Disciplining A new Team

As I have read on TBR.Alot of experiences that veteran coaches have posted have been A good help.As A new TB Coach I have experienced alot in A short period of time peoples differences in Discipline.When players are always late,and never call to let the coaches know to go ahead with practice.We made it A point to have All girls begin warmups together.And girls come to practice and don't give 100%.A coach calls it to their attention.They continue not to give 100% and they have to run.Is this overdisciplining them.When they are given A certain drill to do and it is half effort,and the player gets called out by the coach on it.Then during discipline the player looks for the parents reaction.Then through all this
the parents are continually trying to influence the other players parents on the coaches style of discipline.Then the actions cause uproar between parents because they are tired of hearing it from the same ones that I said in the beginning that are always late.Does not call.Ignores coaches simple instructions.I would just like to hear TBR eperiences through all the years,because I have 3 different TB coaches that I look to for input through this process and agree to play at this level and to be able to gel.You also have to have supportive parents,and it not always being the case that this happens.What are some disciplinary tips and experiences coaches have had dealing with A parenting issue,and how you handled it not to disrupt the rest of your team.

 

14u and 12u.

 

Availability / Knowledge

It is hard now days to find coaches that want to teach the game of softball ,and not being worried about losing once in awhile. We of CV Storm 12U have taken a different approach on fast pitch softball. Our kids at every practice get 30 minutes of agility training, and mechanical training from throwing to hitting. Our parents keep telling us that their kids have never been taught that drinking 2-3 bottles of water every game is important for brain function to perform at a normal rate. We go beyond in just coming together and hitting and throwing softballs. We do situations sometimes for an hour , and one important item is that our kids hit live pitching at practice to simulate game play. We have decided that we would teach softball as a life lesson not about winning , but as Mike Candrea says it's a game of 70% failure,and learn to deal with emotions of losing. Hopefully when our kids reach the showcase level they will be not only physically, but also mentally sound in the game.

---- GURU

 

Softball Guru

This is the approach I am taking with the girls I train and my middle school team. It amazes me that these girls have not been taught the most basic fundamentals. They know nothing of conditioning, diet, fluids, icing arms and injuries, wearing jackets to keep arms warm, etc, etc. It amazes me to here 14 and 15 year old girls show up and say "Which dug out is ours?" To be told "3rd base because we are the home team." The part that kills me is that then they will say "Who hits first?" There is so much lacking in general knowledge of the game. Yeah they may know to throw the ball to third, but they don't know "WHY". I may be completely off base but I think girls this age should be learning the "HOW" and "WHY" of the game.

 

You're right cheeze.Not everyone can teach girls.I know from my own experience of moving from boys sports to girls.I was welcomed with A rude awakening.I love seeing the girls smile and just have fun.I am the more passive coach,and I know there has to be A disciplinarian one also.Girls that have played with me in the past have been able to come to me,and maybe not so much the other coaches.I use my time while running situation drills to have my other coach run them,and I will then go through each position to ask if there is anything they would like me to explain or show them.I try to make it to where there not scared to ask questions.Because as you see I am not shy about asking questions..and Guru you are right about not teaching the kids the simple things like water
nourishment and pitchers keeping arm warm between innings.I'm at fault for this myself and am glad that you brought it to my attention.I do what I can do to better myself knowledge wize to be able to better coach my girls.I have strongly always emphasize to my girls thta"You have to learn how to Lose properly,to truly be able to enjoy the feelings of Winning".I know that one big of source of knowledge is here at TBR,and alot of good things have come from this forum even after I showed my ass at first to cheeze.Again cheeze apology.Thanks for understanding.

 

Hey Nitro

Don't put yourself down we have all made mistakes, how we handle the outcome and try to fix it shows the real character of a coach admitting when they are wrong. Kids can see through those that are fake ,and not there for them. This forum is very helpful so we are glad to have you. I have learned to seek forgiveness and carry on, that is the way we survive..


Guru

 

First you're asking about disciplining a team and then the thread moves towards the kids not "knowing" the game. Although they are mutually exclusive, they also go hand in hand with eachother.

If the kids need to learn the game better, not all of the pickoff plays or why one pitch is thrown during a certain pitch count, (that comes later) but just learning where to throw a ball if it comes to them, or the value of bunting to move a kid into scoring position, maybe why its important to hit the cutoff man from the outfield. Stuff like this makes the game strategic and something that the kids can control. Once they get control then they start really enjoying playing the game.

When they are having fun then the discipline issues will go away for the most part. Sure there will be tardiness or missing a practice here or there. And you'll have a kid or two miss a weekend of games because their family is going on vacation that week.
It happens to all of us.

Where the rubber meets the road is teaching the game in a simple fashion.
Situational drills over and over again keeps all the kids focused and they all learn that no matter where they are on the field, when the ball is hit, BAM!, they've gotta move.

I used to holler out to my younger kids, "hey kimmie, in leftfield, theres a runner on first and no outs, if the ball is hit to you what are you gonna do with it?" And then I'd say the same thing to the other outfielders who might not have known the right answer but as long as Kimmie got it right then they'd holler back, "hit the cutoff man, and keep the runner from going to 3rd".

When my little ones were 5 or 6 years old they were learning where to throw the ball......oh BTW, when the ball was hit to the outfield, well they all ran to get it, SS and 2B as well and they'd wrestle in a big pile until the one kid whose ballcap didn't fall down over his/her eyes, found the ball.....

...and threw it to 3rd just as the runner crossed home.

Those were the days.

fish