|
DCCC
Philosophy of Softball and Coaching
The philosophy
of the Dodge City Community College softball Program is two fold.
First, is my philosophy of coaching. I am a firm believer in
fundamentals. If the fundamentals are there, the rest of the skills
will come more easily. Evaluating technique and analyzing what a
player is doing wrong has been an asset that I feel I posses.
Criticism should be positive with encouragement along the way.
The
players should try to do the best they can by giving 100% during
practice and games. The athletes are expected to play with
intensity and determination, while being ladies both on and off the
field. Winning graciously and losing with dignity are important
with positive attitudes to be displayed at all times. The athletes
are expected to dress themselves accordingly. I do not tolerate
swearing and because of the emphasis on drug abuse, smoking and
drinking on road trips is absolutely out of the question. The rules
are outlined in the first meeting at the start of the season.
The
student-athletes should feel free to talk to me on just about
anything, and I hope to keep open communication with them. There
should be mutual respect for each other, but with the understanding
that as the coach, the final decisions are mine to make. We are
working with the individual in athletics. When my players get
finished competing on the college level, they are not seeking a
professional career in this sport, so they are able to use those
skills to help them get a job, coach a team, or teach their own
children someday. They should be able to do this with a strong
background in fundamentals. Working together as a TEAM, we can do
whatever WE believe WE can do.
The second
part of my philosophy is the type of young lady that I will recruit
for our program. This individual player MUST be willing to do what
is BEST for the TEAM, not herself. This is the hardest character to
judge within a player during the recruiting process. As individuals
during the recruiting process, we all say the things that we think
everyone wants to hear, but when it comes to reality, it is amazing
how things change from when we recruited the young lady. 80% of the
players that played a certain position in High School will not play
that position in college, and that player has to be willing to make
that sacrifice.
Players
must also be able to accept what their role is on the team. This
can include anything from the primary pinch-runner, to the late
inning pitch hitter. Teams are successful when everyone knows what
their role is, and accepts that role. Being a TEAM member is a
privilege, and each player should enjoy the fact that she is a
member of the team.
At DCCC,
we try to mix speed, with power. We also try to find players that
are "athletic and versatile". I like to have players that can play
a couple different positions. Putting together a TEAM at this
level, especially when you have success like we have had, is like a
giant jigsaw puzzle. Sometimes you think you have the right piece
of the puzzle, but it comes up a little short, and you have to keep
mixing and matching, until you find the right pieces that fit.
Without the right mentality of our players, the puzzle will never be
completed.
The final
excerpt that I would like to discuss about my philosophy is to
expand on what my role is as the Head Coach. First, I do not like
the term coach, I am a teacher of the game of softball, and I am no
different than the Math teacher, the English professor, the Physics
teacher, or anyone else. My job is to teach the game of softball,
the way that I think it should be taught, in my classroom, which
happens to be the softball field. My coaching staff and I teach the
players the fundamentals in practice. When we get to game time, you
hope that you have taught your class (the team) enough about the
game that you can go out and be successful on the field. That you
can feel good that they (the players) understand what you were
teaching them in practice and they were able to carry that over to
game situations.
I wear
many hats as the coach of this team, and having a daughter myself, I
have a true understanding of what I want for my daughter, and WE
(DCCC) will do everything in our power to make sure your daughter
has an experience that she will never forget. |
