What to include in a coaches meeting?

[Tucson]

Maybe some of you have some notes on this. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, but the local rec league has asked me to come talk to their beginning coaches.

I know to tell them to have an initial parents meeting.

I will refer them to web sites with discussions and drills.

I have DVDs and books to loan them.

I hope to cover safety - sliding pads, knee pads, sports bras, Game Face and face guards on helmets (which LL does NOT require.)

I think they want to know specifically how to coach. I would think that I need to tell them how to organize practices - but i need to condense it into an hour.

Do you have any type of handouts that you could share?

[wadeintothem]

an hour???

[Tucson]

Well, I could talk for several hours, but I would rather point the guys in the right direction rather than try to tell them everything.

I am thinking that giving them phone numbers, web sites and hand outs is better than talking them to death.

[artomatic]

I know to tell them to have an initial parents meeting.
Do you have any type of handouts that you could share?

I kept notes from the parent meetings I would have at the beginning of each season when I coached in our rec league. These notes were compiled from about 5 years worth of meetings, and I used to add and subtract each year. I also had a seperate note file for all stars, where the goals and expectations were much higher...
If you've never conducted a parent meeting, most likely you will forget alot of what you want to cover, so if you can make notes to refer to, it helps you remember important stuff...

Here is my note file:

Introductions of coaches and players
Choose team name. Bring sample uniforms. XXXX come dressed so new families can see what the girls wear. (maybe not needed)
Go over practice schedules (tues 4pm to 6pm on XXX, thurs 4pm to 6pm on XXX)
Pitching clinic will be on Sundays. Discuss possible optional hitting on Sundays?
Team rules
No jewelry at practices and games. This includes earings or belly button rings/studs.
Shirts tucked in, hair pulled back. No skirts or exposed bellies. No spaghetti straps. A tshirt or former team jersey is preferred.
Always come to practices and games on time, dressed, and ready to go (always wear your sliders, sliding shorts, cleats, visors, etc). We will be sliding at almost every practice, so be ready.
If you buy a helmet, make sure it fits and also get a facemask and chinstrap that is made for the brand of helmet you purchased.. If you buy a bat, make sure it isn’t too heavy and not a baseball bat.

Parents help is encouraged in practices, as long as it isn’t disruptive or negative.
Make sure you arrive before practice ends to pick up your daughter. Also don’t make them come out to the street by themselves to wait for you.
Players are not allowed to leave the dugout during a game. The girls should have everything they need (water/gatorade) when they enter the dugout.
No food in the dugout. Sunflower seeds ok. Review when there may be an exception.

Please let the coaches do the coaching. Any comments or suggestions should be discussed with the coaches. Please don’t coach the girls in the dugout between innings. Also it’s very important not to be negative with your daughters especially on the ride home, when tensions might be high and the girls are trapped in the car. The girls know when they make a mistake, you don’t need to remind them. Pick a time later to discuss things positively when everyone is calm.
Only positive comments and cheering for both sides.
It’s ok to root extra hard or loud for your own daughter, but please don’t ever root against her teammates or opponents.

We will teach fundamentals, game situations, and strategies. Softball is different than baseball, so even if you played baseball all your life, there may be strategies that differ from what you are used to. Bunting will be a big part of our strategies.
Make sure you always bring a sweatshirt to practices and games. The fields can be much colder that surrounding areas. Also respect the surrounding neighborhoods when you park. Try to park in the XXXXparking lot or on XXXX St if possible. If you must park in the neighborhood, please don’t block any driveways or crosswalks, and don’t leave any litter.

Coaching philosophies—winning is important, but it takes a back seat to learning fundamentals, strategies, sportsmanship, and team play. We will go into the opening and ending tournaments with the goal of winning them. We will play the regular season with the goal of teaching the girls and keeping everyone involved. In the tournaments we will play our strongest team. In the regular season doubleheaders, we will play the 1st game to win, and change things up in the 2nd game to give the newer players some infield experience.
Maintaining a positive outlook towards umpires (ESPECIALLY UMPIRES), opposing teams, and teammates will go a long way towards creating a positive environment that will make the season an enjoyable experience for everyone.

I felt it was important to set some boundries regarding parents coaching from the stands, having a positive environment, what our goals were, etc...
I also think it's impoortant to make clear what the philosphy regarding winning vs inclusion. If your goal is to get everyone into every game at every position, let the parents know that at the meeting. I used to let them know there were certain times in the season (beginning and ending tournaments) where we were tring to win, and other times (regular season) where the goal was more inclusion and participation, etc...

[Cannonball]

I put on a lot of coaching clinics. Here is a very brief handout that might help a coach assess what they are doing. I know you said that they don't need specific coaching help.

I entitle this handout, "What I know about Successful Coaches"



• Admit that they don’t know everything and are always asking other successful coaches how they do things.
• Have the courage to say, “I was wrong.”
• Are not afraid of winning! Yes, some coaches are secretly afraid of winning because winning changes people’s perceptions and raises the bar of expectations.
• Are never “too busy” to … (You fill in the blank. Successful coaches know that they are a community commodity and own up to that responsibility.)
• Attack problems and never pretends they don’t see problems. (This means you might have to kick the “star of the team” off of the team!)
• Know that the commitment for success involves their whole being as well as requiring a substantial commitment from their family.
• Know that once they have achieved a level of success, they have to change their expectations and shoot for higher goals.
• Listen to their staff but also know that they have to read body language and behaviors in order to assess staff recommendations.
• Respect their competition and makes sure that, “every stone has been turned over” prior to any competition.
• Know that the belief in the phrase, “That’s all that has worked in the past and that’s all that will ever work” is a recipe for disaster. In other words, successful coaches keep updated on their sport with regards to changes in rules, drills, philosophies…

[Cannonball]

Here is one other handout. Please keep in mind that I've gear this toward High School Coaches and so, for your purposes you would have to make changes. However, this might be useful.

I call this handout, "Practice Tips Guidelines #2"

1. Use stations. This allows you to get in a lot of skills at one practice and keeps everyone busy. YOU divide the players into groups. Inefficient practices involve many players standing in lines with few actually doing a skill or getting better.
2. Have a key goal for each practice.
3. Run most of your conditioning drills at the end of practice. You don’t want your players fatigued when they are practicing skills. Practice your skill work immediately after your warm up run, stretch, and form running.
4. Sit your players down after every practice and talk to them, even if just for 5 minutes. This is extremely important – wrap up a practice with more positives than negatives – However, don’t let an important incident or lack of hustle go unmentioned.
5. Keep practices fast-paced and fun; don’t let players stand around. Pick the groups certain individuals are in. You will recognize the “slackers” quickly!
6. Choose a player/certain players who need extra help on a skill development. Work with them for 10 or 15 minutes while practice is being picked up at the end of practice. This is when some real teaching can get done.
7. Reflect on your weaknesses and become determined to improve your coaching knowledge and skills just as you expect your players to improve their skills.
8. Spend time teaching all positions. Every one is important; don’t neglect any position or player.
9. Create a portion of practice that all players look forward to. This may not have to be every day but should be something that they do a couple of times a week.
10. Every team needs a “dirty-30” or standard way to begin practice which helps them make the change from the classroom to the field.
11. Be aware of how your players act and conduct themselves. They are a reflection of you. Be aware of your own actions during practice and games. You never know who is watching. If you love the game and show it, they will love the game and show it.
12. If you want to know about the discipline of your team, take a look at the locker room.
Questions to ask your self:
1. What is your emergency plan if you have a player hurt? Do you know the certified parents etc. attending games that can help if you need?
2. Are you up-to-date regarding first aid?
3. Are you a part of a coaching staff or a “lone ranger?”
4. What is your strategy for dealing with an angry parent? (After a game? On the road? …)
5. If you are a head coach, do your assistants know their responsibilities both during the season and the post season? If you are an assistant, have you asked?
6. What is your relationship with your Athletic Director? Are you doing all that you can to work with your A.D. for the benefit of your team/program?

[dustyshoes]

If your rec league is like most, all of your new coaches are coming in at the youngest age groups and those that have coached in prior years are coaching in older age divisions as their kids age up.

I would go to those coaches and ask them what they think new coaches should know. If most coaches dropped out rather than moving up when their kids age up and your league has lots of new coaches accross all age divisions, your league has problems that need to be addressed. Find the coaches that quit and try to determine what those problems may be. Some coaching attrition is the natural result of moving to TB, work/family issues and kids developing other interests but there should be a core of experienced coaches to seek advice from.

Good Luck

[artomatic]

My old league require coaches to attend an "ACE" clinic each year, and that really helps new coaches just starting out.
Also, the local university puts a clinic on for the league...all that helps.

[catchingcoach]

Tuscon,

You have a PM

[umpinva]

Well, I could talk for several hours, but I would rather point the guys in the right direction rather than try to tell them everything.

I am thinking that giving them phone numbers, web sites and hand outs is better than talking them to death.

Refer them to the following websites:

http://www.ksnusa.org/softballlinks.htm
http://www.mysoftballcoach.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Coaching-Girls-Softball-Advice
http://www.howtoplay.com/softball/softball_kit.html

If more information is needed, have them Google: Coaching Softball Teams.