You are here: DIME Home > Sports > Softball Coaching Fears - You Are Not Alone

Softball Coaching Fears - You Are Not Alone

Always remember why you're coaching. You're not coaching and making decisions for the people in the stands or critics on the outside that could care less about your team, or you for that matter. Your job as a softball coach is to help your players as much as you're possibly capable of.

Author: Marc Dagenais
Date: Feb 6, 2012 - 8:49:46 AM

Printer friendly page

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. After all, no one likes to be put down, especially when you are pouring your very heart and soul into something like many coaches do.

If you're reading this article, my guess is you are one of those coaches that really does care deeply about your responsibilities as a softball coach.   That's awesome, but it does make it tougher to "let the water roll off your back" so to speak. While it's pretty "human" to care, sometimes too much, about what others think, the problem really comes in to play when that fear of what others think or what others might say outweighs your desire to make the best decision you can FOR YOUR PLAYERS! When your worry or fear or anxiety over what people think becomes more of the center of your coaching life than doing what you believe is best for your team and your players, that's when you're really headed for trouble!   Don't let that happen.   Acknowledge it's human to sometimes feel hurt or upset by what's said outside your team, but also be aware of where your focus is as a coach.   Your focus, just like the focus of your team members, cannot be placed on issues outside the team if you want to succeed.

Always remember why you're coaching. You're not coaching and making decisions for the people in the stands or critics on the outside that could care less about your team, or you for that matter.   Your job as a softball coach is to help your players as much as you're possibly capable of.   Your genuine desire to truly help and serve the players you work with must always be the main force behind how you make decisions and choices as a softball coach. The minute you start putting what others think ahead of the best interests of your team, you're asking for trouble!   Not only does that bring more stress upon you, it also typically results in poorer coaching choices and effectiveness which, obviously makes achieving success even tougher for both you and your team.

If you're looking for a great way to…

Increase Your Coaching Effectiveness, Win More Games, Outcoach Your Opponents, And Develop High Performing Players….

Check out our Super Coaching Bundle, specifically designed to meet all your coaching needs. Get the insider secrets on:

* Identifying and selecting talented players for your team
* Quickly and effectively teach hitting, throwing, pitching, defensive skills, etc.
* Developing talent and helping your players reach their full potential
* Teaching the mental game and developing mental toughness
* Out-coaching your opponents strategically with game-winning tactics and strategies
* Designing highly effective and productive practices
* Dealing with difficult parents
* and more!

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

View all articles by Marc Dagenais

Link to this article:

Follow & Share Your Favorite Video Articles

Tell a Friend About This Site

Tweet about this site

Follow @dimeco

Recommended Associates

Do you write?

Would you like submit your articles and have them approved on a priority status? Find out more about how you can become a Priority author for pennies a day! Click here.