I am gonna change it

[wild man]

I allready have had a Social time in practice BUT the Head Coach hates that. He squashes any laughing or talking during practice. Being a real person is not allowed in practice.
I' However have "Talk Time" with my team where we Talk about Things like food, Cars , Favorite pets, Just about anything that involves their lives outside Softball. We of corse dont do this every day but try to get about 15 min A week. A lot of people dont like this saying that it is " Not disiplined enough". But I like to let them know I am a real person. As far as the disipline thing My marine corps DI did a similar thing about 3 time during boot camp.

Back to the warm up I did it last night and the Girls loved it. Said it made them feel like playing. And practice went very well, Acually much better all the way around.

 

[FPMark]

I have a question about static stretching. Last year my DD was having back problems and wound up at physical therapy. The therapist had her doing all types of stretching and core exersizes. She also recomended stretches to do before practice and games. She was recommended by a sports orthopedic doctor. My DD's back is now 100%. So are these static stretches a waist of time, or is there some benefit?

 

[Screwball]

Social time or transition time is silly; as a coach you don't have to do that and you don't have to pander to the girls; I don't do it and I am another female; the girls must have you guys wrapped around their fingers! Stretching does these things (1) reduces soreness from previous day (2) increases flexibility (3) reduces tension or nerves.

That is why the girls like it. Also, although I am not saying it has to be part of pregame anything, why are we against flexibility?

 

[Ken Krause]

We're not against flexibility. It's a good thing. Great time to do that is at the end of practice. Or in off-time, as with FPMark's daughter. It has a lot of benefits -- just not before a game.

Screwball, I have to disagree. It's not pandering at all, and many coaches allow it. Carrie Dever-Boaz talks about how she made time for it, and she coached at the D1 and pro levels. I've heard from other college coaches who say the same thing.

Team chemistry is important in any sport, but it especially has to be encouraged with female athletes. A little chat time is a good way to enable it. If they like each other enough to talk they'll work better together. It's when they're not talking to one another that you have a problem.