Post by Admin on Dec 13, 2012 21:53:58 GMT -5
Picking a Pitching or Hitting Coach
As softball gets more popular, parents will find that there are more and more coaches who specialize in coaching pitchers and hitters. What should you look for?
When we were kids, the coach was the father down the street who either knew something about softball or was the only one who would volunteer to coach. Nowadays, parents can find specialist coaches to coach pitching, hitting and other aspects of the game.
Not all coaches are created equal. As a parent, you may be paying someone $20-$100 an hour to coach your daughter on that aspect of the game she needs. Some travel teams will have their own coaches for these areas. If they don't you made need to go outside the team to find help. Even if they do, many players have their own coaches outside the team. You need to think about the following:
Who is the coach? Where do they get their knowledge? When looking for a coach, lthe best place to look is your local association bulletin boards. Ask coaches and other parents for referrals. Then, find out what the coaches' experience it. Was she/he a softball pitcher? Has she/he coached successful pitchers/hitters?How long has she/he been coaching? Talk to some of the former or current students to see what they think of the coach.
When is the coach available and how much will it cost?
Is the coach available all year long? If you are in a colder climate, do they have an inside practice facility? During the season will you be able to continue with this coach to keep up your daughter's skills? How much will it cost for a half hour? Hour? Does this amount fit your budget? What do you get for this amount? Will you have one on one instruction or will you be with a group?(* If you are with a group, the fee should be less!)Do you "pay as you go" or up front? Is this a six week clinic or ongoing instruction from week to week. For hitting, does the coach have equipment ( tee's, pitching machines, etc. ) that will help with training or are you expected to supply everything. * Note: Most hitting coaches work within a facility of some sort in the winter.
The going rate may vary with the location and the experience of the coach. If the coach has to travel to you, they may charge a mileage or travel fee. Check to see if the coach's fee is in line with other coaches in the area.
Talk to the coach about her/his style of coaching. Let her/him ask questions about your daughter's goals. Watch her/him with students to see how she/he works. Ask the coach what her/his expectations are for your daughter in terms of practice time between lessons, conditioning, etc.Be wary of anyone who makes promises such as " I guarantee that your child will get a scholarship if she works with me." No one can guarantee scholarships and a wise pitching coach knows that!
Try the coach for a while. Give yourself four to six lessons to see how it goes. You should always be able to be an observer of lessons. Try to watch and listen. If things don't work out, don't be afraid to let the coach know what isn't working. Be polite but honest. If it does work out, GREAT!
Changing Coaches is a tricky topic. Sometimes you or your daughter will not feel like she is making as much progress as you would like. Maybe you feel like there is a better coach out there.
Before changing coaches, think about the following:
- Is the lack of progress because of the coaching, or has your daughter hit a plateau because of different factors such as burnout, a growth spurt, physical limitations, lack of commitment on her part, etc? If you change because of factors outside the instructor's control, you may find that the same old problems will follow you to your new instructor.
- What will changing coaches accomplish? Do you think a different approach will help? Does the new coach have a different style or technique? Will your daughter be able to learn that style or technique? Will these be wholesale changes or minor changes?
- Is it the right time to change? How old is your daughter? If she is ten, then changing may not be as big an issue as when she is 16.
Are you in the middle of the season? It's very hard to change in the middle of the season.
- How will your daughter feel about the change? Believe it or not, girls do have some loyalty to the people with whom they work. And, comfort with an instructor is important.
Before you change instructors, remember that you must do what is right for your child. However, do it in the right way. Be up front with everyone involved. Don't burn bridges. You may never know when you will want to go back.
Remember, progress in anything takes time and patience. You may not see your daughter hitting home runs or firing fast strikes right away. Look for small tokens of progress as she learns. Keep in mind her age and the amount of extra practice time she puts in.
www.softballmom.org/index.html
As softball gets more popular, parents will find that there are more and more coaches who specialize in coaching pitchers and hitters. What should you look for?
When we were kids, the coach was the father down the street who either knew something about softball or was the only one who would volunteer to coach. Nowadays, parents can find specialist coaches to coach pitching, hitting and other aspects of the game.
Not all coaches are created equal. As a parent, you may be paying someone $20-$100 an hour to coach your daughter on that aspect of the game she needs. Some travel teams will have their own coaches for these areas. If they don't you made need to go outside the team to find help. Even if they do, many players have their own coaches outside the team. You need to think about the following:
Who is the coach? Where do they get their knowledge? When looking for a coach, lthe best place to look is your local association bulletin boards. Ask coaches and other parents for referrals. Then, find out what the coaches' experience it. Was she/he a softball pitcher? Has she/he coached successful pitchers/hitters?How long has she/he been coaching? Talk to some of the former or current students to see what they think of the coach.
When is the coach available and how much will it cost?
Is the coach available all year long? If you are in a colder climate, do they have an inside practice facility? During the season will you be able to continue with this coach to keep up your daughter's skills? How much will it cost for a half hour? Hour? Does this amount fit your budget? What do you get for this amount? Will you have one on one instruction or will you be with a group?(* If you are with a group, the fee should be less!)Do you "pay as you go" or up front? Is this a six week clinic or ongoing instruction from week to week. For hitting, does the coach have equipment ( tee's, pitching machines, etc. ) that will help with training or are you expected to supply everything. * Note: Most hitting coaches work within a facility of some sort in the winter.
The going rate may vary with the location and the experience of the coach. If the coach has to travel to you, they may charge a mileage or travel fee. Check to see if the coach's fee is in line with other coaches in the area.
Talk to the coach about her/his style of coaching. Let her/him ask questions about your daughter's goals. Watch her/him with students to see how she/he works. Ask the coach what her/his expectations are for your daughter in terms of practice time between lessons, conditioning, etc.Be wary of anyone who makes promises such as " I guarantee that your child will get a scholarship if she works with me." No one can guarantee scholarships and a wise pitching coach knows that!
Try the coach for a while. Give yourself four to six lessons to see how it goes. You should always be able to be an observer of lessons. Try to watch and listen. If things don't work out, don't be afraid to let the coach know what isn't working. Be polite but honest. If it does work out, GREAT!
Changing Coaches is a tricky topic. Sometimes you or your daughter will not feel like she is making as much progress as you would like. Maybe you feel like there is a better coach out there.
Before changing coaches, think about the following:
- Is the lack of progress because of the coaching, or has your daughter hit a plateau because of different factors such as burnout, a growth spurt, physical limitations, lack of commitment on her part, etc? If you change because of factors outside the instructor's control, you may find that the same old problems will follow you to your new instructor.
- What will changing coaches accomplish? Do you think a different approach will help? Does the new coach have a different style or technique? Will your daughter be able to learn that style or technique? Will these be wholesale changes or minor changes?
- Is it the right time to change? How old is your daughter? If she is ten, then changing may not be as big an issue as when she is 16.
Are you in the middle of the season? It's very hard to change in the middle of the season.
- How will your daughter feel about the change? Believe it or not, girls do have some loyalty to the people with whom they work. And, comfort with an instructor is important.
Before you change instructors, remember that you must do what is right for your child. However, do it in the right way. Be up front with everyone involved. Don't burn bridges. You may never know when you will want to go back.
Remember, progress in anything takes time and patience. You may not see your daughter hitting home runs or firing fast strikes right away. Look for small tokens of progress as she learns. Keep in mind her age and the amount of extra practice time she puts in.
www.softballmom.org/index.html