Coaches who never shut up

[Lance Steckler]

What do you do when after stopping practice and explaining the proper technique to a troubled player (step in, get low, bend knees, flat back, glove out) and the player responds, "I dont like to do it that way."
I have tried reasoning but realized that was a waste of my breath, so now without a word, I just blaze a pea shot right past her and holler, "next." The next player in line waiting for her rep steps in a little more focused on the instruction. I will hit her a candy hop and loudly compliment her on her technique.

Thankfully you didn't ask her how she likes to do it. You told her the correct way. Ask her how good her way works after few minutes on the bench.

 

[PDM]

Sounds like the coaches are on top of things.
The players have already been instructed on what they are supposed to do. Not a need to stop practice.
Time and place for everything. That's not your practice. It's not your time.

I disagree. Based on the original post, most, if not all of the players were doing something wrong. It's never a bad idea for a coach to bring them all together and show them (again) the right way to do it. It might save a lot of trouble in the long run.

 

[PDM]

In 20 years of coaching/instructing I have NEVER EVER raised my voice at a player. When I stop practice it is to teach NOT YELL.

I have never said things as lacking in content as “You’ve got to make that play” to a player. I believe in teaching technique and skills. I’ve had plenty of kids and parents thank me for helping them/their daughter on my time for nothing. I’m still amazed how few coaches even care about skills. All they want are outs and wins, which is fine as long as you are ok with plays not made and wild throws.

The first team didn’t care at all about getting better. You have to want to get better. I am an instructor and not an AC. The HC handled the situation from what he saw, and asked me to return for another practice. Maybe their attitude has changed. We will see.

The 12U team I saw could be a lot better if they had coaches who cared about the importance of doing things right.

Look, I’ve been coaching and instructing going on 15 years. I learned the right way to play from my father who played minor league baseball for 3 years. Later, I had a mentor who helped me with learning the reasons behind technique and also taught me patience, that real change takes time. I spoke with him for dozens of hours about softball, and life. I loved those conversations. Then 1 day way too soon he died. I could never fill his shoes. But there is a little bit of him in me that want to help kids with softball.

Great response. I feel exactly the same. I tell the kids and parents on Day 1 that I never yell at anyone. I'm there to teach them the sport. If they want to learn, they will. If not, they won't. Then I take my time teaching, making sure I do it in a way that they can understand and perform each skill. If a lot of them are not getting it right, that's a signal to me that I have to show them all again. If they still aren't making progress, then it's a signal that I have to change the way I teach it. They don't make mistakes because they want to. Yelling at them doesn't help.

 

[radness]

Great response. I feel exactly the same. I tell the kids and parents on Day 1 that I never yell at anyone. I'm there to teach them the sport. If they want to learn, they will. If not, they won't. Then I take my time teaching, making sure I do it in a way that they can understand and perform each skill. If a lot of them are not getting it right, that's a signal to me that I have to show them all again. If they still aren't making progress, then it's a signal that I have to change the way I teach it. They don't make mistakes because they want to. Yelling at them doesn't help.

After explaining/showing,
Is there a time at your practices where you will let them just go through the drills and take grounders to get the reps in figuring it out?

 

[BB875]

Great response. I feel exactly the same. I tell the kids and parents on Day 1 that I never yell at anyone. I'm there to teach them the sport. If they want to learn, they will. If not, they won't. Then I take my time teaching, making sure I do it in a way that they can understand and perform each skill. If a lot of them are not getting it right, that's a signal to me that I have to show them all again. If they still aren't making progress, then it's a signal that I have to change the way I teach it. They don't make mistakes because they want to. Yelling at them doesn't help.

Amen!

 

[PDM]

After explaining/showing,
Is there a time at your practices where you will let them just go through the drills and take grounders to get the reps in figuring it out?

Of course. there is no learning without a lot of reps. Every day!

 

[radness]

Of course. there is no learning without a lot of reps. Every day!

So it should be considered that when watching somebody else's workout that instructional part has already taken place.

And there may be a time in the workout you are watching that they are being put through their reps.

Thankfully I do not just walk up upon a team, watch a practice and evaluate from one practice what the coaches have or have not done.
If I am to be involved,
ask questions before assume.

 

[PDM]

So it should be considered that when watching somebody else's workout that instructional part has already taken place.

And there may be a time in the workout you are watching that they are being put through their reps.

Watching someone else's workout is not instruction for my team. I, or one of our other coaches instruct our players. That's our job. They can certainly learn a lot from watching others, but it's not the same thing as receiving proper instruction from your own coach and drilling based on that instruction. I don't know everything, so I try to observe others and find tips that will help our players, and then I develop the most efficient way to pass along all of the information. I've seen very knowledgable coaches who are painfully long winded and boring (I try not to be one of them) and players only have short attention span. I don't know what you mean in that second part. How could my players be doing reps while they are watching another team practice?

 

[_MIA_]

Watching someone else's workout is not instruction for my team. I, or one of our other coaches instruct our players. That's our job. They can certainly learn a lot from watching others, but it's not the same thing as receiving proper instruction from your own coach and drilling based on that instruction. I don't know everything, so I try to observe others and find tips that will help our players, and then I develop the most efficient way to pass along all of the information. I've seen very knowledgable coaches who are painfully long winded and boring (I try not to be one of them) and players only have short attention span. I don't know what you mean in that second part. How could my players be doing reps while they are watching another team practice?

She was talking about not necessarily judging a practice that you are watching as being "instructionless" when you just see the portion where they are getting actual reps. Had nothing to do with how you run your own practice or how you learn to run a practice.

 

[PDM]

She was talking about not necessarily judging a practice that you are watching as being "instructionless" when you just see the portion where they are getting actual reps. Had nothing to do with how you run your own practice or how you learn to run a practice.

OK. Thanks. I thought you were responding about what I do. Yes, you have to see what goes on all the time before judging one small part on one day.