AAF Blog Has a New Home

This will be the last post here at the "old" AAF blog.

Please come by and check out the new home and new look of the All About Fastpitch Blog. It's finally up and running. Some of the imported posts do have a slight strange looking format, but the content is there and will also remain here (just the old stuff). Going forward, new posts should look at little better and cleaner.

All new blog posts from here on out (March 2009) will be made at the new blog.

If you subscribed to the RSS feed here at the old blog, it should automatically update for you.

If not, there are RSS subscribe links on the new blog.

See you there!

Are You Addicted to Coaching?

Eek! I've never really looked at it that way before, but maybe I am "addicted" to coaching. Are you? :D

I recently read an article that started off like this...

"I am a youth basketball coach.

There, I've said it. They say the first step in recovering from addiction is admitting you have one.

It's really amazing that they don't have an "Alcoholics Anonymous"-type program for recovering youth sports coaches."

Actually, it turned out to be a rather good article about what youth sports should be like, the challenges many youth coaches face, and, of course, one of my favorite topics...FUN!

While there may be a few points here and there in the article that you may or may not wholly agree with, here are my favorite parts of the article:

• The author pointing out that outcomes of games typically linger longer with adults than it does with the kids
• The idea of competing without resorting to a win-at-all-cost attitude
• Helping the players realize that the "last" player is just as much a part of the team as the player with the most talent
• There are larger lessons to learn on the field that are applicable to life, not just to the game
• You serve your players best by teaching fundamentals
• Remember that it's about fun, but realize that you can have fun while still giving the kids structure
• Have a plan!!!
• Oh yeah, and don't forget the snacks

Resources for New Coaches:

If you're new to coaching and would like some help, here are a few places where you can get it:

AAF Elite Membership where you can get access to all of AAF's paid products as well as ASK ANY COACHING question you may have and get feedback from other coaches who are dedicated to this game

Keeping Softball Fun - need help with practice? Quick guide to planning practice, plus a bunch of fun drills that will keep your players engaged while improving their skills. (note: this is included free in the AAF Elite Membership)

Coaching Books at Amazon.com:

Coaching Youth Softball: A Baffled Parent's Guide

Coaching Girls' Softball: From the How-To's of the Game to Practical Real-World Advice--Your Definitive Guide to Successfully Coaching Girls

Other Softball Coaching Resources at Amazon.com

Fun and Positive: Is This So Hard to Understand?

Isn't this what I've been saying from Day 1? Why does this seem like such a tough concept for "grown ups" to understand? So much so that it was a big part of the foreword of a book.

The main ideas?

• Children are NOT mini-adults (do not treat them as such)
• Fun and enjoyment are the MAIN reasons children participate in sports in the first place (either that or their parents are forcing them)
• Children's early experiences in the sport have a MASSIVE influence over their participation decisions later

When coaching 6U, 8U, 10U, probably even as far as 12U - Winning is NOT the ultimate goal! Let's teach the game, help the kids improve their skills while fostering/nurturing a love for the game. Do NOT overlook these aspects in favor of the WIN!

Players are NOT going to continue playing this game for the next 8, 10, 12 years if it's not fun. PERIOD! You've probably heard me say this before: the 2 times in my career when I seriously thought about quitting this game...the BIGGEST (actually the ONLY) reason was because I wasn't having fun. Why they heck should I "waste" my time with something I'm not enjoying. In one scenario I was part of a very good team. Winning and "success" were just about guaranteed and still I seriously though about giving it all up. Why? Because I wasn't enjoying it any more. Most kids feel the same way.

Why didn't I quit in those situations? Because I made the conscious choice to have fun no matter what. I was not going to let anyone take away this game that I enjoyed so much. It was something I loved to do and was good at and I decided I was going to have fun despite negativity in my surroundings.

But I wasn't making that decision at 8, 10, or 12. I had been given that fun and enjoyable foundation to fall back on when I was faced with this decision at an older age.

This is a game! Yes, it's fun to win. I'm not denying that. Yes, each time I go out on the field, I'm going out there to do my best and come out on top, but "the win" is not THE driving force behind why I'm at the field on a regular basis. I'm there because I love it, because even after being in this sport since the age of 9, it's still FUN for me. I still enjoy it.

Especially at the younger ages, I believe it's our job, as coaches, to give these players the most positively memorable experience possible. Not that it should all be fun and games, not that there should be no discipline or that striving for excellence should be thrown out the window...Just remember that kids are more likely to want to play softball if they enjoy it. They are more likely to continue playing for years and years IF the are having fun. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Here's an article that talks about this very issue. Read it HERE.

Look Great, Feel Great, Play Great

I sent this out via e-mail a few days ago and got quite a few responses, so I decided to share it on the blog as well. Enjoy!

I a conversation I had with Tom Hanson, I remember him mentioning a conversation he had with Mike Candrea. Tom said that Coach Candrea talked about how much time he spends on helping his players feel good.

Recently, I had a conversation with another coach via Facebook and he was talking about how he was building up a team that had recently come from losing seasons. One of the things he wanted to do was get the players to feel good about being part of the team.

One way he did that was making sure they had some of the best sweats in the league. It was something players get excited about. It's something they looked forward to and something they loved about being part of that team...they got to wear cool sweats/hoodies. This coach mentioned how something as simple as this can create a more positive atmosphere on the team.

Again it goes back to helping the players feel good. You've heard people say, "Look good, feel good." Then of course, if you feel great, you're more likely to be positive and the more positive you are the more likely it is that you have a better mindset for performing well.

Now if you don't have the cash to buy the best uniform or the best sweats or jackets in town, the Mitt Mate thing I've been talking about may be an idea (plus there's another option that I'll talk about toward the end of this message). Like I said, my girls (my daughters and the players I coach) thought they were great and got excited about getting some for their glove. Feel good, play good - think this could work.

Something as simple as this can promote a more positive team atmosphere and just create a better sense of "team" among the players. There are other benefits too and I'm actually going to be talking with Jessica (the one who created these Mitt Mates) on the next Fastpitch Talk Radio.

Not sure what Mitt Mates are? I've got a blog post with a picture up at

http://www.allaboutfastpitch.com/2009/02/useful-bling-for-your-glove.html

Then I also put up a video where I show you the one I personally have on my glove.

http://staciemahoe.com/2009/03/03/whats-on-your-glove/

If you're one of the many who've already taken advantage of the special Jessica is offering (details on the blog and in the video), please send me a picture of you with your Mitt Mate. I'd like to post it up if you don't mind.

Also, if you'd like to get some Mitt Mates for your team, but don't have the funds, Jessica just released a brand new fundraising program. Check it out at http://www.MittMate.com - remember to use promo code STM017 to get free shipping on that fundraiser.

What's on your glove?

Feeling Quoty: Thoughts on Success

“Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.”
Jon Bon Jovi, Source: quote-book

"If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother told you."
Author Unknown, Source: quote garden

"If at first you don't succeed, you're running about average."
M.H. Alderson, Source: quote garden

"Success is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles."
Walter Cronkite, Source: quote garden

"Success will never be a big step in the future, success is a small step taken just now."
Jonatan Mårtensson, Source: quote garden

"I couldn't wait for success... so I went ahead without it."
Jonathan Winters, Source: quote garden

I think my favorite out of this bunch is the first. Too many people let failures get them down. Just because they tried something that failed, they think they ARE a failure. But even very, very successful people have had failures in their lives. They just kept getting up instead of allowing their failure to bring them down!

Useful Bling for Your Glove

I'm not sure if this has ever happened to you, but it's happened to me...Last season in fact.  I took my daughter to practice, and of course, since I have great taste in gloves,  at least one other girl on my daughter's team has the exact same glove (happens to be true again this season).  

This of course, can cause some problems.  For example, one day last season (it's bound to happen sooner or later) my daughter comes to me after practice and says, 

"INSERT TEAMMATE'S NAME HERE took my glove instead of hers by accident."

Ugh!  This does seem to happen more with the younger age groups than with older ones because the younger players aren't always so particular with their gloves.  

The reason I bring this subject up is because I just recently found out about MittMates.  I actually had no idea what MittMates were until I saw them on Facebook.  I had seen similar products or "bling" on player's gloves, but these are pretty cool.  At least I think they are.

Of course, I was a little worried that older players would think it was corny.  However, I put one on my glove and the players I coach (high school age) started asking how I got it and how they could get one for their glove.  Sooooooo, I'm going to be getting MittMates for our whole team.  

Normally, these little MittMates run about $11.99 each.  However, you can take advantage of a Team Special they're running and get MittMates for your whole team for just $99.  (up to 13 players)  All you have to do is go to the order page and use promo code: STM017

Order your team's MittMates with Promo Code: STM017 and save over 35%!

They even have different colors to possibly match your team and cool designer looking ones if you want something more "fashionable." (my favorite is, of course, the surfer print).  

For a cool, stylish way to personalize and easily identify your glove, get MittMates.  Who knows, maybe it'll help us get out to the field faster on defense because it'll be easier for players to identify which gloves need to be given to the players coming off the field from baserunning or hitting.  It'll should eliminate the "Can you pass my glove?" / "Which one's yours?" exchange that we hear all the time in the dugout.  

Orrrrrr, when gloves are left at the field after practice or after games, MittMates will help you immediately identify who that glove belongs to.  ;)

So, go get some for your team today and remember to use Promo Code: STM017 to take advantage of the over 35% discount on Team Orders.

Hey Baseball: Thanks, But No Thanks

I actually found out about this in this blog post by Marc over at Softball Performance. Apparently the International Baseball Federation submitted a proposal for a "combined approach for Olympic Games programme status."

Thankfully, the International Softball Federation (ISF) has decided that softball with stand alone in current proposals to the International Olympic Committee. Being grouped with baseball is, I believe, one of the major reasons softball was voted out for 2012. Since softball was ousted in the 2005 voting, the ISF has vigorously campaigned for softball's reinstatement to the Olympics.

The IOC will be voting to include up to two most sports in the 2016 Olympic games. I really hope softball gets back in. If you're reading this, I'm sure you do too.

What I think would be super cool, is to have both men's and women's fastpitch in the Olympics! I'd definitely be DVR'ing all the games.

Olympics-Softball Rejects Baseball's Plans for Joint Games Pitch

Fastpitch Softball Drills | Fastpitch Softball Coaching Tips | Fastpitch Forum

A Message for Non-Starters

Are you ready?

Here it is...

There is SO MUCH you can do to help your team!!!!!!!!!!!! (Whew, glad I got that out)

One thing you can do is PUSH HARD in practice. Why?
Well there are a number of great reasons:

1. Because you will improve your skills faster

2. Because you will increase your chance at earning some playing time

3. Because pushing hard in practice helps you get GAME READY just in case the starter in front of you gets sick, gets injured, has some kind of outside obligation to attend instead of coming to the game, or simply has a bad day

4. Because coaches love players that go hard in practice and HOW you practice leaves 1 of 3 impressions in your coaches mind:
a) you do things half heartedly because you're not a starter and the coaches are left with a negative impression of how you practice
b) you don't slack but you don't push either and in the words of Simon Cowell your practice efforts are "forgettable" (*note: "forgettable" usually doesn't make the coach want to put your name in that starting line-up)
c) you work hard and push yourself daily and a very positive impression is branded in your coaches mind about HOW you practice

5. Because the more you push yourself the more the starter in front of you pushes and gets better. If they don't, you get their position. If they do and they are on top of their game and they make great plays on the field - YOU just helped your team get better by pushing and challenging that starter in front of you. You just made a HUGE contribution to your team's overall performance...all because you chose to practice hard every day and push yourself and those around you.

...and that's just ONE way to help your team as a non-starter. There are many more that I'll probably share from time to time, but for now, make it a point to push and challenge yourself and those around you. You'll get better and you'll make a very positive contribution to your team's overall performance and success.