Softball Coaching Tips - Teamwork and Team Building

Encourage Communication
Why is communication important in athletic performance? Have you ever heard “if you think you’re going to make a mistake, you probably will”? Here’s how communication between teammates improves performance and promotes teamwork:

Reduces individual errors – it’s hard to think about making a mistake when you are constantly encouraging and supporting your teammates. Less worry means less anxiety. Less anxiety means your body can relax and perform at it’s optimal level.

Less mental errors – increased communication helps players stay focused on the game. More focus means less mental errors. Plus with communication, if someone does have a mental lapse, everyone is talking and letting them know where the play should be which helps keep a mental lapse from turning into a mental error or any other kind of error.

Promotes team building – when teammates are communicating with each other it increases the sense of a common goal and teamwork. Your team will perform better as individuals and as a unit with improved communication.

Expect Teamwork - Make it very clear, from the beginning that you expect communication and teamwork from your players. Be specific in your explanation of what it is that you expect from your team. For example, I tell my players that I expect to hear everyone talking on defense once a ball is hit. If their teammate is making a play they need to be encouraging her or calling out the play as the ball is going to her. Once she makes the play, I should hear either congratulations (nice play, good through, great job, etc) or encouragement if she made an error (good stop, no problem, nobody hurt, etc). I should hear these things from every player on every hit. If I'm not hearing it, they know exactly what I'm talking about when I say, "It's too quiet on defense".

Also make it clear that you don't care whether or not the players get along off the field. On the field, they are a "team" with common goals. The bad attitudes and feelings off the field are to be left "off the field". If your players aren't clear on what their common goals are, it's time to set some.

Demand Teamwork - Demand teamwork by doing drills or exercises that force players to work together for necessary completion of the drills and/or exercise.

Bunt Drill example - all players get in the batter's box and take turns doing a sac bunt (or whatever kind of bunt you specify). A coach takes the role of "pitcher" and tosses balls to the players. Nothing fancy, just nice and easy. Each player has one chance to lay down their bunt. For a sacrifice, allow players to lay off the bad pitches, but allow only one bunt attempt. Each player must successfully lay down a fair ball before the drill is over. Once someone misses or fouls off a ball, the entire team must go through the rotation again. Encourage the players to cheer on their teammates during the drill. After all, their teammates performance has a direct affect on them, just like in a game. It also helps illustrate to each individual that their personal performance, or lack thereof, affects not only them as an individual, but the entire team as well. Again, just like in a game. Drills like this encourage teamwork.

Explain Why - Sometimes understanding why or how something works makes it easier to do or execute. Plus a coaches' perspective isn't always the same as a players' perspective. Sometimes when you give an instruction the "why" is clear to you, but may not be to the players. Explaining can help you and your team get on the same page.

If you do "teamwork demanding drills" explain why you are penalizing the entire team for one person's error. That's how it is in the game, if one person messes up, the entire team must find a way to make up for it. The sooner they understand this the better.

Explain that one reason they should cheer for a teammate they don't like is because one day, they are going to make an error and that teammate is going to be the one with the chance to make up for it with a great play or a great hit.

Explain that even the BENCH is important. Teamwork doesn't apply just to starters. The bench is who keeps the starters on their toes by pushing hard in practice. They have the power to keep the intensity "up" during a game when the starters begin to let down. They need to do their job in order for the team to be successful. Their role is key in the success of a team.

Work it More Often - Building a team isn't something you work just some of the time. Try to find a way to do some kind of team building activity or drill at EACH practice!

Recommended Resources
Book: Heads Up Baseball
Tom Hanson's (co-author of Heads Up Baseball) Softball Confidence Website - Sign up for Tom's free Mental Game newsletter....full of tips and ideas to help you and your team.