Coaching Expectations; Expect More from your Players

[Screwball]

I was working with a coach, (an ex- minor leaguer BTW) who told me that '14 year olds just can't make two good throws on any play,' so teams should not try for more plays, such as an out at home and one at first....He made several other comments that down-played any chance of seeing talent in a teen. I guess this means no relays from the outfield either (sarcasm).

I was worried that this coach would then not be teaching the players anything he did not think they were capable of.

I am not talking about compounding errors on a play; in that case you should probably hold the ball if there is less than about 75% chance of making the next play; if there are 2 errors in a row you must hold the ball.

Joan Joyce did an interview where she said one of the weaknesses in softball today, as a college coach, is that the players don't know where the next play is. She said it is key to think where you can sneak in another out.

One of the things I learned in sports psyche classes and classes about coaching under-represented groups (such as the physically challenged), is you should set high goals, not low ones. This does not mean unrealistic, as the second part is mapping out the small goals to get to the big one.

Set them about 2 steps higher or more than you think and let the players surprise you. What do you think?

 

[#10]

I agree 100%, certainly not with the ex minor-leaguer! Kids will only reach as high as the bar that's set for them.

 

[chinamigarden]

Boy this topic is one of my favorites. Kids play to the expectations set by the coach. Aim high and so will the kids, aim low and start digging.

My son was 8 playing U10 soccer for a coach. He said to this group of crumb crunchers, You are all 8 or older, you are old enough to be responsible for your position. I heard him say it, he actually told 8 year olds they were old enough to be responsible, to these kids it was both a compliment and a challange. He taught them their positions and where they should be on the field. And wouldn't you know it those kids were where they were supposed to be most of the time. 2 years later and my boy is playing u12 for a guy who didn't think kids that age could grasp the concept of staying in a zone, his team (some of the same kids) tended to chase the ball all around and were never where they were supposed to be. Players will rise and fall to the level of the expectations.

 

[sluggers]

I was working with a coach, (an ex- minor leaguer BTW) who told me that '14 year olds just can't make two good throws on any play,' so teams should not try for more plays, such as an out at home and one at first....

That is silly.

Kids will make mistakes, of course. A good coach plans for mistakes by teaching the proper skills for backing up. I had one 14U team that got about one double play on a ground ball per game. The kids weren't afraid to throw the ball because the team was taught how to backup. So, even if the ball was poorly thrown, no harm was done. I insisted that they go for a double play every time they could--and, guess what? Everyone once in a while, they got one.

Then...and this will shock some people...the more then kids did it, the better they got at it. By the end, they didn't make bad throws.

But, you've got lazy coaches who don't teach backing up and don't insist that their players back up on every play, including those where there is no bad throw.

 

[mradosevic]

4 corners, every practice buddy.. Your ex minor-leaguer will eating his words!

Softball Drill 4 Corners Please post your team's time. - YouTube

With some throw down bases, this drill is also easy to set up in a gym during winter practices


"Forward thinking" is another skill that needs to be taught as part of your situational drills... I teach my girls to talk and call out where the play is going before it happens..

 

[Coach JV]

My 14U defensive practices include these 'continuation' plays.
They have a high rate of success and the girls love it when the play pays off.
Your ex-minor leaguer is handcuffing the girls, if you believe in them,
they will perform for you

 

[FPMark]

Don't know what area he coaches in, but if he comes to a tournament around here,... he'll change his mind. Of course with an attitude like that, he may not be able to get any girls that know how to play to play for him.

 

[Greenmonsters]

The mindset and thinking demonstrated by under-estimating the capbailities of the 14-yr old girls may provide some insight on why the coach in the OP is an ex-minor leaguer instead of an ex-big leaguer.