Coaches' Corner

We can't win every game, and nobody can have a perfect game every week.  However, everybody should be able to have fun at every game.

Individually, there are things you can keep in mind to keep the game fun:

• Softball is a humorous sport.  It's funny when a throw goes flying into the dugout, and it's funny when somebody strikes out trying to swing for the fences.  Laugh and let it go.
• 'A' for effort.  As long as you try your hardest, nobody can possibly fault you.  Do your best, the fun should follow.

As a team, everybody can help everybody else have fun.

• Cheer for your teammates.  When somebody makes a great play, or hits a great ball, let them know.  This is why it's traditional to empty the dugout when somebody hits it out of the park.
• Don't be critical.  When somebody is struggling, either with errors, or hitting, or on the mound, don't say anything about.  They know they're not doing great, saying something only makes them dwell on it.  Just let it go and try to be supportive.

Common wisdom holds that a heavier bat swung at the same velocity as a lighter bat will cause the ball to travel further. Does this really happen in softball?

The answer is maybe.

If you are able to swing a heavier bat at the same velocity as a lighter bat, then it's possible that you should use the heavier bat but this may not always be the case. The key is to be able to accelerate the bat through the impact with the ball. When the ball contacts the bat the speed of the bat will slow down. Most people will see a decrease in bat speed through impact and therefore, to minimize this decrease, a lighter bat should be used.

Gripping the bat too tight will also reduce bat speed through impact. Don't use a death grip on the bat hold it loosely but firmly to maximize you bat speed.

I always suggest that players show up for games 30 minutes early.  There are a number of reasons for this, ranging from avoiding forfeits, to just being better prepared to play.

Forfeits are expensive

We don't play with any dead weight, we need every player, every game.  Our league requires a minimum of 3 females, and a minimum of 8 total players to field a legal team.  Any less at game time results in a forfeit.  Forfeits costs us a loss, a negative 7-run differential, and a $25 fee which precludes us from playing until it is paid.  XXXRE has a policy that players who cause forfeits have to pay the fee, and buy the entire team beers the next game.

Subs are rare and not reliable

It is sometimes possible to find subs at the field, but if you get tied up, you have to give us a chance to find that sub.  All three coaches have our cell phone numbers posted on the website, carry these with you on game day.

All professional athletes allow plenty of time to warm up and stretch prior to a game or event.  Period.  Many people may question why a warm up might be needed before a sport like softball.  My physical therapist noted that she saw more people for softball related injuries than any other sport.  This is largely because people just didn’t think they needed to warm up and stretch.  Softball involves a lot of rapid accelerations separated by a great deal of idle time.  As such, there is a much higher chance of injury since the muscles generally cool and tighten prior to being shocked into motion.  Strained or torn muscles, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, elbow injuries, and sore backs are all common softball ailments. 

It's is sometimes difficult to go to the plate after poor play in the field. You get up to bat and you are thinking about the dropped ball or the bad throw that cost the team a run. You are thinking about the error and you get up to bat and are not focused on hitting and end up hitting poorly because of it. The worst thing you can do is compound a poor defensive outing into a poor offensive day too.

Tips for clearing your mind:

• Think of the positive. Good thoughts will produce good results.
• Cheer for others. Don't isolate yourself in your sorrow. This is a team game and your teammates will pick you up so you can do the same for them.
• Don't be too hard on yourself. Everyone makes errors from time to time.
• When on deck, think of the situation and how you can best help the team.

We are all here to have fun and as long as we remember that and keep that as our focus we will enjoy playing.

As with many things, softball is a long term proposition.  In order to win the war, it is important to pick your battles.

Let the manager (John) fight the good fight.  It is the manager's job to know the rules.  The league rules clearly state that only the manager or assistant coaches may make protests, suggestions or complaints.  Losing protests cost us $20 each and are only allowed for rule interpretations, judgment calls cannot be protested.  Decisions are very rarely overturned on the field (I've never seen one in 10+ seasons), so if we don't press a point to your satisfaction, it's because we think it's in the best interest of the team.

Seize the opportunity to grow.  When the opportunity presents itself, we sometimes give players the opportunity to challenge themselves in new positions to grow the skill set of the team.  This is usually done as a calculated risk where we can develop players in real game situations without much affect on the outcome of the game.  This may happen when we can easily afford to give up a 7-run inning, or it may happen when a game is already out of reach.

While softball requires some amount of conditioning, strength, and agility, much of the game is mental. Situational awareness and attitude are important in achieving victory as well as having a good time doing it. We’ve discussed situational awareness, but its worth reviewing. Attitude is another aspect of the mental game that can derail a perfectly good team if it isn’t right.

• Know the situation before every pitch: How many outs? Where are the base runners? What are your possible plays?
• Encourage your team mates: Words of encouragement after a good play go a long way toward making the game more enjoyable.
• Use constructive criticism: When someone makes an error, suggest a way for them to improve if appropriate.
• Avoid negative comments: Yes, we’re all grown ups, but negative comments on the field aren’t helpful and eat at morale.
• Remember that it’s a game: We all want to win, but let’s remember from time to time that it is just a game. We’re here to have fun.

Training the mind to succeed before you enter the batter's box will keep you focused on what you have to do. When you are in the batter's box think about the good hits you've had in the past and remember how easy it seemed. Good swings are effortless and do not require you to think about the mechanics of the swing. You can work on your mechanics in the cages, but come game time, clear your mind and let things happen naturally.

Mental Checklist:

• Recall your good at bats.
• Know the situation, how many outs, who's on base and where are they, where is the defense positioned.
• Visualize where you want to hit the ball.  Picture in your head what kind of pitch it will be, how your swing will be, and where the ball will go.
• Think about what you want to do with a pitch outside versus the inside pitch .

Last, take a deep breath and relax because you have done everything you can to succeed.

Base runners mean potential runs scored, every extra base helps.  Runners left on base are runs left on the table.  A little informed risk taking can mean the difference between winning and losing a game.

Fly balls:  If you are on base with a force situation, you should come halfway off the bag for balls hit in the air into the outfield.  If it drops, you need to be able to make it to the next base, but if it's caught, you have to get back.  However, if  there's no force, you should usually be tagging up.  Don't even leave the bag if the ball's in the air, wait for it to be caught and advance.

Help the batter on:  If you are on second, particularly when in a force, and a ball is hit to the SS, you should almost stop right in front of the SS to block their view of the hit ball.  Don't get hit by the ball (because you'll be out), keep moving towards third before the ball gets there.  This will distract the fielder and help get everybody on.  For all grounders (even with no force), you should jump a couple feet off the base to make the fielders think twice.

The regulation softball field we play on is large, and there are sometimes long throws that have to be made.  This can be a daunting and intimidating task.  But with practice and conditioning, as well a focusing on the fundamentals, this challenge can be easily over come.  

• Get a proper grip on the ball.  If possible, a four seam grip is optimal.
• Point your front shoulder at the target
• Keep your back foot perpendicular to the target.
• Step and throw.  Taking a step toward the pitcher with foot opposite your throwing hand can help to make up for a lack of arm strength.
• To prevent the ball from tailing, try to get a 12-6 rotation on the ball.  In flight, the ball should look like its rolling back toward you.

There is no better feeling then hitting the ball over the head of the outfield. Often times though it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to do so. The key to the long ball is to pick the right time to use it.

Observe the outfield:

• If they are playing you deep, then look for the gaps and hit to them. The more control you have over hitting the ball where you want the more the field will look open to you at the plate.
• If they are playing you shallow then it's time to take a shot at hitting it over their heads. You know what your limitations are and how far you can realistically hit the ball.

What is the game situation:

• There are times where all the team needs is a single. If there are two outs, think more about hitting it on the ground and just getting on base.
• If we are behind we need base runners. If we are ahead we can take more chances at the plate.

Line drives are the key:  Lazy fly balls give the outfielder more time to get to the ball. A hard hit line drive into the gap is better than a deep fly ball.

Remember this is a team game and the more we play like a team the more fun we will all have.

Slowpitch softball has batting rules which should be exploited.  Because strikeouts are so rare, and because walks are so easy to get, you should draw the walk when the odds are in your favor.  If you get two balls in a row to a 3-1 count, the pitcher is struggling, you should take the next pitch.  A free walk is a 100% guaranteed runner on base, but if you swing, you only have a 60% chance of getting on (if you're a 0.600 batter).

In addition to playing the odds, forcing pitchers to throw strikes puts added pressure on them.  Also, because males walked in front of females gain two bases, males should ALWAYS take a pitch on a 3-1 count when batting in front of a female.  A walk in that case is a guaranteed two bases, that's like having a 2.00 Slugging Percentage.

On the flip side, you must protect the  plate when you're behind in the count.  If you've taken a strike already, or fouled one off, you have to be less selective in your pitches.  For 1-2 and 2-2 counts especially, you have to swing at anything close.  You can not try to draw the walk as you might with a 3-2 count, so you must be sure not to let a strike go by.  It is always better to go down swinging than to let a strike go by for a K.

Focusing on the fundamentals is just as important in the outfield as it is in the infield. An outfielder should be running on every play to the outfield, whether making a play or backing someone up. Be ready and react at the crack of the bat.

Situational Awareness – know what’s going on before each pitch

• How many outs are there?
• Are there base runners? Where are they?
• Who’s your cutoff? Who will you throw to?

Attack the Ball: When the ball is dead and not moving, attack the ball. Use your throwing hand, not your glove hand. This way you’ll be in throwing position once you pick it up. Pushing the ball into the ground can lessen the chance of the ball slipping out of your hand.

Making the Catch

• Try to catch fly balls with two hands at about eye level, with a slight bend at the elbows.
• Cushion the ball as it lands in your glove, don’t stab at it.
• When chasing a fly ball, keep your glove down until you arrive near the ball. Running with your hand up will slow you down and throw off your balance.

The biggest strength of a team is when the sum of the parts is greater than the individuals.  The coaching staff will always try their best to keep everybody aware of what's going on, but everybody can help out here.

Base coaches:  If you're coaching a base, it's your job to talk to the runners to let them know how many outs there are, what to do in the air, what to do on the ground, etc.  You should also let runners know when to run, when to turn back, when to hold, when to slide, etc.

Fielders:  It's important for everybody to be on the same page at all times.  Infielders should talk to each other to keep track of runners and outs.  Outfielders should talk to each other to keep track of the lineup, and know to play shallow or deep.

Preparing yourself well results in quick, sound decision-making once the ball is hit to you.  The preparation comes prior to each pitch. Program yourself to make the correct decision BEFORE the ball is hit to you. You don't want to make a good play and hesitate before throwing the ball.

Make a mental checklist:

• The score, the inning, the number of outs, the count. Then think about the qualities of the batter.
• Is he fast? If so, I'll be more aggressive on ground balls and be conscious of a quick release.
• Is there a runner on first? Is he fast?
• With a man on first and a ball hit in the gap, where do I throw the ball as the cutoff man?

When running the bases, listen to the base coaches: They will remind you how many outs there are.

Keep your head up: If the play is in front of you, you can determine if you can take an additional bag. Otherwise, look to the base coaches to see if you should take a turn, slide or hold. By keeping your head up you will also know if a fielder bobbled the ball or threw to the wrong base. In each case you can stretch a single into a double or more.

Look to see who is on base: If you are a runner on first and there is someone on second; you can only tag if they tag. Don't get caught in no mans land because the runner in front decided to stop at third and you expected them to go home.

Judge the speed of those in front of you:  You can only go as fast as whoever is in front of you, don't overrun them.