It's all in the FUNdamentals
I'm huge on fundamentals and mechanics - and, as you can see by the title of this post, FUN! You As I've said many times before, fun is so important when it comes to softball, or any sport for that matter. The two times in my life that I SERIOUSLY thought about quitting this game and giving it up completely as a player, the main thought going through my mind was that it wasn't fun any more. I wasn't having fun playing the game and that was the main reason behind dropping the game altogether. That's why I feel it's important to remember that as a coach, especially at the younger ages.
Another thing I'm picky about is fundamentals. I am big on working proper fundamentals, proper mechanics until it's second nature. One of my first softball coaches did this for me and I went back to it time and time again whenever I started to struggle. I've often wondered what kind of player I would have been had that ONE coach not done that because NO coach after her stressed those mechanics and drilled them like she did. I don't know that I would have had that to fall back on if she hadn't been so insistent on going over those fundamentals again and again and again.
Too often I see coaches breeze through the basics. They are so anxious to move on to other more "advanced" skills, but I just don't see the rush if your team hasn't gotten the basics down yet. For example, I've seen 10U coaches want to work on turning the double play when their team has a tough time simply fielding a ball and making a throw. Why even worry about how to turn a double play when you're still having trouble fielding a ball and making good throws? I'm not saying that you should never work on it, but it just seems a little silly to me to drop the work on the basics to "move on" to something like that. I would still work the basics in practice and give it some quality time, then maybe introduce the concept of the double and work it a bit. But to spend all your defensive practice working the double play in that particular situation doesn't make sense to me. Work the fundamentals and those "advanced" plays will come.
Same with when you start pitching. Work those fundamentals! It always baffles me to see coaches/parents/players wanting to go from never pitching before to throwing 5 different pitches in a year. Of course, if you have an unbelievably talented athlete that happens to catch on to the fundamentals and to all of the other aspects of pitching THAT quickly, than by all means, go for it. But most of us don't have that type of superhero ability. Fundamentals is what's going to give you the most power and the most accuracy whether it's throwing overhand or underhand.
If you're looking for a DVD on pitching fundamentals, the one I personally bought is from www.HouseOfPitching.com (Building the House by Bill Hillhouse).
Another one that's currently on special for $19.95 is available at Softball Performance. But that pricing is only going to last for the next day or so. If this is something you've been looking for, now's a good time to get it.
Another thing I'm picky about is fundamentals. I am big on working proper fundamentals, proper mechanics until it's second nature. One of my first softball coaches did this for me and I went back to it time and time again whenever I started to struggle. I've often wondered what kind of player I would have been had that ONE coach not done that because NO coach after her stressed those mechanics and drilled them like she did. I don't know that I would have had that to fall back on if she hadn't been so insistent on going over those fundamentals again and again and again.
Too often I see coaches breeze through the basics. They are so anxious to move on to other more "advanced" skills, but I just don't see the rush if your team hasn't gotten the basics down yet. For example, I've seen 10U coaches want to work on turning the double play when their team has a tough time simply fielding a ball and making a throw. Why even worry about how to turn a double play when you're still having trouble fielding a ball and making good throws? I'm not saying that you should never work on it, but it just seems a little silly to me to drop the work on the basics to "move on" to something like that. I would still work the basics in practice and give it some quality time, then maybe introduce the concept of the double and work it a bit. But to spend all your defensive practice working the double play in that particular situation doesn't make sense to me. Work the fundamentals and those "advanced" plays will come.
Same with when you start pitching. Work those fundamentals! It always baffles me to see coaches/parents/players wanting to go from never pitching before to throwing 5 different pitches in a year. Of course, if you have an unbelievably talented athlete that happens to catch on to the fundamentals and to all of the other aspects of pitching THAT quickly, than by all means, go for it. But most of us don't have that type of superhero ability. Fundamentals is what's going to give you the most power and the most accuracy whether it's throwing overhand or underhand.
If you're looking for a DVD on pitching fundamentals, the one I personally bought is from www.HouseOfPitching.com (Building the House by Bill Hillhouse).
Another one that's currently on special for $19.95 is available at Softball Performance. But that pricing is only going to last for the next day or so. If this is something you've been looking for, now's a good time to get it.
Labels: coaching softball, pitching, softball performance, softball training
posted by Stacie | 8:18 AM
2 Comments:
I truely believe that teaching the fundementals correctly is important. Can you Share these methods with us???
Fundamentals is the key to a solid player. As a coach it is the hardest thing to teach because it takes a lot of repetition and drills and players are anxious to just field ground balls and hit. They need to see a video or picture of themselves to start understanding the proper mechanics of fielding and throwing a ball.
Coach 18U
Post a Comment
<< Home