What do you do?

Honestly. Im confused a little here, coaches and all who know this game.

My question for you this evening after a discouraging practice with a HS Varsity level team is this:

What do you do? IF:

They can't throw the ball.

They can't catch the ball. AND (You know what Im about to say.)

They can't hit the ball.

Where do I start? Do I throw the pitching machine at them? The bag full of bats?

Somebody. Anybody. Advise me before I have to go see the Doc for heart problems.

Grrrrrr.......!

These players have heart and desire.

How do I make them winners? (I know they already are for stepping onto the field.)

I think I know how but I would like to hear, what you think, if you are getting what Im talking about.

 

i've actually seen this firsthand recently. after one day of great intensity and execution, the team came out flat as possible the following day. every single ground ball took a "bad hop" it seemed like, every throw was either in the dirt or sailed over the 1st basemans head. somedays are like it, you just have to work through it. in this situation, the team had already had a good afternoon of practice with hitting stations so the coach pulled the guys together and discussed what was going on. practice ended. just one of them days. i don't know if ending practice is the best thing to do, but it sent a message to the team as they came out for the next practice fired up and determined to have a good showing.

all coaches probably do it differently.

 

call 'em LOLLYGAGERS!... then go sacrifice a chicken

 

Seriously,

If they seem to be having one of those days where they can't hit, catch, or throw, pull 'em into a huddle and tell them you understand... it's tough being a teenager with all the things in their lives going on that seems to be keeping them from being able to focus on just a little ol' baseball practice. Tell 'em it's okay, you have just the drill for them that won't be too taxing on their busy little minds. "See the foul pole in left?" "See the foul pole in right?" "Now, start runnin'!"
Get yourself one of those old folding chairs and go sit out in center field. As they come huffin' and puffin' by each time, point out how much fun you're having coaching them in baseball. Let this go on for a good long while, maybe until one of 'em pukes. When they all seem pretty thoroughly gassed, call them in and tell them that tomorrow is another day, come to practice or come prepared to run... their choice.

If that doesn't work, you're really going to need that chicken!

 

I feel your pain brother. My situation is a little different because I have a first year program. I have some players playing organized baseball for the first time in their life. But, I have coached at the varsity and junior varsity level. Back in my younger days the running and fussing was my thing, I don't know why other than it made me feel good. Now, with my young team I do what Thomas Jefferson recommended.... If you get mad count to 10, if you get real mad count to 100. Then I go into the very basic fundamentals. If they are not throwing the ball correctly, when fielding ground balls, then something must be wrong with their footwork. We start over with drills to make sure their fundamentals are correct. Same goes with fielding and hitting. To be honest, I have not reverted back to my old self and started fussing and raising cain. That will come when I deem my team has enough experience and intestinal fortitude to take it.

 

Coach em up

Great advice, couldn't have said it better !!!

 

Start with the basics of sound mechanics and fundamentals.....you may get kicked around the field and run ruled a few times early on but if you keep focusing on how to play the game right I'm sure you will see continued progress from game to game....

 

Ask the Kids

I had a team like this once in LL...I started doing this and it really helped:

After every practice and after every game the kids would take a knee or sit facing me and the parents would be behind me. I would ask them three questions:

1. What did we do well today? And we would discuss it...
2. What do we need to work on for next time? we would discuss it...
3. Did everybody have fun?

The kids are amazingly honest and for the most part know exactly what they did well and what they did not do well...and this helped them focus on improvement.

This also helped keep the parents off my back...

 

Whatever it takes.

The secret is out! Now you know why the chicken coop is setup next to the baseball field at Watauga!! Need to keep them close in case of emergency!

 

LOVE the advice!!!