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  1. Ken Krause

    Beware What You Believe on Social Media

    Don’t worry, I haven’t suddenly gone political here on Life in the Fastpitch Lane. But there definitely is a need to be careful about what you find on social media when you’re looking for information on how your daughter or players can become better hitters, pitchers, fielders, catchers, etc...
  2. Ken Krause

    Changeups Work Better When You Call Them

    Ask anyone who knows a thing or two about fastpitch softball pitching about the changeup and they’ll tell you it’s one of the greatest weapons a pitcher can have in her arsenal. The ability to take 10-15 mph off the speed of a pitch while making it look like it will be delivered at the […] More...
  3. Ken Krause

    Character Matters for Coaches Too

    We often hear about how fastpitch softball players need to be good teammates and people of good character. Coaches will talk about what they look for during tryouts and recruiting beyond skills, and how they need to be able to hold their players to high standards. But what about the coaches...
  4. Ken Krause

    Little Things That Make a Big Difference

    It seems like softball coaches, players, and especially parents are always in search of the “silver bullet” – that one technique or piece of knowledge or magic adjustment that will take an average (or below-average) player and turn her into a superstar. That desire is actually what keeps a lot...
  5. Ken Krause

    There’s a Difference Between Being Demanding and Being Mean

    We’ve all seen the stereotype in dozens of sports movies over the years: the coach who constantly screams at and demeans his/her players early in the movie only to go on to win the a championship during the climactic ending. It makes for great Hollywood drama. But unfortunately too many people...
  6. Ken Krause

    5 Simple Rules for Surviving High School Softball

    So, the good news is your daughter made the high school fastpitch softball team. Congratulations! That’s a relief, especially in those increasingly rare instances where high school softball programs are still actually cutting players. Now the “bad” news: if you’ve never been through the...
  7. Ken Krause

    Developing Fastpitch Pitchers: The Speed v Accuracy Debate

    One of the age-old questions when developing fastpitch pitchers is whether coaches should prioritize speed or accuracy. Of course the real answer is they should focus on mechanics and everything else comes from that. In other words, focus on the process and the outcomes will take care of...
  8. Ken Krause

    7 Fastpitch Softball Rules Myths BUSTED!

    A few weeks ago one of my students and her dad came to me with a question about the pitching rules. She had been called for an illegal pitch because she stepped on the pitching rubber with her hands together. I confirmed that that was a rule and we worked on making sure she broke […] More...
  9. Ken Krause

    Surviving “One More” Syndrome

    Friends, today we are gathered to address one of the most dreaded issues in all of fastpitch softball practice. Of course, I am talking about “One More” Syndrome. It’s an issue that affects nearly every player at all levels at one time or another. You may not know it by name, but you know its...
  10. Ken Krause

    It Pays to Know the Rules

    When I was coaching teams, one of my yearly rituals was to read the ASA (now USA Softball) rulebook from beginning to end before the season started. Including the applications scenarios in the back. I would also scan the rules for other sanctions my team was playing in just to make sure I knew...
  11. Ken Krause

    Trust the Process and the Outcome Takes Care of Itself

    Every now and then when I’m working with a pitching student I will have one who is having trouble hitting some of her spots on command. For example, she will tell me that she can hit inside ok but can’t throw outside. I will talk to her about how to do it. I used to […] More...
  12. Ken Krause

    The Downside of Being Coachable

    One of the highest compliments a coach, journalist, parent, or other observer can pay to a player is to say he or she is “coachable.” I’ve said it myself many times, both about individuals and as a general character trait, and I still believe in the concept. When you say an athlete is coachable...
  13. Ken Krause

    The #1 Measure of the Quality of a Fastpitch Pitcher

    Ask a group of fastpitch softball coaches or fanatics what the best way is to measure the quality of a pitcher and you’re going to get a variety of answers. Most of which come down to the three S’s – speed, spin, spot. The most popular, in most cases, is likely to be speed. There’s […] More...
  14. Ken Krause

    Why Good Circle Visits Are So Critical to Pitchers’ (and Team) Success

    One of the toughest decisions a coach has to make during a game is when to take a pitcher out. That decision is based on a lot of factors. For example, it’s easier to leave a pitcher in a game to see if she can work her way out of trouble if the game doesn’t […] More...
  15. Ken Krause

    Champions Take Their Warm-ups Seriously

    You see it before a game or practice everywhere there’s a ballfield. Teams positioned in two opposing lines, randomly throwing balls in the general direction of the other line. And then chasing said balls behind them. Hitters casually knocking balls off tees into the bottom of nets – or over the...
  16. Ken Krause

    6 Ways to Take Advantage of the New Year

    The holidays are over and the calendar has flipped back to January. I would say people are stressing over writing the wrong dates on their checks but who writes checks anymore? Except the little old lady in front of you in line at the grocery store when you just want to buy a loaf of […] More...
  17. Ken Krause

    When Scheduling, Leave Time for Practice

    The other night as I was wrapping up from lessons I got into a conversation with my friend Dave Doerhoefer. In addition to being a private instructor, Dave is a long-time fastpitch softball coach with the Vernon Hills Stingers travel organization as well as Vernon Hills High School. The question...
  18. Ken Krause

    Oh Who Am I Kidding?

    I was going to write a new post, but let’s face it. Nobody has the time to read it, especially with Christmas basically falling over the holiday. So Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate I hope it’s a great time for you. More...
  19. Ken Krause

    Keep Dancing Until It Rains

    There is a proverb (or an anecdote, or a story, I’m not sure which) about a Native American medicine man who was particularly renowned for his ability to overcome droughts by performing a rain dance. One day he decides to retire and so takes on an apprentice to whom he can teach all his secrets...
  20. Ken Krause

    The Real Point of Playing Fastpitch Softball

    Having a competitive spirit is pretty much a requirement for playing fastpitch softball (or any sport for that matter). As long as someone is keeping score, human nature says you want your team’s score to be better than that of your opponent’s. Yet if the score and who wins and who is the best...

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