Coaching Fastpitch Softball it's not all mechanics

Every summer ball or fall ball fast pitch softball coach will run across this question sooner or later. How you answer it just may determine your softball coaching success, how fair are you? Are you a softball father coaching your daughters fastpitch softball team and because you want her to be a shortstop you play her there regardless of the fact that she's second or third best on the team? If so,  it will be seen and you should expect fallout.

You see, fastpitch softball can be an expensive sport not only in money,but in time invested, and not just by the players. If you're coaching age levels below 18 parents are investing their time just getting their kids to and from your practices, and if you think this investment comes without expectations you've got another thing coming!  Managing or mismanagement of these expectations has a lot to do with determining your softball coaching success.

Clearly every parent has a vested interest in their child, some are just looking to get their kid involved and others feel that without their kid on your team you would have zero success, and of course there is everything in between. Right or wrong, indifferent or not this you can expect to be true. If you're the coach as outlined above (which I hope you're not) you would be better served to field a team of just nine softball players, eight excluding your daughter. Then search for parents who want their child to play a specific position, lets say first base, and then another who wants their child to play 2nd and so on, this way you'll keep harmony at your nine positions and in the bleachers. You may not have a very good team but at least it will be a happy one, that is until they expect you  to win.

If you're truly coaching girls fastpitch softball for the love of the game and are dedicated to developing the players skills to the best of your ability you'll be the one to start the process of expectation management. Have a list of what you expect written and ready to handout to every parent the first day of tryouts. This list could include a practice calendar explaining how long practices will be and what is expected of each player during a practice session and what will be expected of them to earn a starting position.  It could also include a season schedule, when you expect your softball players to arrive on game day, what you expect in regards to participation in fund raisers etc. Once you hand this out, live up to it and set the standard.



Ask the softball parents what they are expecting if their daughter makes the team. If their expectations seem unrealistic for their daughters ability be up front about it. Let them know that you'll do your best, but make no promises. While this doesn't eliminate all problems it does lay the ground work that will allow you to do your job.. Communicate early and then often throughout the season, be available to talk and let them know when that time is, right after any game is not  a good time, win or lose you'll  want heads to clear before having a conversation about playing time or lack thereof.

 A fair softball coach is up front and doesn't have a hidden agenda, a fair coach is a student of the game, and is always the first to admit his or her mistakes. Yes, coaches make errors too, if you think you're too good to keep learning you probably need to quit. One of the best compliments you can receive besides hearing "how well my daughter has improved under your teaching" is "my daughters coach was fair."  This doesn't mean they always agreed with you, it just means you managed the expectations as you outlined them......  and oh, by the way, thank you for the time you invested it is appreciated..


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