I'm the head Varsity Coach for a high school and we are currently in our Fall Ball season. It's technically not a school sponsored team so it is run like a Club team. During Fall Ball season things are generally a little more relaxed as far as only having practice 2 days a week instead of 5 days during regular season. I also know that I have other players that our playing other sports, play travel ball, etc. My issue is out of the 24 players on the fall ball team my last 3 practices I've only been having 4 - 5 players showing up for practice making it real difficult to make practice plans. Does anyone have any practice plans or thoughts for smaller than usual practices? I don't want to cancel practices. Any thoughts or things that work for other coaches.
Practices during Fall Ball Season
- Thread starter CoachCoyle
- Start date
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What does that mean?
What does all the players think that means?
Well it's relaxed fall season right!
Right when I read the word relaxed ... that's what you got...
relaxed attitude towards showing up.
I said relaxed in regards to days of practice 2 days instead of 5 days. Not relaxed as to practice commitment and effort.
- Feb 7, 2014
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- 63
RAD nailed it.
If practices are optional... players may choose another option.
I am assistant on a team that has the same scenario and if it were up to me I would not be putting on practices that are not required. Your time, energy, and resources have a value as well.
If practices are optional... players may choose another option.
I am assistant on a team that has the same scenario and if it were up to me I would not be putting on practices that are not required. Your time, energy, and resources have a value as well.
We have a similar struggle in our high school. Most of our softball players participate in other sports during fall and literally can't participate in a fall program. I very much limit the scope of a fall practice and treat it as off-season training with specific goals.
You say some of the 24 players are playing another fall school sport or on a club softball team already? To be blunt, those kids don't have time for your fall program.
I'm going into the sixth week of a fall hitting program. We meet twice a week and have only 4-5 participants. Only 3 of those are consistently coming to both sessions each week. This program is to work on bat speed and contact quality - swinging fast and barreling up balls. We live in the batting cage for this work. It isn't a team practice and I'm trying to keep it fun but challenge each player individually. We play music, take our time between work sets, and since we are in the cage, we aren't wasting time chasing balls all over the field. Even though this is a low volume training program, I estimate these players are getting twice as much hitting training compared to our spring season.
I'm quite pleased with the individual player improvements, so it has been worthwhile to me despite the effort cost. I also think of it as providing a training opportunity to athletes who don't play on a club softball team or a fall sport. My plan had been to wrap up this week but my regular participants are asking to continue. That's a good feeling. But like YoungBuck said, the time, energy, and resource costs are high to me so I'll probably quit while I'm ahead . . .
You say some of the 24 players are playing another fall school sport or on a club softball team already? To be blunt, those kids don't have time for your fall program.
I'm going into the sixth week of a fall hitting program. We meet twice a week and have only 4-5 participants. Only 3 of those are consistently coming to both sessions each week. This program is to work on bat speed and contact quality - swinging fast and barreling up balls. We live in the batting cage for this work. It isn't a team practice and I'm trying to keep it fun but challenge each player individually. We play music, take our time between work sets, and since we are in the cage, we aren't wasting time chasing balls all over the field. Even though this is a low volume training program, I estimate these players are getting twice as much hitting training compared to our spring season.
I'm quite pleased with the individual player improvements, so it has been worthwhile to me despite the effort cost. I also think of it as providing a training opportunity to athletes who don't play on a club softball team or a fall sport. My plan had been to wrap up this week but my regular participants are asking to continue. That's a good feeling. But like YoungBuck said, the time, energy, and resource costs are high to me so I'll probably quit while I'm ahead . . .
Work with who shows up. Those kids might be the ones that are either over achievers or kids that need the help. You will need to identify what skills need to be worked on. Mix it up. Give them drills they can work on their own.
So are you saying they know they are supposed to make a two-day commitment? Does their attendance during fall season affect their real season position on the roster? Is attendance part of evaluation to be a starter?
That post was a good mirror of similar situation! Like it and it's intention!
- Jun 18, 2023
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none of that answers the question.
If you followed the conversation I was having with the op those questions I was asking was part of that discussion. To establish what the players might be thinking of why they're not showing up
goes along with
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