"How Coaches Change The Game (From A Players Prospective)"

What is a Coach?

In my eyes, a coach is someone who builds awareness and empowers their players, allowing them to be the best version of themselves they can be. Coaches are someone who has a true passion for helping their players and wants to see their players succeed. Coaches are a vital part of all sports, and without them, athletics wouldn’t be what it is today. Why do coaches play such vital roles in sports? From a softball player's perspective, coaches are essential to the game. They are quite literally beside you on the field at first and third base, one of the only sports in the world where coaches share the field with their players. There are so many different kinds of coaches, some specialize in hitting, some specialize in pitching, and some lead the team as a whole.

Coaches not only help players perfect their craft, but they also provide guidance that some may need in life. They not only make you a better player but also a better person. I know from personal experience that finding the right coach is one of the most important things you can do. In previous years people have told me that I was too small, that I didn’t throw hard enough, that I was too weak to play certain positions, or that I just plain wasn't good enough. Past coaches didn’t understand the mental aspect of the game, they didn’t understand the future of their players, they were only concerned about winning, or only allowing their child to flourish.

My current club coach understands that softball isn’t just a game, he understands the mental aspect, he sees all of his player's potential. He knows what works for his team, he doesn’t try to do what other teams do just to look good, he does what is best for his team. The way a person coaches, and the way a player perceives it determines how a team runs. If a player doesn't like, or understand what a coach is telling them they are not going to follow them. Some may not want to hear this, but a coach can determine if a girl wants to continue playing. I know from personal experience that the wrong coach can completely tarnish a player's love for the game.

When you feel like you are constantly being berated by your coach, someone whom you are supposed to be able to trust and confide in, you lose hope. I have experienced this, which is why I feel it is so important to have a coach you trust. My pitching coach is one of the coaches that I trust the most and is one of my biggest influences. Whenever I'm down on myself or feeling defeated, I know I can talk to her. She can take something negative or confusing and translate it to make it more understandable to me.

My Experience/Perspective

Throughout my years of playing softball, I have been fortunate enough to have had the guidance of many talented coaches. Each one of them has played a significant role in shaping me into the player I am today, and for that, I am immensely grateful. From teaching me the fundamentals of the game to helping me develop advanced strategies and techniques, my coaches have given me a wealth of knowledge and experience that has helped me to grow both as an athlete and as a person.

I will always cherish the memories and lessons that I have learned from my coaches and carry them with me as I continue to pursue my passions both on and off the field. In past experiences, some games have gotten to a point where the coaches were so focused on winning, that malicious things were said to players, parents, or opposing teams. This hurts a softball player. It's damaging to a player's mental health and love for the game when someone they've looked up to and trusted behaves embarrassingly.

Over the years, I have experienced moments where coaches have made me feel disheartened due to their words or actions, even if they were not aware of it. At times, the words spoken by coaches can be misconstrued or poorly expressed, leading to unintended consequences. This is why, in my opinion, coaches should focus on the development and experiences of their players, rather than the team record.

Getting your players in the right spot so that they can flourish and succeed, whether that is getting recruited or getting an academic internship, is more important than winning. When I was younger, I was one of the smallest on the team. Although I was smaller and younger than most girls, I could still hang with them. But, the coach put other girls over me just because they were older, and they said some things that put me down and made me feel less confident, even if the coach didn’t mean for it to sound negative, it did. This obviously hurt me, but I found comfort and reassurance in my other coaches. One thing that a player can hear that seriously impacts the way they feel is “I believe in you,” or “I’m pushing you because I believe that you can do it.” A coach reassuring that they have confidence in their players goes a long way.

Coaches have also taught me things not only about softball but also about life. They've taught me how to keep cool in stressful situations, and also how to balance school and softball. Coaches have different coaching styles, and these styles will have varying reactions based on the player. That is why it is so important to find a coach that understands your goals and understands how you operate, not only on a physical level but also on a mental level. A coach works as a bridge to overcome impediments and sabotages to reach the goal, and allows players to reach their main goal in life.