For the Love of Softball

From coaching to playing, all things softball.

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Harder or Not?

Let’s get to the bottom of the real debate. Which is the harder sport? Softball or baseball. These two sports are very similar and very different. Softball is by far the harder of the two due to the differences in pitching and hitting. It is actually scientifically proven that softball is the harder sport. The speed of pitches in softball and the reaction time that the hitter and fielders have in softball far outweigh those of baseball. In the game of softball, the pitcher has to control the ball, when pitching, by the threads and her fingertips. In baseball, the ball is not controlled by the fingertips, but rather the entire hand. In softball, a pitcher can change her speed and direction of the ball with a slight change of the position of her fingertips on the ball. The distance of a softball field makes softball more complicated also. Softball fields are closer to the plate and half the size of a baseball field. This makes it harder for the person to steal or for the catcher to throw a girl out at second.

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Benefits of Softball

Softball tends to be an enormous commitment and something that should be started when younger rather than older, but the benefits are thoroughly worth it. One of the biggest benefits is the fact that softball is a full body sport that allows you to get your entire body a workout every time it is played. The running, swinging, and throwing help build muscle strength, heart health, and help with endurance. Not only is softball a physical sport, but also a mental sport. Playing softball can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Another benefit is the gain of self-esteem, leadership skills, and teamwork skills. Being a softball player means that you have to have a certain caliber of mental toughness. There are so many challenges in softball that will help you gain the mental toughness and this can help in other areas of life also.

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Mental Game

Many may think that softball is totally a physical sport, but contrary to belief, softball is also a mental game. Just like the physical part of softball can be improved, the mental game of softball can be improved also. One of the biggest things to do in order to improve the mental game is to embrace failure. Softball is a game of trial and error and a lot of failure. It’s best to embrace all of the ups and downs in order to move forward instead of moving backward. Holding yourself accountable is another way to build mental strength in the game of softball. There are some games that will be played better than others, but it’s about being able to hold yourself accountable for the mistakes that were made and not be too hard on yourself so that changes can be made in order to make the best athlete possible. Being able to focus on the times that you played well and had a great game will help strengthen the mental game. As mentioned, softball has many highs and lows, so it is important to stay level-headed in order to push and grow to the next level. Mental toughness is not something that happens over night, but can be built through hard work, discipline, practice, determination, and positive coaches.

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It Matters

One of the most important tips of being a great athlete is having a positive attitude. Having a positive attitude helps shape a solid athlete in several ways. One of the biggest ways a positive attitude can shape an athlete is by opening up their future to recruits. The first thing a recruit looks for is someone that has a positive attitude with everyone around them. Not only is a positive attitude important for recruiting purposes, a positive attitude is also important for an athlete's performance and training. A positive attitude can boost confidence- when your attitude is positive, your mindset is more positive and in return makes a more confident athlete. A positive attitude can also help athletes stay much more motivated to achieve their goals they have set for themselves. A positive attitude can help athletes be more resilient and have them manage challenges in a more positive way. Lastly, but certainly not least, a positive attitude can help athletes build better relationships with their teammates and coaches.

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A Coach to Remember

I often look back as a college athlete and think over the coaches I’ve encountered. There are some that I remember for being a positive impact and some I remember as being ones that I never wanted to coach me again. As a present softball coach, I try to reflect on what made my favorite biggest good, positive coaches to make sure that I am channeling all of these qualities. One of the biggest things I try to remember as a coach is that I am not coaching for the wins. I am simply coaching to help each girl reach their highest potential and positively impact her in every way possible. And with that, there will be plenty of losses, but growth is what counts most of all. Another quality that I try to possess as a coach is empathy. I try to make sure that I understand my girls and create a safe environment for them to be able to grow and trust. Though I practice showing empathy, I also make sure that I hold every girl accountable by being disciplined and strategic. It’s important for my team to see that I treat everyone equally and that all rules apply to everyone, all the time. The last quality that I always want to show my girls is commitment. In order for me to expect my team to be committed to the game of softball and to the team is by showing my commitment to them, their lives, and their growth. I try to take the time to support my girls on and off the field so that they know I am committed to pouring into their life and success.

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Recruiting Tips

Let’s talk about recruiting. It’s very important to know the steps to take if you desire to be a college athlete. One of the biggest things to know is college recruiting starts early. Recruiters look for freshmen who have varsity or elite club film, were ranked as a top-tier recruit at a tournament or game. Recruiters do not always look at your preferred sport, but other sports that you play also. The more sports you play, the better the chances that you are represented in a positive way. The first thing recruits look for is your size and skill level. From there, it is up to the athlete to get noticed. This starts with an introductory email that allows coaches to get to know the athlete, their academic and athletic achievements and why they are interested in the program. After the email, it’s important to remember they are looking at great body language, coachability, positive leadership skills, and great energy on the court or field.

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Being an avid hitter is key to being an exceptional softball player. One key factor of being an avid hitter is making sure that you practice 30 to 60 minutes every day. Another key factor is to make sure that you practice with regular balls, weighted balls, and wiffle balls. Some of the best drills are, the “pepper” softball drill, the “wiffle golf ball” softball hitting drill, The “toss from behind” softball hitting drill, The ”don’t squish the bug” Softball hitting drill, two tee hitting extension drill.Lastly but surely not least making sure to practice hard every single time you practice hitting is one of the major keys to being a better softball hitter.

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After playing over 10 years of softball and the majority of that time as a catcher, I can say there are a few things that I have learned about being the best catcher possible. There are five big areas to focus on if you want to be the best behind the plate. Those five areas are receiving techniques, mental toughness, communication, blocking skills, and accurate throwing skills. In order to have amazing receiving techniques, you must remember to have a low, stable stance with a glove that is in a clear position for the pitcher to see. You must also make sure to frame the pitches correctly so that the umpire thinks that the ball is being thrown in the strike zone even if it is not there. Having mental toughness means being able to effectively communicate with all of the players on the field to make calls in order for everyone to make the proper plays. Being mentally tough also means to be able to handle high-pressure situations and handle missed balls and not be too hard on yourself. Having emperor blocking skills means making sure that when the ball is thrown out of the way, you can quickly drop to the ground to cover the ball, quickly jump back up and make a play at any place on the field all while using the proper footwork. Accurate throwing skills being powerful enough to throw from your knees to anywhere on the field and be able to make the play. This also means being able to judge where people are and how long it will take them to make it to another base in order to make a play.

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I have been on several different travel ball teams and watched teams around me grow and some fail.  This made me think about what makes a thriving team.  One of the biggest ways to make and keep a thriving team is to make sure that the leaders that are in charge of the team are strong, eager leaders. Leaders that have taken that time to teach each girl fundamental skills are key to a strong, growing team.  Another way to have a growing team is to make sure that the girls have ample amount of time to team build.  Some of my most favorite memories aside from actually playing games is the tight sisterhood that I formed with my teammates.  I remember all of the bowling trips, pool parties, sleep overs, water parks, and so much more.  The third thing that keeps a team growing is outside practice.  As a present college athlete, one of the biggest things that makes our team strong on the field is the extra practice we put in off the field.  We meet up as a team without our coaches and work on the things that our coaches ask us to work on.  If each team is built with all of these things, it is definitely a starter kit for a growing softball team.  

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As a former high school catcher, present college catcher, and present travel ball coach, I have seen it happen so many times.  I have seen parents try to manage the game that is happening on the field and also control what their daughter does and the way she plays.  As a player, this can be very frustrating because, on the field, every player is supposed to be listening and following what the coach says, but at the same time, no player wants to have to hear a lecture when they do not listen to their parents on the ride home from a game.  This type of situation puts players in a hard spot when in reality the only thing the player is supposed to do is follow the game plan of the coach and work to play with their team.  As a coach, hearing parents tell their child the next move on the field instead of them letting the coach make the calls is really frustrating.  This could cause injury, frustration, unnecessary tension between the girls, and result in a loss of the game.  The great thing is that there are specific things for a parent to do at each game.  The biggest way to support your ball player is to always cheer for your child and let the coaches do the coaching. Always let the coach fix things that need to be fixed, make sure your cheering is encouraging,  do not force your daughter to be something she isn’t, make sure to know the rules for yourself, do not argue with umpires because they are doing their best, and do not feed your ball players junk food. 

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Building Confidence on the Field

As a young softball travel ball coach, I find myself not only coaching the skills of softball, but much more intense skills such as social, emotional skills. One of the biggest skills most girls lack at the middle school age is confidence and it really shows when one steps foot onto the field.  There are a few tips I teach my young girls when we start our first season of the year so that they are more confident on the field and in everyday life.  The first tip is in order to be confident on the field, you have to practice off the field.  I encourage my girls to take control over their free time and not so free time and make sure to work in practice at least thirty minutes every day.  The second tip I give my girls is to be positive when talking to themselves and to others (on and off the field).  My team is a close knit group of girls, but it has not always been that way.  I have simply asked my girls to make sure that they replace any negative thoughts or words with positive affirmations and words.  In return, the negativity will fade and the positive will become more visible.  This also helps change inner thoughts and in return takes away any self doubt or self conscious issues.  I also have changed my words to being more positive as a coach and the difference is very visible. The last thing I try to teach my girls is to set goals for themselves and check them off as they go.  It is so easy to lose track of goals in today’s world.  If there is a visible goal list and a place to mark off the goals on a daily basis, it allows for more accountability within oneself.  It is my hope that by teaching and implementing these few strategies, I can help mold more confident girls on and off the field and in return make stronger athletes and females in general.  And not just physically strong, but mentally and emotionally strong females that will change the world.