http://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.comQuick Bloghttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/07/14/the-intentional-duck-snort.aspx
So I'm wondering: Why don't we teach hitters to hit duck snorts intentionally? If you see the outfield is playing deep and the infield is playing at normal depth, a ball lofted weakly just out of reach of the infielders ought to put you on base every time.

Slappers are taught to do this. If the infield plays in and the outfield doesn't, good slappers will try to lift the ball to the edge of the skin. Why not regular hitters?

I saw this up close over the weekend. We were in a semi-final game on a field with about a 200 foot fence. We drove a half dozen or more balls to or close to the warning track, but the outfield was playing back. If we had the bat control to just stick the bat out and drop it short into the outfield, perhaps we'd have gotten a few more runners on base and forced the outfield to come in, thereby opening things up deep.

Consider it a modified bunt. Only instead of dropping it short in the infield you're trying to drop it short in the outfield.

I haven't seen it done much if it all. But it sure seems like it would make sense. Don't you think?]]>Hittingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-07-14T20:02:41Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/07/08/wise-words-from-bertrand-russell.aspxBertrand Russell and thought it was worth passing along:

"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted."

That is especially true in coaching. I think most of us involved in coaching do it because we have a passion for it, for the sport, and for helping our players learn and grow. But sometimes that passion can put blinders on us as well. When that happens we cease to learn, which means we may be missing out on a better way to do things than we currently know.

Early in my coaching career I sought out whatever knowledge I could find in order to help my players. I would look at different resources and decide which ones made the most sense. But I also got into the habit of looking at materials I knew contradicted what I believed. It was sort of an acid test, to see if I still believed in the same things.

I continue to do it today, maybe not with quite as much vigor, but I still do it. It really is healthy to question what you believe to make sure you still believe it and are not just following the same old tenets out of habit. The stronger your beliefs, the more important it is to question them. If they survive the test, you will be that much more firm in your convictions. And if not...well, that's a good thing too.
]]>CoachingGeneral Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-07-08T20:54:20Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/07/05/the-challenges-of-being-head-coach.aspxNOTE: For those of you reading this who have kids on the team I coach, this post is not directed at you! It's based on general observations over the years, and especially what I've seen happen with newer or younger coaches. So don't read anything into it.

Not too long ago, my friend and colleague Rich told me about the best explanation of the difference between being an assistant coach and being head coach. "The difference," he said, "is the difference between suggestion and decision." An assistant coach can and should make suggestions on the lineup, what's happening on the field, the practice plan, etc. But it's the head coach that ultimately has to decide whether to go that way or not.

For those who have never been the head coach of a fastpitch softball team, there's more to it than you might think. Here's a quick example. By the time you finish reading the description have your decision ready.

It's the top of the fourth. You are down two runs but hitting this pitcher ok. You have runners on first and second with one out. The girl at the plate is a powerful hitter, but lately she hasn't produced much. Still, she's a good hitter and the potential is there. The hitter after her is not as powerful, and has been hitting about the same. Do you have her A) swing away, or bunt the runners over (she is also a good bunter)? Got your answer? Ok, whatever you've decided, you will now have to live with.

Now, multiply that quick decision by 28 to 38 and that's what you're deciding as head coach. Every hitter that comes to the plate presents a need to make a decision. Every runner that gets on base presents a need to make a decision. Do we try to steal or bunt her over? When she's coming into the third and the outfielder has a ball fairly deep in the outfield do we hold her or try to score right now? Do we hit and run? You get the idea.

But wait, we're not done yet. Your team also has to play defense. So now you have to decide defensive sets (do we assume bunt and play the corners in?), where the ball will be thrown in particular situations (do we cut the run off at home or go for the out at first?), and of course who is on the field with the game on the line.

There are dozens of decisions that have to be made by the head coach in every game, from who is in the lineup to what to do on the last play of the game. Again, they all have to be made in a few seconds (or less in some cases). But unlike the people in the stands (many of whom are also probably trying to make those decisions) only the head coach has to live with the consequences. If you're in the stands and call for a bunt with a good hitter up and she pops up, or even if she gets it down and the next hitter grounds out to first to end the inning, only you know you agreed with the decision the head coach made. The head coach, however, put his/her decision on display and everyone who thought he/she should let the hitter hit thinks he/she is an idiot.

This can be very tough on young or new head coaches especially. They're often unsure of their decisions to begin with, and the pressure of being wrong (and having it pointed out repeatedly) can get to them. Grizzled old veterans like myself learn to live with it, but it can still be stressful at the time. If only we knew the outcome of the various options before we commit to one course of action. Then it would be a lot easier to determine which is right.

Do I play the "What would I do?" game when I'm in the stands? Of course. That's part of the fun. And I can tell you it's a lot less stressful making those decisions from up there. In fact, when I'm in the stands people will often ask me why a head coach did this or that and I will tend to defend the decision, even if I don't necessarily agree with it. Generally speaking, the coach acts based on the best information he/she has at the time. If he/she does something downright stupid I'll certainly say so. But most times it's not quite as black and white as people would like to believe.

The other thing to keep in mind, especially in travel softball, is the other multiplier -- the number of games the team is playing. The head coach has to go through this decision process for an entire game. Then, while everyone else is relaxing and checking out tee shirts or what they're serving in the concession stand, the head coach is starting the entire process again.

The point is, there are a lot of decisions to be made by the head coach. Some of them are bound to be wrong, or at least not the best decision. But you can be sure that in 99 percent of the cases, the coach is doing the best he/she can in a difficult situation. And trying to do it for everyone on the team, not just the player you're most interested in -- your own. So give the head coach a break. And remember Rich's definition of the difference between assistant and head coach. The gap is even wider between parent and head coach.]]>CoachingGeneral Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-07-05T07:26:21Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/30/front-toss-an-effective-training-tool.aspx
During the off-season, we worked with our hitters in small groups in the batting cage. We worked a lot off the tee to build swing mechanics and try to correct major problems. Then we would finish with front toss, using real balls. The distance was roughly 8-12 feet. I would throw using a windmill motion, then duck behind a protective screen as fast as I could. Mostly I got behind it, although Jessica nailed me in the shin once and it still hurts when I kneel down. But I digress.

Anyway, as the HS season started, most of our girls did pretty well. But the further they got away from it, the less effective they became as hitters. When we finally got them back for the summer we again used front toss as a main form of hitting practice and the hitting went up. We haven't done it much lately and noticed a drop, so last Thursday it was back to the batting cage for some front toss.

It may have been coincidence, but this weekend we hit .300+ as a team en route to a tournament championship, with lots of doubles and even a few triples on fields with a 200 foot fence. No one went yard, but several came close. Two of the opposing coaches commented on how well our team hit. Not so much because our first five hitters did it, but because we did it all the way through the lineup.

There are a lot of factors involved, of course. But it seemed like that front toss practice, time consuming as it was, made a huge difference for us. I'd highly recommend it to get the timing, and the feeling of hitting real balls. And if you're quick enough, you can even correct some major flaws as you duck behind the screen!]]>Hittingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-30T21:21:43Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/26/pitching-speeds-and-reality.aspx
That's pretty amazing, at least to me. I don't even see many older kids throwing the ball that hard. When I mentioned it to another coach he asked me how a kid that young gets to throw that hard. My answer, based on what I saw, was she picked her parents well.

I didn't see a lot of extraordinary technique. She seemed to rely mostly on her arm rather than getting her legs into it or attacking the pitch. But she was still zipping the ball. My guess is a lot of it is just raw ability, enhanced by good, solid mechanics that allow the ability to do its thing.

That got me thinking, though. People will bring their daughters to a pitching coach with expectation that the coach will have some magic that gets her to 60, or 65, mph. But there are more factors than just mechanics involved.

To understand, let's think of another athletic skill in softball -- running. Some kids are just naturally faster than others. A big, plodding kid who runs 60 feet in 3.8 seconds is never going to improve that speed to 2.8, no matter how many coaches she sees or how hard she works. Running a 2.8 is pretty extraordinary, which is why it's valued. If you don't have the DNA to begin with, you're not going to get there. The kid who's running 3.8 can improve on that score and get fast-er. Through maturity, hard work, effort, improved mechanics, etc. she might be able to get to 3.3. But that's not 2.8. There's a huge difference.

The same goes for pitchers. Some will never hit 60 mph, because they simply lack the physical capacity to do so. They aren't strong enough, or they don't have enough fast twitch muscles, to get there. There are things they can do to improve their pitching speed, but at some point they will have maxed out what their bodies can do. If that wasn't true, elite pitchers would be throwing 90 mph because they keep working on technique and strength training.

Everyone has a point they can't get beyond. The reality is it's lower for some than for others. The good news is pitchers can still be very effective even if they're not throwing in the 60s if they get good movement, change speeds, and mix their pitches well. And once the hitters catch up to the speed, the 12 year old who throws 60, if she doesn't keep working to improve her technique and develop other pitches, may very well find herself playing a different position, wondering what happened. ]]>PitchingCoachingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-26T08:56:30Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/24/tag-em-low.aspx
When you're making a tag, always try to apply it low, down near the feet. You're far more likely to get the call. From an umpire's point of view, a high tag (around the head or shoulders of a sliding baserunner) often implies that the runner slid under the tag. Now, that may not be true -- the player may have applied the tag before the runner reached base -- but it doesn't matter. That's what the umpire will see.

If you apply the tag around the feet or ankles, however, the appearance is you got the runner before she got to the bag, and she's out.

Wherever possible, apply a low tag. And don't forget to sell it at the end. Hold the ball and glove up high, show it to the umpire to say "see, I got her!"]]>Fieldingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-24T21:47:10Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/20/national-fastpitch-coaches-college-schedule-is-now-online.aspx
The National Fastpitch Coaches College (offered by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association) has posted its schedule of classes for the coming year. In all, they are offering 14 classes between mid-October and June of 2009.

This is a fantastic program for coaching education. Each three-day course provides intensive study of a single facet of the game, such as skill mechanics, offensive and defensive strategies, structuring practices, etc. All are taught by some of the top coaches in the game.

I've attended two of the courses and found them to be fascinating. They were small groups, perhaps around 50 students or so, and offered a lot of interaction between students and instructors. One of the coolest things, to me, is that the instructors are very approachable and are as interested in what the students think and have done as the students are in what the instructors have to say. It appears coaches at the top of the game look for good ideas wherever they can find them

I highly recommend this program. It's not cheap -- tuition alone was $225 the last time I took one of the courses -- but it's worth it if you're serious about expanding your knowledge.

My only wish is that they were offering the classes I want to take in the Chicago area. Oh well. I hear Denton, Texas is lovely in January.]]>Coachingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-20T21:06:01Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/16/pitchers-hitting.aspx
Another common one is that you should DH for the pitcher. The reasoning is pitchers can't hit because they spend all their time working on hitting. (Or in some cases there is a fear that the pitcher will get hurt batting or running the bases and then be out of the game, perhaps even down for the season.)

Yet let's think about it for a minute. Pitching in fastpitch softball is an extremely difficult position. It requires great dedication and great concentration. Pitchers often continue to practice their craft after the field players have been sent on their way. Hmmmm. What attributes would we like in hitters? How about dedication in the off season and concentration at the plate? Get where I'm going?

Here's an extreme example. When the 2004 National team was making its run toward the Olympics, their cleanup hitter in most games was a lady named Lisa Fernandez. She was either playing third or DHing for someone, and hitting the heck out of the ball. Yet when she was in the circle, the coaching staff would have someone hit for her. One day Coach Mike Candrea stopped to think about it and realized that was just silly. He then let Lisa hit for herself when she was pitching, and she helped the team win its third Olympic gold medal.

On my own team we're seeing a microcosm of that scenario. Currently three out of the top four hitters are also my pitchers. (The fourth is an ex-pitcher, incidentally.) We'll see how it goes during the season, but those three are leading or close to leading most offensive categories. Why on earth would I want to DH for them?

I'd be interested to hear from others who let their pitchers hit, to see if they are also at the top of the stats. Maybe we're on oddity. But I don't think so. Dedication and focus are required to hit well. Good pitchers have both in abundance. ]]>HittingCoachingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-16T20:52:33Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/10/great-article-in-the-nfca-fastpitch-delivery-newspaper.aspxNFCA's Fastpitch Delivery newspaper. It's one of their great member benefits.

Anyway, the article was on generating offense and was written by Jay Miller, a well-known offensive guru. He was talking about what a shame it is that so many coaches at all levels are so conservative and risk-averse, because they leave so many chances to win on the table. I think I liked it most because it espouses a similar philosophy to what my organization teaches.

One of the first things he talked about was teaching runners to be aggressive, and to think aggressively. They are two different things. Runners being aggressive often depend on the coach for the final word. Runners who think aggressively understand that the point of getting on base is to get back home. Don't take one base when you can get two, and don't take two when you can get three.

Another point was to make sure you pressure the defense all the time. Aggressive baserunning puts a lot of pressure on the defense. They have to make perfect throws and catches every time, which can be tough to do. If you sit back and run station-to-station, or don't take chances, you let them off easy.

There are many great hints in the article. But there's also a caveat. When you take more chances, you're going to get more runners thrown out too. You have to be willing to take that risk in order to reap the reward. Not everyone can handle it. But if you're tired of losing games by one run, think about getting aggressive. You never know what can happen.]]>Team offensecoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-10T22:19:42Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/09/are-we-having-fun-yet.aspx 
Which makes you wonder why so many coaches feel they have to completely dominate their players and put them down in order to get them to play. Sure, it may provide a temporary improvement, but there's a huge difference between compliance and giving your all.

A lot of these girls didn't have much fun during their high school seasons. They felt very stressed. I've heard some developed stomach trouble and many couldn't wait for the season to be over. Walking around the fields this weekend I saw some of the same kinds of things. A player would make some small error or not react fast enough and the coach would be all over her. There were plenty of long faces, not to mention looks of "here we go again."

Some of those teams were pretty darned good. But many didn't look like they were having much fun.

Our approach was a little different. We can be as tough as anyone in practice. But come game day, it's the players' time. Rather than chasitising them constantly for bad decisions, we encouraged them to explore their talent and push themselves. We wanted them to get out of the boxes they'd been put into and see what they could do.

What we saw was a level of play that improved steadily throughout the weekend. The last couple of games especially were very well played. We won one and lost one of those, but the loss was one of those games where someone has to lose (unfortunately) and the win was sweet, full of great plays as well as plays you're supposed to make. More importantly, the girls were having fun. And I think that's what allowed them to play so well.

It remains to be seen how long it carries over. But my gut tells me that if they're having fun they'll also be doing the things it takes to win.

One more thought. When I read interviews with top coaches in the NFCA newspaper, one of the questions they always ask is what do you wish you'd known when you started your career that you know now. Invariably the answer is "I wish I would've enjoyed it more. Instead of being focused on winning so much I wish I would've enjoyed being with my team."

Coaches have egos, and we all like to win. But if we make our players miserable in order to achieve that goal, is it really worth it? I know as a former baseball player I can't remember the specifics of any complete games. My teams never won a championship, but I still remember those days just as fondly as though I had. I also remember the coaches I liked, and the ones I didn't. The ones I liked best were the ones who tried to bring out the best in me, and helped me to believe in myself.

Think about that the next time you yank a player off the field because she missed the cutoff. If you really want to build a legacy, it starts with your own team. ]]>CoachingGeneral Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-09T18:03:11Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/06/youre-either-moving-toward-or-away-from-your-goals.aspx
That is such a tremendous waste of time. If you see that going on, here's something to try. Take a hitter (for example) aside, and ask her what her goals are. Ask her to put a specific number on her hitting goal, such as when she looks at her stats at the end of the year what batting average she'd like to see next to her name. (Make sure it's realistic.)

When she gives you the answer ask her one simple question: Is what you're doing here today moving you closer to or further away from that goal? Because the truth is you're either getting ahead or falling behind. If she has a number in mind and her actions aren't moving her toward that number, then what is she doing out on the field?

Many players don't think that way. Especially these days, people tend to live in the here and now. They don't think in terms of moving toward something. Yes, you can set goals and all that at the beginning of the season, but often those goal sheets get stuffed into the bags along with the articles and directions to the next game, never to be seen again -- or at least until it's time to clean out the ol' bat bag for next year. But they have to start thinking that way, seeing their actions today as part of a chain of events that lead to a conclusion. The big question is what will that conclusion be?

Everyone likes to be successful. But success isn't just handed to you unless you're Paris Hilton. For the rest of us, it requires work and effort. That's what makes the journey so satisfying.

Keep that idea in mind. Are you moving toward your goal or away from it with what you're doing, and how you're doing it. It just might help take some of the monotony out of practice, and give your players a little more sense of purpose. ]]>CoachingGeneral Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-06T11:31:32Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/03/identifying-elite-pitchers.aspxinteresting post on his Softball Performance blog. In it he identifies the characteristics he would use to determine whether an 11 or 12 year old has the potential to be an elite pitcher. It's based on his experience in training, as a grad student, and coaching.

I looked at the list and I would agree with everything he says. It does seems like those are the characteristics for an elite pitcher. The thing that might discourage many people about the list, though, is if they see their daughter doesn't have some or all of those characteristics. Does that mean she shouldn't pitch?

Not necessarily, in my opinion. First of all, most of those attributes are true regardless of position. Becoming an elite player takes more than hard work or wanting to play at UCLA ASU. There's a certain amount of good fortune involved. As I told my own daughter last night, certain people in the college game did a better job of picking their parents than she did.

The point is, she doesn't have any particular desire to be an elite player, but she does love to play and does love to pitch. The attributes she does have lend themselves to being successful at the level to which she aspires to play. You don't have to be everything on the list to pitch. You mostly have to want to, and be willing to work at it. Those things are required regardless of the level.

People fanatical enough to hang out on softball boards and read softball blogs often hope their daughters will be the next Cat Osterman. But those players are rare. Fastpitch softball is a huge sport, though, with a great many levels to it. There's a place for everyone who wants to play.

If your daughter wants to be an elite player, definitely check out the list and see how she measures up. It's a great level set. But if she doesn't, don't sweat it. Just make sure she does the things to be successful at the level she can compete at. That's the single best thing you can do for her. ]]>PitchingCoachingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-03T12:05:06Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/02/focusing-on-fundamentals.aspx
That's certainly an interesting perspective. I know a lot of college coaches would be shocked by that thought. Fundamentals are the foundation of the game, by definition, and they always need work. Problems with fundamentals are where errors come from.

Anyone who has read anything from legendary basketball coach John Wooden knows how he felt about fundamentals. When new players came to UCLA he would teach them how to put on their socks. Part of it was to instill a sense of discipline and control -- this is how we do things around here. But part of it was also to help them minimize blisters.

Wooden took the same care with basketball fundamentals. He felt if his teams could pass, shoot, rebound and whatever else they do in basketball better than their opponents, they would win.

Softball is a complex game in a lot of ways, that's for sure. But it's also fairly simple. As the manager in Bull Durham says, you throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. The better you can execute these skills under pressure, the more chance you give your team of winning.

Spectacular plays are spectacular because they're unusual. It's great if you can make them. But they're the exception. If you make those but don't make the plays you ought to make, you will probably lose, because there are a lot more of the straightforward plays in the game.

Major League Baseball players start with fundamentals every spring, and continue to work on them throughout the year. When teams hit losing streaks, managers will decry the lack of fundamentals and place extra focus on them. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for youth players.

Knowing where to go with the ball is important. But you also have to be able to get it there. Without a continuous focus on fundamentals, it becomes a crapshoot.

]]>CoachingGeneral Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-02T21:22:59Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/06/01/keeping-one-error-from-turning-into-two.aspx
Errors are a part of the game. We wish they weren't, but sooner or later every player is going to commit an errors. This happens even at the highest levels of the game. As Cindy Bristow once said in a coaching clinic about her pro team, "My girls make the same errors your girls do; they just do it faster."

Where it really goes bad, though, is when one error turns into two. For example, a ground ball is hit to the shortstop. She bobbles it, has a little trouble picking it up, then rushes her throw trying to make up for the first error. The ball sails out of play and the batter/runner (who would've had first regardless) winds up standing on second.

Or what about a throw trying to get a runner at a base? The ball gets away from the fielder, and the runner takes off for the next base. Either the fielder or backup picks it up and then makes a wild throw to the next base, and the runner keeps going. You can hear the circus music in your head as the merry-go-round starts to run. Often it becomes the start of one of "those innings." You all know what I'm talking about.

The reason these things happen, more than anything, has to do with the P word. No, not that "p" word, the other one -- panic. Players hate to make errors; when they do, they begin to feel pressure to make up for the error. The internal clock is running, they know the runner might be safe when she ought to be out, and soon the panic sets in. Mechanics go out the window in the rush to get rid of the ball, and suddenly one errror turns into two.

It doesn't have to, though. Train your team to avoid the panic, and to recognize when the internal clock has ticked its last tick. When that happens, it's better to eat the ball than make a throw. In the second scenario, where a throw gets away from fielder at a base, it's important to keep calm and make a good throw to the next base. If there's a trailing runner, it may even be better to let a run score than put a second runner 60 feet closer to the bag. It's hard sometimes to let a run score, but if you can prevent another run, or even get an out on the trailing runner, you might be able to short circuit one of "those" innings.

One other important skill to work on is recognizing when the runner is going to be safe no matter how hard you throw. Making the throw might make you feel better, but only bad things can happen. It involves some simple geometry -- how close the runner is to the bag, how close the thrower is to bag, and how hard the thrower can throw. Knowing those things, and practicing various proximities, will help fielders know when to hold 'em and when to throw 'em.

Teach your players to stay calm and make good decisions and you'll avoid having one error turn into two. Not to mention keeping the merry-go-round from starting up. ]]>Mental gameFieldingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-06-01T20:40:49Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/05/29/pitch-speeds-in-the-wcws.aspx
As I've been watching the Regionals, Super Regionals and Women's College World Series this year, though, I'm noticing a different trend. I've been seeing more pitchers throwing consistently in the mid-to-high 50s. Case in point: tonight's game with Alabama and ASU. The ASU pitcher fit the mold -- her pitches were mostly 62 to 66 mph. But the 'Bama pitcher was more in the 55-59 mph range. Yes, ASU went on to win the game, but it was on what looked to me to be a foul ball. Up until the seventh, they were held scoreless.

Not sure exactly what to make of all of this. Maybe it's tough to get those tall California girls who throw in the 60s to go to Alabama. But I've seen other teams where that's the case as well. Perhaps it points out that movement really is more important that speed as everyone likes to say. It may also point out that D1 coaches are starting to believe it too. ]]>PitchingGeneral Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-05-29T21:46:19Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/05/26/watching-the-game-from-another-perspective.aspx
At these times, tempers can flare, nasty comments can be made, and things can get unpleasant. Voices are often raised in anger. It's really quite something. In fact, it's amazing that there aren't more fistfights.

If you find yourself getting into that mode from time to time, I have a suggestion for you. Sometime when you have a couple of hours on your hands, go out and watch a game that you have no vested interest in. Watch two teams where you don't know a soul on either team. Listen to the comments that are made. Hear others getting angry over the perceived inequities in the game going on.

It's quite a perspective.  You'll be amazed at how oddly people behave. It may also give you a bit of pause the next time you find your blood pressure rising.  ]]>General Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-05-26T20:36:48Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/05/22/marc-dagenais-profiles-on-national-forum-on-girls-fastpitch-softball.aspxMarc Dagenais, has just been profiled on the  National Forum on Girls' Fastpitch Softball. Every now and then they choose someone they feel is making a strong contribution to the game. I was honored there a few months ago. Now Marc has a very nice article there.

It's interesting to see how Marc got to where he is now -- one of the top authorities on fitness and conditioning for softball, and a highly respected coach and writer on the game. Also the owner of Softball Performance. Like most of us, he sort of stumbled into it and found it was a passion.

Check it out. It's a great story about a great guy.]]>General Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-05-22T20:19:40Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/05/22/pujols-position-early-in-the-swing.aspxdiscussionhappening on the DiscussFastpitch forum. I was trying to make a point over there, but I needed pictures to show it. Couldn't figure out how to put them up there and so I tried doing it with Facebook. But you have to have an account with Facebook to see them, apparently, and since most adults don't that wasn't the answer. Then it hit me. I have a blog. Duh!

In any case, it started as a discussion of the back elbow being elevated or down, and then got a bit off track into what the shoulders do.

I'm a back elbow down guy. I really don't see the value in putting it up, but I do believe it can be restrictive in the swing. As an example of a top baseball player who starts with both elbows down, I show this photo of Albert Pujols:



Notice the green lines, that trace his forearms. They are forming an upside-down V. The back elbow will elevate some as he goes into launch, but this is where he's starting.

Then came the shoulders. Some advocate keeping them parallel to the ground. I used to also, in fact up to this year. But then I saw evidence of top hitter after top hitter lowering the front shoulder going into toe touch. Here's a look at Pujols at that point:



The red line traces the angle of his shoulders. While his upper arm does look to be parallel to the ground it seems to me this is due at least in part to the shoulder angle. Notice also that his hands are tied to his back shoulder, not over his back foot as is often advocated.

Like this or not, you can't argue with the results!]]>Hittingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-05-22T20:06:52Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/05/20/why-they-still-play-the-game.aspx
My daughter's high school team went into the first round of Regionals tonight a decided underdog. They were the 14th seed, with a sub-.500 record, going up against the #3 seed in the sectional. It is a conference team that had beaten them twice before, and that had only lost four games all season as I recall. They have a very good and very dominant pitcher who is probably the best in the area, and a pretty offense to go with her. No one gave my daughter's team much chance of winning, including me.

You can probably guess what happened. After going through the order once -- 10 batters in the first three innings -- my daughter's team caught fire at the plate. They strung together several hits and posted a 3-0 lead. They got a few more hits later in the game, but no more runs. They did, however make those runs stand up wtith excellent pitching and almost flawless defense.

The opponents did manage one run in the bottom of the seventh, and had runners on first and third with two outs. But the pitcher bore down and got the last hitter with a dramatic strikeout. (No, the pitcher wasn't my daughter in case you think I'm bragging on my own kid.)

It was just one of those things. On another day it might've gone the way everyone expected. But today, the underdog triumphed. It wasn't exactly Miracle. But it will do. On to the finals!]]>General Thoughtscoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-05-20T20:42:17Zhttp://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com/2008/05/15/softball-performance-program.aspxFastpitch Softball Blog and thought it would be worth passing along. It's a free program called "How to Overcome Failure and Play as Well in Games as You Do in Practice." (The link is to Stacie's blog, which will take you to the program.)

This is a fairly common problem, especially in places like the Midwest where I live, and any of the Northern states where we spend most of the year practicing indoors. It's one thing to be successful in the batting cages, but it doesn't always translate to the field. When that happens it can be very discouraging.

This program has a series of exercises that can help a player get back on track. It was developed by Tom Hanson, one of the authors of the terrific book Heads Up Baseball: Playing the Game One Pitch at a Time. That's a book every player and coach should have on their bedstand.

Give it a look. It just might mean the difference between hitting .250 and .300.]]>Mental gameCoachingcoachken@softballsuccess.com (Ken Krause)2008-05-15T20:04:01Z