Mountains: Setting Player Expectations

Below is a handout that I gave to prospective players during an off-season meeting. I drew it up about 6 years ago. Simply, it describes the types of players needed to have a successful program.  I also like to share this at the pre-season parent meeting. I guess it would be similar to the classic, John Wooden “Pyramid of Success”.  The link below has a great printable version of Wooden’s “Pyramid”.

http://www.coachwooden.com/

 

Bulldog Baseball Player Types

Mountain- a champion, dedicated student, serious about weights, encourages others, involved in other sports, + leader, goes to camps, always relaxed & focused, wants to do extra, bottom line is “will help the team”

Rock- good student, does lift weights, occasional detention for tardy, sometimes satisfied with performance, plays summer ball, could be a leader but sometimes chooses not to be, bottom line is “won’t hurt the team”

Gravel- up & down student, very seldom in the weightroom, In School Suspension, frequent detentions for preventable reasons, leadership is limited to weekend party locations, plays summer ball, bottom line is “if things are going well he’s fine; if things get rough he may jump ship and point fingers”

Dust- MUST BE ELIMINATED, poor student, no weights,  In School Suspension, Out of School Suspension, constant detentions, KO of classes, talks a good game, may be very athletically gifted (not willing to be coached), party scene is central focus, nothing extra beyond the season, bottom line is “he will destroy team concept”

 Where do you fit?

Maximizing Practice for Infielders: 2 Fungo Drill with Cardio Conditioning

This drill has three purposes:

1. Get as many ground balls as possible in a 15 minute span
2. Incorporate a cardio conditioning aspect by running the balls to the bucket after successfully fielding it
3. Be a low arm intensity drill (great for mid-season)

 Equipment and personnel needed:

• 2 coaches with fungoes or regular bats
• Line of players at each infield position
• 4 buckets (1 with each coach (2), 2 placed on opposite sides of mound or circle)
• minimum of 50 balls (25 on each side)

Drill Process:

1. Coach #1, standing on the 3rd base side in foul territory, hits a ground ball to a player in the line of 2nd basemen.  That player fields the ball, runs to the bucket on the 1st base side of the mound, drops the ball in the bucket, and then sprints to the end of the line. Without hesitation, Coach #1 hits another ball to a player in the line of 1st basemen.
2. Coach #2 does the same as Coach #1 except he hits to the lines at 3rd base and shortstop.  The only difference is that those players will drop the balls in the bucket on the 3rd base side of the mound.
3. It is important for the coaches to call, “Last ball!!!” when he/she hits the last one in the bucket. That signals the player that fields it to switch buckets. The bucket nearest the mound should now be full. It needs to be carried to the coach. The empty bucket nearest the coach should be taken back to the area near the mound.  The whole process starts over again.

Hints:

• I recommend keeping each line to three or four players at the most.  Any more than that and the players aren’t moving enough to get their heart rates up.
• Be careful that you don’t hit the players that are carrying in buckets.
• Mix up positioning of the coaches. On occasion place one coach at home plate hitting to the corners and the other coach just in front the rubber in order to hit to the middle infielders. This allows the middle infielders to work on double play flips after fielding ground balls (the receiver of the flip runs the ball to the bucket).  It will also allow the corner infielders to work in fielding bunts.
• Make it a game. Each coach starts with the same amount of balls in his/her bucket.  A missed ball stays in the outfield.  After 15 minutes the side of the infield with the most balls left in their bucket wins.
• Have players alternate lines in order to experince new positions.
• Add 10 pushups for those that miss a ground ball.

If you enjoyed this post, you will also enjoy:

http://coach5150.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/team-hitting-drill-the-octopus/

http://coach5150.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/7-point-drill/

Team Hitting Drill: The Octopus

“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.”

-H. Jackson Brown Jr. 

The first time I saw this drill, or something similar to it, was in Dixon, IL. My friend Dan Crawford was using it as part of his team’s pre-game routine.  Whiffle balls were flying in every direction. Players were placed all over left field. Jokingly, I said, “Dan, it looks like a octupus exploded out there. What’s going on?” He told me it was a drill.  I liked it so much, that night I scribbled something similar to it on paper.

Equipment needed:

• 1 bucket
• 4 dozen whiffle balls
• 4 bats

Purpose: The purpose of this drill is to get each of your players 24 purposeful swings with in less than 8 minutes. It makes a great pre-game hitting routine. I especially like it on the road.  It also makes a good practice drill when time or space is limited for hitting.  Lastly, it’s a good indoor drill when a cage is not available.

Set up & Grouping: Take your team and divide them into three or four equal groups. I recommend no more than 5 in a group.  4 in each group is just about perfect. Place the bucket of whiffle balls in the center and one group on each side of the bucket. Each group needs a hitter, pitcher, and shaggers.  The hitters are nearest the bucket.  The pitchers are throwing towards the hitters standing by the bucket.

After a hitter gets 6 cuts, he or she rotates to become the pitcher of  his group. The pitcher rotates to shagger. A shagger comes to the bucket and becomes a hitter.  Make one of the groups “the lead group”. When all of the hitters in the lead group have hit, that group yells “ROTATE” and all of the groups rotate clockwise.  It should take a little less than 2 minutes for a group of 4 to hit at each station. Each station has a purpose. See below:

• Station #1: Pulling inside strikes
• Station #2: hitting up the middle
• Station #3: hitting outside strikes
• Station #4: I like to use this one as a wildcard station in order to mix it up.  You can make it a bunting station, top hand drill, 2 strike hitting, etc. Most often, I like to use a paddle drill.

Hints:

• The first time you run the drill, it will take a bit longer than 8 minutes due to explanation. It will get to be more fluid each time the drill is run.
• For younger players, eliminate the rotation. As the coach, call out a new hitting purpose every 2-3 minutes.
• Monitor your pitchers. Make sure that they are throwing the balls hard enough and trying to hit locations.
• Monitor your hitters make sure that they are swinging at strikes. Much to often, when the whiffle balls come out, hitter start swinging at everything.
• Emphasize no pop-ups.
• Make sure your hitters are not getting to close to one another. Safety first

TIMELY TRAVEL: Getting to Away Games on Time

 ”Better never than late.”

-George Bernard Shaw

 No one likes to start a game late.  When a team arrives late, it’s has a tremendous ripple effect.  Players, coaches, umpires, parents, field maintenance personnel, and athletic directors, and local media are all affected.  Remember your game is an event. People make arrangements far in advance to be there. For example, let’s say a game is to start at 4:30 PM.  What is the proper time to arrive?  For my team, I would like to arrive at 3:30 and at the latest 3:45.   If you show up any later than that, everyone is making accommodations for your team and its lateness, which is resented by entire list of people previously mentioned.  Your team may be as polished as World Series champions, but if you show up late, the first impression your team will give is of Bush League champions.

Our conference may be the most spread out in the state of Illinois. Our shortest drive is 20 minutes.  On the flip-side, many of our opponents are 1 hour or better. Still 3 of those are very close to 2 hours.  Keep in mind that these trips are usually taken on “big yellows,” which is what we affectionately call our busses.  The drivers of these busses are instructed to drive at the exact speed limit, as they should. You can see how planning of road trips can be a nightmare.  To give our entire conference credit, the schools are all very good about handling the great distances.  On a given day that we have one of our longer trips scheduled, with the cooperation of our principal, we are able to get our players dismissed at 1:30.  The bus will leave at 1:45, and barring any extenuating circumstances we will arrive at the field at about 3:35 or 3:40.  If we make good time, and show up earlier, GREAT! 

Another way to be on top of this situation is to have some back up. The directions that bus companies give their drivers are usually good.  Although, on occasion they can be incorrect or out-dated.  With websites like mapquest.com it is easy for you as the coach to have some back up directions, just in case.  In turn, it’s always a good idea for the opposing coach to have your cell phone number and vice-versa.  This can come in handy for any one of a million variables that may come into play during the time in which your team leaves town and when it arrives to the destination.

Some coaches may be reading this and thinking, “Why do you need to be an hour early?”  Well, my answer is if you want to prepare your team to play that day, it takes time to do so.  Players will need to change shoes, stretch, run, throw, and perform their pre-game routine. Oh, I almost forgot, after 2 hours on a school bus, typically the closest restroom is in order. Nothing should be changed from what you do at home.  Good coaches allow time for good pre-game preparation.  If the coach is hurried, the players are hurried.  When people feel hurried, they get confused.  Isn’t it also possible that this confusion could carry over into the game?

BOOSTERS, NOT ROOSTERS: Parental Support During Games

“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”

-Herm Albright

 Parents can work with you or against you.  Do not forget when you play at home they’re there, and when you go on the road they follow.  I’m not knocking fan support, because I adore it.  Although, I am knocking fan detriment.  I want as many parents at our games as possible.  I want them to come to our games and enjoy seeing their young man or young lady represent his school and town to the best of his or her ability.  I also want them to support the other players on the team and the program as a whole.  No one needs a college of coaches in the stands that criticize players, coaches, and officials. Talk about bush league, that’s the worst.

            At the beginning of a season I host a parent meeting.  I require players to have someone to represent them at this meeting.  A mom or dad may not be able to attend in some cases. So I tell my player to get an alternate, like a sibling or a grandparent.  I’ve never had a parent meeting last longer than a half an hour.  The discussion topics are the team rules for players, the schedule, travel procedure for road contests, and parent expectations.  That’s right, parent expectations. I expect them to be part of the team.  My rules for them are:

1)   Be positive at home.

2)   Don’t address officials.

3)   Be a booster, not a rooster.

            Be positive at home.  Parents need to cultivate the team concept at home when their son or daughter is not around me.  If his or her child comes home after striking out 3 times, he/she doesn’t need someone talking down to them.  Nobody feels worse than the player. As well, maybe someone’s child didn’t play that day.  Of course, that kid feels bad about it. I’d be disappointed in a player of mine that didn’t. A parent that tears down the coach or another player to give their son some false pride isn’t sending a very good message.  Parents at home need to encourage their boys when times are good and bad.  Encouraging their children to work harder at practice and be more involved in off-season activities is the best thing a parent can do. 

            Don’t address officials.  If something needs to be said to an umpire, I will say it.  I have only seen rude and obnoxious comments from the stands work to the advantage of the other team.  You think the strike zone was tight before, just wait.  Umpires are human. There is no instant replay.  We must live with their calls.  99% of them are trying their hardest to be impartial.  If an umpire is hustling and calling the game consistently for both teams, no one can complain.  I feel there are good and bad times for a coach to talk to the umpire about calls.  There are no good times for parents to do so. 

            Be a booster, not a rooster.  I make mistakes. We all do. Hopefully, we learn from them.   No coach needs some know-it-all former little league coach critiquing his every move. Those type of parents are like pussy cats waiting to pounce on a mouse.  They view the game with negative glasses.  And like a rooster at 5 AM, begin cackling their head off with some foolish coaching advice.  No one in the crowd is impressed.  In fact most of the other parents separate themselves from that type of fan.  These roosters always like to crow at the worst possible time. For example, during a regional game, after a lead-off double, I had a player wander too far off 2^nd base on a ball hit in front of him and get caught in rundown.  Prior to the miscue, I said all of the right things to him to remind him of the situation, and of course he acknowledged me. We all know the teenage mind is one of mystery, and he did the wrong thing.  In the rooster’s head, I’m sure he was elated.  He began to ruffle his feathers, stick out his chest, and crow sarcastically, “Nice goin’ coach, way to teach base-running.”  He was right. It was a poor base running play.  I was sure excited that he pointed it out and so was the player and his parents, I’m sure.  We went on to get 5 hits, 2 stolen bases, and score 3 runs that inning.  He shouted no compliments for our team. We went on to win the game 5-1 an advance to the regional championship.  The rooster had magically turned into a hen. Encourage your parents to disagree with you in private.  Shouting disapproval during a game helps no one.

            A parent meeting is really an attempt to preempt any miscommunications between the parents and the coach.  Your expectations for your players are made clear on an in person basis.  A coach that hosts a parent meeting will find that he has a more positive relationship with the parents than the coach that neglects to do so.  The parents will be more likely to give you help when you need it.  As well, they will support you on disciplinary issues with players, because the rules were explained clearly ahead of time.

Congrats to Clay Zavada!!!

Congrats to Clay Zavada of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the American Mustache Institute’s “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year Award” or as it is more affectionately called in mustache circles as “The Goulet”.  Click on the following link to read the full story.

http://americanmustacheinstitute.org/cs/blogs/ami_2009/archive/2009/10/30/diamondbacks-zavada-wins-mustached-american-of-the-year.aspx

Also:

http://www.mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=390965

PUT YOUR PRACTICE PURPOSE IN PRINT: The Importance of a Practice Plan

By creating a practice plan you give your practice a framework. Putting it on paper gives a coach a few advantages over other coaches that just “keep it upstairs”. Ultimately, the guys that go off the top of their head might as well be dumped on their head because one look at their unorganized practice would make even a bush league team cringe. Some may say, “Big deal, you’re making a list.” Yes, but the list is as detailed as you want it to be. A good practice plan allows a coach to group his players more effectively, manage practice time better, and motivate his/her players more easily.

Baseball and softball are very skill specific sports. Breaking your team up into small groups based on position is essential. For example, if a coach really wants to work on double play pivots with his middle infielders, does the whole team have to be working on this skill? No! The outfielders could be working on their footwork. The catchers, pitchers, and corner infielders could be working on bunt coverage. By separating into groups an hour worth of drill time could be condensed into 20 minutes, thus, leaving more time for other coaching points. The coach without this sort of plan on paper might have the whole team working on pivots. What a waste for the 10 players that may never play 2nd base or shortstop. Even worse, this same coach may have those 10 non-middle infielders just watching.

I am also a big advocate of social grouping at practice. For instance, we break up into 3 to 4 small groups for batting practice. I am the one that determines what players are in which groups. If allow the players to group themselves, they would always end up with the same players based on the buddy system. Thus, they are never building bonds with their other teammates. As well, buddies are more likely to mess around when no one is looking. Of course, my players would never do that. Yeah, right. They sometimes don’t like the fact that I pick the groups, but this is not a democratic process.

Efficiency of time is of the utmost importance with the teenage mind. A practice plan gives your practice a steady flow and quick-moving feel. By placing a time limit on a portion of your practice, a coach can be sure not have that session run too long. It is imperative that the video game, ESPN highlight, music video trained minds in which we are dealing not be under-stimulated. When a session drags on it becomes uninteresting and ultimately counterproductive. The time limit will prevent that from happening. It’s OK to go a little over the set time limit, but most of the time you’re better off to move on to the next portion of practice and return to the dragging session another day. Next, it stops your practices from turning into 3-hour marathons. I feel that a complete practice with 12-18 year olds should rarely last longer than 1 hr. and  45 min. Anything longer than that becomes drudgery for players and coaches. Lastly, by saving the practice plan, a coach can make notes on it for use in developing the next day’s plan or for future seasons’ plans. I know a football coach that has 30 years of practice plans filed away. This may sound crazy, but it’s really not. He explained it to me like this, “Some years are better than others, I want to be able to go back and review what was working in practice during good seasons.”

A curriculum and instruction professor in college discussed “advanced organizers” with our class one day. He started the class by acknowledging the word “TEST” written on the chalkboard. Nothing more, nothing less was written on the board. Being 40 paranoid college students in the room, we were relieved when he did say something about it. Our anticipation of an upcoming exam or possibly a pop quiz had all of us on the edge of our seats. There was no test scheduled for a month. He went on to explain that our focus on him and class was at its height due to an advanced organizer. The word “TEST” was the advanced organizer. It gave a group advance notice of an upcoming event. This tool can be as specific or as vague as you want. In this case it was vague. If your practice plan is posted for your players to see, it can have the same effect. For example, many drills are used daily. If the specific drills are written on the plan, the players will know when to expect a drill change. The transition to the next session will go much smoother. Alternatively, a vague note will spark players’ interest about a portion of practice. For example, I like to include an occasional skill oriented game in my practice plan. Just by putting the word “game” as one session of your practice, your players will anticipate that session eagerly. They will also work harder in preceding sessions, not wanting to lose the opportunity to play the game.  

 Here’s an example practice plan:

No matter what age of players that you may be coaching, a written practice plan is essential. Another good friend of mine says it like this, “KTSB”. That means “Keep Them Suckers Busy”. The plan eliminates idle time. Idle time leads to unnecessary distractions. Plan everything even down to the water breaks and the length of that break. If you plan for a three-minute water break, it will last three minutes or less. We’ve all seen practices and that the short water break turns into a 10 or 12 minute bull session. Well, if may not seem like a big deal, but in reality that could turn out be 10 to 12% of your practice time. What a waste! By planning for the rest periods at practice, announcing the length of the rest periods when they come, and sticking to that time, you’ll be much happier when the team transitions back to work mode. You’ll find that your team leaders, knowing that the break lasts only lasts a predetermined amount of time, will be back on the field ready to go before they actually need to be.

Nothing is cooler than having a player tell you that they really enjoy your practices, because the time goes so fast. Pace is everything. The trick is to mix pace with purpose. Chocking a practice plan full of activities for the sake of filling time is not the point. As a coach, you are a teacher. Each practice (or class) has a goal. Is it introduction of a new skill? Review? Quiz?

Lastly, I love hearing horror stories about the bad behavior of players. “Wait ‘til you get this kid. She/he is a real handful.” Or “That kid never practices hard.” As coaches we need to thrive on that challenge. Providing a quickly paced, skill filled, purposeful practice on a daily basis will typically meet that challenge head on. If you decide to wing it, without writing out a plan, you asked for it. The problem kid will eat you up, just like all of the other chumps that tried to work with that kid and couldn’t get it done.

POLISH PRE-GAME: Ideas on How to Design a Great Pre-game Routine

No one can whistle a symphony.  It takes a whole orchestra to play it. 

~H.E. Luccock

Your pre-game infield/outfield routine is extremely important. First impressions are important, aren’t they? Well here’s your chance. A fungo routine should be organized, positive, and keep everyone involved. If it is well structured your team can gain an edge in the “intimidation” factor.

For the routine to be effective, it has to be organized and practiced. That’s right, you need to practice your pre-game practice. You should run your pre-game routine around 30 times prior to the first game. If you have a youngner group of players, often times the amount of practices that you are allowed is less.  My advice its to practice it as much as you can, but maybe add levels of difficulty to it as the season progresses.

You and your players should shift from drill to drill in unison, quickly and efficiently. This tells your opponent that your team means business that day. If I have to tell my players where to go and what drill to start during pre-game, that says that my team is undisciplined and not well-practiced. I love showing up and seeing opposing players stumble around their supposed routine. As well, I doubly enjoy seeing their coach getting frustrated when it is going smoothly. My players and I can smell the blood in the water.

Keep in mind that being organized doesn’t mean flawless. Keep in mind that it is a pre-game practice. If a player makes a physical mistake, that’s a great time to make one. Better then than after the first pitch. The only time a reprimand should occur is when a player or players show a lack of hustle, not a lack of physical skill. Do not verbally reprimand your players for physical errors during this time. If a ball is misplayed come right back to that player and allow him to shore up his technique and boost his confidence. A positive vibe during this time is essential. Praise players all during this session. Also encourage the other players to encourage each other verbally. “Chatter” during this time keeps your guys loose and focused on the task at hand at the same time. To encourage positive talk during our pre-game infield sessions we’ve incorporated a specific point at which the chatter is to begin. We perform a “silent round” of fungoed ground balls. During this section the players simply focus on proper fielding and throwing technique for ground balls. When the round is done I say, “Hey Dogs! Ready to go?” I then announced the name of the next round, “5-4-3” which is a double play round. As well, the announcement of “5-4-3” serves as our players cue to begin chatter. The atmospheric contrast between the silent round and the chatter is a great attention grabber. The focus of our players is increased, and the other team knows who’s in town. I like to finish our full pre-game session with a loud team led “break”. For example, we use “1, 2, 3, TEAM!!!”

Organization is key. For the “teacher slash coaches” reading this, it’s all classroom management. Keep them moving with a purpose. A great way to do this is to have 2 or even 3 fungoes going simultaneously. We use 2. Standing between 2nd base and the mound, I start working cuts to the outfielders. Meanwhile, an assistant coach works ground balls and bunt fielding technique to the idle infielders. Later we add a second 1st baseman, or “short 1st” and work double plays and single put outs. I stand in foul territory on the 1st base side or home plate and my assistant stands opposite to me on the 3rd base side. Later still, we work our catchers’ throws to bases and pitchers covering first base during the same session. We try to get as a many important skills covered during a short period of time (usually 12-15 min.) as we can. In the same vein we try to get each individual player as many “touches” or times active with the baseball as we can. It really is a thing of beauty when the routine becomes etched in players’ minds. They move form session to session like clockwork and much more gets done. It will take time and practice though. Lastly, remember 2 or more fungoes going at once is a great idea, but this also means that 2 or more baseballs are flying around too. Baseballs will get loose. Keep this in mind when designing yours. Finally, when designing something for junior high players, modify for ability level. Arms are simply not as strong at that age. Modify, but don’t dumb it down.

Here are some cool Youtube clips that I found.  They are good examples of a teams maximizing their time and touching upon many skills during pre-game. The first two clips are baseball and the third is a softball example.  Fastpitch softball teams, often times, have very quick and efficient pre-game routines. There are a ton of things to be learned by watching  good softball teams do their pre-game routines. Although, these are not the only examples. My advice is to watch what other teams do and ultimately create something that is yours. 

Please feel free to comment. Especially, if you have any ideas to share

DIRTY LAUNDRY: How a Coach Should Deal with Player and Parent Problems

“If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.”

 -Yogi Berra

 

            At some point, unfortunately, all coaches run into problems with players and/or their parents.  Some problems are major issues and some minor ones.  A well-prepared coach has a set procedure to deal with these occurrences head-on.  If problems are not dealt with quickly, assertively, and tactfully, they will boil over onto the field.  When this happens, the exact cause isn’t always apparent to the objective eye.  Although, the bush league atmosphere will be apparent.

            If a player has broken a training rule, has poor grades, has a poor attitude, or has done anything that clashes with team rules or my coaching philosophy, I feel compelled to say something.  Sweeping a problem under the rug only allows the problem to fester and become worse.  Too often, coaches try to ignore things.  I understand that as coaches of young people we must pick our battles, but you know how it goes, “give an inch, they’ll take a mile”. For example, I am a stickler about players being on time.  If I ignore the lateness of one player, the message is then sent throughout the program that it’s OK to be a couple minutes late. Pretty soon another player is late. Then, players start coming 10 or 15 minutes late.  Talk about “bush”. 

           I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t handle the situation on the spot.  The best way to handle most problems with players is in PRIVATE. Private can be behind closed doors or at practice 20 feet away from the rest of the team. Berating players with a loud, foul tone in front of the rest of the team may work once, but it will soon create an air of hostility.  Handling things one on one tells the player that you’re focused on his issues and his correction for the sake of the team, not embarrassment.  I have a friend that was also a high school baseball coach.  He was a great first half of the season coach. I know this because we used to play his teams twice each season, once at the very beginning of the season and once at the end.  When we saw his team the first time they looked sharp.  They were focused.  When this coach said jump they’d say, “How high?” Then during the progression of the season, his supposedly constructive criticisms became louder and more public.  When we’d play them at the end of the season, the players seemed skittish during pre-game warm-ups, as though they were walking on glass.  The moment one player would make a mistake this coach would verbally jump all over the guilty party.  This continued throughout the game.  His players lacked enthusiasm and were having no fun.  Rarely did he pull a player off to the side and “talk” to the player.  I’m not saying that he had to be a teddy bear, but people run from grizzly bears.

          The next scenario is when someone has a problem with you and your coaching.  Typically, the problems that I’m referring to are in relationship to playing time. Usually the problem is related to playing time.  Hell, I’d be disappointed in a player if he/she didn’t want to play more.  My first step is to address the players and parents at the parent meeting at the beginning of the season.  I feel that it is much easier to anticipate potential problems and not have any, than is it to not prepare for problems and then have to deal with them.  Our team’s procedure has 3 steps:

 

1)   I want to hear it from the player 1^st, not the parent.  I want the player to approach me one on one, before or after practice.  If something is bothering a player enough, he or she should be mentally tough enough to address it with the coach. I will not discuss an issue on the phone.  On the phone, people say things they don’t mean.  As well, words are misinterpreted via lack of visible body language.  If the parent approaches me about a pressing issue, and it is the first time that I’m being made aware of it, I politely tell the parent that their son or daughter has not brought that to my attention. I then add that I would like their son or daughter to see me in private prior to the next practice. Until then, it is not a discussion point.

 

2)   After the player has addressed the problem with me, if he is not satisfied, I will make an appointment to meet with the player and the parent(s).   95% of the time it will not come to this.  Most players accept what you tell them during the one to one meeting if you give them honest reasons.  But keep in mind that that not everyone shares your perspective, honest or not.  The biggest and most important rule in this situation is to not discuss other players on the team during this meeting.  If you allow this to happen, the parent will quickly compare his kid to every player in the line-up.  As opposed to being a supporter of the team, the parent will tear down the skill and ability of any given player ahead of his/her child own on the depth chart.  The proper way to conduct the meeting is to focus in on what his/her child can do to improve.

 

3)   If there is no resolution to the problem at this point, I advise the parent to make an appointment with the athletic director or principal of the school.  In a school situation this option exists.  It really should only be used for emergency situations.  School administrators should have more important things to do than worry about who’s playing 3^rd base and hitting 5^th for the baseball or softball team.  You want to maintain the support of the administration.  Only involve them in very difficult situations.  They will appreciate it.

 

            By following this procedure, the number of peripheral issues that can distract a team will be filtered.  A player will think twice before going home after practice and griping, because parents’ initial reaction will become, “Did you talk to your coach about it?” If the player answers, “No,” then reflection upon the validity of the problem goes on in the player’s head.  Upon reflection, if it is still a problem to one of my players I want to help them figure it out. That’s part of building a cohesive “non-bush league” team.

STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”

-Thomas Jefferson

              The ultimate judge of a “bush league” program is you.  This is the most important way to trim the bushes around your program, yet it is the least outwardly visible.  This is about not compromising what you know is right for selfish reasons.  This is about raising your players as though they were your own sons.  This is about sleeping at night knowing that you didn’t cut a corner in order to get results now. It’s about doing the right thing, thus making the future brighter for the whole program.

            During my third season of coaching, our team won the regional championship.  We weren’t the most talented group, but we had grit.  Just like many teams in this situation our depth was not fantastic.  If one key player were to go down, we were sunk.  The next day after winning the regional we had our first practice in preparation for the sectional.  We were very excited.  We were going to be playing at Northern Illinois University’s field.  We were set to play a very good Galesburg team.  After that practice, my shortstop pulled me aside and admitted to getting picked up for drinking the night before.  What a shot in the gut!  I was very impressed in this player for his honesty, but I wanted to wring his neck, as any coach would.  The truth of the matter is that no one felt worse than this player.  I loved this kid, he practiced hard, he was mentally tough, and had a fantastic sense of humor.  He was the last player that should get himself caught up in something like this, but he did.  At this point, my honesty would now be in check.  I was faced with 2 choices.  I could go tell our athletic director and have this player suspended immediately, meaning he would miss the biggest baseball game played by our high school in 14 years.  Due to our thinness at shortstop, this would be extremely detrimental to our chances.  On the other hand, I could sweep it under the rug and tell the player to keep it quiet.  Surely he would play in the sectional game and increase our chances of winning.  If news of his arrest spread to the ears of the athletic director, it would probably happen after our game had taken place anyway.  The player would then be suspended for a portion of his senior football season in the fall. 

            I chose the high road.  We went straight up to the school.  The athletic director administered the suspension, and our team moved forward without its starting shortstop.  I hated the fact that we would be so shorthanded after fighting so hard through a tough season. Albeit, later that evening, a certain peace came over me. I knew that the right thing was done.  Of course, a thousand strategies on how to deal with this dilemma ran through my head, but after those all cleared I thought about the future of the program.  There would be a very positive message sent to the rest of the players in our program.  This type of behavior would have consequences, and it could cost your team dearly.  Maybe there would be a ripple effect that would make these teenagers think twice before drinking alcohol and jeopardizing so many things.

           We lost the game to Galesburg 10-4.  They beat us handily.  Our shifting of positions in order to compensate for our missing shortstop did come into play, but it was not the overall difference in the game. They were a better team and probably would’ve beaten us at full strength.

           Let’s say I had not chosen the high road.  Let’s say I’d have kept it quiet so he could’ve played in the game.  Word about the arrest would’ve eventually gotten out.  The player would have then missed 2 football games in the fall.  The fact that the arrest happened prior to our big game would’ve tarnished our program’s image and great season.  Most importantly, is the way I would’ve felt about myself.  I would then have to live knowing that I cut a corner.  How would I talk to my players the following season about team rules? How much sleep would I lose knowing how I treated that situation? 

          Unfortunately, there are many coaches that in the same situation or similar ones choose the low road.  That is as “bush league” as it gets. I don’t care how many games a coach wins.  If you cut corners, it is not worth it.  The reality is that most of the time the only person who really knows how “bush league” you are is the one in the mirror.

          A myriad of different scenarios will come up during a coaching career.  Players’ grades, discipline at school, drinking, smoking, etc. are just a few of the possibilities for problems.  Consistency and caring are the keys to successful treatment of these issues. Here are some guidelines for staying true to yourself:

1)   A rule is a rule. Each team has should have its own set of rules.  If a player does not follow them, the violations must be addressed or your rules are as worthless as the paper they are written on.  For example, if coach has a rule about facial hair on his players, he must be willing to police that rule.  I guarantee if one player starts growing a goatee and nothing is said, pretty soon a whole herd of goatees will appear.  If you’re not motivated to police the rule, then don’t make the stupid rule.  As well, if a player or parent doesn’t like how the rules of the team apply to him, advise them to start their own baseball team. Remember, your team is not a democracy, but rather a “very friendly” dictatorship.

2)   The rules apply to everybody. The last player on the bench must be treated like your starting center-fielder when the rules of the team are concerned.  I’ve seen plenty of coaches place their team on an uneven field.  When the rules are administered with bias, more turmoil within the framework of the team will arise.  I had a starting catcher that threw a bat into a fence after striking out.  He ran numerous foul poles after that game. As well, he was suspended for 1 game. The next game was against our conference rival.  A bush league coach would’ve skipped the suspension or moved it to game of lesser importance.  I will agree that by suspending that player for such a big game it cost us on that day.  But it was amazing how gentle our boys became with the equipment.

3)   Don’t bring others down with you. If you have a player that is in violation of the rules and you try to persuade others into letting that player slide, you’re a bush league coach.  Don’t pressure others into helping you cut corners.  For example, if a player is in violation of academic eligibility rules at your school.  When you talk to their teachers about it, don’t pressure them into giving the kid a break or changing the grade. School comes first!!! No questions.  Playing any sport for a school is a privilege, not a right.  The non-bush league coach asks the teachers of the ineligible player for a list of missing assignments that he needs to get caught up on, in order to eventually get himself eligible.

Help Clay Zavada Win the Robert Goulet Mustached American of the Year Award

Please click on the link below and vote for Clay Zavada of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the American Mustache Institute’s “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year Award” or as it is more affectionately called in moustache circles as “The Goulet”.  Hurry! The voting ends on October 20th.  He’s a cool kid with a cool story. Help the cause! Thanks

See results here: http://coach5150.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/congrats-to-clay-zavada/

If you’re interested in more information about Clay Zavada, click on the following links:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/-iexcl-Viva-Zavada-D-backs-rookie-breaks-into-b?urn=mlb,165231

http://taoofsteve.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/10/zavada_enjoys_wrigley_debut.html?partnerId=rss_ari

http://www.mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=388667

DUTY BY DESIGN: A Duty Roster for the Gear

 “Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean.”

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

       A term that coaches throw around loosely is “practice maximization”.  Ask any coach about his practices, and you’ll probably hear him describe his own strategies for running an “efficient practice”.  Then he will proceed to tell you about drills.  That’s great, but I feel that a truly maximized practice starts before actual “practice time”.

            Due to the climate in Illinois high school seasons typically start with about two-three weeks of indoor practices.  I really get a feel for my players’ attitudes and work ethic before we actually get outside.  Therefore, when I create my practice “duty roster” I know who to team up on certain jobs. For example, I will try to pair up a very responsible player with one or two who might still be a little rough around the edges.  As well, I may have a player that feels he stands alone.   We all know this guy.  He can do no wrong in his own mind.  He will usually draw a grittier type of job, like sweeping out dugouts and emptying garbage cans.  I think the politically correct term would be “Player in charge broom activities and sanitation supervision.”   Seriously, practice needs to actually start on time, not 5 or 10 minutes later than planned for because everyone is waiting for equipment. 

       During practice we shift gears frequently. We need to have quick access to necessary training tools and safety items.  By creating a duty roster and assigning roles, these things are always at your fingertips. No one wants to stop the flow of a good practice to wait for a screen to be assembled or a bag to be unpacked.  Next, the roster also is great on game days.  We have a 3-4 station batting practice before a game. The roster makes this go much more smoothly and timely.  Finally, at the end of practice, the duty roster kicks in again.  Those players responsible for a certain job at the beginning of practice are then responsible at the end. This is in addition to completely raking and leveling our infield.   If something gets left undone, all I need to do is reference the duty roster and take care of that accordingly (usually a dozen foul poles or 10- 60 yd sprints).  Here’s a copy of an old duty roster.  You can see how simple it is.

DUTY ROSTER 

DUTY                                                         NAME                                                

FUNGOES SCREENS                                O’KRASKI, LIEBHART

TEE, BLUE SCREEN, PADDLE                BAUMRUCKER, ZAVADA

OUTFIELD MACHINE                             BARICHELLO

BP BASKET & BALL BUCKET                MARTIN

BASES                                                           KUNTZ, BROWN

ALL CATCHER’S GEAR                           WASHKO

PITCHER’S SCREEN                                  DEVERA, LEPPER

RUBBER MAT                                             DEVERA

BATS & SCULLIES HUNG                        WARGO

SWEEPER                                                     SCUDDER

YOU SHOULD BE UP HERE TO GET THIS DONE AT 2:45, THEN STRETCHING AT 2:50.

WE, NOT ME!!!

       The players need to take ownership in the program. This goes right down to the dirtiest; most beat up, smelliest ball in the bottom of the bucket.  If they can see the need for the gear to be out and ready before practice and tidy and put away after practice.  They will take more pride in their effort at practice that day and ultimately in each and every game.  In turn, the duty roster makes them accountable not only to the coach, but also to each other.  For example if one player notices that second base is not out. He will probably say something to the player that is responsible for that base.  The players know that the coach will not be pleased if practice has begun and the necessary equipment is not in place.   

            If you need motivation to do this, think of this. Pretend a major league scout is coming to see one of your players.  How do you want your program perceived?  I know I said the scout is coming to look at one of your players, but don’t you think he will make a judgment about the type of program your player comes from?  I don’t want someone to think that my boys are sloppy and “bush”.

If you enjoyed this article, you’ll probably enjoy the following:

http://coach5150.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/baseball-caps-lead-with-the-logo/

http://coach5150.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/baseball-softball-personell-decisions-cut-out-the-cancer/