Creating or defining a leader

[sluggers]

We tied to a team that was a tier below us over the weekend and they knew they played terrible and the post game huddle was very quiet. They knew what was coming.

You have watched one too many episodes of Sports Center.

It sounds like you have a bunch of normal 10U girls. They have plenty of time to become frothing at the mouth competitors.

If you really want to create great softball players, make sure they enjoy the game first.

 

[Eric F]

Here is the funny thing - these girls like to compete but they have no idea if they won or lost regardless if it close or a blowout.

This is not uncommon in 10U. In games that are close, I don't mind telling them. In a blow-out, I won't answer when they ask.

 

[Il softball fan]

There are very few at 10u that have the knowledge and confidence in themselves to step up and be loud and in charge. Sounds like you had a rare one last year. I have only been around softball for 6 years or so, and in that time have only seen one other like that. She was a third baseman. She would know on her own when to play deep, or what situations were bunt situation and automatically start creeping in towards the plate. She would yell out pointers to other players, and remind them of situations. It was uncanny how in tune with what was going on around her during game time. Like others said, some at 10u are out there making designs in the dirt, etc. It was actually funny. We would just as a joke between the coaches some times, in the middle of the game. We would yell out to her...hey ______ what is the count on this batter. She would always know and would answer immediately and confidently that it was 2-2, or whatever it was.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Here is what I've found when working with 10's. There can be a 3 year differential in the maturity level of a player. Some are behind, many in the middle and the very few who are above. There is another factor that also comes into play. The players general IQ level. The more intelligent players tend to be more confident in their knowledge and it shows. I've had a couple of kids who were good leaders on the field and they were the smarter kids on the team. It also helps if they have good social skills as well. Kids will feed of a dynamic, confident personality.

One of the things that I do is to make a list of things the team "Captain" is in charge of. Then I would rotate Captains. Each player HAD to be the team Captain for a day, whether it be at practice, games or a tournament. It forced the shy kid to step up and the dynamic one to learn how to follow. It also made every player responsible for knowing what to do instead of having someone tell them because they had to lead the team. As far as assigning an order for the captains. I just used their uniform numbers and went in ascending order. The girls kept track of it.

You can't force a player to be a leader. But you can foster the environment that allows the young and unsure an opportunity to try it out. Hopefully you'll have one step for you.

 

[chrispots]

You can't force a player to be a leader. But you can foster the environment that allows the young and unsure an opportunity to try it out. Hopefully you'll have one step for you.

Ding Ding Ding!

I have a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership. I could spout off 50 ways to Sunday about how to create a leader.

At this stage of the game, fostering an environment that will allow some leadership traits to develop is what is important IMO.

Be realistic in what traits to develop....i.e. if you think a 10U player is going to go "pick a teammate up by the bootstraps and give 'em a pep talk" after a strikeout or an error in the field that is not realistic...

At this age, they still don't grasp the concept of "the common objective" in terms of the team as a whole. At this age, it is very much "me-centric" as others have noted in relation to the score...heck, for the 5 years I lived at 10U, I would say most 10U players have very little idea whether they played good, bad or indifferent (unless parents\coaches yelled at them). I'm not making a sweeping generalization there, but the players I had seemed numb to the concept of personal performance. Without understanding a common objective with the premise you win as a team\lose as team, having a leader rise from the ashes is just not likely...

So...be realistic in stressing the common objective(s)...win as a team\lose as a team concept...or whatever you think is a realistic common objective is fine too...

Some other random thoughts...

It is realistic to choose 2 girls on the team to be the team's "town criers" who call out the play every play. You might not think this is a big deal but getting a 10 year old girls to confidently shout out the play in front of a lot of people requires a special kind of confidence at that age.

Saying things like "I need you to take charge out there" means NOTHING IMO unless you also add "I know you might not be sure, just look to me as to what to do." They are 10...they have no clue...

Every girl has a job on the team...see who accepts the responsibility and maybe even expands on it...i.e. your left fielder's job is to pick up the 3rd base coach's signals. 3rd base and CF call out the play on every play. 2nd and SS call out how many outs on every play. The RF's job (and any girl on the bench) has the job of seeing where the batter is positioned in the box. If the girl is UP in the box, they all call out "Up in the box, watch the bunt" (you should see 1st and 3rd base take a step or 2 in as well).

Keep it positive. Keep it fun. Keep everyone involved.

At this point, IMO, you are just setting the table for 2nd year 12U\14U where having a couple of real team leaders is of great benefit.

As for your 10 yo player last year...yes, you were blessed...I had one of those when the rest of the team was 9's. I was fortunate to have DD2 and another player start at 8yo and they kinda moved into that role when they were 10 so there was not that big of a drop off...CP

 

[FP26]

Excellent post by chrispots! He makes a lot of very good points.

I will also add that I would be careful who is chosen as a leader. At 14u my DD was on a team with a girl that had all the physical ability and softball skill to be the team leader. Unfortunately she came across as arrogant and condescending. She was not well liked among the other players. Unfortunately, the other coaches liked her leadership and refused to notice the rift that was forming within the team.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Keep it positive. Keep it fun. Keep everyone involved.

I've always tried to keep everything in the context of being about the team. If I have a player goofing off during practice and I have to stop practice I will phrase it as "They are taking precious practice time away from their teammates because I had to stop practice to address them for goofing off." or something similar to that. But it's ALWAYS about the team first. If a player needs to get a confidence kick in the pants I will always tell them "I believe that can do it. Now show your teammates you can do it and give them your best effort."

If that's all they've heard from the start of the season the thought patterns start to get ingrained and they learn to work towards the common goals of the team. The other benefit from it is they seem to get along better both on an off the field as a group.

 

[mleber]

SO second year 10U coach here. Last year, as a 9 heavy 10U team we had a very good year. We were right around 500, beat some second year teams and generally were competitive game in and game out.

Move ahead a year and now playing with a target on our back as the second year team and what I'm noticing my biggest issue thus far is having that kid who steps into the lead role. Last year, I had a 10 yo shortstop who was the ringleader but on the field took charge and made sure they all know what they were supposed to be doing at all times. I don't have that this year. I have 11 good kids but no one vocal enough to step into that.

How do you develop leaders?

Team Building drills. They show who the leaders are, improve communication, allow the girls to work through problems and issues, and oh yeah - HAVE FUN, If you need some I can pm you. Some simple some elaborate,

 

[dadofadirtlover]

I guess I really have unrealistic expectations . My DD's 10U team only has 1 dirt drawer. She actually wandered into foul territory in a game when we were hiding her in LF. I'm screaming at the top of my lungs as she's almost out of the park (sighs hard remembering it). My DD was catching for the first time this weekend. P started out hot and started struggling all of the sudden. Then, all on her own, DD told blue she needed a timeout, walked out to the mound, corrected the pitcher's approach and talked to her about some song to get her mind off the game. Then proceeded to tell 2B and SS that she would do better on the tag throw(her throw wasn't the problem....the pitches going to the dugout was the problem, but she still put it on herself). After that, P threw 8 straight strikes before cooling off and going back to bowling. Later that night, I asked DD why she went out there and she said, "that's my job, isn't it? Doesn't the catcher take command? She was throwing pitches to Mars and something needed to be done!" I asked her where she heard that and was supposed to take command like that and she said "One of those softball catcher training clips you had on while I was coloring." Y'all are right....they're always listening. Maybe I should leave those clips on repeat....along with something for chores!

 

[Bartow12]

Good Thread. I had this very conversation yesterday with my 18U Showcase team with 2 - D1, 3 D-2 players on it. After we had a letdown against another very good team. No one stepped up and took charged when we needs a field general. My Other 2 D-1 girls were not there for the first time to lead us and we are in that transition now. Let me know if anyone figures this out. Happens to us every so often....