Category Archives: General Thoughts
Difference between coaching girls and boys
As pretty much any experienced fastpitch softball coach will tell you, there is a definite difference between coaching girls and boys. In fact, I’d bet anyone who has done both will agree with that.
Last night I saw another amusing example of one of those differences. I was in the middle of a lesson with a pitcher when I looked up and saw one of my hitting students (Kaylee) getting ready for her lesson, which would start in about 10 minutes.
She put up her hair, which is to be expected. But then she pulled out a small mirror to check it before putting on her helmet. That is definitely a girl thing.
I couldn’t help but smile to myself. I mentioned it to her when the lesson started. She just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
With boys you’re lucky if they’ve showered in the last couple of days. But girls have a whole different mindset.
So what’s your favorite “coaching girls” story?
Good service project/team building activity
Just got back from a very cool service project that doubled as a team building event. It was with an organization called Feed My Starving Children. Essentially, you pack dried food into bags, seal them, then pack the bags into a box that could be shipped to hungry children pretty much anywhere in the world.
I was looking for a service project for our players, a way for them to give back to the community (or in this case the world). One of our parents suggested it, as she has participated before. This one was extra meaningful because it was to benefit kids like them. It’s amazing that one of those packets, which is a little larger than a packet of brown sugar, can feed six children or four adults for a day. 
The other nice thing about this project is its team building effects, both for the players and any parents who participate. It’s essentially a mini production line, so everyone has to work together to keep things flowing. Once you get into a rhythm it’s amazing how quickly you can get things going. Our girls were having a good time, talking and working together. So were the parents, friends and sibilings who also participated.
The shift we participated in packed 257 boxes, which accounted for 55,512 daily meals — enough to feed 152 children for an entire year. That’s a pretty good feeling.
If you’re looking for something non-softball for your team to do in order to understand how fortunate they are, and to help them grow into good citizens as well as good softball players, I highly recommend this one. Several of our parents walked out at the end of our two-hour shift saying they plan to do it with their neighborhood, church or some other group. Looks like it will be an annual event for us! 
Congrats to our sister team, Lake County Freedom
Over the last weekend, our sister team, the Lake County Freedom, took first place in an ASA Northern Nationals qualifier tournament, so I wanted to give them a shout out and hearty congratulations! Here a link to an article from the Chicago Tribune that covers it in more detail.
I’m also proud to say that our Lake County Glory did its part to help, loaing the Freedom one of our players (Justine Schattner) who did just fine despite playing against girls three to four years older in some cases.
So congrats, Freedom! Keep up the good work.
Observation – more moms are getting involved these days
There is a phenomenon I’ve been noticing lately. Not sure whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, of if it even really matters. But it is interesting nonetheless.
If I recall correctly, when I first started coaching I primarily dealt with fathers. They were the ones who would contact me looking for a team for their daughters, or to set up lessons/extra help, or to ask questions. Sure, there was the occasional mom who would get involved, but they were the exceptions. It was like sports equalled dad.
These days it seems to have gone the other way. The parents who contact me most often now are moms. Sure, I still have contact with the occasional dad, but for the most part if there’s a parent with a question, or who wants to set up a lesson, it’s a mom. In some cases, the moms played themselves so it makes sense. But even if they didn’t, they’re the ones who seem to be more involved in their daughters’ athletic careers.
Is it just me, or are you noticing this trend too? If you’re a coach, are you talking/emailing more to moms than dads these days? If you’re a parent, is it the mom or dad who’s most involved in your daughter’s athletic career — fastpitch or otherwise?
Take concussions and head injuries seriously
Received this article today from my friend Angela. Those of you on the Discuss Fastpitch Forum know her as Angstoner. The article is from the New York Times, and it discusses how seriously the NFL is taking concussions and head injuries in general.
The reason I pass it along is that there are lessons in here for fastpitch softball coaches as well. The NFL has never been known for its abiding concern for its players. They are more of the “patch ’em up and get ’em back in there” school. There are lots of stories about players secretly receiving cortizone shots on the sidelines so they could return to an important game. So if the NFL is taking head injuries this seriously, the rest of us should too.
The problem with head injuries in general, and concussions in particular, are they are often difficult to diagnose. Here’s a little more information on concussions in case you want to learn more. Essentially, though, it’s not like a cut or a broken bone where the evidence is visible. There’s some judgment involved, and some questioning of the player unless the symptoms are severe.
Chicago Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer was put on injured reserve for the rest of the year due to a concussion he suffered in the third preseason game. He sat out game four I believe, then played a half in the first regular season game. Although he didn’t suffer a blow to the head in that game he started complaining of dizziness and being sick to his stomach. It was traced back to the concussion, and now his season is over.
That’s what’s tricky. A player may seem ok, and may tell you she’s ok when she’s really not. She herself may not realize how serious the injury is.
I experienced that this past summer. Our team was playing at the ASA Northern Nationals. We were playing for our lives and locked in a tight 1-1 contest. In the bottom of the fifth, with two outs, a ground ball was hit to short. Our shortstop went to field it, and the runner on second ran into her head-first. One of our other players saw her helmet contact our shortstop’s facemask. Our shortstop went to the ground immediately, and was down for about 5-10 minutes while we tended to her. She was in tears, too, which was unlike her. She finally was able to stand and we got her off the field.
When our half of the inning finished I had to make a decision. The shortstop said she was fine and could play, but I chose to keep her out. Just did not want to mess with a head injury. I don’t know if it made a difference, but the other team scored a few and we were eliminated. Still, I felt then and feel now it was the right thing to do. Especially after I checked with her mom a few days later and she said the girl was still a bit fuzzy at times.
It’s tough to make that decision, especially in a close game. You know any change might upset the apple cart. Better that, though, than risk a kid’s health over a stupid game. If the NFL is taking it seriously, the rest of us ought to as well.
16U players looking for a home for 2011
Hi everyone. I don’t usually do this, but I happen to know of five 16U players who are looking for a team and wanted to put the word out any way I can. All played for me last year as 14U players, and I would take them again in a heartbeat if they didn’t age up to 16U.
In any case, if any 16U teams in the Northern or Northwest suburbs of Chicago, or even in southern Wisconsin, are looking for quality players with great attitudes, please let me know. You can email me at coachken@softballsuccess.com or use the Web call button on this site to call me.
By position, there are a right and left-handed pitcher/OF/1B, two 1B/OF and a catcher. All of these girls can hit, so you’d be helping out your team in more than one way. Thanks.
The measure of a good teammate
So how far would you (or your daughter) go to be a good and caring teammate? Not to mention a good friend? I found out something the other day that really struck me as an example of what being a teammate is all about.
We were in what turned out to be our last game at Northern Nationals. It was a 1-1 game at that point, so the head coach and I agreed we were going to stay with what was working. That meant three of our players were probably not going to get into that game unless something changed.
Along about the bottom of the fifth, our defense came in off the field. The second hitter due up was Kaitlin. When the first hitter went to bat, I was informed by someone else on the team that she had run to the bathroom, which was not far from the field. The first hitter went down quickly, and Kaitlin hadn’t returned yet. So I looked down the bench and called for a pinch hitter (Erin) to take her place. I felt bad about it, but we were under time pressure and needed to get a hitter up. The pinch hitter, by the way, was a girl who had broken her nose a couple of weeks before and was finally cleared to play for this tournament.
Kaitlin came back as Erin was walking to the plate. There was a question on whether we could put Kaitlin in after all, but the sub had already been reported so we decided to leave her there. Erin got her at bat and we re-entered Kaitlin.
A couple of days ago I was talking to Kaitlin’s father when he let me in on a little secret. Kaitlin didn’t have to go to the bathroom, he said. She chose to go there so Erin would get a chance to bat.
That impressed me — giving up her last at-bat in our final tournament so a friend could get into the game. Of course I wish she would’ve just come to one of the coaches and offered it rather than running off to the bathroom. Still, it demonstrated a lot of character to make that sacrifice.
So many kids today are self-focused. We have a very narcissitic society. But Kaitlin put the feelings and interests of someone else ahead of her own. She set an example that others can learn from, and showed what being a member of a team is really all about. My hat’s off to her!
Greetings from ASA Northern Nationals
Hello everyone! I don’t have a lot to say, but I figured I ought to check in anyway since I’m currently in Mankato, Minnesota for ASA Northern Nationals. I’m here with the Lake County Glory 14U team, so if you’re here too stop by and say hello.
I was actually surprised by the small number of teams in the tournament. There are only 14 teams at the 14U A level. Normally you expect 30 to 60 teams at a tournament like this. Not sure where everyone is.
Maybe it’s the economy. Maybe it’s the location, being so far North. Maybe it’s the large number of post-season tournaments these days that are drawing teams away that would normally come here. Whatever it is, the numbers seem to be down.
Oh well. It should make for a fun week and some good competition nonetheless. Wish us luck!
Things that make you proud as a coach
Tonight was one of those nights where I couldn’t have been prouder of the team I’m helping coach.
You see, I had invited a couple of my 12U students to come out and help our 14U team prepare for nationals by being baserunners for us. The 12Us have finished their season and were itching for a bit of softball action so it seemed like a mutually beneficial opportunity. The only question was how the older girls would react to a couple of younger players coming in.
That’s what made me so proud. From the moment I introduced them, our girls were extremely welcoming and went out of their way to make them feel good. A couple of times they gave the 12Us some cheers. Our girls also went out of their way to help the 12U players learn some baserunning tricks that will help them in the future.
Toward the end, we worked on rundowns. The 12U girls not only were runners but were given the opportunity to participate as fielders. They had a blast, and again our girls explained to them what they could do in order to execute them better.
It was really an awesome display. Later in the evening I received texts from the mothers of both girls thanking me for the opportunity for their daughters. They too were most impressed with the class and friendliness our girls showed. It made the night of the 12U — and their participation definitely helped us work on our defense. Everyone won.
To see the way our girls treated these 12U girls was a great moment. No matter what happens at nationals, I feel like a winner because I’m associated with so many great, classy players.
Creating remarkable performances
Saw an excellent article the other day in Jeff Janssen’s Championship Coach’s Network newsletter and thought I’d pass it along. You can read it here.
The article is actually a book review written by Greg A. Shelley and Colleen Sager about the book The Encore Effect by Mark Sanborn. The book covers how to create remarkable performances. 
In the review, they highlight three areas Sanborn says are essential to becoming the type of performer who really stands out. Those elements are Commitment, Professionalism and Skills. Commitment and skills are pretty much self-explanatory. But professionalism takes a little explanation.
According to Sanborn, it’s being “other-minded,” i.e. putting the team and your teammates ahead of yourself. This is an area many young athletes struggle with. They are far more focused on their own personal performance than the performance of the team. Yet that mentality often holds them back from being, as the Army says, all they can be. Until they can move beyond themselves they may perform well. But they won’t be considered extraordinary, or a premier player.
This is a topic I’ve written about before as well. No matter how well you play, you’re not really an elite player until you can raise the level of play around you.
The end of the article includes an awesome quote from the late John Wooden, the former head basketball coach at UCLA. The quote is this: “Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.”
I love that concept. So many players are content to be good, or even very good, that they never make the effort to become great – or remarkable. That’s a shame, because it means they’ve wasted their potential. It’s like another favorite quote says — “Good is the enemy of great.”
I haven’t read the book yet, but it is going on my future reading list. If you want to find out what it takes to be remarkable, I suggest you pick it up too.
Life in the Fastpitch Lane 