Watch as Stephen Mackey explains that athletes are dealing with pressure and expectations that come from the community and from themselves. Most athletes do not expect growth or personal best but instead, perfection. Athletes should […]
Self-Awareness Test
Provided by: Raise Your Game Self-Test Despite the “self” in self-awareness, to ensure accuracy it is important to solicit intentional and purposeful feedback from those who know you best (your inner circle). As comedians know, […]
Blocked Bullpen Sessions with Melyssa Lombardi – Univ. of Oregon
Watch as Coach explains blocked bullpen examples of mechanics, tempo, and strength and conditioning. Each session is usually 40 minutes in length and consists of five rounds each, emphasizing different exercises or drills. The goal […]
Anxiety, Expectations, and Pressure with Dr. Lee Dorpfeld – Univ. of South Florida
Watch as Dr. Lee Dorpfeld explains how he teaches athletes that you cannot control what is going to happen in the future. All the time wasted on worrying about the future keeps you from the […]
3 Word Changes to Change Your Life
By: Jeff Zannetti The words that we use are the first link in the chain to success and can have a massive impact on our lives. Our words impact our thoughts, our thoughts then impact […]
Practicing Passed Ball Flips to the Pitcher with Kelly Inouye-Perez – UCLA
Watch as Coach explains that the catcher has two options on a passed ball. Depending on the situation, the catcher can use either an under-hand or back-hand toss. Be sure to open up and show […]
Outfielder’s Drop Step Drill with Molly Bolibaugh – DMACC
Watch as Coach explains, and outfielders demonstrate this everyday drop step drill. Work both the throwing hand side as well as the glove side emphasizing communication and using two hands to catch the ball. It […]
The 1 BIG Lie & 3 BIGGER Truths
Don’t fall for the same lie we always hear… My hot take of the week: One of the biggest lies you hear over and over again in athletics is “Sports develop leadership.” I can tell […]
Wade Gilbert’s “Coaching Better” Breakouts Session 2: Winning Your Practices & Athlete Learning
Live Wade Gilbert breakouts session held on July 16, 2020, hosted by Coaches Insider and Human Kinetics. In this session, Dr. Gilbert discusses two main topics surrounding practice and athlete learning: Topic 1: Quality practice […]
Pitch Tunneling with Myndie Berka – BreakThrew Fastpitch
Watch as Coach discusses, and pitchers demonstrate tunneling. This is when two pitches hit the same spot but look different to the hitter. In the drill, each pitcher will throw 20 pitches to a spot: […]
Selecting an Assistant Coach with Ricci Woodard – Texas State Univ.
Watch as Coach explains that the biggest thing in hiring a new assistant coach is for them to understand what the program is about and what it takes to be successful. Loyalty, how an assistant […]
Consequences
Originally Published in: Game Ready – 52 Takeaways for Winning I can’t speak for you, but I certainly can for me. I always want to know the consequences that may be involved before I do […]
Wade Gilbert’s “Coaching Better” Breakouts Session 1: Relationships and Winning Your Team’s Trust
Live Wade Gilbert breakouts session held on July 9, 2020, hosted by Coaches Insider and Human Kinetics. In this session, Dr. Gilbert discusses two main topics surrounding trust and building relationships: Topic 1: Building athlete […]
Developing a Pitching IQ with Rachel Lawson – Univ. of Kentucky
Watch as Coach explains that when it comes to pitchers, the first thing she teaches them is how to pitch to a count. She would then start to develop a changeup and work on getting […]
The Basics Really Work with Alan Stein, Jr.
Watch as Alan explains that in today’s world, it is popular to keep chasing what is hot, new, flashy and to ignore what is basic. This is a mistake, as the basics do work and […]
Biggest Roadblocks to Success
By: Jeff Zannetti While there isn’t a magical formula to guarantee or control success, there are certainly elements within our control that will lead to increasing the probability of achieving success in all aspects of […]
Power, Control, Deception with Kirk Walker – UCLA
Watch as Coach explains that in power, control, and deception, there are three measures of the pitch. Every good pitcher can throw hard, throw strikes, and can deceive the hitters. For ‘power’, you want the […]
Identifying Which Cues to Use for Each Athlete with Nick Winkelman – The Language of Coaching
Watch as Nick discusses identifying which cues to use for each individual athlete. Before you can influence an athlete, you must try to understand them, and it is important to be flexible and adaptable with […]
Improving Self-Confidence and Self-Worth
By: Cindy Bristow Provided by: Softball Excellence While managing this new world of COVID-19 is challenging, oftentimes confusing, stressful, and even boring, we can also use this time for good and for personal development. To […]
Developing Team Culture with Jennifer Williams – Dartmouth College
Watch as Coach explains how her team meets every week to discuss culture-emphasizing topics such as trust, vulnerability, hard work, competitiveness, grit, and how these all relate to their values as a team. Every day […]
Understanding Mental Health Stressors for Athletes with Steve Young – New Rochelle HS (NY)
It is important to recognize and understand some of the reasons your athletes may be experiencing stress. Mr. Young will explain in detail, with examples, the following causes of stress: time demands, athletic performance, injury […]
Using Assessments to Facilitate Learning
By: Rachel Lawson Originally Published in: Practice Perfect Softball – NFCA Provided by: Human Kinetics The consistent use of players’ and coaches’ assessments serves as a powerful learning instrument that can help counsel the athletes […]
Pre-Throwing Band Work with Myndie Berka – BreakThrew Fastpitch
Watch as Coach explains, and pitchers demonstrate these pre-throwing routine band exercises that incorporate band work for both upper and lower body. The assisted ankle band works on getting loosened up and mechanics. The resisted […]
Accept It or Correct It with Alan Stein, Jr.
Alan Stein, Jr. explains that every single behavior that goes on in your program, on or off the field, is either something you accept or correct. He also explains how eliminating some behaviors, such as […]
How to Bounce Back From a Loss
By: Jeff Zannetti You are a human, you make mistakes. There is a simple but effective way to deal with ALL losses, errors, mistakes, etc: extract the lesson, commit the lesson to memory, forgive yourself, […]
Infield Reaction Drill with Bob Ligouri – DMACC
Watch as Coach explains, and infielders demonstrate this reaction drill. One player will be in the middle with her glove facing a thrower with a ball. The player must get in a good defensive stance […]
Levels of Commitment with Jeff Janssen – Janssen Sports Leadership Center
Is your program comprised of people who see the work they put in as an investment or a sacrifice? Watch as Jeff Janssen discusses seven levels of commitment that exist within every program and how […]
Six Steps in Mastering Tough Conversations
Provided by: Raise Your Game Effective coaches and leaders stand firm in telling their people what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. Trust and truth go hand in hand and […]
Tiered Line-Up Development with Danielle Zymkowitz – Univ. of Wisconsin
Watch as Coach explains how the most important factor in line-up development is understanding what each player can bring to the table. She spends the time learning about her players by asking questions about their […]
Defensive Checklists with Lisa Navas – Univ. of South Carolina
Watch as Coach discusses team defense and the checklists she uses for her squad. It is important to cover all possible game situations in practice and constantly make adjustments. There are 8 different base situations […]