Everything Fastpitch - The Podcast

This Weeks Lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: My daughter is 8, when should I spend money on a high end bat and glove? (@13:45) Paige's Power Play (@19:12) Thoughts on playing time with development type teams and different level teams.  (@24:40) An event happened in a high school playoff game that was blatantly against the rules. But, some people say it is gamesmanship and others are a...

Coach Tory is not with us today due to a medical issue, but we are using some earlier published segments to fill in. This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Paige's Power Play (@4:07)  Help for beginning coaches. (@07:28)  Quality at Bats. Define them and use them to measure performance. (@33:11) Interview (@43:25) Support the show

This game can never be played perfectly. When you watch a player you can always find something wrong. We need to make sure we are not just emphasizing what they could do better. When they do something well we need to be positive and reinforce that they need to be excited about what they just accomplished. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: I was asked to help coach a team. Now I am seeing push back from my suggestions. (@16:25) Paige's Power Play (@23:50) We have certain instincts that are not conducive to playing softball. Fear of getting hit by the ball is natural, but to play the game we have to get over that fear. (@27:54) Discussion on the growth of coaches and how they...

This is a topic to ponder on. There are thoughts that home runs can be detrimental in certain situations. Listen and tell us what you think.  Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: What do you say to your pitcher when things are not going well?(@:16:05) Paige's Power Play (@22:00) There is a phenomenon of a really good player joining a travel team or organization and all of a sudden the team, their coaches and/or instructors start claiming that they are the reason that the player is good. A player becomes good over th...

Coaches are often asked to write letters of recommendation for their players. The coaches discuss some of the do's and don'ts. Sometimes we are put in a tough situation when a player asks for a recommendation to a school that they have no chance of playing at. Great advice to coaches in fulfilling this request. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question:  Outfielders first steps should be back, is this correct? (@13:30) Paige's Power Play (@22:37) People's perceptions of how much college coaches make. (@26:53) Some questions about recruiting. (@40:47) Tory's words of wisdom after his health scare. (@50:42) Support the show

Using an old expression, sometimes the wheels just come off during a game. An error leads to more errors, mental mistakes multiply and everything seems to go wrong. Our job as a coach is not to make it worse, but try and calm everything down. And sometimes its just not our day and we need to do everything we can for it not to carry over to future games. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: I have 2 players that can not get along. Any suggestions? (@13:01) Paige's Power Play (@20:20) With college camps using all types of different names, what is the code for understanding what type of camp it is? (@24:40) We have relocated and having a difficult time finding a team that matches the skill level of my daughter and the team she p...

It is not uncommon for players to show frustration while playing. It can be unrelated to playing, but it has an impact. The coaches discuss how to help your players manage their frustration. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: What can we do when a hitter is lunging at the plate? (@13:11) Paige's Power Play (@23:58) September 1st is an important date in recruiting.  But it doesn't mean that if you don't get a call on that date you don't have a chance.(@27:40) A listener want to know how to effectively communicate with a college coach. (@39:25) Anot...

When we first start teaching players the fundamentals, we have to begin with the simple plays. Ball hit to infield, throw to first. Hit to outfield throw to second. As players advance the need to be able to recognize secondary plays. Sometimes known as the "what if" play. The key word here is recognize. They can't think through the process, but they have to recognize that there is a...

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: Do you have suggestions for a fitness test for my team? (@16:07) Paige's Power Play (@22:33) Softball is not in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Why it is important that it should be. (@25:38) Twist on team joining big organizations. Tale of a coach's experience. (@32:50) Adding Players to your roster. Some suggestions that coaches ne...

Outfield is not a position! There is Left Field, Center Field and Right Field. Don't categorize all of the outfield positions as playing outfield. The responsibilities and reading the ball is different in each of the positions. Teach your players how to play one position and then move them and teach them the next outfield position.  Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: Setting up cutoffs and relays. Do I use the Short Stop and Second baseman? (@13:10) Paige's Power Play (@21:54) Speed of the Game. Use some math to help your players understand how fast the game really is. For every mile an hour, the ball travels 1.47 feet. Round that up to 1.5 feet per second to make the math easy and have them see how qui...

Coaches state all the time that the best players will get to play. Almost every coach has a different definition of "best". Make sure that everyone that you use that term with knows exactly how you define "best". Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment: Listener Response: Umpires perspective of longer games (@16:37) Paige's Power Play (@21:41) Tory has added a 15th commandment to his 14 Commandments of Recruiting (@25:36) Coaches setting  high standards. Usually the winners will love it, but the other players will quit. Sometimes we have to build up to the high standards. (@50:17) Every player should have a...

At the end of a season or year we usually give our players an exit interview to let them know what things they need to work on. Give yourself a review and see what things went well and things that need improvement. This lets you know what you need to do to improve your skills. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: My daughter's coach says my daughter is a singles hitter. She leads the team in batting average, but is pulled out in critical situations for what he says are power hitters. What do you think? (@9:16) Paige's Power Play (@14:35) It is becoming obvious that we need more catchers. The coaches discuss how we can start developing them. (@1...

Gloves are the tools of the trade, but they are often neglected. Teach your players how to take care of them and also be prepared to make repairs when needed. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question:  My daughter is an outstanding pitcher and is an integral part of her team. After the season has ended the team has added more pitchers. Should we be worried? (@12:07) Paige's Power Play (@19:47) How important is a player's potential? We have to balance performance against a player's potential. Success is not measured by potential...

Sometimes we encounter a player who just doesn't want to be there. The parents or someone has decided that they should play ball. Maybe its for exercise, being part of a team or they honestly think the player will like it if they give it a try. We have to handle the situation so that it isn't a distraction. Support the show

This weeks Lineup Warmup Segment Listener Question: What will happen if they change the transfer rule to allow unlimited transfers? (@08:12) Paige's Power Play (@12:38) The rich keep getting richer in college softball. The transfer portal and NIL is allowing players to migrate to the great teams. (@16:17) How do you distinguish between all the different "Final Tournaments". With so...

If we graph performance of a player or a team it is not a straight line showing improvement each day. Skills are developed over time and while the skill level will increase over time it will ebb and flow on the way. Also it will depend upon what we measure to show improvement. As we progress through the age groups the skills of the opposing players and teams improve. And as the opponent improves i...