Kids and parents are often surprised when they begin working with me for the first time. I say, “I don’t care if you win this weekend’s tournament or your next varsity game. I am preparing you for your long term goals.” Why do I say that? We see far too many people making poor choices …
Last week I began research on a relatively easy article, things you should know when coaching girls. This seemed like an easy, non-controversial article, until we began discussing it among our group of Certified Instructors. I was amazed at their conclusions.
While conducting a college camp this past year I noticed a guy standing at a distance taking notes. I walked over and introduced myself and was pleasantly surprised to learn that he was a high school coach who had paid his own expenses to come and learn ways to do a better job. He had …
What is the biggest difference between the athlete that “chokes” under pressure and the one who lives for those moments? Is it physical or mental? One has so much to do with the other.
We see a distinct difference in our college pitchers based on the philosophy of their strength coaches. Speed and strength can be equally important in preparing the body for maximum performance, but the wrong kind of strength training can actually have a negative effect on speed.
She is very excited about playing softball and we parents immediately jump in with both feet. This will be great, right? If you are not extremely careful, you can quickly and permanently suck the fun out of it.
Some people are almost in denial about injuries in softball. They hear that the pitching motion is more natural than overhand throwing and they want to believe it is okay for their daughter to pitch 20 innings a weekend without risk.
When a student makes the switch to our system, the first thing we ask is “How should your hips feel when you pitch; tight, loose, powerful, or neutral?” We ask the same question about her shoulders. Over and over, they look at us like we are from another planet.
One of the tools we often use is the Spinner. When used correctly it can refine breaking pitches. There are a lot of nuances, so just picking it up and trying to learn a pitch is not very effective. A good example of those little things which make a difference is this.
While sitting in the stands at a University of Florida game last weekend, I began considering different things that brought two consecutive National Championships to Gainesville. The Gators have great players, for sure. No doubt their coaching is great. I chatted with the head coach for the first time a couple of years ago and …
The rush is on. Around the country many kids find that practices and games consume so much time that pitching lessons must take a back seat. Or, should they?
Several years ago I watched a game where a young pitcher stepped onto the mound who was clearly overmatched. She faced an incredible power hitter who was headed to a top college program. The pitch was right down the middle. The ball recoiled off the hi-tech bat with such speed that the pitcher had no …
A potential candidate for our Instructor Certification Program called recently to learn more about us. This person is a real veteran of the game. The explanation for the call: “We are never too old to learn, are we”?”
If life was fair nothing could exist. That is a profound statement which may take you a minute to absorb. Okay, let’s talk fairness and softball. Often a parent will complain to us that the defense made a lot of errors and coach unfairly pulled their daughter off the mound. How does a pitcher deal …
Today, an incredible article from Meghan Vrotsos, our Certified Instructor from Madison, Wisconsin. Don’t just read this, but pass along to anyone who works with players— If you’ve ever had a lesson with me, you’ve probably heard me say “I am not a coach, I am an educator”. This saying and the reasons behind it …
