Coaching Softball - How to Run a Bad Practice

[...] See my first post about that topic: Coaching Softball - How to Run a Bad Softball Practice [...]

Re: bad practices/coaching… hey Marc, apparantly you must have driven by my daughter's practices this season in a rec league. Awful… These two dad coaches had each girl play in one position all season long so if you were right field day 1, you played right field all season long… this included every practice and every game. One of the dad's kid was a pitcher, pretty good, she pitched 4 innings the max at every game, the other coaches kid got to play catcher every inning of every game..they switched with the 4 inning max was reached in the game. Everyone else stood around. My daughter who has been in the same league for years, was a threat to the pitcher daughter's father since she wasn't awful like the secondary pitcher so she go to share the position of rover. He told my daughter, who has played multiple year of softball, and has played every position, that she was not good enough to play any in field position and he was only thinking of the team. It was a bunch of malarchy.. he was only thinking of his own daughter the entire season. Luckily we had had positive experieces prior, but my daughter who had been practicing pitching all off seaon throwing at least 300 pitches a week on a rubber in the back yard (we live in california so it is year round here), has basically switched her interest to volleyball. That coach left such a vile taste for the game to her. We have never quit a team before mid season but after the many nasty comments to her from these two coaches, we all had better things to do. The only thing that made her day was that the guys team with his "star" daughter as pitcher came in dead last in our league and there were some pretty awful teams they competed against. It doesn't matter to you… but just another side of it. oh and lastly on this subject.. these two guys cried that they were only "voluteers" and had given up "so much of their personal time"… yah right… it was a way to make only their kids be the stars of the team and everyone else was secondary to that.

Prior to this year, we had been to plenty a boring practice and probably ineffectual, but at least the dad-coaches were nice and tried to be fair to all the kids. She was well-liked by every other coach.

thanks for your site.. it is interesting…

Candy,

I'm amazed that soemone, like you, could actually think that one season, with a coach that feels she should not be playing an infield spot on her rec. team would scare her back to volleyball.
I have seen it time and time again, where parents poison there kids, saying things like "this coach doesn't know what he is doing", "this coach is a joke", He's just playing kids he likes", "your better than all the rest of the team", these are the real undermining issues that help drive kids away from sports, they may otherwise enjoy.
I had a kid that I felt was "overlooked" for her ability to pitch on her rec. team and yes, I did feel this coach was incompetent and was making a mistake, but instead, I encouraged her to work harder, I spent more time with her, I even volunteered my time with the coach to do the things that takes his time away from coaching the team but She rarely pitched that season, but got better, and developed a work ethic and drive in order to meet her goal of being a pitching consideration in the future.
I have been around many rec. leagues and travel teams, know a lot of coaches, and one thing that they all share is "they all want to win, every game they play", does that mean they play only their best kids? - Sometimes, but from what I have seen, it's usually pretty fair. Don't get me worng, there are some bad apples, but they are not only coaches, but also parents who make excuses to their kids, instead of encouraging them to work harder.
My daughter is still playing softball and has been exposed to many different coaching styles, some she likes, some she doesn't, but her passion to compete in the game she loves, over rides the thought about quiting or giving up the sport entirety.
Stop complaining, find the time to coach your own team, and sit back and watch how many families are unhappy with you. It's a thankless donation of time, and if the coach is there to get his daughter better, and the other kids get a chance to be on a team and compete, then thats more than your doing.
Doesn't take much to complain…

Hi Candy,

Unfortunately… this is far too common. It's sad but it is the reality of sports like softball, baseball, soccer, and ice hockey.

Thanks for the comment!

Dear Marc,

I agree with everything you said. It has happened to my daughter some but it happened a lot to my son.

The practices were so boring and unproductive. These children were not learning the skills that they needed to compete with later, if they decided they wanted to continue with the sport.

Our son loves baseball but there have been times where he wanted to give up because of the coaches alone. I agree with one of the comments about the girl that gave up softball and went to volleyball. Coaches have that influence over KIDS. We have been associated with many teams like hers and I am sorry but it is political. The bad thing is sometimes is that no matter how hard a child works, he/she never gets the break they deserve.

My child is very good at what he does but don't get me wrong he makes errors sometimes just like the coaches' sons. I just wish that some people would realize that this is a team sport and not an individual sport like tennis. My son tells me all the time that he doesn't mind sitting the bench if it will help out his team but when is enough enough.

Both my children have been taking batting and pitching lessons since they were little and we are always working on skills on our own. What more can you ask of a KID. I think you are right Marc. If you make the practice fun and productive then the players will be more relaxed in the game which in turn helps the players to perform better. I wish we had more people who thought like you.
Maybe then our Little League in town would not be losing so many children. This day in time is when we should be trying to bring children to something else besides the crime and junk that is out there for them.

Wake up people and stop thinking it is all about me and my child. Keep up the good work Marc.

Sincerely,
The parent of two hard working players

Thanks for your comments. Marc

This past season we had a coach just like this. At the begin of the season my daughter tried her best and even wanted to try out for our local travel team. Her goal for the season was to make our county All Atar team. However, there was no way she could because the coach did not show up. By the end of the season and even now she states she hates softball and refuses to try even if we try to work with her.

Our county tryouts for our traveling team is in a couple of weeks. I hate to just let her quit but I am not sure what the answer is at this point. Do I continue to make her play and hope the passion comes back or do I just let her quit. I just hate to see her talent and past passion to gone.

Unfortunately, it is far too common!

Would you be able to find a different team?

One key thing - motivation has to come from within. Doing something you aren't motivated to do just makes you miserable.

It is sad for a kid to quit but if not happy in an environment, sometimes - that is the least worst decision.

Even if another team isn't as good, environment might be better. The keys are:

1) Get as much time as possible to think about it and let time do its thing

2) Make a decision based on how you feel deeply after letting time do its thing.

Marc

Too bad you go in depth on how us volunteer rec coaches can run a bad practice without suggesting anything about what we can do to run a good practice. This is my first foray into coaching. I'm coaching 12U girls and have been scouring the 'net for good articles, books, etc on how to put together a good practice, but have not found anything. I have plenty of sites telling me about this drill and that drill, but nothing on how to put it all together, how to keep the girls interested, how to break down the drills at practice, nothing. How about some REAL help for us ineffective, unproductive, and boring coaches that need to be fired?!?

Marc,

I am a 3rd year softball coach at a high school level. I must say I fell prey to this style of coaching in my first year, my second year was a much better use of practice time. This past year, I got involved with the little league program to help out as best I could. This being my 3rd full year of softball, I have found that more coaches are better to help with keeping kids occupied. I will say that people need to do instead of talk. I remember my Baseball coach from high school noticed I was having problems with practice, he came out and became my assistant coach in charge of hitting. It is people like that help young coaches out, and I will follow in his footsteps.

[...] Purpose: To reward a good practice. It is important to add variety and fun drills when coaching softball. [...]