What do you do?

I like the above response! Wish I could have been more like this as it's easier said than done. But it is the truth!
One more thing to add, video tape your practice and let them SEE how they are fielding and hitting! As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a 1000 words, is very true in baseball. I could talk till I was blue in the face and couldn't get through, but when they saw it for themselves, they were embarrassed and then I had their attention. Coaches are under so much pressure to win and play all the "little johnnie's" that I really don't see how they take it! But we love the game and when you get that "special team" it's all good!

 

Here's what I would do

 

sacrifice olives instead of chickens!

may not help the team, but you'll enjoy it more!

 

There

are a couple of things being discussed here. First coaching players that just are not very advanced at the game and getting frustrated with it. Secondly coaching players that do not seem to be focused on working at getting better and stinking up the field and of course frustrating you.

I can handle the first scenario a lot better than the second. The bottom line is if a kid has not put in a ton of work and effort at becoming a solid player before he ever steps on a High School field then he is in for a long road. And there is not a whole lot you as a coach can do to straighten this out in four months of High School baseball. If the kid is dedicated , has some talent , is willing work not just during the High School season , then sometime during his career he will be a solid High School player. But its going to take some time.

I have always believed in teaching the basic fundementals of the game to the point that they are like walking to the player. No one has to tell you to put one foot in front of the other to walk. The basic fundementals of the game should be taught to the point that they are instinctive to the player. No matter how advanced the player is this is the foundation of a solid baseball program. Start with the basics and teach them over and over and over again. Teach them to the point where they can teach it themselves. You build from the foundation up. If your program is built on solid baseball fundementals then you can build upon that. It is pointless to teach the finer points of the game if you have no foundation to build upon.

How I deal with players not focused on getting better in practice is very simple. You will not pick up a bat , glove or baseball until you are ready to do so with the proper mindset. When you get tired of running and are ready to go to work let me know. Until then I will watch you prepare yourself for practice.

 

Before practice?

 

I was thinking in the lounge chairs behind centerfield fence cheering on the coach as the guys ran poles.

 

On the first day of tryouts, if you notice that the boys don't know how to spit, or scratch their crotch, you'll know it's going to be a looong season!

 

Coach27 comes through again.

If anyone out there is wondering what good advice is then you might want to read Coach27's.

Coach thanks. As always this it tops.

Confirmed what I was thinking.

Ive been with teams where the players would actually get sick of me saying, preaching, coaching the basic fundamentals. Actually have words with me regarding this. Good then I think. If they are getting sick of me then job is done. If they can teach the fundamentals, basics, then Ive worked somewhat out of job.

Other thoughts and ideas are appreciated. Please keep going.

 

Simple....

After practice meet in the dugout. Be calm, yelling and throw things solves nothing. Next practice have the JV there. Then see who wants to practice. Make changes as needed.

 

Coach Tuck and Coach 27 have offered great advice. One of the things I have experienced is that you cant beat a dead horse over it. All you can do is continue to work on fundamentals and tyr to be as encouraging as possible to keep the player as motivated as you can to improve. Make it a competition, "winner" runs fewer sprints, doesnt have to rake field, gets to hit first the next day... can help sometimes. Sometimes that's all you can do and make the most of each moment. As long as teh effort is there, there's only so much that can be doen with ability, but with improvement in fundamentals, these eveloped skills can overcome natural ability.

Keep positive, sometimes it happens in baby steps...