Why has this changed? Lets talk about it...

[radness]

This topic is not a new one...
However an important one!

It does happen on occaision that catching and hitting students may show up having changed a piece of mechanics we need to utilize and train with.
So it becomes a communication moment.
Starting with asking...
1. Why has this changed?
2. Student shares the who, what, why.
3.Then We discuss pro's and con's...to understand why one method is being taught at lessons and not the other.
To utilize the best approach to success.

*inevitably it is a difficult situation for the young person.
As well others involved myself, coaches, parent.

In thinking through these scenarios would like to impress on parents to please help guide your kids through this. By being aware it can happen!
And being pro-active in prepairing this may happen!

*BEFORE this happens~
Please consider addressing how you would like your child to handle this predicament BEFOR it may occur.

Wonderful DFP Please share your experiences to help grow through this!
What to do when the coach tells you to do something differently than your instructor.

Perhaps we can find a best way to address this!
Hopefully a better way than putting young people in between a rock and a hard place!

 

[Rick M]

Good topic, and something that I have come across often as a parent. DD has been taking private hitting and pitching instruction for most of her playing days (coming up on six years, wow).

My stance has always been that if a team coach recommends that she do something different, give it a try. An adjustment might work for you. But mostly, if there is a conflict in the approach, I tell DD to stick with what her private coaches tell her.

Why? It mostly has to do with time. Between school, rec, and travel DD has had a dozen coaches over the years. But she’s mostly been with the same hitting and pitching coaches throughout, and they know how she’s developed through the years and have the luxury of taking a long-term approach to building both her swing and her delivery. Especially with pitching, you sometimes have to take one step back before taking two steps forward.

Also related to time, DD is one of 12 girls her team coach is working with. But she gets the undivided attention of her private coaches for an hour a week. It just doesn’t make sense to try and make changes under the direction of a team coach who can only give you 15 minutes of individual attention.


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[bmakj]

DD does one on one catching and hitting instruction. Our advice on how to deal with getting conflicting instuction from team coaches is to try it out, but go with whatever gives the better results. and then to talk about the other approach at next private lesson.

 

[radness]

Hmmm how would it be if the next time the student shows up changing what is being taught...just stop the lesson.
Turn to the parent and ask
Are you aware this changed?

its really not for me to have to oversee parenting....yet.....
If the child is not doing what we are being taught....and i know the student already can do and has done what we are being taught....yet changed
Really this is either
A. Player has chosen a different path.
Or
B. The parent has.
Or
C. Child has no clue how to handle what to do with people telling them to do different things.

Either way when showing up to a lesson and doing 'somethings else' and its on purpose....

It makes the situation much more of a predicament.

And....
There is a point where i say
You can do softball however you want!
I teach this.
If you want to do this okay!
If you want to do that, please do. But i dont do that here.

its a shame to have to get to that point in front of young people,
However if parents dont address this, atleast by paying attention to what there child is being told by others ( maybe even by the parent), and how child is changing things....
It is a predicament!

There is a big difference between
A parent or student saying
" my coach or parent told me do this _____, what do you think?"
Vs.
Changing mechanics, and having to address what then appears incorrect.

( yes i have brought this up to parents attention and sometimes the parent has no clue of changing occuring)

So....i am making a point about this AGAIN !

 

[Cannonball]

Are you sure that a player can explain why a change happened? It is troubling to say but in a lot of cases, the why has not been explained to the student. Also, there are times when a misunderstanding of what has been coached happens and the player is not making a change the instructor intended for them to do. Lessons and coaching, in general, should be like an ongoing instructions/quiz. When the next lesson or practice happens, the carryover from the previous lesson or instruction needs to be reinforced. Unfortunately, that is not the case in most instruction and/or practices.

 

[radness]

Are you sure that a player can explain why a change happened? It is troubling to say but in a lot of cases, the why has not been explained to the student. Also, there are times when a misunderstanding of what has been coached happens and the player is not making a change the instructor intended for them to do. Lessons and coaching, in general, should be like an ongoing instructions/quiz. When the next lesson or practice happens, the carryover from the previous lesson or instruction needs to be reinforced. Unfortunately, that is not the case in most instruction and/or practices.

Super good point!
No the players dont always have any reasoning why they were told to do what ever the were told to change!

To that point of carry over from previous lesson to grow on....
Would be important to work on the lesson homework.
...rather than changing....
And showing up not having done proper softball homework.

 

[_MIA_]

If a parent thinks they know enough to change something an instructor is teaching, why are they paying for lessons? The biggest issue is a difference between what a coach and an instructor is teaching. If I was coaching, and I knew a kid was going to lessons for X(hitting,fielding,etc) then I wouldn't try to instruct them but if they were not producing then their playing time would reflect their lack of production. If asked why they were not playing I would say as much and then give my opinion on why they were not producing.

As a parent if my kid was stuck between two forms of instruction, I would side with the instructor and talk to the coach BUT I would also understand that if my kid wasn't producing then there would be consequences. At that point I would need to re-evaluate who I was taking my kid to for instruction.

So far I have been lucky enough to not have to deal with any of this.

 

[radness]

If a parent thinks they know enough to change something an instructor is teaching, why are they paying for lessons?





The biggest issue is a difference between what a coach and an instructor is teaching. If I was coaching, and I knew a kid was going to lessons for X(hitting,fielding,etc) then I wouldn't try to instruct them but if they were not producing then their playing time would reflect their lack of production. If asked why they were not playing I would say as much and then give my opinion on why they were not producing.

As a parent if my kid was stuck between two forms of instruction, I would side with the instructor and talk to the coach BUT I would also understand that if my kid wasn't producing then their would be consequences. At that point I would need to re-evaluate who I was taking my kid to for instruction.

So far I have been lucky enough to not have to deal with any of this.

It happens ?
...on my schedule when that happens,... then a discussion happens.

 

[_MIA_]

It happens ?
...on my schedule when that happens,... then a discussion happens.

I am too cheap for that to happen..

 

[krazykat]

Depending on age, parent or player should always inform coach of player receiving private lessons. In best case, coach will know instructor and respect instructors ability to improve player performance. Worst case occurs when coach and instructor have different approach and player receives conflicting information. At this point, something has to change. Nothing destroys a young girls desire to improve more than being told two different ways to get there. Most coaches, if informed, will let instructor take the lead. Communication and transparency are the key!