Category Archives: Youth Softball

Are You a Real MVP?

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most valuable player
The most popular topic on the Facebook FanPage this week came from this post…

A player that lifts her teammates to a higher level and helps them quickly recover from mistakes is more valuable than a player who has a stronger arm or bat but doesn’t know how to be a source from which her teammates gain confidence, positivity, and power from.

That post received 53 “likes” within days. That’s the highest yet!

Have you had the opportunity to be on a team with a player like this? Or maybe just observe one on another team?

Players with decent softball skill and this exceptional softball attitude are so much more valuable to a team than a player that has superior softball skills but no further reach.

What do I mean by reach? Dr. Tom Hanson once wrote an article that I wish I could find right now. He was talking about Derek Jeter and about how, when you’re in the room with him, you can just feel his confidence.

His confidence just flows out of him into his surroundings, and therefore, to the people around him as well.

Some players have this effect. Their enthusiasm, confidence, and positive attitude spills over into anything near them.

Other players, while highly talented, do not have this effect.

It’s like everything is bottled up inside them. They perform great, but no none of their teammates can feed off them or “get their juice.”  There’s nothing flowing out of them into their surroundings to feed off of.

While these players may perform at a high level, they do not elevate the game of those around them.

Real MVPs however…

  • effectively uplift their teammates
  • elevate the game of those around them
  • are a source of confidence, strength, resilience, and positivity that others can draw from
  • make the game easier and more enjoyable to play
  • draw so much enjoyment from simply playing the game their positive “can-do” attitude becomes infectious

Some people refer to this as the “it” factor.  For MVP’s, whatever “it” is…

IT’s in their words and how they say it
IT’s in their every action and every move
IT’s not only when things are going well, but ALL the time
IT’s simply part of who they are

When they infect the rest of the team with their confidence and belief in the team, their team is practically unstoppable!

Seriously, when a team is unified under a common blanket of confidence – watch out!

A player that can bring that to the table every game, to me, brings so much more value than one that can hit a homerun in every game.

What do you think?

How to Control Parents During Softball Games

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I recently read an article that talked about silent games for youth sports.  In other words all spectators are asked to keep completely quiet during the game. How crazy is that?

My first thought was that the idea was completely absurd.  Then I continued reading and found out that youth sports organizations around the country have been using silence as a tool for promoting a more positive atmosphere surrounding games.  They aren’t using it as a long term, permanent solution to obnoxious fans or overbearing parents, but more for sending a message or creating teachable moments on conduct for parents and fans!

The length of time that youth sports organizations ask spectators for silence varies.  Some require an entire weekend, while others ask for an hour or a quarter of the game.

Other ideas for curbing undesirable conduct include

  • no-direction cheering: spectators are allowed to cheer, but can’t give directions such as “throw the ball” or “hit it deep.”  Phrases like “great hit” or “way to hustle” are acceptable.
  • cheering for both sides: instead of asking parents for silence, encourage them to cheer for great plays on both teams
  • assigned seating: separating spectators from people who are actually involved in the game or having parents sit away from the team

What do you think?  Have you ever participated in a silent game before?  Do you think a silent game would even be possible for in your league?  Is this a strategy you would use?  Do you have your own methods for keeping good sportsmanship a priority from the field to the dugout to the stands?

Leave a comment here to share your thoughts on this issue.  Can’t wait to hear from you!

Get Out of Jail Free for Softball?

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You know how in Monopoly, you get to use the “Get Out of Jail Free” card to get youself out a jam?

Well, sometimes players need it in softball too!

Have you ever run across a player that wants to be too perfect?  Perfectionism in athletes can actually be detrimental because athletes that are perfectionist often:

  • are afraid to make mistakes
  • get upset over the littlest mistake
  • are often disappointed frustrated with their performance because it never measures up to perfection
  • are reasonably critical of themselves
  • expect too much of themselves

All of these things can put a dent in a your confidence. If you try to play this game without confidence, you’ll probably fail much more than you should and, on top of that, won’t find the game very enjoyable. Obviously if you get to that point, you’re in trouble!  Once this game is “no fun” its either time for serious changes or time to give it up.

SO – since you probably don’t want to get to that point, here’s a little trick Dr. Patrick Cohn, youth sports psychology expert, uses to help players who are perfectionists.

He suggests giving them 3 “Get Out of Jail Free” cards at the beginning of a game or practice.  If your player/child makes a mistake, they (mentally) use one of the cards to let go of the mistake and move on.  Being able to let a mistake go and keep moving forward is such a critical part of becoming the best softball player you can be.  Not only that, this is yet another skill that applies to all areas of life, not just to playing softball on the field.

What do you think?  Is this something you would try?  Do you think this can help you?

Softball Coaching Tips: Is Your Practice Too EASY?

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It’s easy to perform well when things are “just right,” when everything is going your way.  Your players have great, positive attitudes, they’re hustling, they’re encouraging each other, they’re cheering, and everything is fine and dandy.

But what happens when a call or two doesn’t go your way?  Or when one mistake leads to another?  Or when the playing conditions are less than desirable?  Or after you’ve been playing all weekend long and fatigue is starting to set in?  Or when your “best” players go down due to injury, health, or ineligibility issues?  How does your team react then?

Do they have the same approach? Do they remain upbeat and positive?  Or do they start to fall apart?  Do they start to press?  Do they start to get frustrated with themselves or each other?  Does your team fall apart or can your team still perform when things get tough?

I’ll admit, it’s not possible to re-create every challenging game-like situation in practice.  However if your team is never challenged in practice chances are they won’t be able to respond the way you want when challenge arises during the game.

Some very wise coaches and elite athletes suggest that training should be harder, tougher, and more challenging than competition.  That way when game day comes, it seems “easy” in comparison.  Is that what you do? Are you preparing your team to perform under adverse conditions, under any circumstance that may occur?  Or is your practice and training too easy?

Here’s an excerpt from an article by Wayne Goldsmith, high performance expert which pretty much sums it all up…

Accept that all teams have to learn to win in tough conditions and prepare to deal with them better than your opposition.

Notice he didn’t say “your team” – he said ALL teams. Often times we use an unfortunate circumstance in our season as an excuse for poor performance, but that’s just a cop out. Do you really think that the best NEVER have a bad day, or calls go against them, or bad weather to deal with, or personality clashes aka drama?

I’m sure you’d agree that such a perfect team environment doesn’t exist. Every team has it’s ups and downs, it’s challenges and obstacles, but the ones that are best prepared to perform in spite of how tough it gets are usually the ones that come out on top.

Not only is “your best no matter what” a great skill to have on the softball field, but in life as well. Help your players learn to keep moving forward no matter what adversity they may face.  Not only will you probably win more games and maybe even a few championships, but your players will also carry invaluable life skill off the field and into the real world where stakes are much higher than a few statistics or a win-loss record.

Popular Softball Thoughts of the Week

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Obviously, softball is on my brain a lot.  I have quite a few softball thoughts that run through my head every day.  Not all of them are long enough to warrant an entire article or blog post all by themselves and that’s why I often share those via Facebook or Twitter.

However, there were quite a few this week that people really seemed to like, so I decided to put them together in this Thoughts of the Week post for you just in case you’re not all that social media savvy or simply had no clue that I was on either Facebook or Twitter.  :)

5 Softball Thoughts of the Week

original versions shared on Facebook and/or Twitter

  • Lack of focus during the week = sloppy game performance on the weekend
  • If you don’t have the guts to call your head coach to say you’ll be late or absent, then you probably don’t have a very good reason.
  • Dear softball bats,
    Wake Up! You should be well rested after the last 3 games…
  • You know you’re a softball coach when you forget the bikini tan because you sport a major coaching shirt tan instead.
  • Just Curious: How do you like your softball pants? Cast your vote and see the responses to date on Facebook

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If you are super social and want to connect with me on the web, check me out at…

Twitter

All About Fastpitch on Facebook

Stacie Mahoe on Facebook

How to Get on Base More Often

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If you want to get on base more often, start by running shorter, not longer.

Often times when coaches want you to run through the base better, they make you run farther than 60 feet. But that may not be the best idea.

You see, it doesn’t really matter if your coach makes you run 80 feet instead of 60 feet. If you always train to slow down at the end, you will ALWAYS slow down before your target no matter how far or close it is.

Excellence is a habit – so get in the habit of sprinting THROUGH any marker, goal, base or cone that is set for you, whether it’s 6 feet away or 60 feet away.

This habit is what will help you “get through the bag” more consistently at 1st base, put more pressure on the defense and get safe more often!

If you’re a coach, instead of making your players run farther, try shortening the distance and challenge them to run all the way through. After all, if they can’t consistently “run through the bag” at 30 feet, how do they expect to do it at 60 feet? Often times pointing this out to them is enough to get them focused on doing it right.

As they get better and better running all the way through the shorter distance, start adding more distance until they are running through any target you give them.

Always expect your player’s best speed all the way through ANY sprint you do, whether it’s a short spring or a longer spring, whether it’s their first sprint or their last sprint of the day.  Notice I didn’t say “fastest” because the more your work them, they slower they may get, but they should always be giving their best – whatever it is they have at that time.  Make them do it again if they don’t do it right. Help them create the good habit of going hard and giving their best ALL the way through to the end and beyond, just like you want them to do in a game – not only for baserunning but in every area of play!

The Cost of Coaching Girls Softball

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I saw a softball player post about the cost of playing softball at facebook.  That got me thinking and decided to jot one down for coaching.

Here is what I came up with.

The cost of coaching girls softball for one season…

  • Fungo: $99
  • Sunglasses: $90
  • Cleats: $69
  • Training Aids: $200
  • Coaching Shoes: $69
  • Sports Drinks and Snacks: $120
  • Glove: $79
  • Coaching Aids/Clinics: $100
  • Team Bat: $299
  • Gas: $600

Working with and helping young ladies improve as a players and as individuals/people while learning valuable life lessons…PRICELESS!