She’s decided that she’s MEANT to be a softball player.
It’s in her bones, she knows it’s what she wants to get better at, and you are ALL IN to help her get there as a parent.
But you might be running into a few problems in the *HOW* to get her to the next level…
Problems like…
- You didn’t play softball growing up
- You didn’t play the position she loves & don’t know how to best guide her
- There’s so much information out there & you don’t know which direction is the next best step.
OR, maybe you DO know what you’re doing… but your guidance isn’t being well received because you’re the parent of the aspiring athlete. (been there!)
Oftentimes, many families try the DIY approach first.
They hop on to YouTube, research catching drills, try a few of them out in the backyard… only to realize there is a LOT that goes into the position she loves.
Whether or not you are looking to do this at home or you are ready to level up by going to a skill specific coach, there are a few things you will want to check for when contemplating an instructor & their training program.
Here are 3 really important aspects of training that you will want to look for:
Does the coach train the PHYSICAL skills?
And we aren’t just talking about the major skills like catching a ground ball or hitting. We are talking about ALL of it. The small twitch movements of a ball transfer, the sequence of the step progressions in a throw, the proper blocking of the plate… and SO much more. As a parent, you not only want to make sure your athlete is receiving adequate drilling of ALL skills; but you also want to make sure they leave each session understanding the WHY behind each movement... AKA: Why do they do what they do, in the order in which they do it, so that they can be most effective in their performance? – THAT is what they want to understand so that they can self correct on their own!!
Does the coach provide an at home routine?
True transformation doesn’t occur in a 1 hour lesson. A lesson is designed to modify, tweak, and challenge an athlete so that she can see where her weak spots are and continue her growth. The real change and evolution, however, happens when they are able to take what they learned in lessons and put it into practice through repetition at home and in their team practices. In order to ensure your athlete continues growing, you will want to check to see if your instructor provides skill specific suggestions that are tailored to the individual athlete’s needs at that point in her journey!
Does the coach train the MENTAL side of the game?
Good athletes can physically perform the skills required by the position. GREAT ones are smart. Great athletes can command & perform the game confidently because they UNDERSTAND the intricacies of their situations and how to adjust on the spot. They know the game, and they know it WELL. One of the most important aspects of growing an incredible and elite athlete & leader in the game is making sure they UNDERSTAND it! When selecting a coach for your daughter’s growth, a massive game changer for your athlete will be building situational awareness so that she can confidently command the game and step into her role as a leader.
In a world where the growth of an athlete is happening at a younger age every year, skill specific training has become a necessity if you want to give them the best possible shot at success.
Finding your athlete a trainer who physically develops them so they can effectively perform, grows their situational awareness so they can command the game confidently, and sends them home with the tools to continue their progress away from lessons IS the game changing difference.