Good Coaching Communication

Talking With Your Players

1.  Tell your players what you want them to do.
In clear behavioral terms, easy to understand. (Use a crow hop when you throw)
Tell them what to do up front, rather than correcting mistakes.
Tell them what to do. Do not tell them what NOT to do.
YES: Hit the low pitch.    NO: Stay off the high pitch.

2.  Criticize the performance, not the performer.
(Hate the sin, love the sinner.)
AND, always end with a positive statement/self talk.

YES: That throw was behind the runner. Next time throw ahead of the runner. With your great arm we’ll get the out.
NO: You threw to the wrong base.

YES: On bunt defense the 2B always covers 1st base. With your speed you should be in good shape to take the throw.
NO: You messed up that play.

3.  Don’t assume they’ve learned it; repeat it.
Repetition is fundamental to learning, especially complex tasks.
Rule of three - if you've explained it three times and it isn’t getting through, try a different approach.

Example: If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you 1,000 times - who is the slow learner here?
Listen, see, do. (Tell them, show them, have them do it.)

4.  What you say to your players is what matters.
What you say vs. what they hear - have listener repeat back to you what you said.

Get positive reinforcement into their heads.
Example: A player says “I can’t bunt.”
YES: Break skill down into small elements, do one piece successfully; get the player to say something positive about performance. “I was able to square around properly.”
NO: “Sure you can, just keep trying.”

Never: Stop trying!     Always: Expect excellence of yourself!

5.  Bring a constant, consistent positive message.
Your players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
You never exceed your own expectations.
Say it, write it, look it, listen, teach it, define it, teach it .... But keep it positive.
The ones who really love us are the ones who demand the most from us.

Pete Sprenkle has 25 years of fastpitch softball coaching experience with girls aged 12 through 18. He is the author of the Softball Coaches Tool Kit.