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Tips for Successfully Coaching Youth Softball

SoftballrUs.com

Article: Tips for Successfully Coaching Youth Softball

Tips for Successfully Coaching Youth Softball

Article Submitted by: Marc Dagenais


When coaching a youth softball team, the first thing you'll realize that it's difficult. In fact, a youth softball team is a lot more difficult to handle than teams with older and more experienced players.



There are a number of reasons for this. First is that young players don't have enough knowledge and experience yet on how softball works. So you practically have to start from scratch when working with them. Another is that they're kids, and you know that kids are a little bit more difficult to handle than adults. And finally, you also have to deal with their parents. Putting parents into the mix makes things a lot more challenging.



Yes, it's a challenge to handle a youth softball team, but it's something you can do with the right attitude and skills. Successfully coach your youth softball team with these 7 tips I have for you.



1. Learn as much as you can. Coaching isn't just about teaching your players how to do things correctly. It's also your job to learn as much as you can about the game, about handling your players and dealing with them.



You can learn these through books, seminars and other reference materials that will help broaden your understanding of the game and the psychology of handling a team. Invest on these materials because you'll be needing them if you want to coach your team well.


2. Start with the basics. When you're teaching new concepts to your players, keep things as simple as possible. I mentioned earlier that young players don't have the prior knowledge yet of how softball works, so don't expect them to understand softball jargon and other complex concepts the first day they step on the practice field.



What you should do instead is begin with general concepts about the game. From hitting to throwing the ball, keep your instructions clear and simple. They'll understand you a lot easier that way.


3. Keep things fun. Kids love playing games. And what's more, they learn things much easier when they're having fun. So instead of putting them through grueling drills and practices, design fun drills that they will enjoy instead.



When they're having fun doing the drills, they won't perceive these drills as work, making them more open to learning new concepts. And an open mind is what you need from your players because they'll be able to absorb more instructions from you with that.


4. Start them early on safety and sportsmanship. The kids that you're handling are looking for role models, just like any kid would. That said, you're in the position of setting for them good examples on how to become a good softball player beyond merely learning the skills.



So constantly remind them how to play safely on the field. Show them how each safety gear works, teach them to eat right and drink water or sports drinks regularly.


And teach them sportsmanship as well. Show them that losing isn't the end of the world. Show them how to accept defeat graciously. These things that you teach them will come a long way, even after their softball career's over.


Understand how kids develop. It could be tempting to boot out a player from your team if he/she plays poorly. Things like this happen in real life in regular youth softball teams, but try to avoid it happening in your team as much as you can.

Remember that you're dealing with kids, and some kids don't develop their skills as quickly as the others. So give them the chance to learn more from the game, and decide only when they have matured enough.


Be patient. These kids barely know anything about how softball works. And so, teaching them concepts they don't seem to understand can be frustrating at times. But that's a part of the challenge.

Be patient with them even if it's frustrating. Hang in there because the longer you stay with them, the more they learn from you. And you'll be surprised at the end of the season how much they've grown in terms of playing the game and their understanding of it.


7. Keep parents on your good side. Parents of your players will come in tons of varieties. Most are generally friendly, although others can be a pain to deal with.



What you should do instead is try making friends with them. Build relationships with these parents. Listen to them if they have suggestions on how you can get more wins for your team, but also remind them who runs the show. Otherwise, other parents might try to take too much control of the team, which can be detrimental to your team's overall success.


We're of course just at the tip of the iceberg here. It takes a lot more to successfully coach a youth softball team. It takes experience, the knowledge, and the willingness to learn from your peers and your players to get you there.


But the ones I've listed above provides you with the basic tools that will guide you throughout your coaching career. It's tough, but don't forget to enjoy the ride and keep on learning.





Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com



SoftballrUs.com

5 Softball Pitching Drills

5 Softball Pitching Drills
By Marc Dagenais

Drill 1: Fast and Slow

Purpose: To practice changing speeds.

Procedure: Working with her catcher, the pitcher alternates fast and off-speed pitches. The goal is to keep the delivery the same.

Drill 2: Football Toss

Purpose: To develop correct rise-ball release.

Procedure: The pitcher throws a junior-sized football underhand to a partner. Grip it along the seam with all the fingers and with the thumb on the opposite side. The ball should spiral. If it wobbles in flight, the palm has turned toward the catcher at release.

Drill 3: Four-Corner Control

Purpose: To develop control and accuracy.

Procedure: The pitcher throws to the extreme four corners of the strike zone. When she achieves accuracy at one spot, she moves the target to the next corner. A catcher or a target on the wall can be used. To adjust for the in and out targets, the pitcher must adjust her body angle from her normal stance. She turns the toe on the rubber about a half inch in or out from the position she used to throw to the middle of the plate.

Drill 4: Wrist Snap Behind Back

Purpose: To develop the wrist snap by isolating the wrist, which prevents the pitcher from using the elbow to snap the ball.

Procedure: The pitcher stands sideways 5 to 10 feet from the catcher or a wall. The glove side faces the target, and the ball is behind the back. The pitcher flips the ball by snapping the wrist.

Drill 5: Oversized and Undersized Ball Spins

Purpose: To make the pitcher practice throwing a riseball.

Procedure: Using a baseball or an 11-inch ball may help the pitcher make the correct movements to get underneath the ball. The smaller the size of the ball allows the fingers to be more flexible and allows the correct movements to occur with less effort. A pitcher can use an undersized ball when initially trying to create muscle memory for the correct spin movements. An oversized ball is helpful in speeding up the wrist snap because the hand must pass under more area in the same amount of time. The oversized ball can also illustrate the spin to a pitcher who may be struggling with the backward concept. A 14-inch ball seems to be the perfect size because the pitcher can hold on to it comfortably throughout the circle before snapping the wrist at release. The routine used with these balls can mirror the routing used with the Spinner-starting close up without the circle and adding distance as well as the full circle.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that provides softball tips, softball drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his blog at http://www.softballperformance.com/blog

He also helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. You can sign-up to get his FREE Softball Tips at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips.html Go Sign-up Now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais


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Softball Practice Drills

Softball Practice Drills
By Marc Dagenais

The following softball practice drills are a means of getting your softball game to the next level. By using these drills to improve your game, you will reach another level you thought you weren't able too before. The following drills should be covered in practice to ensure that you become as skilled a player as possible.

Drill 1 - All Out (Softball Catching)

Purpose: To practice going all out on the dive.

Procedure: A fielder faces a tosser 20 to 30 feet away. The first throw is over or to the side of the fielder's head. The fielder catches the ball and makes a good throw to the tosser. The fielder then runs hard toward the tosser, who flips a soft toss that the fielder must dive for to catch. The fielder goes to the end of the line to wait for her next turn.

Drill 2 - Three Points (Softball Pitching)

Purpose: To create competition and pressure for the pitcher when pitching to a catcher's targets.

Procedure: The catcher gives a target, and for advanced players she may call a pitch. If the pitcher hits the target, she gets one point. If she misses, she loses a point. When the pitcher reaches three points, the game is over. Add difficulty by requiring every fourth pitch to be a change-up.

Drill 3 - Random Ball Conditioning (Softball Catchers)

Purpose: To practice throws to bases and improve conditioning.

Procedure: Randomly place six to eight balls in front of home. From the squat position the catcher explodes and throws to a receiver at the base, hustles back into catching position, and continues until all of the balls have been thrown. Repeat the drill with the catcher throwing to a different base.

Drill 4 - Thunderstick (Softball Hitting)

Purpose: To learn to see the ball better at contact.

Procedure: Using a very narrow bat for hitting and bunting forces the batter to look intently at the ball at contact. To make to bats to use with baseball and golf-size Wiffles, cut broomsticks or doweling to bat size and tape the handles. Use the thunderstick to hit or bunt Wiffles off a soft toss.

Drill 5 - Slap and Run Around Cone (Softball Slap Hitting)

Purpose: To practice running toward the pitcher when slapping.

Procedure: The slapper hits off a pitcher or machine. Place a cone two steps in front of the batter's box in line with the pitcher. The slapper must run around the cone before heading toward first base. The cone prevents the slapper from turning too early toward first.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that provides softball tips, softball drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his blog at http://www.softballperformance.com/blog

He also helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. You can sign-up to get his FREE Softball Tips at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips.html - Go Sign-up Now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais


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The Softball Pitching Edge

BOOK: "THE SOFTBALL PITCHING EDGE"
BY CHERI KEMPF
Book: "The Softball Pitching Edge"
Item# HK0736038256
$19.95
Product Description
---------------------
Book Review:


......Throw faster, improve your technique,
learn new pitches, lower your ERA, and
experience the thrill of winning more often
with The Softball Pitching Edge.


......This book offers an in-depth look into
the art and science of softball pitching that
will help you develop elite-level fastpitch
skills through drills and expert technical
advice. As the owner and pitching instructor
at Club K, author Cheri Kempf has been teaching
and training thousands of fastpitch softball
players since 1987 and is widely recognized as
one of the best softball pitching coaches in
the country.


......The Softball Pitching Edge shows the
correct way to deliver the ball from the rubber
to the plate to maximize effectiveness and
minimize the risk of injury. It’s the first
book on fastpitch softball to dissect the
pitching motion through pictures and drawings
of the correct mechanics. It also explains how
to master those mechanics so that you can throw
with greater control and speed.


......The text covers all the essentials:
presentation, feet, legs, arms, posture,
sequence, timing, consistency, location,
and speed. You’ll find a breakdown of the
fundamental mechanics, with details of
common mistakes and plenty of drills to
help develop the proper mechanics. You’ll
also find specific instruction on developing
a variety of pitches, including the drop,
the change-up, the rise, the curve, and the
screwball. And the special tips for coaches
provide insight into the pitcher’s psyche,
background, mental make-up, and motivation.


......The Softball Pitching Edge presents
the best information based on the most modern
technology and resources available. Use this
book to improve your technique and add new
pitches to your arsenal for more strikeouts
and greater success on the mound.
----------------------


Kempf, Cheri
Copyright 2002
192pp
Paperback