Articles by Marc-Olivier Dagenais on ArticleSnatch.com

Softball Coaching Fears - You Are Not Alone

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:36:30 -0500

Most coaches have fears, worries, or anxiety about something. In fact, I'm not sure I know any coaches who don't. It's pretty normal, when you really care about something greatly, to have concerns or worries about it. However there is one softball coaching fear in particular that I see get in the way of good coaching time after time. Can you guess what it is? It's the fear of what others will think about you. I've heard advisers in other areas of life say that if you really want to be successful, you have to stop caring what other people think of you and your choices. I believe that holds true for coaching softball too. It's an easy trap to fall into. You and I both know how many critics there are of any softball coach. It comes with the territory. It's tough not to take things personally. Sure we all intellectually know that we shouldn't, but that's not always easy. You're not the only coach who finds challenge in not allowing whispers (for shouts for that matter) from the outside impact what you do and the choices you make as a coach. **End Summary** Topics: coaching tips]]> Softball Coaching]]> Softball Coaching Tips]]> softball tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Tips - Finding the Right Team

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:02:38 -0500

Yes, it's that time of the year again. The fastpitch softball summer is season is coming to a close, and with it players (and their parents) are starting to look at next year. For some, the decision will be easy. They like their team, they like their coaches, they want to stay right where they are. For others, it's not quite as clear-cut. If you're in the former group, congratulations. Glad to hear it, although this article probably won't be of much interest to you. If you're in the other group, though, you have a lot to think about in the next few weeks (or days). Where you go likely will depend on your situation and what you want out of the game. If you're a starter but just unhappy with the coaching, or with some of your teammates, or some other general aspect of the team, you may just be looking for a change of scenery. But if you feel like you haven't been getting a fair opportunity, you may have to make some tough decisions. One of the toughest is to leave a team that consistently has a winning record. Winning is fun, no question about it. **End Summary** Topics: Softball tips]]> softball Training]]> softball drills]]> softball hitting]]> Softball Pitching]]> softball conditioning]]> softball coaching]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Be a Parent First, Coach Second

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:17:10 -0500

Traditionally, the holidays are a time for family. So what better time to take a step back and re-evaluate your priorities than during this time when things usually slow down a bit? Especially when it comes to being a parent/coach. Most people who coach start out for the right reasons. Usually a team their daughter is on needs a coach, the coach has some knowledge and wants to give back to the game, and the parents wants to spend more quality time with his/her daughter. Somewhere along the way, though, competitive natures come out and even for those with the best intentions it becomes a little less about spending time with your daughter and more about racking up the W's. That's when the trouble starts. Suddenly your daughter isn't your daughter anymore. She's the kid who threw a pitch down the middle on an 0-2 count with the winning run on second. Or she's the kid who dropped the easy fly ball, booted the grounder, or popped up with runners in scoring position. **End Summary** Topics: sofball parents]]> softball parent]]> softball parenting]]> softball parenting tips]]> softball parents]]> softball tips]]> sports parenting tips]]> youth sports pa]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Hitting - How to Quickly Increase Bat Control

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:32:42 -0500

The best hitters in the world (those with great batting averages) have extremely good bat control. They may not have the most power but they basically can do what they want with a bat. This is a common characteristics of elite hitters - they control their bat. Working on bat control is certainly not as "fun" or "cool" as working on power but it will definitely help you become a much better hitter. Working on bat control is about learning to control what you do with your body. The body controls the bat. If you control your body, you will control your bat. You have to increase your body awareness (what you do with it) and your overall hand-eye coordination. You know you've developped very good bat control when… - You can make quick adjustment to hit a ball thrown to any location. - You can hit the ball pretty much anywhere in the field almost at will. - You can control how hard you hit the ball. **End Summary** Topics: bat control]]> batting tips]]> softball hitting]]> softball hitting tips]]> softball tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Tips: Control Your Attitude

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:33:47 -0500

If you’ve read any of my former posts you probably realize by now that my writing is meant to encourage athletes, coaches and parents alike. I try to string together words that perhaps you have read before, in a way that makes them sound fresh. Recently one of my batting students made me realize how cliché some of our sayings can be at times and yet how critically vital they are to continue to repeat. One of the things as a coach and an instructor that I realized a long time ago is that anyone can look good when everything is going there way. But how you react when you are in the batter’s box and the umpire made that strike call even though the ball bounced is what really separates the average players from the great players. What I’ve found is that average players allow the “happenings” around them to determine their “happiness.” While the players with the ability to win long term, and throughout life, are able to maintain control of the 6” between their ears despite the circumstances around them going against them. That’s so profound right. **End Summary** Topics: attitude]]> batting]]> Hitting]]> playing softball]]> softball hitting]]> softball mental training]]> softball playing]]> softball tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Coaching - The Game Has a Way of Humbling Us

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:28:57 -0500

This past weekend was the first tournament for the 14U team I coach. We'd spent a lot of time drilling, preparing, running game-like simulations, studying our playbook and otherwise getting ready. I was absolutely convinced we were ready to come out gangbusters. Then came the first game of pool play. I swear it seemed like my well-drilled team had been replaced by look-alike aliens who had never seen a fastpitch softball game in their lives. We couldn't hit (despite working on it all winter), we threw to the wrong base or at the wrong time, we missed easy fielding chances, it was just a disaster. Definitely not what I was expecting. And that's what's so humbling about our game. I've had a pretty good run with players I instructed individually the last few months. I heard glowing reports about their performance, saw their names in the newspaper, was proud of them for their post-season awards. Then the day I go out to coach my own team I wind up feeling like the worst coach in the world. The only consolation is knowing I'm not alone in that. **End Summary** Topics: coaching softball]]> coaching softball tips]]> Hitting]]> losing]]> mental game]]> Psychology]]> Softball Coaching]]> Softball Coaching Tips]]> softball hitting]]> ]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Tips - Practice Makes Permanent

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:36:24 -0500

Many of you have probably heard the expression "Practice doesn't make perfect — it makes permanent." Yet how often have you really thought about that in the context of your own work? I know I see that in action all the time. Walking through a facility or along a field I will see teams diligently running drills or working on techniques that essentially have them practicing to lose. Even though they may have best of intentions. I see it with hitting a lot. I like hitting stations as much as the next coach, but they can do as much harm as good if they're not set up or supervised properly. Now, if you have older players whom you've worked with for awhile you can probably have them work the stations without someone being with them every minute. But for younger players it often doesn't work as well. I will see young players putting no effort into hitting off a tee because they think it's for babies. So they just sort of knock the ball off instead of working on elements of their swings. Soft toss is another one that can be problematic. **End Summary** Topics: coaching softball]]> coaching softball tips]]> Softball Coaching]]> Softball Coaching Tips]]> softball hitting]]> softball hitting tips]]> softball pitching]]> soft]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Tips - How Important is Fun?

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:40:35 -0500

The other day I heard a story that just made my skin crawl. The incident in question occurred during tryouts for a local team. The newly installed coach gathered the high school age girls together and announced, "If any of you are here for fun, you're in the wrong place." Forgive me, but at what point did playing softball cease to be about having fun? When did winning a softball game, tournament or even national championship become so all-fired important that fun is no longer a part of the equation? Every study that's ever been done about youth sports shows that the #1 reason kids sign up for a sport is to have fun. Those same studies also show that the number #1 reason they quit playing is because the game is no longer fun for them. There's nothing wrong with taking the game seriously and working hard to do your best. There's nothing wrong with drilling hard and practicing (or playing) all-out. Those are good things. But working hard and having don't have to be mutually exclusive. One of my favorite baseball movies is Mr. Baseball, starring Tom Selleck. **End Summary** Topics: softball]]> Softball Coaching]]> softball players]]> softball teams]]> softball tips]]> softball tryouts]]> youth softball]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Tip: How to Choose a Good Instructor

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:33:37 -0500

When looking for a good softball hitting, pitching, or fielding instructor, there's one message I want to share with you today: Beware of False Qualifications The other day I was hanging around a training facility where I don't normally teach. I was waiting for a co-worker from my day (real) job, who was bringing his son and daughter there for me to help them with their hitting. Since I arrived a little early and the place was sparsely populated, I dropped my stuff off by a bench and wandered over to a bulletin board area. Among the items they had were photos of their baseball and softball instructors with a little description of the background of each. As I looked at the softball instructor descriptions I saw an interesting phrase. It said the instructor I was looking at was "Hitting, pitching and fielding certified." Hmmmph, I thought. That's interesting. I wasn't aware that there was a national standards board with a test you could take to become "certified" in various skills. I know soccer has a coach's licensing system that goes worldwide. **End Summary** Topics: softball hitting]]> softball hitting practice]]> softball parents]]> softball training]]> softball training tips]]> sports parenting]]> sports parents]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Is This a Good or Bad Softball Drill?

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:59:39 -0500

This is a question I get asked all the time. A player or parent will tell me about a drill their daughter's high school, travel, rec league or other coach had the players do, and then ask if it's a good or bad drill. While there definitely are some bad drills, and some terrific drills, I find that most fall somewhere in between. Because the truth is it's not the drill itself most of the time; it's how you use it. Take this hitting drill for example. A coach kneels in front of a player and soft tosses small objects at her. Could be wiffle golf balls, or corn kernels, or kidney beans, or some other small object. Is that a good or bad drill? Depends. You see, if the hitter has good mechanics and uses them while executing it, it's a good hitting drill. It can be very helpful in developing hand/eye coordination. But if the hitter has poor mechanics, trying to hit small objects will probably just make them worse. **End Summary** Topics: Coaching]]> coaching softball]]> coaching youth softball]]> practice drills]]> Softball Coaching Tips]]> softball drills]]> softball hitting drills]]> softball pitc]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Is Your Lack of Fitness Hurting Your Game?

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:00:45 -0500

As you know, most people really want to be fit and certainly all softball players were to perform at their best on the softbal field. However, during the off-season, we often find ourselves not hitting the gym or working out as often as we should or wished. Most of the time, life just gets in the way. We have so much on your plate that we end up not having the time, being too tired, or lacking the motivation to go to the gym or workout consistently even with the best intentions in the world. Does that sounds familiar? So basically, the season starts and we are not physically at our peak where you should be and our suffers from it. We aren't as fast, as strong, or as powerful as we could be. **End Summary** Topics: bat speed]]> softball conditioning]]> softball hitting]]> softball pitching]]> softball training]]> softball weight training]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Training Tips - How iPods Can Help You Perform Better

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:43:01 -0500

Not long ago, I wrote about how cell phones (texting, talking, email, etc.) can be negatively impact a player's focus, social interaction within a group environment, and even lead to rudeness and direspect sometimes. Are Cell Phones Negatively Affecting You and your Team? Kids aren't only addicted to cell phones, they are also addicted to iPods and other MP3 players. They live with their music almost 24/7. Just about every player owns either an iPod or an MP3 player. That's the reality of this generation - portable, 24/7 music. My take on the the use of iPods and other MP3 players is a little different from my take on cell phones. Let's start with the obvious. I don't want my kids to be listening to their device (a) while I am talking, (b) during games, (c) during team activities designed to enhance social interaction and team-building, and (d) at practices during group exercises or drills that require a lot communication between athletes/coaches. However, I am totally in favor of it in some other circumstances. Let me tell you why. You see, softbal is a sport that requires a lot of focus. **End Summary** Topics: fastpitch softball]]> fastpitch tips]]> free softball tips]]> softball tips]]> softball training tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Three Games, Three Lessons

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:41:17 -0400

Today was our first official outing of the season. We went 1-2 for the day. There was a fair bit of nervousness, rust, and lack of cohesion on the field during the first two games. We certainly didn't play up to our potential in the first two games making several mental, baserunning, and defensive errors. But, you know what, that's alright with me and you will read why below. We did finish with a strong showing during our last game, had a decisive win against a pretty solid team and I saw more of what I consider to be my "real team". In the mean time, each game allowed me to remind the girls of important lessons on their path to excellence. Here are the three lessons of the day: Lesson #1 - Every loss, bad performance, or mistake is an opportunity to learn and get better. You have to analyse what you did, ask yourself how you can do things differently, and improve for next time. That's how elite athletes get better. They get a little better each day. You often learn a lot more by making mistakes and losing than you do when you win. **End Summary** Topics: coaching softball]]> coaching youth softball]]> fielding errors]]> mental game]]> warm-up]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Coaching Softball - What Makes A Championship Team?

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:09:10 -0400

When coaching softball, many coaches wonder "what makes a championship team?". What are the elements that describes a very successful team. I think with the recent conclusion of the Women's College World Series. It was relevant to address that topic. In 2008, Arizona State University has won it all. The Sun Devils are NCAA D1 champions. The ultimate goals of any college team. This is quite an accomplishment. So, that leads to a question: what makes championship team? Let's see what Jeff Jenssen, a well-team known expert in the area of team-building that done a lot of work with folks coaching softball, has to say about that. He starts by saying that: "Teams do not win on talent alone". I think we all agree with that. Talent gives you a greater chance of winning but doesn't guarantee anything. "Talent without teamwork = trouble". Again, I think it's a given. We could say softball is the most individual of team sports. However, an analysis of winning teams clearly shows that teamwork plays a key role in their success. "Success = talent + teamwork". As I coach, I couldn't agree more. What are the common characteristics of championship teams? **End Summary** Topics: coaching softball]]> coaching youth softball]]> Softball Coaching Tips]]> softball tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Tips: What to do When You are Injured

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:09:19 -0400

One of the more common remarks that you will hear from youth softball coaches is that coaching youth softball is the most both rewarding and at the same time most quite frustratingfrustrating areas of the sport. WAnd while some may say that statements like that arethink that’s an exaggeration, there’s certainly some truth to it. After all, you will not only have to deal with young players in on your team but also with their parents, which makes things a lot more challenging. You’re in the heat of the game. Your eyes are fixed intently on the pitcher and you wait for her to pitch the ball. Then she throws the pitch, you wait for the final moment before unleashing your bat. You crush the ball right at the sweet spot and you know that ball will be out of the field in no time. You run to the first base, then to second, and while on your way to the third base, you start to feel pain in your calf. You brave it out and continue on until you can no longer bear the pain. Almost at third base, you stop. **End Summary** Topics: alissa haber]]> attitude]]> batting]]> coaching]]> coaching girls so]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher, and be more dominant on the softball field. Visit us to get tons of great FREE softball tips tips to boost your game!

How Important is the Sacrifice Bunt?

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:24:21 -0400

I love teaching girls how to sacrifice bunt. I mean I LOVE it. Partly because of the importance in the game, but more importantly because sacrifice is such an important part of life. Which is why it absolutely breaks my heart that in this game I love I see so much incredible sacrifice from parents, and so little from the players. Performing a sacrifice bunt actually requires very little skill. The only true requirement is a simple desire to sacrifice ones self for another. The ability to bunt or not bunt, is a simple indicator of where the players heart is at. Because at the end of the day, at the end of the season, the most important things are not what can the team or coach do to help you. They are: “Where is your heart?” and “What are you willing to do to help the team?” Because those are the things that will carry you through the rest of your life. It’s called a “sacrifice bunt” because it is supposed to be a sacrifice. **End Summary** Topics: bunting]]> coaching softball]]> Hitting]]> hitting phiosophy]]> sacrifice]]> sacrifice bunt]]> Softball Coaching]]> softball offense]]> softball performance]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Confidence - You Can Build It or Destroy It

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:47:09 -0400

I have to say that my favorite compliment to receive as a coach isn't about how much better a kid hits, pitches, plays third base, etc. It's when a parent says, "You've given my daughter so much confidence." I know this is going to sound all sunshine and puppy dogs, but what better contribution could you make as a coach than to help a kid go from shy and uncertain to bold and capable? After all, even for top-level players careers are short; they're only going to need those skills for a little while, relatively speaking. But confidence in themselves is an attribute that spills over into their daily lives today and will serve them well throughout their lives. Yet there's a dark side to that compliment: why is it the player needs her confidence boosted in the first place? Lately I've been hearing it because someone else (read: some other coach) destroyed the player's confidence first. That's just sad. Yet it happens all the time. Why is it that some alleged adults feel it's okay to say anything they want to a kid, as long as the end result is winning a game or league or tournament? **End Summary** Topics: coaching girls softball]]> coaching softball]]> coaching tips]]> mental game]]> mental toughness]]> mental training]]> mental training tips]]> Psychology]]> Softball]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Pitching - Critical Information You Must Know

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:55:03 -0400

I just got my hands on a very interesting article that deals with overuse injures of softball pitchers. It was published in Training and Conditioning Magazine a few weeks ago. This is the official professional magazines of athletic trainers. These are the people that works with sports teams and take care of injured athletes. Colleagues of mine who works with the Montreal Canadiens NHL Ice Hockey Club gave me a copy of the article. The information presented is very important so I thought I would share with you the key messages contained in the article. Here are the key messages: - We assume that softball pitchers didn't have to worry about overuse injuries. That's not true. - Recent studies have shown that the forces produces by the windmill pitching motion is similar to the baseball pitching motion and does take a toll on a softball pitcher's arm. - Many studies conducted in the last few years have revealed that softball pitchers are subject to a high incidence of overuse injuries. - Two main causes of chronic injuries in softball pitchers: poor mechanics and overuse. **End Summary** Topics: softball conditioning]]> softball conditioning tips]]> softball]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

Softball Conditioning - Getting Stronger is Key to Getting Faster

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:35:36 -0400

Even though I consider myself very knowleable in the area of speed, agility and quickness (probably more than 98% of people in the softball world), I took my team to see a top speed and agility coach. The guy who own that facility is considered by many in the sports conditioning and fitness field to be one of the top, if not the top, speed and agility coach in the US. I am not talking about some guy who knows a lot about basic linear speed (or sprinting mechanics) which any track coach or strength coach can teach, I`m talking about a specialist of multi-directional quickness, change of direction, agility and reaction time. Anybody can make athletes run around cones but very few can REALLY teach HOW to move around the cones. Just like anybody can put a ball on a tee and tell their athletes to swing the ball, not everybody can teach how to hit the ball. This guy teaches HOW to move faster and more efficiently in every direction. It was a great session for me and my athletes. Even though I know a lot, I still learned quite a bit. **End Summary** Topics: softball conditioning]]> softball training]]> softball training tips]]> speed and agility]]> strength and conditioning]]> strength training tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills

How Do You Learn Softball Hitting Online?

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:05:22 -0400

Softball is a dynamic activity, and as such it would benefit you better if you actually learned it on the field. After all, that is where the action happens, so you might as well become familiar with the grounds where you’re playing before you even pick up the bat. But of course, you cannot be spending all of your time practicing on the field too since you have other things to deal with such as school and your life at home. So what do you do when you want to learn softball hitting, for example? The great thing is that you don’t necessarily have to go to the field anymore or consult with your softball coach all the time. That’s because you can learn softball hitting online. Here is how it works. First, visit your favorite search engine. Whether you use Google, Yahoo, or Bing doesn’t really matter. Just go to your search engine of choice and then type in keywords such as softball hitting tips or hitting tips softball, then press the submit button. Once you do, results will be displayed on the page. **End Summary** Topics: softball-hitting-tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To get more softball hitting tips and softball hitting videos , please visit www.softballhittingonline.com .

How Softball Hitting Videos Can Improve Your Game

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:05:21 -0400

If you are serious about playing softball, then chances are that you are constantly on the look out for tools, maybe hitting drills and techniques that will help take your game to the next level. That is why many top-level softball players hire personal coaches who will help them with the basics and the more specific aspects of the game. But for all the benefits and advantages of hiring a personal coach, not every one of us can afford to hire our own. The great thing is that there are already a number of alternatives available to any serious softball player today. One of these are softball videos. Now if you are looking to focus on a particular skill, then we would recommend you pick up softball hitting videos first. Sure, it may not be as good as having a personal coach, but there are a number of benefits in choosing a video format. Here are some of them: 1. Videos are more affordable. When you buy a video that teaches you hitting techniques, you only make a one-time investment on something that you can use for as long as you need it. **End Summary** Topics: softball-hitting-tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To get more softball hitting tips and softball hitting videos , please visit www.softballhittingonline.com .

How to Make the Most of Softball Videos

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:05:18 -0400

It used to be that when you wanted to learn a particular skill, say playing softball, you had to visit your local bookstore or video shop to look for relevant materials. And if you lived in a small town, you often were unable to find exactly what you need. All that changed now with the availability of videos online. The only trouble now today is that there are so many videos being uploaded that many of us don’t have the time to spend watching all these videos. The secret here is to know what you’re looking for and where to look for it. So here are some tips and techniques on where to find reliable sources of videos for softball such as hitting videos. 1. Google is your friend. It all begins with a search on your favorite search engine, be it Google or otherwise. Most of the time, the first few results that are displayed are the more reliable ones. So if you’re looking for something specific, such as softball hitting online, then chances are that you will find a wealth of information on the sites displayed on the top results. 2. Visit YouTube and other video sites. **End Summary** Topics: softball-hitting-tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To get more softball hitting tips and softball hitting videos , please visit www.softballhittingonline.com .

Softball Hitting Techniques Coaches will Never Tell You

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:05:15 -0400

There are as many softball hitting techniques today as there are softball coaches. But the truth is that most of them would tell you the same things about how to improve your softball hitting. Which isn’t a bad thing, of course, because every player needs information like those to help them improve their game and other softball techniques. And that’s the reason too why I’m not going to talk about the stuff that has been talked about by others already. Rather, I’m going to share with you some of the softball hitting techniques that coaches will never tell you. It’s not because they want to keep these information from you, but rather many of them aren’t aware of what I’m going to talk about. So let’s get started. If you’re ready, then read on. 1. You don’t have to be perfect to start playing. Softball players have gotten the wrong notion about the saying that practice makes perfect. That is why many of them don’t jump into becoming a player until they thing their game is perfect enough. **End Summary** Topics: softball-hitting-tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To get more softball hitting tips and softball hitting videos , please visit www.softballhittingonline.com .

Why Softball Hitting Drills are Important

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:05:13 -0400

Because you’re reading this, chances are that you are getting frustrated with your constant softball hitting drills with your coach because you can’t really see the point in doing those. After all, softball hitting looks really simple, you just swing the bat and pray that you hit the ball after. There’s no rocket science behind that, right? Yeah, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to be a good softball hitter, but learning the science behind it will surely help you when you’re competing on the field. So what really is the point of all these softball batting drills? Let us give you some of the reasons why they are important: 1. They transform you into a complete player. When you’re playing softball, you will get your chance to play as a defensive (when you’re pitching, at the bases or in the outfield) or as an offensive (when you’re at-bat) player. If you want to be a well-rounded player, you need to do well in both positions. And softball hitting drills prepare you for the offensive part of the game. **End Summary** Topics: softball-hitting-tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> To get more softball hitting tips and softball hitting videos , please visit www.softballhittingonline.com .

Never Be Afraid to Ask WHY

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:43:36 -0400

Softball-performance-tipsPerhaps one of the most interesting and fun things about coaching softball players who come to you after working with other coaches is hearing the crazy things they're told to do. I'm not talking about the standards — the often-repeated instructions such as get your back elbow up. I'm talking about some of the really odd things coaches have players do. A great example was the craze that had hitters slapping their backs with the bat. I'm not sure where that started, but there were a lot of females making that painful move not too long ago. Thankfully it's mostly gone by the wayside now. The thing that most fascinates me about it is it seems neither the players nor the parents ever ask the simple question "why?" As in why do you want me to slap my back? How does it help? Everything you do as a player (or say as a coach) should have a purpose. Sure, you don't want to be seen as being disrespectful, and if you're paying for lessons you want to be able to trust the person you're paying. **End Summary** Topics: coaching softball]]> softball performance]]> softball practice]]> softball tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills