What do you look for in a coach?

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How can you make sure a coach you're going to have your brilliant and talented dd play for for the next 11 months can distinguish between his/her rear end and home plate?

Are there specific things you look for in a coach?

Any litmus test for softball knowledge?

Any specific type of temperament?

Does someone who's ballcap is old and battered indicate a certain level of experience and wisdom?

How do you decide?

 

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who's ballcap is old and battered

I meant "whose ballcap is old and battered," of course. But I thought if I misspelled a word in my post you would think I'm a more seasoned softball observer.

 

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I would make sure I saw them in action at a tournament or two first. Let their actions speak for them. You'll get a good idea of how well the players are coached and you'll get to see how they interact with the players and families.

As far as the hat goes - If the last couple of years have been good ones, they'll probably still be wearing that "lucky" hat.

 

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When I look for a coach for my dd, I look at alot of qualities.
*I like a coach who has experience.
*I like a coach who isn't afraid to correct my dd if she is doing something wrong.
*I like a coach to be able to relate to, talk to, and communicate with my dd, my
husband, and myself.
*I like a coach to have knowledge of the game and rules.
*I like a coach who awards playing time based on performance.
*I like a coach who challenges the girls and keeps them competitive.
*I like a coach who doesn't scream at the girls, but is firm and in charge.
*I like a coach who gives my dd the opportunity to improve her game every year.
*I like a coach who is brutally honest and tells it like it is.

I could go on all day!!

 

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I would like for them to look like the Indiana Shockwave coaches from a few years back. You ex Stingray 10U dads know what I am talking about. WOW

 

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I would make sure he is wearing sandals while coaching 3rd Like someone I know.

 

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Klump and Spaghetti9er pretty much say it all.

Watch them in a tournament, or even a practice. Often times the coach you see at tryouts is a completely different person than the one you see after the roster has been finalized.

Another trait I look for is to make sure that the coach is "in it for the players", not for his/her-self.

 

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Non Parent

 

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Bald head, goatee and Oakley's

 

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Alot of the time you look at how their kid plays, and acts. IMO you can judge a coach by the product he/she pits on the field and in the world. Not only skills on the field but work ethic and respect. If you are going to be dealing with a parent/coach you want to find the level of respect you expect out of your child to come from his/hers.

I know we all want to win. We all want our kids to get better and the sports they choose. When it is all said and done we just want our kids to be better off in life. You have to pick a coach that will help with that goal most of all. The rest will follow....

 

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I would make sure he is wearing sandals while coaching 3rd Like someone I know.

:yahoo:LOL! Agreed. The mandles do make me feel assured.

 

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One from Bug Tussle that the kids will play their hearts out for.

 

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Good organizational skills (you can often get this from the tryouts)
Sense of humor with the girls and ability to admit mistakes

 

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I look for a coach who is fat, bald and sexy!:lmao:

 

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All *great* input!

Where were you guys 3-4 years ago when I was signing up my dd with the ***** ***** team?

If I knew then what I know now...

 

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im looking for
* a non parent coach
*Someone who doesnt care what area you are from (talent wins out)
*knowledgable softball (not baseball, there is a difference) coach
* a coach with a good track record
*This one is weird but, I dont want a coach that along the way i have beaten (i might as well coach the team).
*A coach who can communicate well with kids and parents.

 

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My big thing is can that coach develop game instincts in his players. Does he/she say the right things to prepare each player in accordance to their individual talent and the situation at hand? Does that coach understand how to put the appropriate pressure on the opposing teams both offensively and defensively? Can the players trust the coach to level that they buy the program and therefore respond and grow from the TEACHING that is given? The great coaches are first a teacher and then a strategist. Does that coach employ every advantage that is at their disposal in the effort to develop and improve their shortcomings. If you find someone like that to coach your dd, then that is who you want her to learn from. This game is journey and no one knows how far you can get until you start the journey and follow a path. If the path is the correct one for your dd combined with her talent and dedication then her success will be at the end of the journey and she has no regrets or doubts and can move on. Whether that be high school, college or the highest levels depends on many factors but comes down to one and that is the level of instruction the she has received along the way.

 

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im looking for
*
*This one is weird but, I dont want a coach that along the way i have beaten (i might as well coach the team).
.

Yep, that one IS weird. If you coach for a really good team, it is likely that other really good coaches have lost to you. Doesn't mean a whole lot about where the opposing coaches are going to take your DD. Do the other parents on your team commit to playing an aggressive schedule that could include both Hall of Fame and USA/ASA tourneys should you qualify? Does your DD do better without her father as a coach? Do the opposing coaches have networks that they have developed over years that could get your DD seen by college coaches? Get the team into prestigious showcases?

We had a couple of really bad losses this year. But I don't think those losses define us as coaches. Actually, our GOOD losses this year define us a lot more than our bad losses. And, bottom line, if we let our losses define us, we are probably not coaching this year. We, however, treat our losses as challenges to us to coach better.

 

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Honesty!@!

 

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Honesty!@!

Wow. Yeah. Amen to that totally underutilized virtue.