That Doesn't Make Sense
Every once in a while I'll see something on the softball field that doesn't make sense to me. I could be watching a practice or a team warming up and I'll go, "Why in the world are the doing that?" My husband, who never watched a softball game in his life until he met me, will always ask, "Why? What's wrong with that?" LOL
Anyway - in most cases, players are practicing things they would never do in a game (or things we would never want them to do in a game). Let me give you a few examples:
Catchers catching without gear
Why is it that catchers are allowed to catch without gear? First of all it's a bit dangerous. Second, they are going to play in gear during the game so why not use it during practice? I've heard catchers say things like, "It's hot today, do I have to put on the gear?" Uhhhh.....YEAH! Why should a coach go easy on a catcher in practice because it's "hot" then expect them to be able to perform in gear for a 2 hour game or in a double header or in a tournament environment?
I even like to see catchers in gear when a coach is working the defense. Even better, I like to see catchers get down in their squat prior to each ball that is hit to the defense during situational practice. Then after the ball is hit, they can take off their mask, get out in front of the plate and help direct the defense (or cover the plate and direct the defense) just like they would do in a game (what a concept!).
Funky pitcher drills
Another thing that often boggles my mind is some of the pitching drills I see pitchers going through. The ones that especially surprise me are the ones where the pitcher is standing or kneeling with their shoulders square to the catcher throughout the whole delivery. Why on earth would you have a pitcher do that? They will NEVER do a windmill like that during a game! I don't understand why they'd do it in practice.
Fielding a ball on the glove side of the body (and with just one hand)
Now I'm not talking about a ball that can't help but be fielded on the glove side. I'm talking about grounders or fly balls that players purposefully receive on the glove side of their body (often times slow rollers). Maybe it looks like a cool "Hollywood" play or it looks like what some baseball outfielder guys do, but, to me, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. Why field the ball on the side of your body AND opposite your throwing hand/arm, then bring it all the way across your body to your throwing side to make a throw? Often times when a player makes this kind of play their throwing hand is no where near the glove. So now not only do you have to bring the ball from one side of your body to the other, you still have to get it to your throwing hand. The idea on defense is to get the ball to the base BEFORE the runner gets there. This means you have to get rid of it as fast as you can (not take a roundabout route). Why not get the ball more centered and go to it with both hands so that you can make a quicker transition to the throw?
I also don't care for trying to take those slow rollers off to the side of the body because if it's not judged it right or if it takes a weird hop, it goes right by the defender! One of the first (and main) things you have to do on defense is CONTROL THE BALL. You have to stop it, keep it in front of you, or keep it in an area where you can get control of it before you can make any kind of play. Fielding a ball off to the side and allowing the possibility of running right by it because of misjudging it or having it skip right past you is something that doesn't make sense to me. I can't stand seeing those weakly hit balls get past fielders because they are trying to field it off to the side of them. Okay, had to get that out....I feel better now.
Practicing a Bad Habit
One "new" drill I've seen for the first time recently involved fielders catching a ball, then moving the glove and ball away from the throwing position then back over toward the throwing shoulder, and then throwing the ball. Absolutely NOT something I want to see any player do during a game EVER. I didn't see any real positive reason for doing this drill. I call it "new" because I've never seen it before, maybe you have. Maybe you know why it's done and can enlighten me??? I really don't think there's any reason you could give me that would convince me that this is a drill that players should be doing on a daily basis, but if you know why this drill is done, I'd certainly like to hear from you.
No One is Moving
This is another "bad habit" that I see practiced. You've probably seen it too. Players are out in defensive positions and the coach hits balls and tells the defense where the play is. What happens? The grounder goes to 3B, the play is at 1st and the ONLY people moving are the 3rd baseman and the 1st baseman. The SS and the 2B just stand there and watch the play. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! If you allow this in your practice, then please DO NOT grumble or yell at your players during a game if they just stand and watch the play when the ball is hit to them. Every defender should be moving on every hit in practice and in the game.
Practicing in Inappropriate Attire
Often times I see players wear shorts to practice because it's more "comfortable" than wearing pants (even though their team uniform consists of pants). Half the time, actually, more like 90% of the time these are not even softball type shorts. These players end up holding back in practice because they don't want to scrape up their legs. Then come game time, they don't perform as well as they could because they don't go all out in practice. On top of that they often feel "restricted" in pants. Their pants feel like they "get in the way."
The same is true the other way around. Some players love wearing pants and are most comfortable in pants and ALWAYS wear pants even though their team wears shorts for the game. These are the players that feel uncomfortable or maybe even hold back a bit in games because they don't have the "security" of having softball pants on.
There are other things, but I think you get the idea. Sooooo.....what do you (or players on your team) do that doesn't make sense? What things do you do (or not do) in practice that are completely the opposite of what happens (or should happen) in a game? See if you can identify 1-2 senseless things you practice and make adjustments to better your game performance.
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Anyway - in most cases, players are practicing things they would never do in a game (or things we would never want them to do in a game). Let me give you a few examples:
Catchers catching without gear
Why is it that catchers are allowed to catch without gear? First of all it's a bit dangerous. Second, they are going to play in gear during the game so why not use it during practice? I've heard catchers say things like, "It's hot today, do I have to put on the gear?" Uhhhh.....YEAH! Why should a coach go easy on a catcher in practice because it's "hot" then expect them to be able to perform in gear for a 2 hour game or in a double header or in a tournament environment?
I even like to see catchers in gear when a coach is working the defense. Even better, I like to see catchers get down in their squat prior to each ball that is hit to the defense during situational practice. Then after the ball is hit, they can take off their mask, get out in front of the plate and help direct the defense (or cover the plate and direct the defense) just like they would do in a game (what a concept!).
Funky pitcher drills
Another thing that often boggles my mind is some of the pitching drills I see pitchers going through. The ones that especially surprise me are the ones where the pitcher is standing or kneeling with their shoulders square to the catcher throughout the whole delivery. Why on earth would you have a pitcher do that? They will NEVER do a windmill like that during a game! I don't understand why they'd do it in practice.
Fielding a ball on the glove side of the body (and with just one hand)
Now I'm not talking about a ball that can't help but be fielded on the glove side. I'm talking about grounders or fly balls that players purposefully receive on the glove side of their body (often times slow rollers). Maybe it looks like a cool "Hollywood" play or it looks like what some baseball outfielder guys do, but, to me, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. Why field the ball on the side of your body AND opposite your throwing hand/arm, then bring it all the way across your body to your throwing side to make a throw? Often times when a player makes this kind of play their throwing hand is no where near the glove. So now not only do you have to bring the ball from one side of your body to the other, you still have to get it to your throwing hand. The idea on defense is to get the ball to the base BEFORE the runner gets there. This means you have to get rid of it as fast as you can (not take a roundabout route). Why not get the ball more centered and go to it with both hands so that you can make a quicker transition to the throw?
I also don't care for trying to take those slow rollers off to the side of the body because if it's not judged it right or if it takes a weird hop, it goes right by the defender! One of the first (and main) things you have to do on defense is CONTROL THE BALL. You have to stop it, keep it in front of you, or keep it in an area where you can get control of it before you can make any kind of play. Fielding a ball off to the side and allowing the possibility of running right by it because of misjudging it or having it skip right past you is something that doesn't make sense to me. I can't stand seeing those weakly hit balls get past fielders because they are trying to field it off to the side of them. Okay, had to get that out....I feel better now.
Practicing a Bad Habit
One "new" drill I've seen for the first time recently involved fielders catching a ball, then moving the glove and ball away from the throwing position then back over toward the throwing shoulder, and then throwing the ball. Absolutely NOT something I want to see any player do during a game EVER. I didn't see any real positive reason for doing this drill. I call it "new" because I've never seen it before, maybe you have. Maybe you know why it's done and can enlighten me??? I really don't think there's any reason you could give me that would convince me that this is a drill that players should be doing on a daily basis, but if you know why this drill is done, I'd certainly like to hear from you.
No One is Moving
This is another "bad habit" that I see practiced. You've probably seen it too. Players are out in defensive positions and the coach hits balls and tells the defense where the play is. What happens? The grounder goes to 3B, the play is at 1st and the ONLY people moving are the 3rd baseman and the 1st baseman. The SS and the 2B just stand there and watch the play. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! If you allow this in your practice, then please DO NOT grumble or yell at your players during a game if they just stand and watch the play when the ball is hit to them. Every defender should be moving on every hit in practice and in the game.
Practicing in Inappropriate Attire
Often times I see players wear shorts to practice because it's more "comfortable" than wearing pants (even though their team uniform consists of pants). Half the time, actually, more like 90% of the time these are not even softball type shorts. These players end up holding back in practice because they don't want to scrape up their legs. Then come game time, they don't perform as well as they could because they don't go all out in practice. On top of that they often feel "restricted" in pants. Their pants feel like they "get in the way."
The same is true the other way around. Some players love wearing pants and are most comfortable in pants and ALWAYS wear pants even though their team wears shorts for the game. These are the players that feel uncomfortable or maybe even hold back a bit in games because they don't have the "security" of having softball pants on.
There are other things, but I think you get the idea. Sooooo.....what do you (or players on your team) do that doesn't make sense? What things do you do (or not do) in practice that are completely the opposite of what happens (or should happen) in a game? See if you can identify 1-2 senseless things you practice and make adjustments to better your game performance.
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Labels: coaching softball, fastpitch softball
posted by Stacie | 11:24 AM
2 Comments:
I often have these same complaints! My biggest pet peeve is when players come to practice in short socks. There is no way that we will be wearing them in a game, so why is it ok to in practice? When the players are wearing short socks, they won't ever slide! Looking forward to heaing more from you.
Ye! definitely true that Some players love wearing pants and are most comfortable in pants and ALWAYS wear pants even though their team wears shorts for the game.
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