Everything Fastpitch - The Podcast

This episode highlights the need for players to use protective gear and coaches need to promote and require their players to use them.

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Coach Tory Acheson with his decades of Collegiate Softball experience gives you his breakdown of the D1 Regionals that were completed this past weekend. And then it's on to the Super Regionals.

The coaches discuss a method of positive and negative distance to help players understand where they need to position themselves and be able to cover a base on a steal. Left on their own, they are usually to far or to close to the base. Practice methods are discussed for them to better visualize where they should be.

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Coach Tory gives you his take on the selection committees choices of teams in this years CWS field. 

Coaches fall into different categories when it come to reacting to events that happen in a game or practice. From over reacting to under reacting. Evaluate yourself and see what really works with your players when bad things happen. Listen to hear our advice.

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A listener ask a question about how to defend delayed steals. The coaches discuss what delayed skills are, the types of situations where they occur and how to defend them. 

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Left on their own, most players will practice what they are good at. It is our jobs as coaches to communicate with our players on specific things that they need to work on when they are practicing outside of team practices. This episode discusses the need to communicate and proper communication.

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Calling pitches is a subject that has a lot of opinions. Some coaches understand that getting efficient outs is the primary objective. Some are looking for strikeouts. Some use the situation only. Whatever the pitch called and whoever called it, the foremost thought must be educating the pitchers and catchers on the art of calling pitches. If you want them to reach the higher levels of the game, they must understand why certain pitches should be thrown and at what time. The coaches discuss this and offer suggestions and opinions.

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The discussion today revolves around the many benefits of playing to win as opposed to playing it safe and trying not to lose. It may cost you today to be aggressive, but in the long run can develop an attitude for your players that they are always in the game and to not let down.

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Some players don't look the part, but are just winners. You may tryout a player or have a player recommended to you but at first glance just doesn't stand out. Look deeper and look for other assets that might make this player a difference maker.

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Catchers should not stay in one position behind the batter. Unfortunately there are usually holes there because that's what a lot of catchers do. But the catcher has to position themselves based upon where the batter is standing and pitch selection. A good catcher can make a dig difference for the pitcher and has an opportunity to create more outs.

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Major League Baseball has proven that moving defensive players around is very effective. While we don't have the resources to carry it to their level, it can give us a competitive advantage. Coach Tory gives you some advice and some things to think about to train coaches and players the art of defensive positioning.

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Coaches need to understand the strengths and weaknesses between left handed and right handed players and use them to their advantage. To start with,  use terminology that can apply to both right and left handed players. For example, instead of saying right and left, say glove hand or throwing hand. Positioning and footwork are identical relative to the glove hand. Also, coaches your left handers and right handers have different strengths. Use them to your advantage. You position right handers where they can be most effective. Your left handers shouldn't be in the same spot.

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The coaches  reminisce about their beginning days when things were a lot different. Sometimes they mention the white ball era and they wanted to explain to the listeners what they were talking about.

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This weeks discussion revolves around that players today do not respect their equipment and take care of it appropriately. Most types of equipment is discussed and the basics of taking care of it properly. Encourage your players to listen to this and help them understand that it is their responsibility.

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The coaches discuss helping to prepare players for that pressure situation of the last out of a game. It shouldn't be any different than any other out, but it is. It takes a collective effort of the player, parents, coaches and spectators to maintain a demeanor that makes it easier.

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Coaches all say they want motivated players. The discussion today revolves around the fact that motivation is not a constant. What we really want are disciplined players that practice and play at a constant level no matter their level of motivation on a particular day. It takes motivation to get started, but discipline to stay the course.

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As Yogi Berra said, "You Can Observe A Lot By Watching". From birth we develop by imitating what we see. If we teach our players how to really "watch" good players, they will become better players. They should be watching all of the subtle things going  on with players not just following the ball. Seeing the total game is a skill that has to be learned and makes the game a classroom.

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Not every player on a team has aspirations to play in college. For a variety of reasons, college is just not in their future. They still are good players and enjoy playing the game. Accept that and make sure you are coaching them with the same enthusiasm as the potential college players. Your job is to make all of your players the best version of themselves no matter what is in their future.

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It happens frequently, a core group of 3 or 4 players want to start a new team. The coaches make a point for you not to jump into the pool before you have really thought this out. You should have more players as a core than what you are going to have to recruit.  And remember there are a lot of teams looking for pitchers and catchers especially.

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The coaches discuss that we can't coach by a book and we have to be aware of the circumstances of the game and players. Sometimes it makes sense to do something that doesn't make sense "by the book". Everyone connected with the team needs to "buy in" to the way you coach and be prepared to execute and support the calls you make. Remember, it is easy to judge a decision based upon the outcome. But always playing it safe leads to a team not playing up to their potential.

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