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.