Listen to this weeks episode of Everything Fastpitch. We discuss the following topics: Using some type of heart protection to protect the pitcher. A listener question: Can a left handed player be a catcher? Paige's Power Play. Could colleges solve their sports economic problems by adding certain sports rather than dropping sports? Our now weekly update of the impact of COVID-19 on the softball world. Coaching Tip of the Week: Solving the problem of the wrists rolling over too early when hitting....
Jul 15, 2020•59 min•Ep. 120
Base running is an underutilized offensive weapon, We go over a base running checklist of how a base runner should react in certain situations. This is not something that can just be explained but must be practiced. A player with these skills can elevate her performance and make her a much more valuable asset for the team. Support the show
Jul 10, 2020•26 min
This is the interview segment of the weekly podcast. It covers anxiety and other mental issues that young people experience. We felt it was important enough that instead of breaking it into 2 parts, we would post the complete interview as a separate podcast. It is an interview with Heather Murphy, LCSW. Heather is a former college softball player that experienced anxiety during her playing days. She works with parents of anxious teens but also specializes in working with high school and college ...
Jul 08, 2020•39 min
This weeks episode has been split into 2 separate podcast downloads. This is the first part without an interview we did concerning anxiety and mental issues. We have our equipment tip of the week and a listener question. We follow with what has unfortunately become our normal Corona update segment. Corona has far overshadowed softball news. We end up with a segment on pulling pitchers. When, how and what's best to develop a pitching staff. Support the show...
Jul 08, 2020•48 min•Ep. 119
The outcome of each game can be put in one of four categories. You play well and win, you play well and lose, you play poorly and win or you play poorly and lose. Evaluating your games helps you develop a schedule that will help optimize your teams development. We discuss these game result aspects to help you know what to do for future games. Support the show
Jul 03, 2020•16 min
Another episode packed with information for the fastpitch enthusiast. Listener question of how early can a player start lessons. Our mental tip of the week from Paige Tonz. And of course a discussion of the disruption of softball because of Corona. We have an interesting interview with Dr. Joe Rouw. He is a developmental optometrist who enjoys working in the field of optometric vision therapy and has an interest in working with athletes and sports vision training. We end with a discussion of cal...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 11 min
This weeks episode is covering conduct issues that a couple of our listeners have encountered in tournaments lately. Verbal abuse should not be tolerated by anyone at a softball tournament. Let alone young players. Threats of physical violence is off the chart. Coaches we have to set the standards for our team and be an example. And we have to do what is necessary to maintain those standards. Even if it means dismissing a good player from our team because of conduct of adults. It's unfortunate t...
Jun 26, 2020•17 min
A listener asks a question for some guidelines to maximize Batting Practice. Latest Power Play from Paige Tonz. We have an interview with Steve Goody the CEO of Pocket Radar. He gives us an update of their product and how it can be used in the recruiting process as well as how it can be used in the development of hitters and pitchers of all ages. And we have our normal good and bad with the Corona guidelines. Based on some listener comments we discuss how much talking should go on at practices. ...
Jun 24, 2020•1 hr 6 min
This week we discuss the lineup. The goal of the lineup is for the team to have the best chance to win. It is not as simple as putting players in positions or batting order based upon a set formula. It is all about synergy. The whole is better than the sum of the parts. The key to being successful is communication. Players (and parents) have to understand the strategy and buy in. Listen as the coaches talk about it and relate experiences they have had. Support the show...
Jun 19, 2020•17 min
Our listener question this week is about dealing with a shy player. Paige Tonz of pagetonz.com provides her tip of the week. An interview with Ryan Taylor of SoftballBound which is an app that provides detailed information about colleges for use in the recruiting process. We have our normal Corona impact discussion to update what is going on related to softball.Coach Tory wants to challenge ESPN's choice of the Greatest Softball Team with is own picks. And our coaching tip of the week discusses ...
Jun 17, 2020•1 hr 18 min
I have learned one very important thing in the last couple of years, I wish I had started writing a blog when I was still coaching. Why, you ask? I would be a much better coach than I was. I think I’ve learned more from writing these blogs than I’ve shared with the reader. I was an all-time yeller and screamer! I came up when the idea was that great coaches were people like Bobby Knight and Vince Lombardi. Those coaching legends were very willing to get after a player and the volume was always t...
Jun 12, 2020•17 min
We have a listener question about having a pitching rubber they can take with them to practice at locations where there isn't one. Our usual Corona update on the effects and changes that are being required. We discuss camps and showcases if the college coaches are not going to be allowed to attend. Create a system to keep your dugout from looking like an episode of Hoarders. Support the show
Jun 10, 2020•56 min
We will have far more rules and guidelines that we will have to follow now that we are starting to play again. This week we focus on meetings or the lack of them. Team gatherings that routinely occur during the course of a game are going to be curtailed or eliminated. We have to adapt. Support the show
Jun 05, 2020•17 min
A listener asks about taking over a team when the existing coaches have to leave due to changes brought about because of COVID-19. Again this week we discuss the latest changes to the softball community and the latest collegiate news brought about by the shut downs. What is your opinion about stalling in time limit game?. And finally we give you suggestions about building you game schedule. Support the show
Jun 03, 2020•51 min
When we get to start playing again, there are going to be restrictions that are going to be inconvenient for all of us. Coaches you have to lead the way of not harping on them, but staying positive. Support the show
May 29, 2020•14 min
Today we discuss a listener question of how to assist players who have been impacted financially by the pandemic. We have an interview with a mental game coach and our normal COVID-19 updates from youth softball through collegiate softball. Our coaching tip is how to best use the initial practices when we start back up. Support the show
May 27, 2020•1 hr 13 min
College coaches may not be able to watch any games this summer. We know this to be true at least through June 30th. If we have established a connection with a coach we have to be able to give them something that can be a substitute. This year coaches may have to make decisions without any face-to-face opportunities. We go through the processes that coaches and parent of recruited players must do to give the college coach everything they can to help them make a decision in our favor. Support the ...
May 22, 2020•20 min
Of course COVID-19 guidelines are still the dominate issue with getting to play. We update with the latest news we have collected. Are Showcases really showcases if the college coaches can't attend. We discuss ways for players to still interface with college coaches to get their name out there. Teams are having to fold because they are not going to have enough players that can come back when things open up. How do we handle that? Advice for coaches to come back stronger and more open minded than...
May 20, 2020•45 min
Starting practices back up will take some discipline. Bottom line is that the team that shows up for the first practice will not be the same team you saw the last time you were together, They will be at different levels of conditioning and muscle readiness. We discuss suggestions for starting back up and advice on following the rules and guidelines so that the option of playing is not taken from you. Support the show
May 15, 2020•22 min
This week we start out with a "Did You Know" about the origin of softball. We give our equipment tip of the week. In response to a listener question we discuss the issues around whether college coaches will be conducting or attending camps this summer along with some of their "can do's" and "can't do's". When softball starts back up, it will not be the same and we have to be prepared for the changes and be positive in accepting them. If we don't follow the guidelines, that more than likely we wo...
May 13, 2020•56 min
This week on Coach Prep we go over the Communication Pyramid we have created. Team and player to player communication starts from nothing in the beginning years and develops to something very sophisticated in older great teams. We equate the process of learning to communicate with different levels of schooling in our pyramid. Communication has to be practiced and coached to perfect and is a requirement to move up the ladder to greatness, Support the show...
May 08, 2020•25 min
We again present a piece of equipment that we use in our training. Click here to see the products that we like. A listener asked us to discuss "How long to warm up". We give a Corona impact update and the effects it is having in cancelled events and how college coaches are being affected and what this means for the summer recruiting season. Many ideas are floating around about what changes would have to be made for the games to resume and still maintain social distancing. We finish up with our c...
May 06, 2020•1 hr
A listener wants to know our opinion on who is the greatest player. We answer that question which leads into a discussion of what are the characteristics of great players and the things that coaches can do to help develop those traits. Great players don't start out great they become great players. Support the show
May 01, 2020•19 min
We have a very interesting Did You Know and an old school equipment tip. We continue to update you on the latest affects of the Corona Virus. We discuss whether the big summer tournaments will get played and a lighthearted look a team names. We finish up with a discussion of letting players learn from their mistakes and the difference between being told something and actually learning. Support the show
Apr 29, 2020•37 min
When individual players on your team receive an award, whether it be internal or from an external organization you have to handle it. Individual awards are great but they can have an impact on your team. Hurt feelings, discontent, etc. Coaches you must be prepared to handle this and be consistent. This episode will help you out. Support the show
Apr 24, 2020•20 min
We start off with our normal segments of “Did You Know”, “Products We Like” and great listener questions with a general topic of what should we expect from our players at various ages. The impact of the national shutdown on the NCAA is a continuing topic. This week we update on schools dropping sports, the financial impact, requests to relax regulations and eliminate some sports. We then discuss some more fastpitch related movies that we can watch while staying at home. Books that can help the p...
Apr 22, 2020•51 min
In this episode we go over two of the tools we have available via our web site. First of all we have a YouTube Channel with dozens of short drills covering all aspects of the game. And we have about 550 posts in our blog that covers everything from soup to nuts about softball. These are tools that we are offering the community at no cost to further the sport. Especially now that whatever practice that's taking place, is at home. We go over how you can use these tools to create some type of struc...
Apr 17, 2020•18 min
Well -- maybe not spectacular but this weeks the coaches are talking favorite movies and recommendations during this quarantine. We're also talking equipment, more on the NCAA ruling, and more remote training. Support the show
Apr 16, 2020•45 min•Season 3Ep. 107
This week Coach Tory and Coach Don talk effective strategies for communicating with players during remote training and workout sessions. Support the show
Apr 11, 2020•17 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In this week's episode the coaches take a deep dive in to the affects the NCAA decision to extend eligibility will have. We also look at how recruiting is being affected, home training, and helicopter coaches. Support the show
Apr 08, 2020•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 106
