and on the field, no walking allowed. When not on the field, they are to be watching the game and cheering their teammates, not chatting idly.

I don't think you can make "punishment" sprints or sit-ups a consequence for errors or mistakes... You can't have them afraid to make mistakes because then they will be afraid to really play flat-out (which is what I would want to encourage). You can't play carefully.

If a girl is not performing her tasks, not paying attention, willfully disobeying a directive...then you sit her. This is the worst punishment you can mete out to a real player.

Not much can really be done about a bad inning out on the field. The best you can do is try and stop the hemorrhaging. I can tell you that a chewing out never helps. It might make the coach feel better, but will only further demoralize the girls. Believe me, no wants to get out of the inning more than those girls. What they need is calm support and some reassurance, not a "butt chewing".

Attitude of the coach is paramount. These are 12u girls, and it is their very nature to be distracted/petulant/scatterbrained/willful. It's their job...and they are very good at it. But they're on the team because they want to play and they want to play well. It's up to the coach to try to give them the tools and organization they need to make this happen for them....but it has to be in a way that keeps the game fun and fresh for them, or why even bother?

jmho

 

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Wow.

Pretty harsh. Not so sure I'd want my kid on a team with some of the methods spelled out here. Kinda tends to s-uck the joy outta the game.

I'm sure there have to be ways to encourage heads up play and hustle without resorting to some of these tactics.

To start off, each girl should have assigned duties. I've watched a local, very successful and respected college coach during practices and games and each girl knows what she is responsible for and is expected to do these tasks in an expeditious manner (gathering/organizing equipment, raking the field, picking up the bases, assisting catcher with gear, policing the dugout for trash, etc).

This sense of organization is carried through into play on the field. They are expected to hustle off and on the field, no walking allowed. When not on the field, they are to be watching the game and cheering their teammates, not chatting idly.

I don't think you can make "punishment" sprints or sit-ups a consequence for errors or mistakes... You can't have them afraid to make mistakes because then they will be afraid to really play flat-out (which is what I would want to encourage). You can't play carefully.

If a girl is not performing her tasks, not paying attention, willfully disobeying a directive...then you sit her. This is the worst punishment you can mete out to a real player.

Not much can really be done about a bad inning out on the field. The best you can do is try and stop the hemorrhaging. I can tell you that a chewing out never helps. It might make the coach feel better, but will only further demoralize the girls. Believe me, no wants to get out of the inning more than those girls. What they need is calm support and some reassurance, not a "butt chewing".

Attitude of the coach is paramount. These are 12u girls, and it is their very nature to be distracted/petulant/scatterbrained/willful. It's their job...and they are very good at it. But they're on the team because they want to play and they want to play well. It's up to the coach to try to give them the tools and organization they need to make this happen for them....but it has to be in a way that keeps the game fun and fresh for them, or why even bother?

jmho

Your a wise women..........

 

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Kat to a point I'm going to respectfully disagree. Last fall we struggled as a new 11u squad moving up to 12u and after a particular tournament in which we played as Roto described, our kids did a lot of running at the next practice. That day their bats never came out of their bags. After the running we worked on fielding only. The next tourney we were a totally different team and it was all good. That being said, that was the only practice we ever had like that, so obviously I'm not saying it should be all the time. But it sent a message and the kids got it.

Aside from that, you know if we identify an issue that the kids need to improve and we specifically tell them what we expect in practice and they still don't do it, they drop and give us ten. After doing enough push-ups, they do improve. Not trying to sound all negative because our kids are having a blast. The push ups are part of our culture and odd as it sounds our kids have fun even with that cracking on each other, etc.

This game is about performing under pressure. A coach has to create pressure situations in practice to help prepare the players. Consequences are one way to create that pressure.

 

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You're too soft Kat I'm with Hornet.

 

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It's all good MH and Klump. Nothing wrong with honest difference of opinions.