5 Coaches We Have All Had.
By: Nate Pearson
- Over Coach: We can all agree that we have had that coach who has something to say after every swing you take, after every pitch you throw and is probably right about everything. Let’s all take a trip down memory lane and think about those days of getting into the batter’s box and from the dugout we hear “Elbow up” “Eye on the ball” “Why did the swing at that” “Squash the bug” and as we get nervous and think about those terrible coaching cues in the box, two things tend to happen, you get out and walk back to the dugout and get an ear full from “Mr. Over Coach” or you get a hit and the first thing you hear is “See I told you”. Now what not to do if you’re reading this and you are “Mr. Over Coach” let your athletes figure it out, stats aren’t linear and in the game of baseball you’re going to fail a lot and trust me as once a player and now a coach the last thing an athlete wants to hear when he strikes out on a pitch over his head is “Don’t swing at those” my first thought in the most sarcastic way possible is “thank you coach, did you really think I was trying to swing at that pitch over my head?” So my advice to this kind of coach would be when you think you need to say something after every pitch, trust your athletes and if you see something that worth correcting pull them aside and handle it that way!
- Crazy Dad Coach: My personal favorite is number 2 on our list. This coach could have been your dad or your buddies dad but we have all had this one, no doubt about that. Now “Crazy Dad Coach” is the guy who wears all the team gear head to toe and lives and dies by the Little League team he is coaching or the Travel program he is running, now there is nothing wrong with passion and desire but when its 10u baseball, getting kicked out of games and trying to fight the umpire might be a little too much, while yelling at the other teams parents and making a giant scene in the parking lot, man I miss little league. Advice to that “Crazy Dad Coach” first of all, try and be a parent first and love your kid and show him or her support while they play, he or she is trying to impress you already and if you’re being crazy because you want that trophy and want to win more than kids do its going to either make your kid quit or they are going to hate being there, show love and support and just have fun with it!
- My Way Coach: This coach is someone you’re going to have later in life, maybe in travel but more in high school. “My way or you don’t play”, this is something that is a lot harder on the kids then you think, now say this kid goes to someone for hitting lessons or pitching lessons and your high school coach doesn’t agree with what they’re teaching you but you are killing it at the plate or shoving on the mound, now someone who isn’t like this coach would be thrilled for you, “keep doing what you’re doing kid” BUT “My Way Coach” will go out of his way to let you know that he doesn’t care what you’re doing and if you don’t swing or pitch the way he wants to you’re not going to play on “HIS” team or be a part of his program. Advice for this kind of coach if you have a player who is succeeding just let him do his thing, ego and pride are two very strong things and in coaching that is something we have to learn to put to the side and let them be the best player they can be.
- When I Played Coach: Every coach can fall into this category because it can be fun to tell your players stories of the good old days BUT when you try and turn every athlete into you or show them everything you did it might not work. Every athlete is different in their own way, they have different movements, they come in all different sizes, and so having a one fit all approach to the game might not work in that case. I once heard from a coach “I have 18 hitters so I have 18 different hitting philosophies”. Advice to “When I Played Coach” maybe share a story about you’re playing days once in a while and try and look at each kid as an individual and see what they bring to the game and put some research into what their strengths are.
- Credit Coach: Coaches play a huge role when it comes to baseball, who makes the lineup, who makes those tough calls on what to do in late innings, when you leave or take pitchers out of the game, game management is tough BUT when I say “Credit Coach” what comes to mind if the guy who is always right when things go right. Kid hits a home run “Just like I taught him” kid throws a great game “Good thing I started him”. The best part is when things goes wrong, “Why didn’t you play better” or “I wasn’t the one throwing”. Once again here comes the advice for this kind of coach. Yes you helped your athletes get better and you have done the most you can do to prepare them for games but when they succeed and doing awesome things on the baseball field “THEY” did it, kid hits a bomb he hit that bomb! Kid goes out of shoves a complete game he DID that! At the end of the day it’s about the guys going out there and competing it’s not about us as coaches anymore our playing days are over. Help them and prepare them and when they succeed it’s a perfect time for a “ATTA BOY” or a “LETS GO”.