Issues with Developing Players to their Full Potential

[iCoach]

How do you instill a sense of aggressiveness and confidence in your players?

I have excellent batters, but a very slow, unconfident, intimidated 14U team. They will not hustle for the ball as quickly as they should, do not get their gloves down, and let pop flies die right before them instead of taking the extra two steps to catch it.

Here is what my co-coach and I have tried so far:

1. Teaching the basic fundamentals of fielding and batting (all the way basic as down to the proper stance)
2. Teaching base running skills
3. Working on situations (with and without runners)
4. Going over plays slowly
5. Having the girls identify how to address a certain situation or play themselves and executing it
6. Create a competitive atmosphere for different positions
7. Have the girls vote on captains and have those captains lead team dicussions
8. Take girls aside and talk to them about leading the team
9. Identifying the positive in each game, girl, etc, and then working in things we need to work on
10. Making them run when they give up
11. Teaching a skill, then implementing it in scrimmages
12. Scrimmages in general
13. Coaching them through the mentality of winning


Basically, it comes down to that my girls are all in their head. They keep worrying about messing up or what the other team will do than actually playing well.

What can I do to try to guide them through getting rid of this timid mentality? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If you hadn't said this was a 14U team, I would have thought you were Mike Candrea.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Don't know if it will work for 14u, but my 10u players LOVE merit-based helmet stickers. No hustle, no award. They compete amongst themselves almost as much as they're competing against the other team.

 

[iCoach]

Really? What makes you say that (re: Candrea)?

 

[Momo'sDad]

Sounds like you've done so many things right, but some girls just don't have the fire, even though they have the skill. And as coaches, you've got the perfect technical plan but, for a combination of reasons, are unable to inspire the team.

Do you have any go-getters on the team? When the players tried out, did you see something then.that's gone now?

 

[Sparky Guy]

Any advice would be appreciated.

What you don't mention is the level you're playing at. If you're playing rec ball then you can do only so much. This is the effort these players want to give to the sport. They are there for the socializing mostly.

If this is a travel team them you need to light a fire under your A$$. Most times when a team doesn't hustle it starts at the top. From day one I am on my teams to move faster, never walk and don't be last. If moving to a part different part of the field to work on something new I will walk to the place. If any of the girls on the team get there after me they are running. If a player is not giving me her best effort I will let them know it. Then I'll follow it up with a comment like "Ive seen you give 100% before, I expect it every time."

While it sounds like you've done all the "Correct" things to help the team, sometimes it takes applying a lot of shoe leather to their backsides. Once you have 3 or 4 buying into it the rest will follow. You have to create a general air hustle about the team and everything you do. You ALWAYS have to make it about the team. If they are not hustling they are letting down the rest of their team mates.

 

[iCoach]

@ Momo'sDad: That is another thing I did NOT mention-- there are no natural leaders on the team. My best player is steadily learning how to be a leader, but not quite at the level I need her to be yet. I keep looking to others, but they are all essentially on the same level again.

@ Sparky Guy: This is a very tough question to answer (level). Essentially, my team is a mix of girls who are in their second year of travel, and those who were at the rec league level last year that gave our competitive Fall Ball a try (on my team) and were inspired to try out for travel ball. So, I have some so-so experienced girls, and some who are making drastic strides, but still no fire. I like the idea of walking out to the field and having those girls run who are behind me.

On the same token, my best player is a girl who just joined the travel ball team last year and is now a 14U player who is aggressive and GOOD. She puts in several hours outside of practice as well. Yet, even with her example, the girls do not follow.

One idea I had was this, that I am not sure would be a good idea: Sometimes, some teams are very visual; they don't get it unless they see it. I think this might be my team. Last year I had a phenomenal 14U team (they have all moved up to high school ball, except for one). They were aggressive, great pitchers and catchers, and had goals, and I had more leaders than I could ask for, and they were competitive even with themselves. We are talking so good that when my 8th grader graduated, she started VARSITY high school ball that summer, and lead the team in hitting with a BA of .407.

I am considering bringing some of those girls back, and having them practice the same things my girls do, except have my girls watch them, and see their aggressiveness. This way, they witness a team that is their same age, and has greater potential.

Not sure if it's a good idea, but you never know...thoughts?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Because it is the same problem, that he has had for years and it was worse, this year. Going into the sectionals, he threatened to run them, if they didn't start speaking up and talking. It worked only so,so.

Sometimes it is just team chemistry and he is threatening cuts for next year.

 

[LAdad]

Are the girls having fun? Having fun and caring about your team mates may be a stronger motivation than the prospect of winning the game. According to yourself the girls play tentatively because they are afraid of making mistakes. Do they have reason for that fear? Because they fear losing their position, or being made to run laps? Or, considering that many come just from rec ball, has there been so much talk of playing at a much higher level that they are worried they don't have it? By nature, 14YO girls aren't the most self-confident bunch. I'd suggest focus on creating a relaxed atmosphere, and give them some opportunities to gain confidence. Maybe play some friendlies instead of tournaments with the threat of elimination. (On the other hand, 14YO girls aren't known either for all getting along; good luck if that is the problem.)

[Now wait for some posts explaining that yelling and the threat of benching is what makes the world go around ...]

 

[iCoach]

@LAdad: No, I see your point, don't worry. I will also throw another thing in there: The parents. The ones who have parents that instill in them that working hard is what will make them better tend to be my better ones. Their parents don't just coddle them and say, "It's ok, you'll do better next time." They are the ones who, after the game, they give their kid some time, then when they are ready to talk, they'll say, "Well, hey-- maybe if you had your glove further to the ground, it wouldn't have gotten past you. Let's go work on some grounders after school", etc. My worst girls are the ones whose parents say, "As long as you're having fun, right?!" And then we'll proceed to get slaughtered again because that half of the team doesn't pull their weight.

I guess it's all about balance. Having fun AND putting in your best effort. My motto is, "Don't live with regrets. Put your best in so that you never doubt what could have been if you'd only tried harder." I'm lucky to have girls that get along, as our team building days usually pay off in the beginning. The problem is that we went on an upward slope in learning, and now we've trailed off. I'll have to ask them what is getting in their heads again, I suppose.