Learn What You Do Well to Be a Better Coach

By: Megan Brown, Ph.D. - Assistant Coach, Boston College

Provided by: National Fastpitch Coaches Association

Have you ever wondered why kids pick up on certain skills really quick only to take weeks to grasp the very next concept?

As we all know, each player will grasp different concepts at different speeds, but have you ever noticed if certain skills always take players longer to grasp? The pace at which players grasp and can perform skills has been of particular interest to me this fall.

Our pitching staff is very young, and it is important for them to learn quickly. But is the speed they learn dependent upon how well I teach each skill?

This question has been eye-opening, as I realized that even though our pitchers are young, they seem to grasp certain concepts much quicker than pitchers in the past. I have also realized that what they grasp quickly is also what I teach well.

Conversely, what they take longer to learn I do not teach as well. So, basically, if I want to them to learn quicker, I need to be a better teacher. So, with all that said, here are a few things that I am working on to become a better teacher:

The first is to make sure I am learning as much as possible about the skill I am teaching. This might require research, talking to colleagues, and even looking to other sports for ways to teach similar movement patterns.

The more I know about a skill and the small parts that make up the skill, the better I can explain and answer questions my players have. This also gives me a wealth of knowledge to modify and develop drills to aid the players in learning a skill.

The second is to watch film. The more I really see what our pitchers are doing, the better I can help them adjust and grow. I need to not only watch my pitchers, but also other pitchers who perform the skill I am teaching, so I can pick up on the little nuances of how they accomplish what they are doing.

The third is to practice teaching the skill. This might sound crazy, but the more times you teach a skill, the better you become. All the time I think about how I should teach something as I am driving to work. I need to utilize this time more to work on my delivery and explanation of how to teach new concepts.

The fourth is to make sure I simplify when possible. Teaching in small chunks that are easy to understand will help them learn and grow in the skills quicker than if I try to teach the whole skill all at once.

Finally, I need to compare how I teach skills I am not as proficient teaching to those I teach well. I need to note what I do that helps them understand, and what I am doing when I get a confused look.

This might seem small, but when teaching new skills, at times, we leave out details and key points that can aid in understanding.

So here is my coaching homework in a nutshell: I hope you teach all of the skills you coach well. But if not, hopefully these five things will help you teach better.