You volunteered to coach the softball team, but are you ready? How will you teach the fundamental skills, run effective practices, and harness the energy of your young team? Fear not: Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball has the answers. Longtime coaches Robert and Tammy Benson share their experiences and provide advice you can rely on from the first practice to the final game. Establishing realistic goals, in-game coaching tips, drills, strategies, and fun—it’s all here. Develop your team’s fundamental skills—fielding, catching, throwing, and hitting—with the Survival Guide’s collection of the game’s best youth drills. Included is a section on pitching instruction, and the ready-to-use practice plans will help you get the most out of every practice. Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball has everything you need for a rewarding and productive season. So step up and enjoy the experience. It will be one that you won’t forget.
Whether you’re new to coaching or an experienced youth softball coach, the fourth edition of Coaching Youth Softball is your handbook for a successful season. Field-tested, age-specific coaching information helps you • communicate with players, officials, parents, and other coaches; • teach softball fundamentals using gamelike drills; • provide basic first aid; • plan and conduct practices; • manage your team during games; and • keep it all fun. Numerous coaching books present the skills and drills of softball. But Coaching Youth Softball teaches you how to convey these skills to your athletes in an engaging and positive manner. Endorsed by Babe Ruth Softball, the book is focused on teaching offensive and defensive skills through gamelike drills, which sets it apart from the current lineup of softball coaching books. Ideal for coaches of players ages 14 and under, Coaching Youth Softball helps you focus on the fundamentals, and the 12 new skill-teaching drills and 37 age-appropriate coaching tips are sure to jump-start your practices. Experience the excitement as your players improve their skills, fall in love with the game, and come out for the team year after year.
Congratulations on your commitment to coach youth softball. If you’re new to coaching, you’ll find Coaching Youth Softball invaluable in making your first season a success. If you have previous coaching experience, you’re sure to discover tips and strategies that will help you improve on last year. Coaching Youth Softball will help you manage your team with confidence. This age-specific and field-tested coaching guide will prepare you to handle your responsibilities and establish proper priorities as a coach; communicate with players, officials, other coaches, and parents; teach softball skills and strategies using a combination of 27 drills and 39 coaching tips; minimize the risk of injury, establish a safe playing environment, and administer basic first aid; plan and conduct efficient practices; manage your team on game day; and keep it all fun. Written for coaches of players ages 18 and under, this book is a valuable component of the Coaching Youth Softball: The Babe Ruth League Way online course, the official certification course of Babe Ruth League, the premier amateur baseball and softball program in the world. With this book, you will create and nurture an athlete-centered environment that promotes player development, enjoyment, motivation, safety, and sportsmanship—an environment that inspires players to perform at their best and come out for the team year after year.
“Mastering these drills will arm your players with one of the biggest intangibles necessary to perform well--confidence.” --Michele Smith Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Fame pitcher Michele Smith throws one right down the middle with this big collection of more than 250 skill-building drills developed especially for coaches of fast-pitch recreation league, travel ball, and high school softball players, ages eight to eighteen. Straight from the Michele Smith Gold Camps and Clinics, these drills are designed to give you all the tools you need to teach the entire range of offensive and defensive softball skills. With Michele's expert guidance and instruction, you'll coach your players to: Master the mechanics of footwork for fielding with hustle Swing for the fences and hit the fastest pitches Catch the ball proactively and throw it quickly and accurately to its target Defend the infield and outfield with speed and confidence Run the bases swiftly and strategically Refine fast-pitch skills so they can windmill like Michele And much more
Looking for the ultimate book to help you learn and master softball’s essential skills? Look no further than the guide that has helped develop the game’s top players and most successful teams. This new edition of Softball Skills & Drills is completely updated with more skills, more drills and strategies, and more of the stellar instruction that have made it the top-selling title on the sport. Judi Garman, one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, teams with Cal State Fullerton’s Michelle Gromacki to share their secrets to developing and mastering every aspect of the game. With step-by-step instruction, full-color photo sequences, technique tips, and unique insight into the game, you’ll learn every fundamental skill: •Hitting •Bunting •Slap Hitting •Baserunning •Sliding •Fielding •Throwing •Pitching •Catching And with over 230 of the game’s best drills, coverage of team offense and defense, pitch selection, pitch recognition, and in-game strategies, Softball Skills and Drills is simply the most comprehensive and practical guide on the sport. Whether striving to become a complete player or preparing your team for another championship run, Softball Skills &Drills is the one book you cannot be without.
Coach Girls for Success on and off the Field Coaching girls' softball can be a wonderful experience. Witness the intensity of a batter connecting with a ball, a runner digging for home, or a fielder making a great catch, and you can't help but be inspired. The effort, pride, and enjoyment on players' faces are great rewards for parents and the sign of a good coach—the type of coach you want to be. So how can you get there? Perfect for coaches of girls up to age 13, Coaching Girls' Softball includes everything you need to be an outstanding coach and mentor to your team. Whether you are a seasoned coach looking to fine-tune your skills or a rookie looking to take the field running, you'll discover techniques for success that are tailored specifically to the needs of girls, including: ·Drills and strategies for coaches new to the world of coaching softball ·Tips on what girls want and need from their softball experience ·Practical suggestions on how to motivate in a positive and encouraging way ·Advice for helping girls deal with their changing bodies ·And much more! Now you can be a coaching winner and help bring out the best in your players, both on the field and in the game of life.
Fun, safety, and effective instruction are the focus of the fourth edition of Coaching Youth Softball, helping you create an environment that promotes learning, cultivates a love of the game, and motivates your athletes to come out for the team year after year. Numerous coaching books present the skills and drills of softball. But here's a book that teaches you how to convey those skills to your athletes in an engaging and positive manner. Endorsed by Babe Ruth Softball, Coaching Youth Softball is focused on teaching offensive and defensive skills through gamelike drills, which sets it apart from the current lineup of softball coaching books. The fourth edition includes 12 new drills and 37 age-specific coaching tips that are sure to jump-start your practices, all in a reorganized format geared for sequential learning and quick reference. Coaching Youth Softball's double play of softball fundamentals and essential coaching skills, like communicating with parents and officials, motivating players, and preparing for games and practices, makes this book a must-read as you prepare to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of coaching young athletes.
Packed with 175 drills straight from the practice sessions of the game's most successful programs, The Softball Drill Book will add variety to your practices and precision to your game-day performances. The comprehensive collection covers every aspect of the game. From warm-up to conditioning, throwing to hitting, bunting to base-running, you'll find drills to improve position skill and team execution—all from college coaches and programs that have won 13 NCAA Women's College World Series titles and dozens of NCAA regional tournament titles. Contributors include: Louie Berndt, Florida State Carol Bruggeman, Louisville Yvette Girouard, Louisiana State Michelle Gromacki, Cal State Fullerton Deanna Gumpf, Notre Dame Carol Hutchins, Michigan Kelly Inouye-Perez, UCLA Jay Miller, Mississippi State Jennifer Ogee, Nebraska Kim Sowder, Long Beach State Heather Tarr, Washington Michelle Venturella, Iowa Kirk Walker, Oregon State Margie Wright, Fresno State One look at the names above and it is clear, The Softball Drill Book is your blueprint for championship practices.
The road to a championship season begins long before the first pitch of the opening game. It begins before a player even steps onto the field. In Practice Perfect Softball, the game’s premier coaches share their approaches, experiences, and philosophies of every aspect of practice. This authoritative guide goes beyond the stretches and drills, straight to the heart of winning—effort and attitude. From structuring sessions to evaluating practice performance, you’ll find proven and practical recommendations from the all-star lineup of contributors: • Julie Lenhart • Rachel Hanson • Beverly Smith • Rachel Lawson • Lisa (Sweeney) Van Ackeren • Dot Richardson • Ken Eriksen • Connie Clark • Celeste Knierim • Bill Gray and Melissa Chmielewski • Lonni Alameda • Jo Evans • Jen McIntyre • Donna Papa • JoAnne Graf (editor) Inside, you’ll identify and establish practice ethics; assess team strengths; and develop players’ skills in the field, on the mound, and at the plate. Developed by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Practice Perfect Softball is your guide to developing champions on and off the field.
Now, for the first time in the sport of fastpitch softball, you can learn from successful coaches and apply their approaches to your own program. In The Softball Coaching Bible, 28 of the top U.S. coaches share their principles, insights, strategies, methods, and experiences to help you enhance the experience and development of your own athletes. Developed in cooperation with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), The Softball Coaching Bible was written by the greatest assembly of college and high school softball coaches ever. The text provides the finer points of coaching softball, presented in an engaging manner that makes the contents easy to apply to your own ball club. The topics range from teaching the best skills and drills to subjects rarely written about, such as developing responsible athletes and building character and loyalty in players. Find out how Mike Candrea develops productive hitters at the University of Arizona, and follow the advice of Fresno State University’s Margie Wright for competing in tournaments and playoffs. This landmark work covers all the bases, from recruiting players to attracting fans. The Softball Coaching Bible also contains information on professional development: moving through the coaching ranks, making use of other coaches and professional organizations, avoiding coaching burnout, and attending and running camps and clinics. Chapter after chapter, this book provides the game plan for building a winning program. The Softball Coaching Bible is filled with insights and expert advice to help you learn and grow. Soak it up, enjoy the stories, and discover the wisdom of the sport’s finest mentors. ContentsIntroduction: Learning From the Best by Jacquie JosephPart I Coaching Priorities and Principles Chapter 1 Sharing a Love for the Game Dianne Baker Chapter 2 Making Softball Fun Margo Jonker Chapter 3 Competing With Class Carol Bruggeman Chapter 4 Out-Hustling Your Opponent Teresa Wilson Chapter 5 Coaching With Integrity Marge Willadsen Part II Program Building and Management Chapter 6 Organizing and Orchestrating a Winning Program Joanne Graf Chapter 7 Mentoring Within Your Staff Gayle Blevins Chapter 8 Building a Recruiting Network Brian Kolze Chapter 9 Marketing and Promoting Your Program Yvette Girouard Chapter 10 Establishing a Successful High School Program Denny Throneburg Part III Creative and Effective Practice Sessions Chapter 11 Organizing Indoor and Outdoor Practices Bill Edwards Chapter 12 Conducting Innovative Practices Deb Pallozzi Chapter 13 Using Practice Drills Effectively Betty Hoff and Jacki Wright Part IV Individual Skills and Team Strategies Chapter 14 Developing Productive Hitters Mike Candrea Chapter 15 Manufacturing Runs Jay Miller Chapter 16 Producing Elite Pitchers Cheri K. Kempf Chapter 17 Charging Up the Battery Lori Sippel Chapter 18 Playing Situational Defense Linda Wells Chapter 19 Competing in Tournaments and Playoffs Margie Wright Part V Player Motivation and Leadership Chapter 20 Winning the Mental Game Jeff Janssen Chapter 21 Building Team Chemistry Rhonda Revelle Chapter 22 Developing Responsible Athletes Elaine Sortino Chapter 23 Building Loyalty and Tradition in Players Carol Hutchins Chapter 24 Inspiring Today’s Players Mona Stevens Part VI Off-the-Field Opportunities, Challenges, and Pressures Chapter 25 Learning and Developing As a Professional Rayla J. Allison Chapter 26 Conducting Camps and Clinics Judi Garman Chapter 27 Beating the Burnout Factor Sharon J. Drysdale and Karren J. Drysdale
