In this baseball coaching video, we share valuable baseball and softball coaching signs and signals you can use with your team (we won’t tell your competition)!
Media
Meet and establish relationships with all of the local newspapers, radio and television stations. Prepare your post-game phone/fax lists based on media deadlines. Prepare your game report sheet, and find student writers to assist you during the season. Establish a post-game locker room policy. Organize a pre-season media luncheon, work shop and/or outing. Finalize game schedule and distribute it to all media outlets. Talk to newspapers and discuss deadlines, requirements, and procedures. Meet with the radio personalities, especially those who have daily sports shows. Negotiate radio play by play deal and select announcers. Have players fill out informational questionnaire. List potential feature ideas for television stations. Line up pre-season photo session. Check to make sure that press box is clean, operational, and stocked with supplies.
Marketing Your Team
Promote the team in the community! Establish ticket prices and outlets. Promote season ticket campaign. Involve the booster club in all areas of team promotion. Arrange for printing of pocket schedules and posters. Schedule a community clinic. Schedule doubleheaders with area colleges. Arrange for public appearances for you and your team throughout the community.
All players like to see their names and pictures on the internet, and there can be no easier way to improve your team’s image and confidence by developing a web page. It is easy and fun! Follow these steps:
1. Learn more about the internet if you know little about it.
2. Make some notes about home pages you have already seen.
3. Find someone to build a web page or learn how to do it yourself. Building a web page can be a great project for class at school, a team manager, or an injured player.
4. You can post results on your page to keep friends and family up to date.
5. Remember to include pictures, schedules, results, and team logos.
6. Be sure to use a “catchy” address if possible.
Creating an environment in which the players enjoy training and playing together is a coach’s first priority. If players enjoy the game, they will work harder, and take their own performance and progress, the team’s improvement, and the sport as a whole more seriously.
Cohesion seems to be one of those team factors that is continually talked about, but never quite defined. A general definition, according to Carron (1982) is the ability of a team to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its goals and objectives. Important factors in cohesion are the ability of the team to draw its members in (group integration), and each individual’s attraction to the team. With these factors developed, a team tends to unite into a greater force, concentrated on a common goal.
Consider these practical methods of developing the factors of cohesion within your team. Also explore ideas outside the playing field, in order to gain a deeper appreciation of your players off the court.
As the season comes to a climax, it’s important to step back and evaluate what the team has accomplished. Taking a fresh, unbiased look is difficult because you are so wrapped up in the team. Get feedback from assistant coaches, players, parents, and others close to the team. Digest what they feel about the team and the season, then channel it into thoughtful insights and constructive lessons.
In Part 1, we encouraged an end of the season conversation between each player and the coach. Besides thanking the players for their efforts and contributions, the coach could “interview” each player to uncover the player’s take on the season. This includes a self-evaluation - in what areas the player would like to improve, training ideas for the summer, hopes for the next season.
Chances are that by June the coach is as burned out from the season as the players. Before releasing the players for the open season (and suddenly freeing up a lot of time for yourself!), end the year on a positive and productive note. Let each player know that you appreciate the effort and performance that was given for you and the team.
Players must all feel like they deserve or earn the privilege of being on a team. Most often they must experience something terribly difficult or endure a common experience during the season. These experiences often build unity on the team.