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Some high school coaches feel that they need to mold a player and try to change how they throw, hit, ect. Any suggestions on how to explain to them not to try and do that with a travel player?
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Tell them not to mess with the girl. I tell coaches that my daughter has a pitching coach, who is responsible for her development as a pitcher. She also has a hitting coach, who is responsible for the development of her swing.
If the coach is "looking" for DD to do something, I am happy to pass the message on to one of her coaches. Better yet, I encourage the high school coach to call one of the skill coaches and communicate their wishes.
If the coach is "looking" for DD to do something, I am happy to pass the message on to one of her coaches. Better yet, I encourage the high school coach to call one of the skill coaches and communicate their wishes.
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I think sideliner has the idea with having the coach contact the hitting or pitching coach. ?That way they can work together and not agaisnt each other. ? 
?This is what our HS coach does with my DD.
?This is what our HS coach does with my DD.
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we have done the same with our dd's coach. she has been receptive to our comments and our conversations have been good. COMMUNICATION is the key and it goes both ways. it only helps to get along with the coach and what they are trying to do.
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High school coaches are not completely helpless!!!!!!!!!! If a player is not getting it done I am going to change it. If she refuses then someone who is getting it done will play. Believe it or not we actually encourage players to play in the summer!!!!!!!!! I coach a 16u team with all of my players for 10 days. Some of us have coached for 20 or more years winning ASA state titles when it was the only game in town. Going to Nationals when there were only 64 teams in it not 640. Please quit treating us like Gomer Pyle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Any coach worth their salt, whether high school or travel, goes by the theory "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". However, if a kid "isn't getting it done" (batting in the .100s, numerous errors, era around 3.0), then for the sake of the team, a coach has every right to expect the kid to either fix it, or try suggested methods. In the case of a private instructor, for the sake of the kid's sanity, both the coach and instructor must be teaching the same fundamentals.
On the other hand, if the kid IS performing well, but the coach just wants to be a control freak, that's easy. Don't fight a losing battle. Just have your DD nod in acceptance of the coaches instruction at practice, and go through the motions. Then do what she knows works for her in games. As short as the high school season is, it's not going to mess up her mechanics. If it does, those mechanics weren't very ingrained in the first place.
Regardless, it's always smart to pay attention to any instruction - if only to compare and contrast. Who knows? You may pick up a little tid-bit of information that makes something work!
On the other hand, if the kid IS performing well, but the coach just wants to be a control freak, that's easy. Don't fight a losing battle. Just have your DD nod in acceptance of the coaches instruction at practice, and go through the motions. Then do what she knows works for her in games. As short as the high school season is, it's not going to mess up her mechanics. If it does, those mechanics weren't very ingrained in the first place.
Regardless, it's always smart to pay attention to any instruction - if only to compare and contrast. Who knows? You may pick up a little tid-bit of information that makes something work!
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You guys are fortunate. Our H.S. coach believes in his way or the highway. Its tough, My DD trying to make a difference its coming little at a time. When ever she's approached buy him she beats him to the punch on how and why shes doing this that way and he shakes his head and nodds; every once in while a good job is thrown her way. IT's a shame the coach is learning from a sophmore. We might have him interested into starting a winter team in the future, wish us luck we'll need it.
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I think what a high school coach needs is to be able to see it from a parent's perspective. We put a LOT of time and money in getting our DD's to the best clinics and camps we can to get them consistant with the current techniques and on top of their game so they can have the chance at that college shot. This is our investment in our DD's future so trying to change what is working fine can really upset the apple cart.
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I think the parent needs to look at it from the coach's perspective. Just because someone charges a fee for hitting or pitching lessons doesn't make them more knowledgable than the HS coach or travel coach. HS and travel coaches are there to coach and that what they should be doing. There are people out there charging money for lessons and teaching the wrong things, in every part of the state.
Players that play for different coaches will generally pick up positive things from each coach and incorporate them into their game. I think it's good for the ladies to play for different coaches to get different perpectives. No one coach has all the correct answers and methods.
Players that play for different coaches will generally pick up positive things from each coach and incorporate them into their game. I think it's good for the ladies to play for different coaches to get different perpectives. No one coach has all the correct answers and methods.
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Years ago we had many qualified coaches in both the high school and summer programs. I still believe this exists. Working together will get better results than running opposites.
This would be a great opportunity to unite the high school coaches with the travel organizations. Sharing skills and talents thru clinics will benefit all, especially the players. Maybe even regulate certification programs thru each respective softball organization in conjunction with Ohio High School Coaches Association. In order to coach ASA, NSA, USSSA, etc., a coach must be required to be certified on a level based with age and competition. The same for high school, and make certification similar.
Requirements will cover all from basic fundamentals to rules and interpretations, conditioning and sports medicine basics. The same people who are ?expert? private instructors or trainers can be invited to run specific areas of certification, along with college coaches and respected high school and travel coaches.
The big ?snafu? would be working in unison or symbiosis between travel organizations and high schools. I believe it is already being done in the more successful high school and select programs, and it does happen in other sports (football, wrestling). The result could be more knowledge and better instructing of the game.
This would be a great opportunity to unite the high school coaches with the travel organizations. Sharing skills and talents thru clinics will benefit all, especially the players. Maybe even regulate certification programs thru each respective softball organization in conjunction with Ohio High School Coaches Association. In order to coach ASA, NSA, USSSA, etc., a coach must be required to be certified on a level based with age and competition. The same for high school, and make certification similar.
Requirements will cover all from basic fundamentals to rules and interpretations, conditioning and sports medicine basics. The same people who are ?expert? private instructors or trainers can be invited to run specific areas of certification, along with college coaches and respected high school and travel coaches.
The big ?snafu? would be working in unison or symbiosis between travel organizations and high schools. I believe it is already being done in the more successful high school and select programs, and it does happen in other sports (football, wrestling). The result could be more knowledge and better instructing of the game.
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I agree 100% with do54 Nobody has all the answers. I also agree that it is a good idea for players of all age groups as they are growing up to play for different coaches until they find the style that fits.
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do54 said
That may be true in some cases but lets add more detail to the scenerio. Say the girl is using the same techniques that UCLA, Michigan, Northwestern, Bustos, teaches and uses, TOP programs and players and she bats .375-.475 and the coach hasn't played or been to a clinic in 10-15 years. Is this person qualified to tell this player they're doing it all wrong? Remember were messing with what works here.
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Depends on who is providing the 375-475 batting stats.
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Just "squish the bug" and "throw your hands at the ball". Finish with a good back slap with the bat, and you'll be fine. After all, it's as simple as "see the ball - hit the ball".
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do54,
great post...you said it all.
great post...you said it all.
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that just about sums it up.
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Actually as things always change, squash the bug and back slapping are "out". Just ask Crystal Bustos.
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Actually hockeybuckeye, that was just tongue-in-cheek with a hint of sarcasm thrown in.
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No problem Sammy. I was just insinuating that coaches need to keep up on what the current techniques are being used by the best players. Actually I think your first post is right on the money.
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All high school coaches should not be thrown into the same pile...and I am fed up with travel coaches and some parents (key word..some) thinking that they rule the softball world. I've seen numerous travel and private coaches who taught garbage and acted the same way. I'm not saying all hs coaches are good. There are some bad and very bad ones too, but they aren't all clueless. However, in no instance should a player be telling the coach that it is going to be her way or "just going through the motions". If the coach had any spine whatsoever, that girl would sit. I do not understand why most of you are so wrapped up with not having a coach change the players techniques or anything else so that she has a better chance to get into college. NEWSFLASH!!... The second she gets to college, that coach WILL CHANGE things. It is almost a guarantee. You will hit, field, throw, eat, condition, etc. their way and only their way. Why not get her in the habit of learning to adjust now, because I'm telling you it is and should be from a coaches pov "my way or the highway". If she can't adjust to learn what the coach is teaching, well then I hope she is good at adjusting to sitting the bench.
