- Softball Coaching Fears - You Are Not Alone
Written by Stacie Mahoe
Most coaches have fears, worries, or anxiety about something. In fact, I'm not sure I know any coaches who don't. It's pretty normal, when you really care about something greatly, to have concerns or worries about it.
However there is one softball coaching fear in particular that I see get in the way of good coaching time after time.
Can you guess what it is?
It's the fear of what others will think about you. I've heard advisers in other areas of life say that if you really want to be successful, you have to stop caring what other people think of you and your choices.
I believe that holds true for coaching softball too.
It's an easy trap to fall into. You and I both know how many critics there are of any softball coach. It comes with the territory. It's tough not to take things personally. Sure we all intellectually know that we shouldn't, but that's not always easy. You're not the only coach who finds challenge in not allowing whispers (for shouts for that matter) from the outside impact what you do and the choices you make as a coach.
- Softball Pitching - Taryne Mowatt Interview
Marc Dagenais talked story with pitching great Taryne Mowatt. In this interview Taryne discusses:- How she got started in softball
- Her experience at the University of Arizona
- Mike Candrea as a coach
- Playing in the WCWS
- Tips for young softball players who want to play in college
- Life after college including what it's like to be a pro softball player
- The biggest challenges she faced in softball
- Her Upcoming Appearance at Softball Cruise Clinic II
- …and a whole bunch more!
Click on the player below to listen to this interview now.
What about you? What do you think? - Softball Tips - The Crucial Role of a Transition Period
In this softball podcast, Coach Marc shares key softball tips to help softball players recover faster. Specifically, he explains why you MUST take time off after the end of the competitive season (it's called a transition period), how long it should be and what you should do during that transition period. You'll also why it's dangerous to skip it.
Participate in the conversation by leaving your comment below. - Softball Warm-Ups - Can You Include Static Stretching?
In this softball podcast, Coach Marc discusses why static stretching shouldn't be usually included in softball warm-ups but also explains how and when it may be included when players or teams feels like they really need to do some static stretching as part of their warm-up without hurting their game too much.
Did I leave anything out? - Interview with Deb Hartwig - Coaching Youth Softball
In this podcast, Coach Marc interviews Deb Hartwig, sought-after softball instructor and clinician.
During this interview, Coach Marc interviews Deb on issues related to coaching youth softball, more specifically teaching skills. Here are some the topics that are being discussed:
- Why coaches need to shut up
- Fastest and most effective instructional method
- "Showing them" instead of "telling them"
- Learning styles
- Use of video analysis
- Teaching kids how to self-correct
- How to facilitate muscle memory
- Insights on coaching female athletes
- Helping kids become more confident
- And more.
- Interview with Don Porter - President of the International Softball Federation
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="130" caption="Don Porter - President of the International Softball Federation"]
[/caption]In this podcast, Marc Dagenais, interviews Don Porter, president of the International Softball Federation.
During their interview, Marc grills Mr. Porter on the what is the International Softball Federation (ISF) and its role, the state of our game and its future, and of course, how we got excluded from the Olympics.
Be prepared to learn more about the game you love so much!
Please comment below and let me know... I would really appreciate it. - Softball Training - Pitching Kneeling on a Stability Ball
I've never met Monica Abbott's trainer but this dude gets 2 thumbs up from me for his creativity and forward-thinking.
As you can see on the video, he has Monica pitching while kneeling on a stability ball during her workouts. This type of softball conditioning forces her to learn how to use her core muscles to stabilize while pitching. This is very softball-specific (or pitching-specific) core training.
I definitely approve this and even strongly recommended to all young pitchers. However, kneeling on a ball isn't that easy. Here's the progression to follow before you get to actually pitch kneeling on the ball:
Step 1 - Learn how to kneel on the ball (that will take some time)
Step 2 - Learn how to remain balanced and in control while kneeling
Step 3 - Exchange a few chest passes with a simple basketball with a partner while kneeling on the ball
Step 4 - Mimic the softball pitching motion without actually throwing the ball and practice remaining stable
Step 5 - Model Monica and pitch from the ball with a real ball.Be patient, all this may take you a few weeks to master.
- Softball Training - Are You Feeling It?
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais explains the importance on focusing on what you "feel" when you work on refining your softball skills rather than "thinking" about what you need to do (i.e. bend the knees, bring arm at 90 degrees, etc.).
He discusses the idea of focusing on your physical feelings (i.e. what it feels like to do the right thing) rather than on being rationale when learning and refining skills and how this can shorten the learning curve by leaps and bounds because that's how the body was designed to learn movements.
Leave me a comment below to share your thoughts with me. - Softball Coaching Tips - Stages of Group Development and How to Deal with Them
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais explains the various stages of development a team goes through during the course of a season and how coaches should approach each of them to minimize problems and develop a successful team chemistry.
Looking forward to your comments...
Softball Coaching Tips - Stages of Group Development [18:13 m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (119)
- Softball History - Who Invented Softball and How It Started
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses the history of softball. Fortunately for all the passionate of the game, softball history is very well documented and we have a clear understanding of its evolution over time.
Marc goes on to explain who invented softball, where and how the game started, how it has grown, etc. Sit down and relax while you learn more about where the game you love so much is coming from.
How will you use this information to the fullest? - Softball Training - What Key Performance Factors You Should Train in the Off-Season
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses the various performance factors in three major categories (technical training, physical training, and head training) that you should be working on during the off-season. He explains why it's important not to underestimate some key performance factors in the physical and head training categories while also discussing what to emphasize more in the technical training categorie.
Please comment below... - Softball Tryouts - Making Errors Can Benefit You
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses the fact that making errors is part of the game of softball and that you're very likely to make some while trying out. He explains how to bounce back and impress the coaches by the way you react and handle yourself.
Do you agree or disagree? - Coaching Youth Softball - Should You Get Involved?
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses why people get involved in coaching youth softball and the fact that coaching youth softball can be highly rewarding but it can also bring a load of headaches such as dealing with parents.
Any ideas? Coaching Youth Softball - Should You Get Involved? [9:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (365)
- The Importance of Softball Conditioning
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais, softball peak performance coach from www.softballperformance.com, discusses why softball conditioning is important, the huge performance enhancement and injury prevention benefits that comes from doing softball conditioning while emphasizing that you workout program should be as softball-specific as possible.
Your Turn: Do you have any advice you would like to share? What tips would you like to add? Please comment below. - Softball Tips - How Sleep Affects Performance
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses the importance of sleep and how it affects performance. He shares two stories of elite teams he has worked with that may have suffered a great deal from lack of sleep due to a tough travel schedule. He emphasizes how much of an impact lack of sleep can have on softball players, how little value we give it, and discusses the false belief that we can easily make it up by sleeping in cars, on buses, or on planes.
To learn more about proper recovery, check out our recovery and regeneration tips.
You can listen or download the audio podcast below.
Please comment. - Softball Hitting - A Hitting Philosophy to Make You Successful at the Plate
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais, discusses how to develop a winning hitting philosophy to make you successful at the plate. He discusses philosophies and principles of hitting that many of the best players and coaches in the world use to achieve extraordinary hitting performances on a regular basis.
Leave your comment below... - Coaching Softball - How to Be Great at Teaching Softball Skills
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses how to effectively teach softball skills. He talks about how coaching softball requires great teaching skills; he also discusses the 3 types of learning styles and a unique characteristic of today's youth before sharing his winning recipe for teching softball skills - a step-by-step method to make you a much more effective teacher of the game.
Participate in the conversation by leaving your comment below.
Coaching Softball - How to Be Great at Teaching Softball Skills [15:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (148)
- An Interview With Robert Campbell of Softball Today Magazine
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais, interviews Robert Campbell, publisher of the nation's leading softball magazine - Softball Today. This interview is a follow-up to a previous post about the magazine's great fundraiser for softball teams. The post generated so much interest for the magazine and the fundraiser that Marc invited Robert to be a guest on his podcast. During their interview, Marc grills Robert on the the magazine, their unique bat reviews website and also their great fundraiser.
Here are the podcast's relevant links:
Softball Tips - A Great Fundraising Technique (my previous post about their great fundraiser)
You can listen or download the interview right below.
What do you think? Please comment below to tell me. Podcast #6 - An interview with Robert Campbell of Softball Today Magazine [17:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
- Coaching Youth Softball - How To Build Self-Confidence In Young Athletes
In this podcast, Marc Dagenais, softball peak performance coach, talks about how big of an influence coaches have over their athletes and share strategies on how they can help their young athletes feel better about themselves, build their confidence and avoid fear.
How will you use this information to the fullest? Coaching Youth Softball - Building Self-Confidence in Young Athletes [14:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
- Softball Hitting - How to Get Out of Slumps
In this Podcast, Marc Dagenais, softball peak performance coach, decided to address softball hitting, more specifically how to get out of a slumps. In addition to explaining what a slump is and its main causes, Marc shares several strategies used by the best players to get out of it.
Anyone else have feelings about this?
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