Pep Talks for games you probably will not win.

[CoachJD]

I disagree with the "Don't talk about what happened in the game" aspect of post-game conferences. You don't have to break out a whiteboard, but the adage in MLB is "You see something you've never seen before every time you go to the ballpark" Well, these kids are young. Even the 16u kids that are fighting for big scholarships. Hell, there are arguments/questions in this forum about specific rules and how/why calls were made. If we're fuzzy on it, the kids have no idea. Teach them the trail runner is out when she passes someone in front of her, but it's a live ball and you still have to make the play. Teach them that if they field a pop-up standing in fair territory and it bounces off their glove and lands foul it's still fair. I guarantee for most uncommon plays there's at least one player there that's at least a little fuzzy on exactly what happened and why and is just not going to speak up and say so. Teach them.

A quick comment on a weird play is one thing, but the idea is that you save all that stuff for practice where you can actually work on what needs to be worked on.

Also gives them a little time away from it. They're far more likely to listen to the coach speechifying the next day at practice than right after a tough loss.

 

[CoachCeetar]

A quick comment on a weird play is one thing, but the idea is that you save all that stuff for practice where you can actually work on what needs to be worked on.

Also gives them a little time away from it. They're far more likely to listen to the coach speechifying the next day at practice than right after a tough loss.

Will they remember? Best when it's fresh. I'm talking about like rule clarifications and uncommon play stuff. But yeah, it'd just be quick comments/clarifications. On the same note, reinforcing good plays, that are maybe more routine but just at the edge of their skill level. Someone makes a good tag play on an overrun at second, pump them up and explain to everyone how heads up a play it was. I think when this stuff is fresh it sticks better, especially if the next practice might not be immediate.

 

[CoachJD]

Will they remember? Best when it's fresh. I'm talking about like rule clarifications and uncommon play stuff. But yeah, it'd just be quick comments/clarifications. On the same note, reinforcing good plays, that are maybe more routine but just at the edge of their skill level. Someone makes a good tag play on an overrun at second, pump them up and explain to everyone how heads up a play it was. I think when this stuff is fresh it sticks better, especially if the next practice might not be immediate.

Nothing wrong with that.

I do think pointing out a couple positive plays post-game is fine, win or lose.

What people really want to avoid, and I agree completely, is spending 5 minutes reminding them of all the mistakes they made during the game they just played.