How to Produce Wins Before Your Team Walks Onto the Field Part I

Over my 30 years at Meramec, I have been asked by coaches to share the secret to winning over 1,000 games. We had very few scholarships (5 partials) so we really had to prepare all of our athletes in every aspect of the game. How we prepared them before the games even started was the key to our success. The way you practice really does equate to the way you play. Here are my "secret strategies" which simply focus on doing the little things, teaching the fundamentals, and having a philosophy that's fair and consistent.

Part I

Teach the Game:

Coaches, you have to teach the fundamentals. I hear so many players say that they were never taught the game, the skills or the strategies. Our job is to teach them the game. Even though we were a nationally ranked team for a long time, we started with the simple fundamentals and built on that. It is amazing the percentage of players who did not know the simple things.

For Example:

Look at the player's glove before anything else. The glove is their best friend or their worst enemy. Most gloves are broken in incorrectly thus part of the glove becomes wasted space, most gloves are too loose for the ball to stay in securely, most are too dirty for the ball to stay in and I could go on and on about the glove. The thumb finger and the little finger should meet in a glove correctly formed. The outside edges of each finger should match evenly. A ball should be kept in the palm of the glove not the webbing. Some like to keep two balls in the glove, which is fine, but the main one should be in the palm with the glove formed around it, the outside finger edges even and the glove tied to secure it when not in use. Check the lacing at the top of the fingers and tighten whenever they loosen during the season. Keep the gloves tight so the ball does not drop out or spin out.

Look at the way the player holds the glove and try this way. I always have the players shift their fingers down in the glove putting two fingers in the last slot (little finger and ring finger in the last slot), the middle finger in the second last slot and the index finger in the third to last slot. This leaves the slot closest to the webbing completely open. The first thing they will say is that "it feels weird" and I answer with "probably, but do it anyway". I tell them that it is not an option and to keep practicing with their hand in the glove that way. I also have them wear a batting glove on the glove hand. The reason I have them hold the glove that way is that it seems to give them better range and the glove snaps shut automatically when the ball goes in to it. Their hand will partially be out of the glove thus the batting glove helps the glove stay on the hand. This also virtually eliminates the stinger received from a ball caught at the base of the index finger. In a couple of weeks or shorter, they wouldn't wear the glove any other way.

Look at the player's toes when in their defensive stance. Are they pointing out, straight or in? Take the test yourself. Stand and point your toes out-your weight will shift back. Now point your toes in and your weight will shift forward. When your players are in their defensive position, do you want their weight forward or on their heels. Give your players the same test and they will see for themselves that they will be much quicker when their weight is forward on the balls of their feet. They also need to be taught to give a little movement/hop as the pitch is delivered or just before it reaches the plate.

Look at the players while there are at their defensive positions during a game. Do they give that little hop or are their feet firmly planted in the ground? If they are planted, they are dead motion. I have my corner infielders down with their hands open to the hitter and their gloves close to the ground. I hate to see corner players with the back of their gloves toward the hitters or even worse, their throwing hand on their glove as the pitch is being thrown. To me, they will be eating a ball for lunch someday. I have the middle infielders standing up with a slight flex in the knees but definitely standing not squatting. All of the infielders are giving a little hop or movement before the ball reaches the plate. The outfielders are also standing and I like to see even more movement with the feet to get the body in motion as soon as possible. They do not need to move in any direction at all but by keeping the feet moving in a small area, they are off with the crack of the bat. They do not lean in any one direction while doing this they stay balanced. All players have their toes turned slightly in to keep the weight forward. Look at the player's hands on the bat. So many young players are not taught to keep the bat out of the back of the hand. Keep the bat out of the deep "V" between the thumb and the index finger. In softball as the players get older and better, the rise ball will come into play. If the player has the bat deep in "V" of the hand, the back shoulder will drop automatically especially since most players squeeze the life out of the bat with the top hand. The top hand needs to be relaxed a little more and not back in the "V" of the hand. When the bat is in the "V" position, they are prime candidates to strike out on especially a rise ball or a high hard one.

Try these ideas with your players especially the younger ones, we need to teach good basics/fundamentals as soon as possible. They may tell you that "it feels awkward," "I can't do that," "my fingers won't fit in the same hole." I've heard most of the excuses but I just nicely say, "Do it anyway!" They all change to the new ways and like them after a couple of practices.

Good Luck!