“There isn’t any other youth institution that equals sports as a setting in which to develop character. There just isn’t. Sports are
the perfect setting because character is tested all the time.” - John Gardner, Presidential Medal of Freedom Winner
The Coaches Corner is for resources and tools intended to assist both new and veteran managers and coaches, and for parents as well. We have Tutorials, Drills, Videos,
and Templates for your practices and in-game management. If you have a contribution to this web page please send them to the Web
Master.
72% of all children between the ages of 8-13 drop out of organized sports programs. In one recent study, the primary reason found for quitting was an overemphasis
on winning. Other reasons from that study include: “The coach yelled at me when I made a mistake,” “I never got to play,” and “I wasn’t good enough.”
In another study on this subject, children who participated identified six reasons for dropping out:
Not Playing. Lack of playing time is the number one reason for dropping out of sports. Children indicated that they would rather play on a
losing team than ride the bench for a winning team.
Being Criticized and Insulted. Children, like adults, make errors. Errors are a normal part of learning however, children interpret insults
and criticism about their playing as statements about their worth as people. Being a "poor" player also means being an inadequate person for many children.
Mismatching. When children are mismatched in size and skill, they can feel overwhelmed which is often translated into little reason to be
motivated to play.
Stress. Children who feel anxious about their performance or about winning will almost certainly find little enjoyment in playing the game.
Failure. As children grow into adolescence, chronic failure as an athlete will generate anxiety, inhibit performance, and lower feelings of
self-worth. When children receive messages from adults that making errors and losing a game are indicators of failure, they drop out of sports.
Poor Organization. Practices that are too regimented, physically inactive, and boring are further reasons offered by children for dropping out of organized
sports.
Instructional & Drill Videos
These videos contain skill instructions and drills you can use for your practices and pre-game warm-ups. We have them broken into specific categories. They are free
for you to use.
Fielding / Defense
Middle Infield Play University of Arizona Head Softball Coach Mike Candrea discusses a technique to help your player learn the mechanics and positions while
receiving the throw for infield plays.
Infield Ground Ball Work Coach Mike Candrea demonstrates an infield drill set that emphisizes Glove Work, Proper Foot Work, and Acurate and Quick Throws. These drills
keep the girls moving and cover a number of different skills. You may need 3 coaches, 3 buckets and a number of softballs.
Base Running
Timing Your Lead This video talks about various softball practice drills you can run in order to work on timing the lead for your base runners. There are
two different timings for the lead discussed: Straight Steal and Bunt Lead.
Batting
Proper Grip, Stance and Swing This video shows the key points of the grip and stance for proper hitting mechanics. The swing is addressed in more detail in other
videos.
Bottom Hand Drill In this video Coach Mike Candrea shows a technique he developed to teach the player to keep their bottom hand inside the oncoming ball
during the swing.
Additional Videos
These videos address the attitude and approach of both running a team and being a responsible and supportive parent for the player and the team. Coaches, be sure to
make the parents of your players aware of these videos and encourage them to watch.
Lets Talk Youth Sports Coach Mike Candrea speaks to coaches and parents on youth sports. This is a series of 13 very short videos covering topics like the team,
attitude, development, and being a consistent leader and positive roll model. Some excellent and level headed talk for adults that are definitely worth the time to
watch.
Coaches Corner