Coaching Tips for Softball

by Contributing Writer

Overview

While most coaches are interested in tips for drills or exercises, working on the mental aspects of the game can be just as important. Goal setting and team building are especially important for young women as they often see sports in a different way than young men, putting more emphasis on relationships made and having a different idea of success.
Goal Setting

Goal setting may seem like a simple task, but deciding on desired achievements as a team and individually is key to success. As a team and individually, long-term and short-term goals should be decided. Goals should be tangible. For example, aim to bat .275 as a team instead of hoping to hit better. Goals must also be written down. Give players a copy of team and individual goals and instruct them to place the sheets of paper in a place at home where they will see them every day. Set goals for midway through the season and evaluate those goals. If goals have not been reached, talk about why and ways to improve. If goals have been met, congratulate the player and/or the team, then set an even higher bar, provide encouragement and give ways to meet those goals. Be sure to set goals that are not performance related. Have the team strive to pat a teammate on the back every time they return from an at bat, or make it a goal to leave the dugout spotless after every game. Setting goals makes teams and players responsible and will give them a sense of pride when they are met.

Team Building

Team building is another important aspect of any winning team. While girls may be friends before entering the season, being friends and working as a team are two different activities. Team building will teach players to rely on each other and to be excited for teammates for individual successes. Exercises for team building range from very involved, such as working through an outdoor ropes course, to simple interactions, such as putting the equipment away. A fun exercise on the softball field is to pretend the team is on a deserted island and give each player a task that plays to their strength. For example, you would have the stronger players gather the firewood (use bats as pretend wood) or carry water for the group with a bucket from a water fall (a water fountain). Have smaller players run around the field gathering food (softballs). Once everyone has completed their tasks, sit around talking about what each player would want on a deserted island. The coach of the Dana College softball team in Nevada assigns her players spirit buddies who are charged with being their teammate's biggest supporter and vice versa. Creating signs for each other, making up cheers or nicknames for specific teammates also builds camaraderie and a family atmosphere that fosters trust and empathy.