Everything Fastpitch - The Podcast
Everything Fastpitch is a podcast hosted by Coach Tory Acheson and Coach Don McKinlay. Tory and Don are former college coaches that are now full time instructors and travel ball coaches. Since retiring form active collegiate coaching they have committed themselves to providing educational materials to the fastpitch community. This podcast is one of the resources they are providing. Their website has 500+ blog posts and they have a YouTube channel. All of these cover fastpitch softball from coaching and training beginner athletes up through college athletes. It is a great resource for players, parents and coaches. Whether it be training...
Help with right size bat / Travel players in rec ball / How much enthusiasm is too much? / Eliminate slow pitching excuse
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Help with finding the right size bat (@14:35)Never ending discussion on travel players playing rec ball (@19:14)How much enthusiasm is too much? (@30:29)Eliminate I hate slow pitching excuse (@35:12)Support the show
Do you have to be a super star to be recruited? / Mad Dad Syndrome / Coaches Communicate / Teach Sliding
Warmup Segment
Listener Question: Does a player have to be a super star to be recruited? (@12:22)Mad Dad Syndrome (@20:34)Coaches communicate properly (@31:29)Teach Sliding (@35:18)Support the show
Can we save college sports? / High School Politics / Rec and travel issues / Greatest coaches of all time
Warmup Segment
Listener Question: Can we save college sports? (@10:55)High School Politics (@18:29)Rec and travel issues (@27:41)Greatest coaches of all time (@35:19)Support the show
Comments on lack of pitchers / Feedback on Rec League participation / California players / Pre-game routine
This week's lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Comments about lack of pitchers (@8:24)Feedback about travel ball players participating in Rec Leagues (@16:12)Why so many California players in college (@24:25)Have a pre-game routine (@30:22)Support the show
Mental training for players and psychological intervention for parents / 11 inch ball to the 12 inch ball / Rec ball / Plan for all player's needs
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Statement: Mental training for players and psychological intervention for parents (@12:57)Transitioning from the 11 inch ball to the 12 inch ball (@21:47)What's happened to Rec ball (@32:34)Plan for all player's needs not an isolated one (@44:36)Support the show
Impact of NCAA changes / Great Mechanics-Poor Performance / Parents to parents politics / Rundown disasters
This week's lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: What impact will all the new NCAA changes on the horizon have? (@18:35)Great hitting mechanics, but fails in a game (@30:51)Managing parents to parents politics (@45:08)Rundown disasters (@56:01)Support the show
Tirades don't work
Coach Tory shares a situation where he had to listen to a coach go into a tirade with his team. This is not how to coach especially early in the season. Listen as the coaches discuss this type of behavior.
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Age cutoff changes and tryouts / College observations / Spend wisely / Teach skills correctly
This week's lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Age cutoff changes may be affecting tryout situation (@14:44)College season observations (@24:00)Spend your money wisely (@38:29)Teach skills correctly from the beginning (@45:43)Support the show
Have a plan to handle your roster
In today's environment in the travel ball world, it is imperative that a coach have a strategy/plan on handling their lineup. And it needs to be communicated to the players and parents and be adhered to if you want to have to a better experience.
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Can tryouts already be a problem? / Playing in a football stadium / Eating better / Do they understand us?
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Fallout from trying out for next year's team already this year (@16:04)Stanford playing in football stadium (@27:57)Eating better at tournaments (@38:30)Communicating with language, phrases and vocabulary that matches your player's level (@44:39)Support the show
Player Communication
Coaches - You must have a player to player communication system, practice it and make sure it is implemented.
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Take a called first strike? / Cool idea for softball / Observation at the ball park & glove care / Teaching pitchers to attack the zone
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Taking a called first strike? (@12:58)Cool development in college softball (@24:08)Observations at the ball park and glove care (@39:03)Teaching pitchers to attack the zone (@41:41)Support the show
A coach's dilemma
We teach our players to wipe off/forget a mistake and not let it affect our performance in the game. But we don't really want them to forget it, because mistakes are how we learn and identify what we need to practice. The discussion today is how to handle this dilemma.
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SEC have all 8 teams at CWS? / Reaction-Does any player chose to become a pitcher only? / Helping catchers improve throwing / Patience
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Could the SEC have all 8 teams at the CWS? (@13:27)Reaction to the question Does any player chose to be a pitcher only? (@21:15)Helping catchers to improve their throwing (@30:12)Art of patience (@38:01)Support the show
Hitters and pitchers need practice against each other
Especially early in the season our pitchers need practice against hitters and hitters need to see some live pitching. The coaches discuss the need and some options to make this happen.
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Pitchers are hitting! / Reverse daddy ball / Bracket ready pitcher / Compete with yourself
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Feedback from "praise loudly, criticize quietly" (@17:11)Pitcher's are hitting (@28:56)Follow up to reverse daddy ball (@29:58)What is a bracket ready pitcher? (@46:57)Compete with yourself (@56:23)Support the show
Teach your players the basics of field maintenance
All fields have to be maintained. A lot of players think that it just happens and don't understand the things that have to be done to keep the field playable. By teaching and having them perform some field maintenance they will have more respect for the facilities and lessen the impact of damage during play. And a lot of school ball settings require them to do field work.
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2 Different Pro Leagues / Win the right way / Good use of limited practice time / Environment where it's save to make a mistake
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Are 2 different pro leagues good or bad? (@8:30)How to win the right way (@14:02)Make use of limited practice time (@20:39)Create environment where it's save to make a mistake (@29:24)Support the show
Being truly ready is a skill that has to be taught
There are many different ways to be ready to play a defensive position. We have to teach our players how to move to ready so they are not stationary. A lot of players, especially younger players do not understand this concept.
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Unusual situation with a dad coach / Recruiting Questions / College Season starts / Learning by Watching
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Unusual situation with player handling the pressure of playing for dad coach(@8:20)Recruiting Questions (@16:05)Kickoff to the college season (@21:47)Learning by watching (@28:13)Support the show
At what point do you work on pickoff and trick plays?
Where does working on pickoff and trick plays fit into practice? Coaches need to evaluate the skill level of their players and make a determination how much time they should devote to these type of drills.
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Advice on recruiting /Forcing a player to be a pitcher / General Hitting Advice / Coaching check list
This week's lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: What is most important in college recruiting?(@12:04)School ball team has no pitchers, advice on forcing a player to be a pitcher. (@21:08)General hitting advice (@30:00)Coaching check list (@40:45)Support the show
Coaches, continue to gain knowledge
Coaches need to always be working on improving themselves. Clinics are are great way to meet other coaches and share knowledge.
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Do women's sports make any money / Correlation between team rankings and player recognition / Feedback on the shortage of pitchers / Know the rules before you argue
This week's lineup:
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Do any women's sports actually make any money for their school? (@14:50)Correlation between team rankings and player recognition (@23:09)Feedback from listeners on the issue of not enough pitchers (@31:24)Know the rules if you are going to argue (@53:43)Support the show
Make a decision on your use of stats
How a coach is going to use stats in making game decisions is unique for each coach. But how important they are and the impact on decision making must be communicated to your players. Otherwise discontent and questioning will occur.
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Question about top 25 list / Interview with Val Alston / Pitch Calling Guidance
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Saw top 25 list, what do you think about the SEC dominating the list? (@11:42)Interview with Valerie Alston, mental coach, speaker, author and podcaster (@19:29)Pitch calling guidance (@49:07)Support the show
Baserunning practice has to include getting back to a base
The more efficient we are the less likely we get picked off a base and more likely to be able to advance a base. Baserunning practice has to drill down to the small details of footwork to be the more efficient. It's not just take your lead and turn around to come back, but how.
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What to practice / Process of trying out / Most unhittable pitcher / Coaching at a young age
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: What's more important, what my team does well or what my opponent might do? (@15:31)Sorting out the process of trying out for a team (@20:40)Most unhittable pitcher in softball (@30:53)Importance of coaching at a young age (@38:13)Support the show
Applying a quote from Catherine the Great
How a quote from Catherine the Great can be applied to coaching softball.
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Junior College eligibility changes / Playing in cold weather / Social Media posts for pitchers / Former baseball player coaching softball
This week's lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: What impact will the change allowing Junior College players 4 years of NCAA eligibility have? (@11:36)Advice for players and teams for playing in cold weather (@21:50)Discussion on the number of social media posts from teams needing pitchers (@31:05)Advice for a former baseball player in coaching softball (@44:39)Support the show
New Year's Resolution - Wipe the slate clean
We tell players to wipe off mistakes, mishaps or other negative events to perform at their optimum. Today we challenge coaches to wipe the slate clean and start the new year with no preconceived thoughts and evaluate our team and players with a fresh attitude.
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Team folding advice / Player has to stop playing / Feedback from Managers vs Coaches / Improving Speed
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Team folded and need advice on finding a new team that is more stable (@12:46)When a player has to give up the game (@22:03)Feedback from Managers vs Coaches (@30:56)Improving Speed (@40:48)Support the show
Stay Ready don't Get Ready
Things happen. Players get hurt, sick or for other reasons miss games or have to be substituted for in a game. Coaches shouldn't scramble to get a player ready to step in and fill a position, but have a philosophy to stay ready by having players adept at that position already.
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Transferring during the season / Feedback about pitcher/catcher relationship / Paying for players / Master one pitch first
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Will we see colleges players transferring during the season?(@15:16)Response to importance of pitcher/catcher relationship (@23:09)Paying to get players (@33:49)Master one pitch before adding another one (@43:40)Support the show
Confidence and anxiety don't mix well
You can't have confidence and anxiety. The job of coaches and parents is to reduce anxiety and open the door to confidence.
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Players being recruited vs stats / Arm care guidelines / Pat Summitt's Definite Dozen / Change line drive drills
This week's lineup:
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Why do we see more players being recruited than the stats say there should be? (@10:01)Arm care guidelines (@15:21)Coach Pat Summitt's Definite Dozen (@24:52)Change our line drive drills (@29:56)Support the show
Be aware of recruiting periods to better inform your players.
Be aware of recruiting periods to better inform your players. Coach Tory gives you some pointers.
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What is holding my player back? / Things that hold us back / Adults and modeling player behavior / Coaches be curious
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: What is holding my player back? Everything seems to be okay but she struggles breaking thru in big moments. (@7:41)Things that hold us back. (@11:42)Adults should model their behavior that we want our players to follow. (@15:56)Coaches be curious and always try to learn. (@19:26)Support the show
Pitcher/Catcher relationship
The coaches discuss the importance of the relationship between pitchers and catchers. Coaches need to understand this and promote the relationship and use it to their and the team's success.
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Value of former college players as coaches / Breaking through the ceiling / Concussions / Is adjustment just a word
This week's Lineup
Warmup SegmentListener Question: Value of being on a team with former college players as coaches? (@08:45)Helping a team break through the ceiling to success (@14:25)Dealing with concussions (@21:13)Is adjustment just a work that coaches use when they they don't have a solution? (@29:35)Support the show
