On behalf of the Amateur Softball Association, welcome to the October issue of the ACE Coach monthly email from ASA Director of Coaching Education and two-time Olympic Coach Mike Candrea: Candrea on Coaching. As a youth sports coach, you naturally want to prepare your team to win as many games as possible, and as a Responsible Coach, you want to prepare your players to win off the field, too. The Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports program is proud to bring you this series in which Coach Candrea will provide you with coaching tips and resources that you can use for the betterment of your youth softball team.

October 19, 2009
Volume I, Issue 10

Organizing Your Practice Sessions Part II

In last month's article, I mentioned the use of checklists to help in planning your practices and discussed some of the essentials of a productive practice. This month I share with you a tool that I use to incorporate variety in my practice planning, while maintaining a productive flow.   

Let's take a look at the Offensive Checklist to see a variety of hitting drills that I use with my hitters.  I would always understand the purpose of the drill and the  part of the swing that it is used to fix or enhance the proper feeling.  Remember, drills are used in repetition to provide a feel for a particular movement or skill.  Drills must be done correctly to provide the proper muscle memory.

• Short-game Skills
  1. Sac Bunt
  2. Drag Bunt
  3. Push Bunt
  4. Slap
  5. Fake/Fake

If you look at the Offensive Checklist , you'll find a complete listing of base running, short game and hitting drills and skills.  For example, as I cover the essential skills under base running, I would check off those skills to make sure we have been thorough in our preparation.  The hitting area is not something that you need to check off with each drill, but is more of a resource for you to use in planning your hitting sessions with your players. We always use tee drills, toss drills and live batting practice in our practice sessions.  We do the vision training in our fall season and incorporate the strength and speed training in the weight room throughout the year.

In addition to preparing for practice with these planning checklists, another element for success is how you challenge your players each day to grow and get better, not only as players, but also as people. Listen to Coach Candrea talk about measuring effort and what he views are the only two things players need to be concerned about when showing up to the dimond. Watch Candrea>>

• Base running
  1. Running through the bag
  2. Positioning for over-throw
  3. Walking back to bag/reaction to middle infielders
  4. Rules

Read the complete Offensive Checklist!

I use the Defensive Checklist as a resource in planning my practice session when working on team defense and individual skills.  You will notice that I have given you skills for each position that should be covered prior to the start of your season.  More importantly, these checklists are always a resource in my planning of practices and preparing my players and teams for competition. 

• 1st & 3rd Defense
  1. Regular
  2. Jog half the way
  3. Ball four - break
  4. Squeeze/fake bunt

Read the complete Defensive Checklist!

As a coach, being preparing for practice is essential to provide your players the tools to win during games. What about beyond the diamond, after the game? Coaching Beyond the X's and O's will help you take advantage of the endless opportunities to teach life lessons that sports provide. Read how to create and recognize teachable moments. >>

Along with the two checklists I described above, I have also included the defensive checklist by team as well as the outfield checklist.

Read the complete Outfield Checklist!

Good luck! Until next month,

Coach Candrea