Cinnaminson Girls Softball: Coaches Corner

Impact of Coaches

I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element on the field.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a coach, I possess tremendous power to make an athlete’s life miserable or joyous.
I can be the tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be
escalated or de-escalated and an athlete humanized or dehumanized.

An adaption of Haim Ginott

Hitting is three things, Confidence, Discipline & Repetition. Our goal when teaching hitting is to Minimize Movement to Maximize Results.

The Grip: The most important part of the swing starts way before you step into the batter’s box. It starts as you pick up your bat. This is also one of the most over-looked things by coaches. The bottom pads of your fingers closest to your palm, not your palm is actually where the bat goes and what holds the bat. After you get this grip, the girls should line up their knuckles (not the knuckles you punch with but the first knuckles on your fingers). In the Coaching Community, this is referred to “Door Knocking Knuckles or Knocking Knuckles). This will seem awkward at first but is extremely important.

Stepping into the Batter’s Box: When the player steps into the box, they should step in with their back foot first. After this foot is set, then they bring their other foot into the box. Opinions vary about how far away from the plate the feet should be and how deep in the batter’s box the players should be. As a general rule, the players can set their front foot at about the center of home plate and their bat should be able to be tapped on the far side of home plate. I also recommend that batters move up in the batter’s box to bunt or slap so the ball has a better chance of staying fair and move far back in the batter’s box when facing fast pitchers.

In the Box: Once in the box, they should relax by bringing their hands in against their chest and rest the bat on their back shoulder. Once the pitcher sets on the mound, the batter should get ready (the bat will now be facing approximately 45 degrees back and the player’s arms should form an upside down V – Power V). The batter should now be in an athletic stance in the box, similar to the ready position of a tennis player or soccer goalie. A slightly crouched position with the weight carried mainly on the balls of the feet and fairly evenly distributed on the legs. Also note the batters knees are slightly bent towards each other (their knees and belt buckle will also form an upside down V.

(Load) by transferring their weight towards their back leg (As the pitchers starts her wind-up), the girls should get ready by shifting their weight towards their back foot and "load their arms" (back elbow somewhat down - not up and their front shoulder "tucks" forming the “Power V”). During this weight shift, please ensure that the players knees are still turned in towards each other maintaining the lower upside down V created from their belt buckle and knees. The hands are centered on the back shoulder at a height approximately near the top of the strike zone. Their weight ratio at this point is about 60/40 (60% on the rear leg, 40% on the front).

(Stride) Once the pitcher starts her arm circle and is just about to release her pitch, (stride) the girls should take a small (approx. 3”) stride forward. When they stride forward, their weight stays about 60% on their back leg and they should take a soft step forward up on their front toe. During the stride, their head should stay still and the batters weight should not shift forward.

(Drive) Finally they drive the ball, keeping their head in the “Power V that is created by their arms and their head. During the drive, their front heel sets and their back foot rotates forward and goes up on its toe. Also rotating simultaneously is the waist and the front foot/knee (think of the three components of the lower V all turning towards the pitcher at the same time– the two knees and the belt buckle).They should finish with the bat on their back shoulder, and their back foot should be facing the pitcher and up on its toe. When swinging, swing full speed. During the swing, the weight transfers forward and we see approximately 60% forward to 40% rear. 3 Steps: Load Stride Drive. Sounds Easy doesn't it!!!!!!!!!!!Just make sure they are doing all three steps separately. A common mistake is for players to stride and drive/swing at the same time. As players get more skilled, their stride and drive will happen faster but the following always remains constant: The batters stride should not be a part of the swing but rather it should be a pre-swing movement and the front foot must be down and planted before the hands start forward.

Quotes “Minimize Movement to Maximize Results” This means we simplify to process and get the girls where they need to be. We don’t teach keep your elbow up because when you swing, it needs to be down to create the Power V.
“Short To It, Long Through It” This refers to the arm swing. We want to keep it compact and we want the bat to get on the balls plane as soon as possible and the bat to be driven through the ball as long as possible. At contact, their hands will be palm up, palm down. After contact, they want to continue their swing out towards the pitcher then over their back shoulder. At full extension towards the pitcher, the batters wrist will naturally roll over.

Hitting Drills:
Three Step Drill: Tee work is so important. Have the girls Load, Stride, and Drive off the tee. Make sure their hands are in the correct position (don’t let them cheat) and break this down into three steps: Load, Stride, & Drive. Keep their heads down in the Power V and have them finish their swings. If you’re working on timing, tell the girls to Load, Stride (count one thousand one, then drive (Load, Stride, One Thousand One, Drive). When hitting off the tee, the batters should be hitting line drives.
One Swings from the knee: Have the girls take a knee on their back knee next to the tee. With only their forward arm (arm closest to the pitcher), have then choke up on the bat and swing with one hand hitting a ball off the tee. Next, have them switch knees and arms and do the same drill with the other arm. During the drills, their offhand rest across their chest during the swing. The arm that is holding the bat should start at the normal position they would start their swing from.
Soft Toss: Position yourself approx. 10 feet in front of (behind a screen) or off to the side (approx. 45 degree angle in front of without a screen) the batter. Show the player the ball at which point they should Load, Swing your arm down at which point they should Stride, then toss them the ball underhand at which point the Drive.
Bounce Drill: Position yourself at approximately a 45 degree angle next to the batter. Show them the ball at which point the Load, Bounce the ball at which point they Stride, them have them Drive.
Focus Drill: (advanced drill for older, more experienced players) Kneel next to them at approx a 45 degree angle similar to the bounce drill. Hold two smaller balls of different colors in one hand and soft toss them over the plate. On release, call out one of the colors and have them swing and hit that color.

I would recommend doing these drills in stations and splitting the girls up into smaller groups. This will depend on how many assistant coaches and volunteers you have but correct form is the most important thing (Think Quality over Quantity). Get the girls a lot of quality swings and work with them in small groups. Example for soft toss, only give each player three swings then rotate to another player. They will concentrate more on quality if you only give them three swings verses ten.

(These hitting tips were provided by Coach Don Brauckmann, Cinnaminson Travel Coach/Travel Director, db3140@comcast.net) with special thanks to Coach Dave Hower.

Ready Fielding Position: A good ready position is when the player is somewhat squatting down on a base that is slightly wider then shoulder width. The player’s weight is mainly carried on the balls of their feet (not on their heels) and their weight is evenly distributed to both legs. Corner infielders (1st and 3rd base position) will have a lower stance and middle infielders (2nd base and short stop positions) as well as outfielders will have a slightly higher stance. The forearms can rest on the top of their thighs or just in front of their thighs and their hands are positioned thumbs up – pinky down.

When fielding a ground ball, players should squat down (getting their butts low on a wide base) and then to reach forward with both hands. When doing this properly, their heels should almost come up of the ground. After receiving the ground ball, they pull both their hands into their body on the side of their throwing hand, and then take a quick shuffle step towards their target. The hands coming into the body and the shuffle step happen at the same time. After this, they will be firing the ball to their target after establishing their power line with their feet. Things to avoid are the girls bending over at their waist instead of squatting down by bending their knees. Also, girls fielding grounders should do so on a wide base. Watch out for girls who keep their feet and legs close together. Agility drills such as side shuffle drills and squats will help condition your players and make proper form easier.

Fielding Drills:
Grounders: A great drill for this is to have the girls face each other in two lines approximately 10 feet across from each other. Have one side (feeder side) take a knee and have the other side (receiving side) get into a good ready position. Have the feeders roll the ball to the receivers and work on proper form and a quick transition into the proper throwing position. A variation of this is to have both players stand and do the drill.
Wall Drill: Another drill is to have two players face a brick wall while using incrediballs. Have them approx 20 feet back and about 10 feet for each other. Have them throw to a center point on the wall and the ball will go from one to the other. If done correctly, this works on the proper fielding form, proper transition into the throwing position, then proper throwing technique.

(These fielding tips were provided by Coach Don Brauckmann, Cinnaminson Travel Coach/Travel Director, db3140@comcast.net) with special thanks to Coach Dave Hower.

First of all we need to talk about how to correctly hold the softball. I know this seems kind of basic but it’s amazing how something this simple is over-looked. The proper finger placement is with three fingers together with a slight space in between each finger placed on the laces. When you turn your hand over, your thumb should also be placed on the laces and the three fingers and the thumb form a triangle with your thumb in the middle. There should also be some space between the ball and the hand.

Next, it’s on to throwing. When receiving/catching, the girls should to act as if they were catching an egg. This means both hands out in front and as they receive the ball, then hands pull in towards their chest. From this position, the girls need to align their feet to what we call the Power-line while their arms make a circle preparing to throw. This means that both feet are lined up to their target (Power Line). Normally the back foot sets itself and your weight is on that back foot. Then the front foot gets on-line with the target. (Arm Circle) While the legs are setting into the power line position, the throwing arm makes a circular motion to throw the ball and the non throwing arm or elbow points towards the target. Just prior to the throws release, the throwing arms elbow should be level with the shoulder of slightly above it. After release (Let It Fly), the back foot should follow through (Follow Through). Infielders tend to make a smaller, quicker arm circle and outfields on long throws will make a larger arm circle. Important note: As their hand is making the circle, it should be facing away (Wave Bye-Bye) from the target as it reaches the point about equal with their head. Review: Power Line Arm Circle Wave Bye-Bye Let It Fly Follow Through.

Throwing Drills:

Catch: Players face each other and throw to each other.
Wall Catch: Where player throws to a spot of a brick wall using an incrediball.
Relay Race: Have players face each other at a set distance and time them. Most complete catch and throws for a specific time wins or first group to 10, 20, etc. catches wins.
Cut-Off Relay Race: Have three players line up approximately 20 feet apart from each other. Put your middle infielders (2nd Base and Short Stop) in the middle. Have #1 throw to the cut off then have her receive the ball, rotate, and make a throw to #3. Then have #3 reverse the order.
Speed drill. Either time the girls to set a number of complete throws for them to meet.

(These throwing tips were provided by Coach Don Brauckmann, Cinnaminson Travel Coach/Travel Director, db3140@comcast.net) with special thanks to Coach Dave Hower.

Dealing with Players and Parents:

• Communication is the key to success when dealing with parents and your players. When communicating, make eye contact and have your players make eye contact with you. Look for feedback from their expressions and body language. Remember, communication is a two-way street.
• Tell everyone your rules, operating style, and expectations. Examples: If you want no parents by the bench area during games, let them know this right away ahead of time. If you are a coach that communicates through e-mail, tell them that this is how you will contact them. Let them know to check it prior to games or practices to make sure there are no changes, etc. Regarding playing time, tell them how you manage positions, batting order, etc during games. For kids playing on multiple sports teams at one time, let them know your personal philosophy regarding this. These are just some example but the message is always the same: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.
• Always treat players fair and adjust your approach to them as individuals. Some players respond to intensity while others will shut down. Some need a more “in your face” approach while others only require a whisper or a look. Remember, you can’t treat everyone the same because everyone is different. The important thing is to treat everyone fair.
• Let both players and parents know that final decisions rest with you and that they can’t always get their way; however, you will always listen to their concerns.
• As a coach, acknowledge that fact that parents want what is best for their child first then the team and that you respect that. As a coach, let them know that you want what is best for the team and ask that they respect that.

(The Dealing with Players and Parents tips were provided by Coach Don Brauckmann, Cinnaminson Travel Coach/Travel Director, db3140@comcast.net)

Dealing With Difficult Parents:
Being a softball coach is not always easy...especially when you run into "difficult softball parents" or DSP's as I like to call them. You know the parents I'm referring to: overbearing, overly competitive, and overly engaged in your decisions as a coach. I've actually had a fair amount of experience with this... dealing with complaints about playing time, who gets to play what position, sportsmanship issues etc. No matter how knowledgeable, fair, or kind you are to your team, you can probably expect an irate parent or two to crop up during the season.

Here are a few tips I find helpful when dealing with these situations.
1. Don't discuss the issue at the game The first thing the coach should avoid is discussing the problem with the parent on the field, especially if he/she is visibly upset.
2. Schedule a separate time/venue to have the discussion Rather than discuss the problem then and there, the coach should agree to meet or telephone the parent at a mutually convenient time to discuss the complaint. By doing this, you avoid giving the parent an audience, allow the him/her to 'cool off', and give yourself time to prepare an appropriate response to the complaint.
3. Be an active listener When you eventually talk to the parent, one of the most important things you can do is be an active listener. Doing things like taking notes, maintaining eye contact and nodding to acknowledge you have heard what the parent is saying are crucial.
4. Don't interrupt Even if parents raise their voices or their stories have are not fact-based, the coach should avoid interrupting. By interrupting a parent, you risk inflaming the situation.
5. Don't get defensive The coach should avoid defending or justifying their action. Such behavior at this point will only make the situation worse.
6. Show empathy Respond to their concerns with statements like "I'm sorry that you feel your child has been treated unfairly". This will help the parent to understand his/her problem is being taken seriously. They are likely to be calmer and more willing to find a solution.
7. Clarify the problem This can be achieved by asking probing questions. This helps both parties to focus on the problem (not personalities), stick to the facts, and avoid being caught up in extraneous issues.
8. Offer a range of solutions A lot of times, parents just want their feelings to be heard and understood. If they want more, try to offer a range of solutions. This demonstrates a willingness to work together to solve the problem. It's important to avoid making promises that you can't keep. Explain to them what you can and cannot do.
9. Get closure Ideally, you will given the parent a number of options and agreed on a mutual course of action. At this point it's appropriate to end the meeting. It should conclude with three things: 1. Leave the parent with a closing action statement (e.g.. 'I'll get on to that now'). 2. Thank the parent for their interest (no matter how unpleasant the meeting). 3. If follow-up is required, tell them when you will contact them ('I'll call you tomorrow'). This will leave the parent feeling as though their complaint has been heard, and the parent-coach relationship will be strengthened.
10. Leave the door open There will be cases, however after this whole process where you will not be able to give the parent the response they are looking for. It is important in these circumstances that the coach leave the door open for the parent, e.g.. 'If there is ever anything else, please come to me'. By doing this the parent will at least feel that his/her complaint has been taken seriously, and the coach-parent relationship, however strained, will remain intact. Not doing this could allow the problem to fester... and the parent could damage your reputation through word-of-mouth.

(The Dealing with Difficult Parents Tips were provided by Coach Becky Wittenburg, a great source for on-line coaching tips and information. www.softballspot.com)