Coaching Management 11.7

Coaching Management VOL. XI, NO. 7

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S O F T B A L L

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$5.00

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Better Breathing Goal Setting

CATCHER’S CALL Teaching the art of signal-calling

Circle No. 1

Coaching Management Softball Edition, 2004

CONTENTS

Vol. XI, No. 7

p. 2

LOCKER ROOM

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 New club tournament in California attracts 56 teams … Softball community hails Title IX announcement … Buffalo honors Nan Harvey … CSTV airs college softball … Preseason to shrink in Indiana … NCAA and NFHS rules changes.

Q&A

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Eleven years ago, Jane Worthington was asked to start a Division I team with a couple scholarships. Today, Eastern Kentucky is a perennial Ohio Valley Conference favorite.

Softball Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Hitting & Pitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Team Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Uniforms & Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 More New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

p. 25

COVER STORY

Catcher’s Call

Goal Climbing

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

Stop, Focus, Breathe

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31

Most batters take a deep breath before stepping to the plate. But are they breathing properly? How can proper breathing technique enhance their performance?

Catalog Showcase & Web Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Prepress Manager Adam Berenstain

Circulation Director Mark Shea

Associate Editor Guillermo Metz

Asst. Production Manager Kristi Kempf

Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

Art Director Pamela Crawford

Assistant Editors RJ Anderson Kenny Berkowitz David Hill Dennis Read Laura Smith

Production Assistants Jonni Campbell Hildi Gerhart

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

COVER PHOTO: NCAA PHOTOS/BRUCE KLUCKHOHN

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In the coaching profession, continual growth and achievement depends on setting goals. A veteran coach outlines steps for success.

Production Manager Kristin Ayers

Business Manager Pennie Small

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YOUR CAREER

Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel

IT Manager Mark Nye

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If your athlete behind the plate is more of a translator of signals than a leader on the field, it may be time to rethink your strategies. This article explains the why and how of teaching your catchers to call the day’s pitches.

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Art Assistant Dina Stander

p. 31

Administrative Assistants Sharon Barbell Daniela Reis Amy Walton

Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Sheryl Shaffer, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Business and Editorial Offices 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Mailing lists for Coaching Management Softball are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management softball edition is published in October by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2003 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved.

Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852.

Printed in the U.S.A.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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bulletin board New Club Tourney Has Strong Start College recruiters had a new opportunity to see softball players in action this summer, as 56 18U and 18U-Gold teams attended the inaugural Rush to Gold National Tournament July 23-27 in Irvine, Calif. The tournament was sponsored by the newly formed Elite Fastpitch Softball Association (EFSA), under the direction of Randy King, formerly a staff member at Southern California ASA. King says he organized the Rush to Gold nationals at the urging of West Coast coaches.

“When I resigned from the Southern California ASA, I started getting calls from coaches who said that they needed to cut down on the travel costs for their teams to

compete at nationals,” he says. “The bulk of the Gold teams in the country are in California, and they typically pay $35,000-$50,000 to travel to the ASA tournament. Instead of having them travel back East to compete at a national tournament, we decided to bring one to the West Coast.”

Rush to Gold organizers produced a $5 program for college scouts listing every player’s year in high school, SAT score, GPA, and whether or not they were signed to a college team, and made admission to games free for all parents. Another drawing point of the tournament was a round of pool play that had no effect on seedings during the subsequent double-elimination play.

“Every team was guaranteed three pool games, and it was

a chance for college coaches to see players who don’t usually get playing time in tournament situations,” says Tyrone Davis, whose O.C. Batbusters took home the Rush to Gold trophy this summer. “By contrast, when we go to the ASA nationals, there are only two pool games and they count toward the seedings in the double-elimination bracket.”

However, some coaches have questioned the need for another tournament, especially since most teams ended up attending both the ASA and EFSA tourneys. “With teams attending both national tournaments, I worry about burnout,” says Margie Wright, Head Coach at Fresno State University. “Watching players in these summer tournaments, it’s obvious that they are dead tired, and they’re not playing at their potential.

There is a limit to how many

times in a row you can compete at that intensity.”

Providing college recruiters with an additional summer scouting opportunity is also a mixed blessing, Wright says.

“We’re limited to a 50-day recruiting calendar, and we’re already inundated in the summer,” she says. “It is getting to the point where we will have to give up days of seeing players in the winter if we want to go to all these tournaments.”

Future plans for the Rush to Gold Tournament include drawing teams from other areas of the country. “We had teams from Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Georgia, and Washington this year, and I think that we’ll see more states represented next year,” King says. “I’d like to see this tournament get as big as ASA’s, and I think it can.”

Softball Community Hails Title IX Announcement The softball community breathed a collective sigh of relief this summer with the July 11 announcement that Title IX enforcement will remain essentially unchanged in the wake of an extensive review. Many feared the review had the potential to weaken the 1972 statute.

“I think the potential was there for a disaster,” says Jacquie Joseph, Head Coach at Michigan State University.

“Softball coaches around the country are happy—we’ve gotten a message that Title IX is here to stay.”

Last year, the 15-member Commission on Opportunity in Athletics set out to study Title IX enforcement and make any recommendations needed to improve it. The Commission’s creation caused outcry from Title IX proponents, prompting Secretary of Education Rod Paige to pro-

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mise to consider only recommendations that received unanimous approval from the panel. The Commission reached consensus on 15 recommendations, and remained deeply split on eight others.

Paige considered the unanimous recommendations, but in the end, announced that Title IX will be enforced with the same guidelines as in the past. The announcement did contain two suggestions on how institutions should comply with the law, however. It discouraged the elimination of men’s sports in order to pass the Title IX proportionality test, and it clarified that all three of Title IX’s tests can be used to achieve equality. That is, demonstrating increasing opportunities for women or showing that women’s athletic interests are being met will hold just as much weight as proportionality.

Highlighting ways of complying with Title IX other than proportionality should help silence critics of the law who claim increased opportunities for women are costing opportunities for men, Joseph believes. “Women in athletics are not unsympathetic when non-revenue men’s sports get cut,” she says, “but that is not a problem Title IX can solve, and Title IX was an unfair target. With this decision, the message back to individual institutions is, ‘Do not make the decision to cut men’s teams and then blame that decision on Title IX.’” Even with the number of softball teams steadily on the rise and a new decision upholding Title IX, there is no room for complacency, Joseph believes.

“The reason it’s so easy to embrace Title IX is because of the countless opportunities athletics give women, both on and off the field,” she says.

Prior to this summer’s ruling, Title IX was an “unfair target,” says Jacquie Joseph, Head Coach at Michigan State University.

“The best way we can continue to keep Title IX strong is to be ambassadors for the positives that athletics bring to women’s lives.”

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bulletin board

Buffalo Honors Nan Harvey The passage of Title IX marked the start of many athletic careers for females. One of those careers was honored when the University at Buffalo named its softball field for former Associate Athletic Director Nan Harvey, who passed away in September.

Harvey was 16 when the landmark legislation was passed, the same year she was asked to join the Buffalo Breskis (later called the Buffalo Sunbirds), an ASA Major Softball Fastpitch team, which consisted of mainly college-age and older players. To help players earn money during the season, they were taught to become umpires and given assignments that didn’t conflict with their game schedule.

From there, an important career was born.

In 1974, Harvey enrolled in the University at Buffalo, competing in volleyball and basketball, then went on to teach and coach locally before returning to UB as the school’s first softball coach in 1983.

She took on the role of Associate AD and Senior Woman Administrator in 1996, all the while remaining active in the Western New York softball scene as both a player and an umpire. She umpired the NCAA Division III National Championships and was inducted into the National Indicator Fraternity of the Amateur Softball Hall of Fame in 1996.

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What were some of the reasons you chose to pledge money towards the University at Buffalo athletic program?

I have had the tremendous good fortune to have the University at Buffalo be a part of my life on a daily basis for the past 29 years. My gift represents my eternal gratitude to the coaches and professors who taught me, the administrators who guided me, and the peers and the students who supported me.

My contribution is also to ensure that others who come after me may have the same wonderful experience that I have enjoyed at this outstanding institution. I hope that when people drive by Nan Harvey Field, they won’t think of Nan Harvey—rather they will think of the renaming of the field as a thank you to all of the individuals at UB who changed my life.

are ready to face any challenge you encounter. The same holds true in every aspect of life. If you really want to be an authority or an expert, you must do your homework.

conference, and NCAA levels.

What influenced your decision to step into your current administrative position at UB?

Sadly, in my opinion, Title IX needs to remain in existence forever. The absence of a law ensuring equality for women in athletics would result in reactionary results and opportunities for women would slowly decrease and disappear.

The absence of the law would require university and athletic

It is the best job in the world.

I have been put in a position to contribute to policy- and decision-making. I really view my job as one that enables the coaches to go out to the

How essential is it, in your opinion, for Title IX to remain in existence?

Nan Harvey, at right of stone monument, former Associate Athletic Director at the University at Buffalo and longtime softball player, coach, and umpire, is flanked

by UB coaches during the dedication of Nan Harvey Field this spring.

How do your experiences as an umpire help you in your current administrative position?

I believe that umpiring has played a significant role in helping me develop self-confidence. When taken seriously, officiating any sport requires a great deal of studying the rules of the game. When you have truly prepared to be sharp and ready to handle any situation, you know that you

court, field, or pool and do their job.

My duties include serving as the sport supervisor of 15 of the university’s 20 intercollegiate varsity sports as well as the supervisor for the strength and conditioning staff. In my role as the Senior Woman Administrator, I represent the highest-ranking female employed by the university working in athletics. My responsibility is to represent the interests of our female student-athletes and coaches at the campus,

administrators to do the morally right thing. I’m not willing to trust the moral judgment of big-time athletic administrators when it comes to finances and resources.

I believe it is equally important that the current female student-athletes are well educated on the history of Title IX, as well as the history of women’s sports. They will never fully appreciate the need to protect women’s opportunities without this knowledge.

PAUL HOKANSON

After battling ovarian cancer, Harvey died in September.

This past spring, she made a $200,000 bequest to UB’s athletic department, and the school renamed its softball field in her honor during a special ceremony on May 3.

Last April, Harvey spoke with UB’s Geoff Nason about her career. Below are excerpts from the interview.

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bulletin board Softball’s Stock Rising on Cable Networks This past season, NCAA Division I college softball was watched by more fans on national television than ever before. UCLA’s ninth-inning 1-0 victory May 26 over the University of California in the College World Series championship game drew a 1.57 cable rating, the highest ever for college softball on ESPN, according to the NCAA. The Series averaged 0.88 on ESPN and 0.60 on ESPN2, both the highest ratings ever since the Division I championship has been carried on national cable.

In addition, College Sports Television, the nation’s first all-college sports programming

service, began to cover softball this spring. The fledgling network, which provides content to cable and satellite television systems, carried several Division I match-ups in May. Among them were three contests pitting perennial power Arizona against Pac-10 foes, a Tulsa-Hawaii game, and the Conference USA championship game.

“We had a really strong softball schedule this past spring, considering we just launched in April,” says CSTV spokesperson Eric Handler.

There’s no way to say how widely viewed the CSTV games were, however. “To be honest with you, ratings are nonexistent,” says Handler, “because right now, we’re just on DirecTV, and we’re just in the infancy stages.”

More coverage will come next season, but Handler can’t say exactly how much. “We’re putting together the fall-sports package now,” he says. “We wouldn’t be attacking softball 2004 until the winter.”

Even with more softball games televised, women’s sports appear to be getting less coverage than in the past on daily sports-news programs. C.A. Tuggle, an associate professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of North Carolina, and doctoral student Terry Adams recorded and analyzed 30 days of ESPN SportsCenter programs in May and June 2002 and found proportionally fewer stories were aired about women’s sports than during a similar period in 1995. According to The NCAA News, the ratio of stories about men’s sports to

For more information on how you can get your games televised on CSTV, Eric Handler can be e-mailed at ehandler@cstv.com.

women’s sports was 25 to one in 1995 and 48 to one in 2002.

NCAA Adopts New ASA Bat Standards The ongoing debate about equipment standards will take another turn next season as 2004 ushers in a new set of NCAA rules governing bats and balls. Effective Jan. 1, the NCAA will use the new 2004 Amateur Softball Association (ASA) bat standards.

This is the first change in ASA standards since the 2000 standard was established.

ASA field and laboratory tests showed that some bats became more powerful as they were used in games and that some approved bats were exceeding performance standards, which led to the new standards, calling for a

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AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS (2)

Softball scores twice: The Honda Award, given to the woman collegiate athlete of the year in each NCAA division, honored two softball standouts this year.

UCLA shortstop Natasha Watley (left) helped lead the Bruins to the Division I national championship. Libby Hysell, a pitcher for Division III champion Central College, receives her award from Glada Munt, Director of Athletics at Southwestern University, above.

batted-ball speed of less than 98 miles per hour under the new testing protocol.

Bats will have to be listed on the ASA approved list to be used in NCAA games, although they will not be required to have an ASA seal.

The ASA will list approved and non-approved bats as soon as possible after bats are submitted for testing by the manufacturers. It is expected that most bats that met the 2000 standard will also meet the 2004 standard and that only the highest-performing bats will be affected.

“The ASA Equipment Standards Committee is working on the details of the transition

to the 2004 standard,” NCAA Softball Rules Secretary-Editor and Northern Illinois University Associate Athletic Director Dee Abrahamson told The NCAA News. “I would advise players, coaches, and institutions to delay purchasing bats until the testing is underway and some determinations about the highestend bats can be announced.”

The Rules Committee is also asking for $50,000 from the NCAA Championships/Competition Cabinet to conduct a study to verify the usefulness of the ASA standard, which is based on a men’s slow pitch bat swing speed of 85 miles per hour and pitch speed of 25 miles per hour. Calcu-

lations show that the swing speed has a greater impact on ball-exit speed than pitch speed, but the committee wants a field test to make sure the standards are applicable to women’s fast pitch softball.

The 2004 season also marks the full implementation of a new coefficient of resolution standard for balls. Balls with a COR of 0.50 are no longer legal and only balls with a COR of 0.47 may be used.

In other changes: ■ The 10th player, or DEFO, will now be referred to as the FLEX player, which better defines her role and is consis-

tent with the newly adopted high school terminology.

■ Coaches join players in not being allowed to intentionally remove any line marking from the field of play, including the batter’s box.

■ Physical contact by a base runner with a fielder attempting to field a foul ball will be ruled interference if the fielder had a reasonable chance to get to the ball. A foul ball will be charged to the batter and the offending runner will be called out. If the foul ball comes on a twostrike bunt attempt, both the batter and the offending runner will be called out.

For a full list of NCAA rules changes, go to www.ncaa.org/news/2003/20030804/awide/4016n09.html.

For more information on ASA bat certification, go to www.softball.org/about/certified_equipment.asp.

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bulletin board Indiana Shortens Preseason Despite protests from coaches around the state, the Indiana High School Athletic Association has voted unanimously to reduce preseason practice sessions in winter and spring sports. Starting with the 200405 school year, all winter and spring teams will begin tryouts and practice two weeks before their first permissible contest date.

For athletic directors, the change means less overlap between sports, reduced competition for playing facilities, and fewer demands on student-athletes, especially those playing multiple sports.

But for coaches, it means losing practice time with players and finding ways to fit five weeks’ worth of preparation into two weeks.

“Softball coaches aren’t very happy with the change,” says Pete Iussig, Co-Chair of the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association and Head Softball Coach at Lowell High School.

“It will make our jobs a lot tougher, because we’re going to have to squeeze the same amount of preparation into a shorter period of time.

In Indiana, preseason practice for high school softball teams will be shortened from five to two weeks, in order to reduce demands on facilities and student-athletes. Above, Center Grove battles Cathedral in a state semi-final matchup last season.

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DAILY JOURNAL PHOTO BY SPENCER MOORE

Under current rules, sports teams are allowed to practice for differing lengths of time, with softball given five weeks of preseason. With the new rules, all practices will begin on Mondays and teams will have between 12 and 16 days of practice before the first contest date, depending on

the day of the week the season starts.

“Some coaches spend anywhere from three days to two weeks trying to make cuts and figuring out who’s going to be on j.v. and varsity teams,” continues Iussig. “If you spend even a week on that, you’ve only got a week left to get ready for the season, which puts you in a bind.”

Blake Ress, Commissioner of the IHSAA, explains that the rule was put in place to make preseason training consistent among sports seasons. “In the fall, sports have had two weeks, and that seems to work fine. We don’t get a lot of complaints about that. But in the winter and the spring, depending on the sport, they may have two or three or even six weeks of preseason practice, and the athletic directors asked why. If we make preseason training con-

sistent for everybody, it will alleviate pressure on facilities shared by multiple teams.”

NFHS Adds Designated Player Rule High school scorekeepers may be looking for a raise next spring as the designated player rule comes to high school softball. The rule will provide coaches with extra flexibility in managing their lineups while also giving scorekeepers and umpires more changes to track.

Used in NCAA and ASA softball for many years, the change was adopted by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee during its annual meeting in July. It expands on the idea

of the designated hitter rule, which it replaces. When filling out the lineup card before the game, a coach can list one player in the lineup who will not take a defensive position at the beginning of the game.

This is the designated player.

If using the designated player, the coach must also list a 10th player, known as the FLEX player, who will play defense and have her spot in the batting order taken by the designated player.

The differences between the designated player rule and the designated hitter rule start once the game starts. The DH was not allowed to play defense without losing the role of DH, but the DP can play defense for any player, except the FLEX player listed in the 10th position of the lineup, without the replaced

player leaving the lineup.

Thus both the DP and the FLEX can be in the game on defense at the same time.

If the DP replaces the FLEX player on defense, the FLEX player is removed from the game, and the team will continue with a nine-player lineup.

The DP can be replaced later on defense (either by a substitute or through re-entry of the original FLEX player) and remain in the lineup as the DP, making 10 players active again.

The FLEX player is also allowed to bat, but only in place of the DP. The DP would then have to use her one re-entry, if available, to get back into the game. Both the starting DP and FLEX have the same re-entry rights as other starters.

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bulletin board The new rules allow coaches to use more players in a game for a couple of reasons. First, taking the DP out of the game does not eliminate it, as happened with the DH rule. After taking the DP out of the game

she could not enter the game on defense.

Five state high school associations—Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania—used the desig-

Herrenbruck also used the rule to allow players a few minutes to regroup if they had a bad inning in the field or at the plate by having the DP take over in the field. “It can give them a chance to

“There’s a lot there in terms of knowing if this girl can play in this spot and who can hit for who and trying to read through all the possibilities … We talked about it during the preseason rules meeting, and then we used it in our second game.” and playing with only nine players, coaches can reinsert someone as the DP and continue with a 10-player line up.

nated player last season on an experimental basis. Their positive feedback led to full implementation of the rule in 2004.

Second, the DP can play defense while serving as the DP. This allows a coach to put a player out on the field in the late stages of the game without giving up DP privileges.

Under the DH rule, once a player was named the DH,

“I was very happy with the rule,” says Jennie Herrenbruck, Head Softball Coach at Tecumseh High School in Lynnville, Ind. “With the number of girls I have on the team, it presented more opportunities to get more girls some playing time.”

step out of the game and refocus while someone else plays their position without having to use a substitute and their one re-entry,” she says.

“Then when you put them back in, they’re ready to play.”

Although the rule seemed a little confusing at first, Herrenbruck found that most coaches caught on after a few games. “There’s a lot there in

terms of knowing if this girl can play in this spot and who can hit for who and trying to read through all the possibilities,” she says. “We talked about it during the preseason rules meeting, and then we used it in our second game.”

The NFHS will also adopt the new ASA bat standards, which take effect Jan. 1, 2004. (See “NCAA Adopts New ASA Bat Standards” on page 8.) Any bats used in games will need to meet the 2004 ASA standard, but will not have to carry a 2004 certification sticker.

For a full list of the NFHS rules changes for 2004, go to www.nfhs. com/rules-softball.htm.

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Jane Worthington

As the only Head Coach the Eastern Kentucky University softball team has ever had, Jane Worthington has built the Colonels into a regular contender for the Ohio Valley Conference crown. EKU has reached the conference title game each of the past three seasons, including 2002 when it beat Tennessee Tech to win the program’s first league championship.

Worthington has posted a 305-280 record in her 11 years as head coach, including a 107-49 mark over the past three seasons. She was named the 2002 OVC Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 41-17 season and its first NCAA Division I tournament appearance.

Eastern Kentucky University

CM: What was the hardest part of building a program from scratch?

JW: The biggest challenge for me was the patience it took. I wanted to be great right away. But we started with just a couple of scholarships, so we did a lot of teaching and worked with good athletes who hadn’t developed yet. As time went on, we got a little more funding, which improved the types of players that we could recruit. In my opinion this job is more about recruiting than it is about coaching.

I don’t think that it’s changed things a whole lot. We’re still hitting the bigger tournaments where we’re going to see some of the top players in the country.

What is your basic recruiting philosophy?

I want players who want to come here. I seek talented players, as everybody does, but when we bring them in for a visit, we’re as honest and open as we can be because I want them to be happy when they get here. We don’t sugar-coat anything. If they’re our number-one recruit, I tell them that, and if they’re our number-five, then I tell them that.

How has recruiting changed since you’ve been a coach?

The biggest change is that there are more college teams. Therefore, the competition for getting players to come to your school is tougher. I think that a lot of the bigger schools also have more money than they have had in the past, and I don’t foresee that changing.

Do you talk with your current players about the recruits and how they fit in?

I do get feedback from them and listen to what they have to say. Sometimes I won’t even have to ask. If a recruit comes in and she’s more interested in the night life than what the softball program and classes are like, my players will tell me.

Has the new recruiting calendar changed the process much?

I’ve been coaching a while, so I’m not one of those coaches who has to go out every single weekend. There are always going to be some very good players who will be missed, but I don’t think that is affected by whether it’s a year-round process or if we get a month off like we do now.

How do you compete with them?

We play to our strength, which is that we have a great team work ethic and good people. And I try to be a player’s coach. We make sure that the kids have a great experience and win. When someone visits and sees that, it’s a huge statement in itself. Some kids don’t want the biggest and the most. Some are looking for a place where they will fit in, and those are the kinds of kids that we recruit.

Worthington came to Eastern Kentucky after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) University. She is a 1983 graduate of Utah State University, where she was a starting outfielder for the 1981 AIAW National Championship team. In this interview, Worthington talks about the difficulties in building a new program, the importance of recruiting, and why she enjoys working at camps during the summer.

Worthington says she’s a “firm believer that you have to coach to your personality. If I was out there screaming and yelling all the time, it wouldn’t work for me because that’s just not me.”

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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How do go about finding the right players?

By seeing as much as I can. I also ask my past players if they have seen anybody.

We picked up one high school player a few years ago who didn’t play summer ball, but I knew about her because a current player had played high school ball with her. Had this player played summer ball, the competition would have been much stiffer for me to get her.

We certainly don’t think we’re better than the top 20 teams that are out there. But can we compete with them, and on a given day, can we beat them? I think so. I think a lot of teams can. Can we lose to a team that isn’t traditionally as good as us?

Yes, we can do that too. But I think you get more satisfaction out of competing with a good team and losing than you do from beating somebody that you’re supposed to beat.

You play a tough schedule against top teams. How do you keep your team’s confidence up when you play those teams?

We try to get players who aren’t afraid of competition and aren’t afraid of the big-name schools. Our players actually look forward to those games. They want to see how they stack up. Then we come back, work on some things, and try again.

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. The best part is that we’re not intimidated by them.

How do you motivate your players?

I’m a firm believer that you have to coach to your personality. If I was out there screaming and yelling all the time, it wouldn’t work for me because that’s just not me. My philosophy is you ask players to do something, and nine times out of 10 they’re going to do it. If they don’t, you talk about it, and then they do it.

Last year we lost some of those games by a few runs, but I don’t think the team ever believed we couldn’t win those games.

Do you talk with other sport coaches at your school about coaching?

Absolutely. I have a great relationship with all of our coaches and our baseball coach especially. Even though the two games are very different, they are similar enough that we have a lot to talk about. And as

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coaches in general, we’re all going through the same things. If I end up in a situation I haven’t gone through before, there’s probably someone here who has.

For example, I used to take everything personally. I wanted every single one of our players to succeed and do the right things, and you know what? That’s not always going to happen. So I talked to the other coaches and found out how they got through it.

Why do you host so many camps and clinics at EKU? For a couple of reasons. First, I think it’s really good for our players to work with the younger players. I think they learn as much as the kids who come in. Second, it’s very good for the high school players and younger kids to come here and have a chance not only to learn techniques, but also to talk to our players and see what college is all about. It’s more than just teaching them the mechanics of softball.

It’s getting kids excited about the potential of being a college player one day.

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the past seven or eight years, and that’s pretty new compared to the rest of the country. So we want to share what we know and what we have with as many individuals as possible.

How do you help the players balance their studies with softball while on the road?

When I’m scheduling, I do my very best to make sure that they’re not missing the same classes over and over again. Or we’ll try to play a little later in the day at home so they can make it to as many classes as possible. We take laptops on the road so they can get their homework done. We try to stay at places where they can hook up to the Internet and e-mail homework back to their professors.

How do you develop leadership among your players?

You can elect captains, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to be the leaders on the team. The best-case scenario is when somebody steps up. Then you take those individuals and work with them and encourage them to become better leaders. But I think that they already have to be leaders to start with.

What kinds of things do you do to help those people become better leaders?

They’ll come in and say, “We have this situation. What do you think we need to do?” I’ll tell them my opinion or I’ll answer, “I don’t know. Why don’t you guys figure it out? Go to the team and get back to me.” If they’re willing to learn, I give them more to do.

wonderful job with the Women’s College World Series, and I think we can keep building on that. I think an appreciation for the game by more than just the purists is coming. More and more people than ever before are truly understanding the game of fastpitch.

I also think it’s important to figure out a way to get better coaches at all levels.

Not just college, but also in high schools and middle schools, where coaches don’t

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always stay for very long. It’s hard to get good coaches year in and year out when you have high turnover.

At the college level, I think that the gap between the top and bottom is closing.

When I first started here, there were teams we played that we could pretty much count on beating, and those kind of teams aren’t out there anymore. Now you really can’t overlook anyone. I would like to see that gap close even more.

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What do you do to continue to educate yourself about coaching?

I go to conventions and attend clinics.

We’re always looking for new ideas or even ideas that have been out there for a while and are coming back. I’ve heard that the coaching school the NFCA and Sharon Drysdale put on [National Fastpitch Coaches College] is very good and that’s something I’m going to do as well.

What changes would you like to see in softball?

I would like to see more exposure. It would be great to turn on the TV and see softball on all the time. I think they did a To see a previous Coaching Management article about the National Fastpitch Coaches College, go to our Web site at www.athleticsearch. com and type “NFCA Classes” in the search window.

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BY LAURA SMITH

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A Troubling Trend The trend toward coaches calling pitches starts before high school and fuels a cycle: The youngest catchers aren’t learning to call pitches, so by the time they get to high school, coaches feel they have no choice but to control that aspect of the game. When players reach college, the stakes are even higher and there’s less time to backtrack and teach a missed skill, so many coaches continue to call the shots. Then their catchers go on to become coaches who call pitches, and the trend perpetuates itself.

Many believe the trend is a side effect of the increasingly competitive nature of softball for very young players. “The focus at the lowest levels is on winning every game, not teaching the game,” says Georgia College and State University Head Coach Windy Thees, whose team placed second at the 2003 NCAA Division II Championships. “Catchers learning to call pitches are bound to make some mistakes along the way, so coach-

es call the pitches, hoping to produce a win. Catchers grow up not calling, and over time, we’ve created a generation of catchers who largely don’t know how to call pitches.”

UCLA Head Coach Sue Enquist agrees. “The catchers we see in college today never had the opportunity to learn to call pitches,” she says. “What they learned was to simply communicate a signal from the dugout.”

Teaching players to perform a skill without really understanding what they’re doing goes against the coach’s true mission of teaching the game, Thees believes. “If we’re not teaching the catcher how to select pitches—to look at the batter’s hands, see where she’s standing, how the ball is moving, what else is happening in the game— she’s not really doing the job she was meant to do,” she says. “She’s simply catching a ball and throwing it back.”

“We’re doing a real disservice to the catchers who aren’t being taught to call their games,” says Jay Miller, Head Coach at Mississippi State University.

“The game is for the players, and we should allow them to play the game.

That means making their own decisions about which pitches to throw, not constantly looking over their shoulder for a coach to tell them what to do.”

Along with philosophical and educational arguments for catchers calling games, there’s a pragmatic one: Many coaches simply believe that a properly prepared catcher can do a better job calling pitches than the coach. “The catcher is in the best position to call the pitches,” Thees says. “She has the best view of the batter, the pitcher, and all of the other variables that go into selecting the pitch.”

“It’s very difficult to call a game from the dugout,” Enquist agrees. “You can’t really see how much the pitch is moving, whether the pitcher is missing the spot

or the umpire is missing the call, whether the batter is bailing out. You’re relying on a line of vision from the side.”

Need another reason? In the long run, teaching your catcher to call pitches can help her career far more than winning a game today. “I can find a good pitcher to come and pitch for me.

I can find a good infielder,” Thees says.

“But the one position that stays on my recruiting board month after month is catcher. It’s difficult to find smart, young catchers who have been given the chance to learn to call games. So when a catcher like that gets here, she’s 20 steps ahead of the other catchers.”

Knowing The Pitcher When an experienced catcher calls a pitch, the number of factors she takes into account is almost mind-boggling: What are the pitcher’s best pitches?

What pitches are working well on this particular day? What pitches has she called for this batter before, and what were the outcomes? What weaknesses in the batter’s swing can be exploited? Is this umpire’s strike zone excluding her pitcher’s favorite low-and-inside pitch?

Who is on deck? Where are the runners? How strong is the infield? What is the count? The score? The inning?

All this information has to be processed in seconds and communicated to the pitcher. Even the best catchers can’t learn it all at once. “The most successful way to teach a catcher to call pitches is by introducing one factor at a time,” says Linda Wells, Head Coach at Arizona State University. “Let the catcher get comfortable with one factor, and then add the next.”

Most coaches agree the first factor the catcher needs to become very famil-

BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/NCAA PHOTOS

sk a casual observer how a softball pitch starts, and they will most likely point to the windup. Coaches and players, however, know that the play actually begins moments earlier, with a decision that combines experience, observation, and instinct: calling the pitch. But many people are asking whose experience, observation, and instinct should rule.

At all levels of play, a dwindling number of catchers are learning how to call pitches, as more decisions are made by coaches in dugouts. In the following, we’ll examine why some coaches believe it’s time to put the responsibility for calling pitches back into the catcher’s hands, and we’ll offer ways to break down this complicated skill one step at a time.

Laura Smith is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management.

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COVER STORY

Call

If your athlete behind the plate is more of a translator of signals than a leader on the field, it may be time to rethink your strategies. This article explains the why and how of teaching your catchers to call the day’s pitches.

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

iar with is the strengths and weaknesses of her pitchers. “Everything keys off what the pitcher has at her disposal to get a particular hitter out,” says Miller.

Time and communication are the best tools for developing that familiarity. “Our catchers catch our pitchers every day, five days a week, for the entire school year,” Thees says, “and there is no substitute for that time. As the season progresses, our catchers have caught our pitchers for so many hours that they know exactly what works and doesn’t work for each one.”

East Paulding (Ga.) High School Head Coach Audra Thomas, a four-time All-America catcher at Kennesaw State University, puts the catcher and the pitcher in the bullpen together every day.

“While they’re in there, I tell my catcher that she needs to be asking the pitcher a lot of questions,” Thomas says. “Such as: ‘What do you feel comfortable throwing?

What do you not like to throw? And in what situations?’ Afterwards, I sit down with both of them and talk about the pitcher’s strengths and weaknesses to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

At UCLA, Enquist takes the communication process a step further. Each pitcher is required to fill out a questionnaire that profiles her abilities and preferences. The questionnaire asks the pitcher to rate how comfortable she is with each pitch, and then asks a specific set of questions about her strongest pitch.

It also asks what she prefers to throw when ahead or behind in the count and breaks down her success throwing change-ups in various situations.

“Each pitcher completes the questionnaire with the pitching coach, because her perceptions may not match up with her actual success rate,” Enquist says. “Once the pitchers have their profiles on paper, the catchers study the questionnaires to learn as much as they can about each pitcher.”

Another strategy? Send the catcher to the pitchers’ pitching lessons. Watching the pitching coach in action can help a catcher understand the strengths and weaknesses of the various pitches she’ll be choosing from in a game, and can even help her learn to correct problems as they occur. “The pitcher is going to have a lot more confidence in her catcher calling pitches if she knows that catcher has learned the same things she has from her pitching coach,” Thomas says.

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If you have more than one pitcher and catcher on staff, it’s important to make sure each catcher knows each pitcher, even when certain pairs work together better than others. “As the catchers get to know the pitchers, you’ll find times when a catcher and a pitcher pair up really well,” Enquist says. “This is good, because you’re really striving to have a catcher who knows the pitcher inside out.

“But it’s also important to make sure they know the other pitchers in case there’s an injury and they can’t pair up with the pitcher they’re used to,” she continues. “Once we get a feel for who’s really connecting, we run a 2:1 ratio— we let the pairs stay together for two

catcher notice whether the batter is tall or short.” Next, Wells teaches the catcher to pay attention to the batter’s stance (open or closed) and hand position (high or low).

Observing the batter’s actual swing is the next step, with special attention on stride. “Sometimes the batter will stride differently than their stance,” Wells says.

“Maybe they start in an open stance, but they stride to a closed stance. A catcher who only knows to look at the stance will call an outside pitch, but one who also pays attention to the stride won’t get fooled—she’ll call them inside.”

The catcher can take advantage of the opposing team’s batting practice before a game to watch batters’ strides, and can

LET’S TALK DRILLS

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n important part of being able to call pitches is the ability to communicate effectively with the pitcher.

“The best catchers are the best communicators,” says Sue Enquist, Head Coach at UCLA. “So in addition to the other skills, we make sure we address that in practice.

“If the catcher isn’t a talker, she will have what we call a talking station in practice,” she continues. “She’ll spend her time at the station talking, yelling—doing whatever it takes to get her vocalizing. Once it becomes second nature in practice, it carries over to games.”

“A catcher needs to be very vocal,” agrees Susie Parra, a three-time national champion pitcher for the University of Arizona and former pitching coach at Cal State Fullerton.

“But a lot of times, younger catchers are shy and they don’t talk. We’ve used the sandwich drill to combat that. Each time the pitcher pitches, the catcher has to give her a positive, tell her how to fix something,

games, and then we put another catcher in for a game just to make sure that they know each other and we won’t miss a beat if there’s an injury.”

Sizing Up The Batter Once the catcher learns her pitcher’s arsenal, she can begin to learn to size up opposing batters. With so many variables to consider, the key is starting simply and then gradually adding on.

“Start easy,” Wells suggests. “Have the

and then give her some encouragement for the next pitch.

“So she might say, ‘Good, you hit the corner!’ That’s the positive,” Parra continues.

“Then she might say, ‘It was a little slow, so throw it a little harder.’ That’s the fix.

Then, she’ll say, ‘Here we go, bring it, kid!’ and that’s the encouragement that finishes the sandwich. If a catcher gets used to communicating that way with every pitch in practice, it will really make the communication during the game work better.”

On game day, Parra uses another drill to keep her catcher communicating. “I take her off to the side just before the game and I tell her she can’t stop talking for five solid minutes,” she says. “I don’t really even care what she’s saying—it can be something like, ‘Here we go now, let’s strike this batter out, let’s go, we can do this.’ The purpose is to bring her out of her shell, cut through her nerves, and get her talking. If she’s feeling frozen vocally, I know she’s feeling frozen physically and mentally too, so we have to get her past that.”

also keep an eye on the on-deck hitter while she takes practice swings.

Next, coach the catcher to pay attention to the timing of the batter’s swing.

“If the hitter is swinging early, she might want to slip in a change-up,” Wells says, “but not if she has really slow hands and she’s swinging behind the pitch. Knowing when not to call a change-up is very different from not knowing whether to call it or not. All of a sudden, the factors she knows to consider are adding up,

COVER STORY

and she’s begun using the kind of reasoning she’ll need to get really good at calling pitches.”

Helping catchers translate what they know as hitters can be another powerful learning tool. “If your catcher knows that when she’s in the box with a runner on second, she’s going to want to hit the ball to the right side of the field, it’s a short step to encouraging her to reverse that thinking when she’s calling pitches and call a pitch to be hit to the left side,” says Deb Hartwig, former Assistant Coach at San Diego State University and Cal-State Fullerton and author of a new video on teaching catchers to call pitches.

Teaching Tools A catcher who is new to calling pitches and gradually adding factors to her skill set probably won’t be ready to select pitches on her own during the team’s big games. Yet she still needs to hone her skills. “The best thing a coach can do is put the catcher through mock situations in practices so that the coach and catcher can slow down and talk about what’s happening,” Enquist says.

Thomas helps her players learn to recognize different hitting styles by stepping up to the plate herself. “Since I’m in control, I can do different things with my swing each time and see if the catcher picks up on them,” she says. “For example, I’ll take a swing and bail out with my front side to see if she calls an outside or inside pitch. I’ll let my hands get way ahead of the ball on a swing and see if she calls a change-up. Afterward, I always make sure to give her feedback about what I was thinking, and ask why she called what she did.”

Thees gets even more specific when helping her catcher size up batters they’ll actually be facing in games. “We pitch against fictitious lineups from our conference teams in practice,” she says.

“We have a hitter go up to the plate and say who they are, what team they’re from, and what they look like. The catcher has to call the pitches from that information.”

The next step is often actual scrimmages during practice. “Let the catcher call the pitches against her own teammates during a scrimmage,” advises Wells.

The key to making mock situations profitable is maintaining a running dialog with the catcher about what she called, why she called it, and what the

result was. “You have to participate with them,” Hartwig says. “You have to stop and say, ‘Why did you call that pitch?’ and let them respond without being afraid of giving the wrong answer.”

“At the high school level, sometimes it’s harder for players to slow down and analyze what’s happening, so I spend a lot of time coaching my catcher through that process using dialog,” Thomas says. “What did we do, and what happened as a result? When I start

getting really solid answers to my questions—when she tells me, ‘Coach, I saw her bail out, so I knew the next pitch you would call,’ or, ‘I remembered we got her with that pitch the last two times’—I know she’s getting close to being able to select pitches herself.”

Video can also be a useful resource.

“As long as you have access to a video camera, there are some really basic things you can do,” Enquist says. “Make a video of the major types of hitters and their

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swing patterns. Then roll the videotape and ask your catcher, ‘Okay, what pitch would you call for this batter?’ You can tell when they’re starting to get the hang of it, because they’ll tell you, ‘Coach, she swings so up on the ball, I’m going to call a rise ball and she’ll be swinging up on it all day long!’ The reward as a coach is seeing that light go on.”

Game Day Mock games and scrimmages are one thing, but the transition to having the catcher call pitches during a big game can be nerve-racking for both the catcher and the coach. One solution is to move the catcher through a progression where the coach starts out calling

we’ve got control of a game, I use that as an ideal opportunity to give her some experience calling.”

Enquist relies on sensing when her catcher and pitcher have settled into the rhythm of the game, regardless of the score. “Early in the season, I’ll select the pitches myself for the first inning or two of each game,” Enquist says. “Once I see that the team has established itself within that game and the pitcher is comfortable with having the catcher call the rest of the game, I turn them loose.”

Even after Enquist’s catcher is turned loose, though, she’s never completely on her own. “In the heat of a game, it’s important for the catcher to know that she can look to the coach for

OFFICIAL ADJUSTMENTS

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hile calling pitches requires a catcher to consider the actions of primarily two people (the pitcher and the batter), there’s another party she must factor into her deliberations, and that’s the person standing inches behind her. When she’s behind the plate, one important consideration for the catcher will be the strike zone of the umpire who’s calling the game.

“The catcher has to adjust for the umpire’s specific strike zone when she’s selecting pitches,” explains Linda Wells, Head Coach at Arizona State University. “If she’s planned her calls around the ‘book’ strike zone, and the umpire isn’t giving her that low strike, or the high, inside strike, she can’t continue to make those selections. If she’s willing to adjust, there are probably places within that zone that can work to her advantage.

The key is adjusting so that she’s calling as much as possible in the pitcher’s strike zone, given what the umpire is calling.”

the pitches during games, then proceeds to sharing the job before turning it completely over to the catcher.

“I almost always start the season calling the pitches myself,” Thees says, “but when the catchers come in, I always talk over the pitch selections with them and ask them if they know why I called what I did. That’s the first step.”

At Hillcrest (S.C.) High School, Assistant Coach Larry Wooten relies on the score to let him know if it’s time for his novice catcher to call the pitches. “I always start out calling,” he says, “but if 22

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The catcher may have to do some detective work to determine what pitches are going to work based on the umpire’s strike zone. “It’s perfectly acceptable to coach your catcher to turn to the umpire and say, ‘Is my pitcher missing on the vertical or horizontal line?’” says Sue Enquist, Head Coach at UCLA. “Once she knows that, she can adjust her calls accordingly.”

Catchers need to be taught the fine art of addressing the umpire, however. “The first thing I tell my catcher is, never, ever turn around and say, ‘Hey, what was wrong with that?’” says Audra Thomas, East Paulding (Ga.) High School Head Coach. “Most umpires like teaching and they’ll respond positively as long as the catcher asks questions in a respectful, professional way. Then, once the catcher understands the umpire’s strike zone, she can make sure to select a pitch that’s going to be called a strike that day.”

assistance,” she says. “I always tell our players, ‘We are your safety net in the dugout, so if you feel a panic coming on or you’re stuck between two pitches, just give a sign, and we’ll be here to give you a signal.’”

“During a game, a catcher may need reassurance,” Hartwig agrees. “You can create signals that allow you to communicate. If the catcher looks to the coach and puts her hand on her knee, that can mean, ‘Do you think a change-up is good here?’ If you maintain an open, teaching relationship, it won’t be

threatening or belittling for her to ask for help.”

Even with the most experienced catchers who start and finish calling most games on their own, there are selected times when the coach will want to choose the pitch. “Sometimes, if there is a lack of communication going on between the pitcher and the catcher, or because we have a very strong opinion on what to call because of information we have on the charts in front of us, the call will come from the dugout,” Enquist says. “But you need to prepare your catcher for that possibility. So as a coach, you have to tell your catchers in advance that there may be times when you’re going to take it out of their hands temporarily. As long as they’re aware that it may happen, your catcher won’t skip a beat. But she may panic if you pull something that you haven’t prepared her for.”

Just as with the mock situations, every game is a golden opportunity to learn, from both good decisions and bad. “My catchers keep a hitters journal to help them review games,” Thomas says. “They record what hitters they saw, what they pitched them, and what pitches were and weren’t hit. It’s a great way to help them start thinking about what factors went into their pitch selections and whether they got the result they wanted.”

Mistakes Welcome To build the confidence she needs to call pitches, the catcher needs to know that her coach is backing her up.

A big part of that is allowing her to make mistakes along the way.

“As a coach, sometimes you feel like every eye is on you and you’re supposed to know it all,” says Thomas. “We’re afraid to let the catcher call the pitch, because what if she calls the wrong pitch, it gets hit over the fence, and it costs us the game? But you and she both have to realize that if someone hits the ball, it’s not the end of the world. Good hitters are going to hit the ball sometimes, no matter where you put it. A good coach develops the ability to set his or her own ego aside and let the catcher make the mistakes that are going to help her learn.”

“I often remind myself and my catcher that calling pitches is really a guessing game,” Thees says. “Even if I call the pitch, it could get hit for a home run,

COVER STORY

and I’ve called many pitches in my day that have. You have to coach your catcher that if she guesses wrong, she just needs to say to herself, ‘I didn’t think that batter could hit a change-up; now I know.’ And you and she both have to

so when those mistakes happen, she doesn’t get derailed.� The program takes 10 weeks, and players work on it both during practices and on their own. “The first thing we ask our catchers to do is put into writing what they think

“My catchers keep a hitters journal to help them review games ... They record what hitters they saw, what they pitched them, and what pitches were and weren’t hit. It’s a great way to help them start thinking about what factors went into their pitch selections and whether they got the result they wanted.� move on from there and get ready for the next pitch.�

At UCLA, Enquist doesn’t just expect mistakes, she plans for them. “We go through a complete, step-bystep mental-confidence training program,� she says. “Calling pitches is a lot of responsibility, and the game will kick your catcher in the stomach if you let it.

Our program develops her confidence

their character strengths are,� Enquist says. “Then they go on to articulate the strengths they see in their pitchers. “The next thing we ask them to do is describe how they manage failure and fear,� she continues. “This is usually where the breakdown occurs. They don’t have a plan for managing failure and fear, because they haven’t accepted that it’s unavoidable.� After the catcher

fills out the questionnaire, she and Enquist go over it together.

Next, Enquist takes her players through what she calls green lights, yellow lights, and red lights. “This is all about helping them learn to identify their own internal state during a game,� she says. “Green lights is when everything is working and you’re in the flow of the game. Then let’s say the catcher calls a change-up, and the batter ropes it. Now maybe she’s entering yellow lights—she’s starting to question herself and lose her confidence.�

Enquist’s catchers learn what she calls a “failure routineâ€? to deal with such moments. “We teach them to ask themselves, ‘Okay, where am I? I’m in yellow lights, so here’s what I need to do. I need to tell myself that I’m only in control of maintaining my mechanics and my rhythm—I am not in control of the result.’ We practice for failure, so that by the time it happens in a game, it’s nothing new to them. They’ve been there before, and they know exactly what to do.â€? â–

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Circle No. 19 COACHIING MANAGEMENT

23

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First-Class Fuels

By JULIE BURNS, M.S., R.D. Founder of SportFuel, Inc. and sports nutrition consultant for the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls and Northwestern University athletes

The hours athletes spend in practices, training and competing place large demands on the physical conditioning of players. The peak energy level and power needed to compete in any sport can be maximized with a balanced diet focused on whole-grain carbohydrates, high-quality protein and healthy fats.

To fuel power workouts, enhance stamina, energy, strength and quickness, athletes need to eat and drink the proper foods. Use these recommendations to assist the athlete in reaching their goals:

Eat adequate dietary carbohydrates daily to fuel training and competition Many athletes need help identifying foods that contain carbohydrates. They may know that pasta is a good source of carbohydrates, but they are not aware that fruits, vegetables, dried peas and beans, whole-grain cereals, breads and potatoes also contain carbohydrates.

✓ Athletes should incorporate a variety of natural fats into

their daily diet, such as nuts, nut butters, oils and seeds, cold water fish, olives and avocados. Large amounts of saturated fat (from animal products, such as dairy and meat), and “trans” fats (from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in many packaged products) should be avoided.

INSTEAD OF THIS…

TRY THIS...

Donut or sweet roll

Whole-grain bagel with nut butter

Chips and dip for a snack

Albacore tuna on whole wheat bread

Sugar cereal with 2% milk and a fruit bar

Whole-grain cereal with non-fat milk or soy milk, handful of nuts, and a piece of fresh fruit

Hamburger on a white bun

Salmon, turkey or veggie burger on a whole-grain roll with lettuce and tomato

Choose high-quality protein

Cake or cookies

✓ While protein is not a primary fuel for working muscles,

Fresh fruit dipped in natural peanut butter

Sausage or pepperoni pizza

Vegetable pizza and garden salad

Choose mostly whole-grain carbs, when possible Some athletes rely heavily on highly processed foods with refined ingredients rather than whole-grains. Whole-grain bagels, breads, muffins and cereals contain more nutrients and less unhealthy fats than highly processed products.

it is a component of muscles, organs, enzymes, and oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. High-quality protein foods contain all the essential amino acids needed to build and repair body tissues.

✓ Athletes should consume a wide variety of high-quality protein foods, such as chicken, turkey, beef, pork, soybeans, milk, eggs, legumes (beans) and nuts.

✓ Fat is needed in the diet. Aside from being a

concentrated source of dietary energy, fats form essential tissue-building blocks and hormone-regulating substances.

Nutrition practices can have a significant impact on the overall development of a first-class athlete. The proper fuel can help athletes reach their potential.

YOUR CAREER

C

GOAL CLIMBING

BY LEM ELWAY

ROB BARBER

In the coaching profession, continual growth and achievement depends on setting goals. A veteran coach outlines steps for success.

oaching can be an immensely satisfying profession, particularly in today’s world. With more extracurricular options for students, increased academic demands, and a greater need to channel energy in a positive direction, the importance of coaches in shaping young people increases with each passing year.

But coaching, like a lot of things, is an activity of love and, over time, the luster that drew us to it can wear off. Coaching is like a marriage: It can be the most beautiful experience in the world, or it can sour and create a lot of heartache and hurt.

Like a marriage, coaching requires continual hard work and the desire to improve while maintaining flexibility and adaptability.

This is especially true when things beyond our control build to create a negative situation and force us to ask ourselves why we do it. How do we maintain the enthusiasm and motivation to keep coaching?

No matter how long you’ve been coaching, the best way to maintain your motivation is to have goals. Enjoying coaching—and being a good coach— requires constant efforts to improve.

This means making a serious, critical, and introspective analysis of your objec-

Lem Elway is the former Head Baseball Coach at Anacortes (Wash.) High School and a member of the Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame. He has coached and taught at the middle and high school levels for over 25 years, and is currently at Rochester (Wash.) Middle School.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

25

YOUR CAREER

tives. What areas need improvement, and what is your plan of action to strengthen those areas? You must decide where you’re going, where you want to be, and how you are going to get there.

The Big Picture At the center of this self-inventory process are your goals. Goals are like the rudder on a boat in that they keep you moving in the right direction. Even if your athletic director does not require you to submit yearly goals, you should develop some yourself.

It is imperative that the goals are written down on paper, expressed in positive terms, and defined in measurable ways. They can involve your professional or personal goals as a coach, or a combination of both. For example, does your coaching style need to be adjusted? Does your approach to selecting a roster need to be revised?

It’s also imperative to evaluate whether you are reaching your goals.

For some coaches, this means asking a mentor or administrator to sit down at specified dates to review the goals.

Others do this by themselves, sometimes simply by closing the door to their office and taking the afternoon to reflect.

To start the evaluation process, ask yourself the following four basic questions: Why do I coach?

To keep ourselves motivated, we need to keep reminding ourselves why we are in coaching. The answer to “why do I coach?” will be a very personal one, of course, but it’s important to know what parts of the job satisfy us. Some possible reasons include: ■ Giving back to the game that gave you so much.

■ There are not too many experiences in life where you can spend time with so many people focused on a common goal.

■ Camaraderie with people you might not otherwise get to know.

■ The emotions of competition.

■ Getting to know kids out of class and watching them grow and mature.

■ Being able to make a difference in people’s lives—seeing your players turn into productive members of society when they leave.

■ Building a successful program through hard work.

How do I define success?

Success is a relative term depending 26

COACHING MANAGEMENT

on your situation and expectations. It will mean different things to different people.

For some, success can mean taking a group of diverse students and teaching them how to be a team. For others, it’s winning the league championship every year.

For most coaches, though, success is a blend of teaching the lessons of sport and winning on the field. The key is figuring out what is most important to you. One way to think about this is to ask yourself, “When I’m gone from the game, how do I want to be remembered?”

What is my coaching philosophy?

It may seem easy at initial glance, but one of the hardest things to first establish and then revise on a regular basis is your coaching philosophy. The depth of your philosophical search can go as far as you want. But it must take you beyond coaching “in the moment” and identify those long-range benefits you expect your players to take with them into the world.

Start by looking at how you answered the first two questions. Your philosophy needs to be personal to you, and it must be an honest and true reflection of why you coach and how you define success.

As an example, my philosophy goes something like this: I want to be able to take our players where they would not be able to take themselves. At the same time, I want to teach them how to develop successful attitudes, build team chemistry, establish character values, deal with adversity, and set goals.

Your philosophy can, and probably should, change as you grow and change—I know mine certainly has. As I have become more experienced, my phi-

losophy has leaned more toward teaching long-term lessons. I still love to win (and hate to lose!), but I’ve found that bigger lessons and values need to be paramount as you journey to the end goal.

What is my commitment?

From the outside, coaching looks like an easy thing to do. And for those who don’t do a very good job, that may be correct. But the commitment to doing this job the right way can be overwhelming at times. It’s a commitment of time, energy, and emotion. In addition, the continual development in the areas of coaching techniques and knowledge of the game is endless.

In a lot of cases, coaching the “game”—teaching the sport and managing a team during competition—is the most refreshing part of the job. The peripheral issues such as logistics and players’ personal issues are time-consuming, but these aspects of coaching will help define your success and can’t be thought of as asides. When you evaluate yourself and your future, it’s critical to think about your commitment to the energy and time it takes to cover all the bases of coaching.

After answering these four questions, take some time to determine if your answers mesh with where you are now and where you are progressing in your career. For example, if you define success differently than the student-athletes on your team, you may be heading down the wrong road. At the high school level, most boys and girls say the reasons they go out for sports are: 1) for fun; 2) to improve skills; and 3) to stay in shape. Is that something you can accept and incorporate into your objec-

WHY SET GOALS? All successful coaches need to evaluate themselves and their programs, but sometimes that isn’t easy to do. Remember these positives if goalsetting seems overwhelming: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■

When goals are achieved, they give us personal satisfaction.

They give direction and purpose and help us grow.

They help us win at things we can control.

Goals give us the courage to try new things.

They allow us a mechanism to be open to criticism and help us see our short-comings.

They help us realize it is okay to fail because we can learn from the experience.

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YOUR CAREER

tives? If you’re working at a college or university, do your ideas about athletics mesh with the institution’s objectives for its sports programs?

Another example: does your time commitment match the expectations of the athletes and parents? If you don’t have time to chat with one of your athletes’ parents on the phone in the evening, maybe you shouldn’t be a head coach. Maybe it’s best to be an assistant coach until you have more time. Or maybe coaching at a school with lesser expectations is the right choice.

The Smaller Picture If you find that, overall, you are heading in the right direction—you can define your big-picture goals and they fit your current situation—the next step is to think about evaluating yourself more specifically. What are the small things you need to work on? Here are some areas to think about: Organizational Skills: This critical area leads to success or failure and requires maximum effort. The key to organizational success is planning and scheduling. All possible tasks involved with the program must be written down and put into a timeline.

In- and out-of-season activities associated with the program must be planned and those plans must be communicated to all involved. This includes practices being organized for skill development and a schedule that allows players’ improvement to occur in a logical, positive direction.

The little things—bus schedules, academic concerns, equipment ordering— must also receive the necessary attention. You will develop trust and a following much more quickly if your athletes, their parents, and school administrators have the perception that all the details are being taken care of.

Instructional Skills: This is a multifaceted task that requires learning the complexities of the game you coach, keeping abreast of new ideas within the game, taking a look at new and different teaching techniques, and perfecting your motivational skills. You need to continually analyze whether your athletes are learning the skills of the game in the most effective and efficient way possible.

Leadership: In general, being a leader means having self confidence, lofty yet attainable goals, good habits, 28

COACHING MANAGEMENT

and a positive outlook. It also requires making decisions that are best for everyone rather than just a few. More thoughts on being a good leader: ■ Do whatever it takes to do things right.

■ Always strive to improve.

■ You need to give respect to get respect.

■ Stress the positive and eliminate the negative.

■ Be optimistic.

■ Understand the feelings of others.

■ Have emotional control in all situations.

Being a leader also means being open to a changing culture. You need to realize that players come to your program with different attitudes, goals, and objectives than they did five or 10 years ago. The ability to listen, to be understanding and caring, and to change with the times is imperative when dealing with the young people of today.

I believe that rules must be made and expectations spelled out, but each situation that arises with a student-athlete needs to be resolved on its own facts.

One point to remember: Being compassionate doesn’t mean lowering your expectations of players. It means the lines of communication are open and you are approachable.

Gametime Skills: As simple as it sounds, the key to success in competition is planning. In sports, if anything good is going to happen, preparation must come first. It’s amazing how “lucky” a team is when it is prepared.

A good coach will focus on skill and mental development during practices, then at gametime will let the athletes perform. This involves making sure your team isn’t surprised by anything the other team might do, which will allow your athletes to play relaxed and to the best of their ability.

And you should prepare yourself for the game in the same way. In your mind, put each player in every possible game situation and anticipate what you are going to do—then you are mentally ready to make the best decision because you’ve anticipated that situation. Your ability to make these quick decisions will be the difference in the outcome of big games.

The most important role of the coach on game day, though, is to be the leader. The coach reflects the team’s state of mind and must remain under

control in both negative and positive conditions.

A Role Model: Every day you must make difficult decisions. Many of these decisions can affect everyone on your team for years to come, so they need to be made with the utmost professionalism and deliberation. Players might not figure out the importance of these decisions until five or six years later, but that doesn’t mean you should stop teaching the lessons.

Communication Skills: Have you ever thought about why we were given two ears and only one mouth? We need to use the ears more than the mouth. As a coach, the ability to know when to talk and when to listen can be critical. It isn’t always easy to be a good listener, but it’s a skill that needs to be developed. Some valuable lessons to become an effective listener: ■ Give eye contact to the person who is talking.

■ Don’t interrupt.

■ Don’t change the subject.

■ Ask questions.

■ Be responsive verbally and nonverbally.

People Skills: From public relations to communication with parents to fundraising activities, more and more of coaching involves interacting with people other than players. People skills can be a very big asset when trying to incorporate many different opportunities into your program.

Having these skills is an important part of being seen as a leader. Thus, it is important to understand people, possess program creativity, stand firm on tough decisions, and realize you need to continue to change and improve.

Getting There After thinking about your organizational, instructional, leadership, gametime, communication, and people skills, you’ll need to formulate goals and develop a plan for achieving them. To start the process, sometimes it helps to get feedback from others involved in the program. Ideally, your athletic director will be giving you an annual review, but you can go further. Some coaches ask their assistant or j.v. coaches and senior athletes to fill out a questionnaire about the head coach’s performance.

To formulate goals, have a game plan. Be aggressive in your thinking and never strive to stay the same, but don’t

YOUR CAREER

C O M M U N I C AT I O N B A S I C S Among all our duties as coaches, our communication skills are often the most important. The following is my checklist for communicating well as a coach: ■

Form a partnership with the athletic director.

■

Set up lines of communication with parents throughout the year.

■

Show compassion, patience, and understanding with players.

■

Provide leadership and motivation for players.

■

Teach decision-making skills and the value of athletics.

try to take on too much at once. Just as you wouldn’t ask a team to master a new bunt defense in one day of practice, don’t try to perfect all your people skills in one season.

It often works well to have long-term goals and short-term goals. For example, you may want to develop better

■

Develop lines of communication between teams at your school and solicit other coaches’ input.

■

Be cooperative with other schools and their coaches.

■

Cooperate with groups related to athletic programs.

■

Be receptive to suggestions.

■

Exhibit enthusiasm about coaching.

communication skills with parents.

Because this is a leadership goal, it cannot happen overnight. Changing one’s style is a slower process than changing an organizational skill.

You might want to break down that long-term goal into smaller targets, such as:

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■ Revamping your preseason parents’ meeting to make it more effective.

■ Working harder on being a patient listener to parents.

■ Taking the time to send an e-mail to all parents about the team once a week.

Other ways to achieve your goals include learning about coaching and teaching techniques, becoming more knowledgeable about your sport, and developing yourself personally to be more effective during practice and games. It also helps to research what other successful people have done.

Developing coaching goals is not a simple or easy process, but I believe it is critical to staying motivated and giving our students the best experience possible.

Before the next season starts, take the time to think about how you define longterm success and analyze what you need to do to get there. Coaching is a time-consuming endeavor, but its rewards are matched by few other professions. ■

Similar versions of this article have appeared in other editions of Coaching Management.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

STOP, FOCUS, BREATHE

S

Most batters take a deep breath before stepping to the plate.

But are they breathing properly? How can proper breathing technique enhance their performance?

BY JIM CATALANO

JAMIE SABAU

OFTBALL IS A GAME THAT DEPENDS ON FOCUS. Whether it’s a batter coming to the plate in a clutch situation or a pitcher trying to work her way out of a jam while protecting a one-run lead, the ability to concentrate on the task at hand is key to a positive outcome. And one important factor in maintaining that focus is breathing properly.

“When you’re breathing deeply, you are focused—it’s a physiological fact,” says Dr. Jeffrey Migdow, holistic medicine practitioner at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in Lenox, Mass.

Breathing techniques can also help pressured athletes remain focused by enabling them to create a psychological refuge. “Athletes need to be able to go from a pressure-filled situation to a quiet place and breathe,” says Alan Jaeger, founder of Jaeger Sports Academy in

Woodland Hills, Calif., and author of Getting Focused, Staying Focused.

“For example, a softball pitcher can benefit from taking a deep breath after each pitch, which cleans the slate, relaxes the body and mind, and puts her into a focused state,” continues Jaeger. “For a hitter, breathing before getting into the box allows her to release the pressure, ignore the distractions around her, and tune into the constant of her breath. It reminds her to focus on hitting the ball

hard instead of all the consequences created by distracted thoughts.”

Optimal Oxygenation You’d think that proper breathing techniques would come naturally to everyone. After all, breathing is something that we do as soon as we are born.

Yet, in many cases, even top athletes do not breathe efficiently. And when athletes fail to breathe efficiently, their blood is not fully oxygenated, which means they can’t reach their full energy potential.

“People just take breathing for granted and don’t realize they’re not using all Jim Catalano is a former Associate Editor at Coaching Management.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

31

COMPETITIVE EDGE

their lung capacity,” says Migdow. “As babies, we breathe naturally and properly from the diaphragm. But as we grow older, our culture induces stress, which causes us to tighten our diaphragms and rib cage muscles. We hold our breath a lot more and breathe shallowly.”

Experts such as Migdow, who coauthored the book Breathe In, Breathe Out, contend that shallow breathing causes about a third of the lungs to go unused.

“The result is more carbon dioxide builds up in the system, which can make

training. They say that the first step toward achieving proper breathing technique in a sport is to understand the problem of shallow breathing.

“Shallow breathing also occurs when the diaphragm becomes locked if you’re stressed and have any kind of performance anxiety,” Diamond says. “When people are anxious, they take a breath and hold it. Then everything breaks down because the body is looking for the oxygen.”

Another factor contributing to shallow breathing is posture. “Most sports

G E T T I N G S TA R T E D

B

efore teaching your athletes how to improve their breathing techniques, it’s important to assess the current state of their breathing. This assessment establishes a baseline, which they’ll be able to use to note improvements from subsequent practice of breathing techniques.

Alan Jaeger, founder of Jaeger Sports Academy in Woodland Hills, Calif., and author of Getting Focused, Staying Focused, suggests that athletes start their assessment by being quiet for a minute while paying attention to their breath.

“Sixty seconds would be more of a mental test to see if they can do it,” he says.

“Then they should try being quiet for five minutes just to follow their inhaling and exhaling. If you make it a challenge, which athletes like, then what will happen in those five minutes is that they’ll start

realizing there’s a wonder to their breath.

That’s usually when they need more information or guidance, but that five minutes will turn on a light for them.”

Michael Grant White, a breathing development specialist in Waynesville, N.C., recommends one basic volume assessment that involves a number count: “Stand up, take as big a deep breath as you can, then count aloud quietly, quickly, cleanly, and clearly up to as high a number as you can get to on one exhale. Don’t miss any numbers. Count them fully, don’t slow down, maintain the speed. If you miss any, start over. You’ll find yourself pushing the breath out to where you have absolutely nothing left. If you get to 100, start over. Try to replicate it, so when you do it again, you know you’ve made some progress.”

White has posted some simple breathing assessment tests on his Web site at www.breathing.com/tests.htm. He also has illustrated examples of other breathing techniques at www.breathing.com/tips-sports.htm.

the blood more acidic and cause stress and muscle tension.”

Ronni Diamond, a kripalu yoga instructor and founder of Whole in One Yoga for Golfers, in Media, Pa., agrees.

“Because athletes are not getting fully oxygenated, they have all this stale air at the unused base of the lungs, and they can’t really utilize all the energy that’s available to them,” she says. “So part of the challenge is getting rid of stale air so you can get a nice lungful, and then use that energy and direct it the way you want to.”

Migdow and Diamond are among a growing number of experts who advocate that athletes strive for proper breathing techniques with the same dedication that they work on weight 32

COACHING MANAGEMENT

put athletes in a bent-forward posture with severe flexion,” Migdow says.

“What flexion does is restrict the depth and ease of the breath. Posture is indispensable to optimal breathing, so anything that you’re doing to compromise that posture of standing straight up also compromises the ease of the volume of the breath.”

Getting a Lungful Many of the breathing techniques being adopted by competitive athletes are based on Eastern practices such as yoga and tai chi, and they can be easily learned on their own with just a little guidance and consistent practice. “I recommend consistently dedicating 15 to

20 minutes a day to being quiet and just breathing,” says Jaeger. “There are simple exercises you can start with. Here’s one example where you count with each breath: when you inhale the first time, count to ‘one’; when you exhale, count to ‘two’; then count up to 10, twice. That might take two or three minutes to do, but if you can go all the way to 10 without losing concentration, you’ll see the mental connection, and gain discipline and the ability to focus.”

When doing the breathing exercises, Jaeger notes athletes should feel their breath has an evenness and balance to it and that it is coming from the stomach or diaphragm region as opposed to the chest. “It shouldn’t be stressed, tense, short, or choppy,” he says. “Rather, it should be relatively calm and fluid, almost deliberate—unless they’re running. A way to check that would be to stop and be quiet for 30 seconds. If they are breathing correctly, they will notice that their breath has an even flow, and is pretty slow and calm.”

Michael Grant White, a breathing development specialist in Waynesville, N.C., recommends a similar exercise for boosting athletes’ performance and focus. It is the “squeeze and breathe” technique, which is also useful for alleviating panic, excess energy, stress, nervousness, and trauma.

“Sit on a chair, and put a pillow in the low back area. That creates a fulcrum allowing the rib cage to rise,” he explains. “If the rib cage can rise, the diaphragm can rise. Then, stick your thumbs into your kidney areas and wrap your hands around toward the belly button. That brings an awareness to the area while you deep breathe.

“The squeeze and breathe is probably the most generic and beneficial exercise across the board, but it has to be done with proper posture,” continues White. “Position yourself correctly on the chair, or if you’re standing, do so with an arch to the back, like a swan dive.”

Learning to access all of the air in the lungs will also, over time, increase the volume of the breath. “A good deal of volume is in your back above the kidneys and below the scapula,” White says.

“A simple exercise for developing the back breath is sitting in a chair, widening the legs, and bending forward until you are hanging limp like a rag doll.

Continued on page 35

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leticBid.com www.A

Join the Best Fastpitch Coaches In the Country This December

See the NFCA web site <www.nfca.org> for more info or call 662/320-2155 to have a brochure mailed to you.

Circle No. 23

Moyer Softball ANY COLOR COMBINATION

GUARANTEED TO NEVER PEEL OR CRACK

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• Uniforms starting at $49.00 • Choice of Microweave Polyester Dyna-Dry or Polyester Dazzle Call for free color catalog 1-800-255-5299 ext. 6 See us on the web at www.moyersports.com Circle No. 24

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Continued from page 32 Then breathe into the low back 20 or 30 times. You should notice a difference when you get up, a fuller feeling with more space. If you don’t, you’re too tight, and you need to stretch more.”

Like White, Diamond has some specific recommendations for increasing breath volume. The first is called the cleansing breath. “Inhale deeply through the nose, and when you exhale, do so with a sigh. The sound that comes out should be like making fog on a mirror—don’t tighten the throat muscles,” she explains. “When you expel through the mouth, you’re expelling a lot more oxygen than you can just through the nose. So you breathe in with long, slow inhalation, and then exhale to cleanse.”

Another way to practice increasing breath volume is by doing the threepart breath, which should be practiced lying down at first. “It’s easier because it’s the way your belly moves when you’re sleeping,” Diamond says. “Inhale so the belly expands like a balloon; then

exhale so the belly contracts toward the spine. You want to squeeze the breath out to increase the length of your exhalation. Start at belly expanding and as you get more relaxed you’ll notice that the breath will rise from the belly into the mid chest, then into the upper chest. Then you’re really filling your lungs from the base to the top.”

Practice Makes Perfect Once an athlete understands breathing techniques, breathing experts stress the importance of practicing them well before they’re applied in a competitive situation. “You can’t do it once the game is there,” Migdow says. “That’s why it’s called breathing practice. You do it aside from your everyday life, so when you need it, you’ll remember to breathe right automatically. Otherwise, you won’t remember to do it, much less know how to do it, under pressure.”

“If you don’t do any training, and you don’t have the breathing already circuited, grooved, or flowing, when

you’re in a pressure situation, you can’t expect to take a deep breath and get to an ideal place,” Jaeger says. “That ideal place has to be created already, and you have to be able to maintain that through the performance—if a situation gets pressure filled, you’re able to recall your breathing to react to what’s happening. But don’t expect your breath to come out of your belly calmly and smoothly if you haven’t done your breathing exercises.”

Being able to draw on the power of the breath can give any athlete an edge.

“Your breath is so powerful,” Jaeger says. “It gives you something you can apply to almost any situation. It’s like putting money into the bank so you can make a withdrawal later. But you have to invest beforehand and do the work prior to competition.” ■ A version of this article previously appeared in our sister publications, Coaching Management-Baseball and Training & Conditioning.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

35

Softball Facilities BEACON BALLFIELDS (800) 747-5985, www.ballfields.com The Beacon Softball Pitcher’s Screen is constructed with a frame made from galvanized 1 5/8" diameter steel tubing.

All joints are fully swaged and fit together solidly.

A spring-pin joint design allows the legs to rotate in and lock in a transport/storage position. The slipcover net is made out of heavy-duty 42A knotless nylon. The pitching cutout is stitch finished and sized for minimum interference and maximum protection.

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DIAMOND PRO (800) 228-2987, www.diamondpro.com Diamond Pro offers a complete line of professional groundskeeping products: infield conditioners, calcined clay, mound and homeplate clay/bricks, marking dust, infield, and warning track mixes. Diamond Pro offers fast and convenient delivery.

Diamond Pro’s vitrified clay red infield conditioner is available in bulk nationwide.

It is easy to handle and apply.

Truckloads are available in 10-, 15-, and 24-ton loads that save you both time and money. Enjoy bulk savings nationwide, and create an all-around safe professional infield playing surface.

PARTAC/BEAM CLAY® (800) 247-BEAM, www.beamclay.com Partac/Beam Clay® makes mixes for infields, pitcher’s mounds, home plate areas, and red warning tracks that are used by more than 100 professional teams (including eight of the last 10 World Series champions), more than 700 colleges, and thousands of towns and schools from all 50 states and worldwide. Beam Clay offers more than 200 infield products from distribution centers nationwide, including regional infield mixes blended for specific climates and every state.

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PROMATS (970) 484-2500, www.promats.com Promats, the leader in stadium field wall padding with more than 350 major installations worldwide, introduces a revolutionary new field wall pad utilizing superior SKYDEX™ Smarter Cushioning™ materials.

Promats field wall pads with SKYDEX technology are vastly more durable, almost 60 percent lighter, and able to absorb impact far better than standard pads. Like all Promats products, Promats field wall pads with SKYDEX Smarter Cushioning can be customized for your stadium or arena. Call or e-mail a Promats representative at info@promats.com to learn more about this exciting new Promats product.

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M.A.S.A., INC. (800) 264-4519, www.MASA.com Poly Cap® from M.A.S.A. has been designed with both the players and the fans in mind. When applied to the top of chain-link fences, Poly Cap covers the sharp barbs that can damage uniforms and cause player injuries. Its advantages also include field beautification, increased visibility, and durability. The product’s optic-yellow color clearly defines the field for players and umpires alike. Poly cap is weather-treated and UV-protected with a patented formula to withstand the most severe conditions.

Promats, Inc. has supplied protective padding for teams or stadiums with affiliations in Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, World Cup Soccer, Indoor Arena Football, College Baseball, College Softball, College Football, and Canadian League Football. Over 350 stadiums nationally contain Promats protective field wall padding products. Each facility is unique in its requirements and Promats offers many different types of padding to fill those needs. Just give the company a call and its staff will help you design a padding system that will work for you.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

PRO’S CHOICE (800) 648-1166, www.oildri.com Pro Mound® packing clay, from Pro’s Choice®, is the choice of professional teams, universities, municipalities, and Little Leagues worldwide. When used at the mound and batter’s box areas, it bonds to form a solid sub-surface foundation that allows the pitcher and batter to dig in to establish firm footing without creating large wear holes. Pro Mound installs quickly, and more importantly, lasts. Experience safer playing conditions, and reduced mound and batter’s box maintenance by choosing Pro Mound. For more information, call Pro’s Choice.

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For premium performance and a color that will set your field apart, choose the Soilmaster Select Series from Pro's Choice. Scientifically engineered to meet daily maintenance challenges and give your field a professional look, Soilmaster Select is the true choice of groundskeepers around the league for building and maintaining winning ballfields.

Available in four distinct colors (red, green, brown, and charcoal), the uniform granules in Soilmaster Select manage moisture and alleviate compaction to keep your field in top playing condition. Pro's Choice delivers a full line of sportsfield products for conditioning soil and infield mix, topdressing infields, quickly drying puddles, and revitalizing turf.

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SIGNATURE FENCING SYSTEMS (800) 569-2751, www.signaturefencing.com Signature (Fencing) Systems, LLC, offers its SportPanel® portable outfield fencing. SportPanel is a lightweight, weather-resistant, easy-to-install outfield fencing system that enhances player safety, while providing a “stadium-like” feel at your next game. Panels come complete with foam connectors and anchoring wickets, and foul poles are available for tournament play.

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Softball Facilities Signature Fencing’s EventDeck Portable Flooring is a rollable temporary flooring and pathway system, which provides access, turf protection, and decorative enhancement for special events and other gatherings. From natural and synthetic turf stadiums, to ice and dirt arenas, and from large tent functions to track crossings, EventDeck will provide a firm, comfortable floor upon which all types of events and gatherings can be held. Whether you’re planning a concert for 60,000 or a wedding for 100 EventDeck is the perfect alternative to costly tarps, built up wooden floors, staging, and decking. You’ll experience immediate labor savings, improved speed of installation, and reduced long-term maintenance due to EventDeck’s unique design features.

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WEATHERBEATER® BY COLORADO LINING INTERNATIONAL (877) 448-2777, www.weather-beater.com Sometimes getting muddy is what it is all about, and the only cover needed is one to mark the sideline and coach’s box.

Colorado Lining International has just what you need. The company’s Workhorse Sideline Protectors combine the durability of an 8-oz. spun bound polypropylene fabric with the user-friendly 10-oz Foamed PVC. Both are white to meet with NCAA regulations and are made in a variety of sizes to fit your field needs. Also available are WeatherBeater Basic Traditional and High Tech Sideline Covers, innovations only available through Colorado Lining.

Best of all, many of the covers can be custom printed with your choice of images, allowing you to show school pride, honor a sponsor or just brag about last year’s state championship title. It’s just another

reason the company says, “WeatherBeater ... anything less is just a tarp!” Contact your WeatherBeater Specialist for more information.

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VANTAGE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL (800) 244-4457, www.vpisports.com VPI now offers the Big Bubba Professional Portable Batting Cage. The Big Bubba is the premium choice for high school, collegiate and professional baseball programs at considerable cost savings. The heavy-duty aluminum construction, easy portability and collapsible design make it the perfect backstop for any level. It is 18’ W x 22’ D x 12’ H and collapses to only 5’ high to limit storage space requirements. Sixteen-inch pneumatic wheels make relocation simple. Fortytwo feet of ricochet cushion minimizes ball rebound. Use the coaches’ observation bar for safe elevated viewing.

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FinchWindmill.com (714) 523-5659

How is Jennie’s dream becoming a reality...

W 5 time ASA Nat’l Softball Champion W Perfect 32-0 Season - NCAA Record W 60-0 Consecutive Wins - NCAA Record W 2 time NCAA Nat’l Player of the Year W Espy Award Nominee W 2002 & 2003 member USA World Team W 2003 Pan Am Gold Medalist W 2004 USA Olympic Team member Circle No. 33

visit: www.jenniefinch27.com Circle No. 34 COACHING MANAGEMENT

37

Hitting & Pitching ATEC (800) 998-2832, www.atecsports.com The Hitting Streak® is the ideal training tool for every level of performance.

It delivers risers and drops up to 55 MPH, as well as hundreds of different breaking pitches.

A simple twist of the wrist allows you to quickly change from one pitch to another, and easily run dozens of fielding drills. The all new tripod provides the consistent stability and ideal ball release height for live game action.

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FINCH WINDMILL (714) 523-5659, www.finchwindmill.com Jennie Finch’s father, Doug, who is a pitching/hitting instructor, invented this training device when she was 10 years old. The exercise machine provides adjustable resistance throughout a circular range of motion.

Exercising workout consists of overhand and underhand motion, left & right side. An independent eight-week study resulted in an average increase of 3.25 MPH. All ages, young and old, from Little League to National Champions, have reaped the rewards.

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FUNTASTIC SPORTS (877) 375-0315, www.funtasticsports.com The Rotor Twin, from Funtastic Sports, is a swing trainer/hitting station that players enjoy using because it provides a realistic hitting sensation and feedback on every swing.

With proper swing plane and solid contact, it spins like a top. Poor swing or contact

38

COACHING MANAGEMENT

produces an erratic spin. Use it indoors or outdoors, and take it anywhere. The height is adjustable. It’s durable, safe, and affordable. Find out why many coaches agree that it’s the best swing trainer they have used.

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MUHL TECH (888) 766-8772, www.muhltech.com The Advanced Skills Tee, from Muhl Tech, is quickly being recognized as the most versatile teaching tee available.

Molded of durable polyurethane, the forward arm and outside barrier enforces a tight compact swing, eliminating “dipping” and “casting”.

The unique brush cup ball holder (replaceable) has been proven to last two or more years under heavy use by high schools and colleges, making the AST their choice as an everyday tee.

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“The Muhl Kicker was a great teaching tool for our national championship team, Central Missouri State (NCAA Div. II), this past season. The instant feedback for our kids in regards to ‘good swing/bad swing’ enabled them to teach themselves proper swing mechanics. A common goal of all coaches is for their hitters to become their own best hitting coach, and the Muhl Kicker allows players to do just that. I strongly recommend this teaching tool for all ages, as my 10year-old son, and the Kansas State University baseball team will definitely be using this product.”—Brad Hill, new head coach at Kansas State University Circle No. 62 on Reader Inquiry Card

QHI SPORTS (888) 784-5448, www.qhisports.com Hit like a pro. The Quick-T automated batting tee, from QHI Sports, will better develop the “muscle memory” so critical in the development of a batter’s proper hitting techniques. The consistency of the automatic ball-feeding system will enable the player to

C USTOMER T ESTIMONIAL

Mr. John Sidlowski, “All four Nevco LED’s are now installed at our Davis Field and went into operation last weekend for league play. A youth league representative reported this morning that all the boards/remotes work great and the coaches, spectators, and participants love them.

“I want to thank you John for all your help from start to finish regarding placement and delivery of the order. Never have I received better service from a sales representative or an organization in my over twenty years of purchasing.

“Thank you John! Please extend my thanks also to Debbie at Nevco for her assistance too throughout the process!”

Paul Stalma Nevco, “Just dropping a line to let you know how pleased I was to speak to Bruce in your Service Department. I would like you to know how helpful and knowledgeable he was. In these days of automation, push three to get someone that doesn’t know anything or push four and someone will transfer you back to three because they know even less. It’s a positive for your business to get someone like him on the line.”

Chris McCoy, Director of Maintenance Illini Bluffs School District

Nevco Scoreboard Company 301 E. Harris Ave. Greenville, IL 62246-0609

800.851.4040 www.nevcoscoreboards.com

Hitting & Pitching enjoy a more focused practice session by maintaining his or her batting stance, concentration, and rhythm. Each ball feeds on demand as the previous ball is hit off the tee with the 12-volt battery system supporting more than 3,000 hits before needing recharging. At a light 25 pounds, the Quick-T is very portable, yet stable enough to handle the toughest of practice drills. Maximize your practice time while improving your hitting technique.

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weight training bat is great for softball and baseball, and gives you hundreds of extra swings per day. You get results

SWIFT STIK (877) 845-STIK, www.swiftstik.net Swift Stik is the fastest way to improve your swing. This simple-to-use light-

ZINGBAT (866) Zingbat (946-4228), www.zingbat.com Zingbat™ has recently introduced the

fast. It improves hand-eye coordination, builds muscle memory, isolates the sweet spot, and increases bat speed. Endorsed by professional hitting guru Mike Epstein, who says, “This is, without a doubt, the best training tool I have ever used.” It is available in 34” and 30” sizes, with a patented, adjustable foam “sweet spot”. It is packaged with an instructional video and four small polyballs. Use it with tennis, wiffle, or soft foam balls.

Special coaches pricing is available.

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new “16 oz.” one-hand isolation trainer. The batter can now practice lead arm and top hand drills to isolate proper arm path and hand action. With each swing, the isolation trainer forces the arm to take the correct path keeping the hand inside the ball.

The wrist must snap the barrel at the correct instant, or the patented Zingbat™ “click” will occur before contact.

Coaches and players across the country are welcoming this new addition to the Zingbat™ line. Call for a free instructional video, or see a demo on the company’s Web site.

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Check out www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.

“ The Reptilian glove looks, feels and plays great.”

“Akadema's Reptilian is the best fast pitch glove on the market.”

U73 ABU73

Crys

Crystl Bustos 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist

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“ The Reptilian glove looks, feels and plays great.”

12.7 5”Glove 12.75” Glov e

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US Patented Technology • Natural air pocket that acts as a shock absorber.

• The near finger-less design acts as a shovel for easier ground ball scooping and quicker glove to hand transfer.

• Better traction and grip for less ball spin.

www.akademapro.com

•

Circle No. 26

973-772-7669 Circle No. 27 COACHING MANAGEMENT

39

C

PRODUCTS DIRECTORY

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY

® ho-Pat P F A L RODUCTS

OR

CTIVE

CIRCLE NO.

IFESTYLES

All Products Made in the U.S.A.

I.T.B. Strap W NE

Sizes: XS - XL

Applies compression at the area of discomfort, usually above the knee joint or upper thigh, to prevent the snapping or friction of the iliotibial band.

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

10 . . . . Adams USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 26 . . . . Akadema Fastpitch . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Sizes: XS - XXL

Cho-Pat’s Original Knee Strap is designed to alleviate certain knee discomforts due to overuse syndromes, arthritis, and other forms of degeneration. Nearly two million sold!

(Now Patented)

Sizes: Sm - XL

Sizes: S, M, L

This patented device will reduce stress upon the Achilles Tendon and provide effective relief from pain and discomfort associated with Achilles Tendonitis.

14 . . . . ChartMine

(Competitive Edge)

. . . . . . 17

28 . . . . Cho-Pat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 19 . . . . Diamond Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 20 . . . . Dynamic Team Sports . . . . . . . . . . 27 4 . . . . Easton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 36 . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 34 . . . . FinchWindmill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

2 . . . . Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8 . . . . Gebauer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Circle No. 28

40 COACHING MANAGEMENT

(Knee Guards)

. . . . . . 41

. . . . . . . . 41

69. . . . Akadema. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

95. . . . ChartMine

(Competitive Edge)

5 . . . . Glove Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 32 . . . . Jump Stretch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 11 . . . . Kid’s Choice Cookie Dough. . . . . . 15

87. . . . Dynamic Team Sports 88. . . . Dynamic Team Sports 70. . . . Easton

(Easton Synergy) .

71. . . . Easton

(half-mock T)

(Elite Series)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

59. . . . FinchWindmill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 60. . . . Funtastic Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 72. . . . Gameface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 96. . . . Gatorade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 97. . . . Gebauer

(Ethyl Chloride)

98. . . . Gebauer

(Instant Ice)

. . . . . . . . . . 46

. . . . . . . . . . . . 46

73. . . . Jump Stretch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 99. . . . Kid’s Choice

(cookie dough) .

. . . . . . . 46

(farmhouse favorites) .

. . . 47

75. . . . Louisville Slugger

(catcher’s mitt) .

. . . 42

74. . . . Louisville Slugger

(TPS XXL) .

. . . . . . 42

47. . . . M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 76. . . . Miken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 (Fiber Reinforced Bat)

13 . . . . M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

78. . . . Mizuno

(Jennie Finch Series)

. . . . . . . 43

. . . . . . . . 43

(jackets)

. . . . . . . . . . . 45

89. . . . Moyer Sports U.S.A.

(custom uniforms) 45

90. . . . Moyer Sports

23 . . . . NFCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

45

. . . . . . . . . . 41

77. . . . Mizuno

25 . . . . Muhl Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

. . 45

(Shasta jersey)

39 . . . . Louisville Slugger . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC

24 . . . . Moyer Sports U.S.A. . . . . . . . . . . . 35

. . . . . . 46

46. . . . Diamond Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

100 . . . . Kid’s Choice

61. . . . Muhl Tech (Advanced Skills Tee). . . . . . 38 62. . . . Muhl Tech

(Muhl Kicker)

. . . . . . . . . . 38

48. . . . Partac/Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 103 . . . . Power Systems (catalog) . . . . . . . . . 48 79. . . . Power Systems

(Hitting Cordz) .

80. . . . Power Systems

(Power Throw Balls) .

. . . . . 43 . . 43

35 . . . . Partac/Beam Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

101 . . . . PowerLung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

33 . . . . PowerLung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

92. . . . Pro Look Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

3 . . . . Pro Look Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 21 . . . . Pro’s Choice Field Products . . . . . . 29

91. . . . Pro Look Sports

(uniforms) .

. . . . . . . 45

. . . . . . . . . 36

51. . . . Pro’s Choice

(Pro Mound)

52. . . . Pro’s Choice

(Soilmaster Select)

50. . . . Promats

(protective padding)

49. . . . Promats

(SKYDEX)

. . . . . 36

. . . . . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

16 . . . . QHI Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

63. . . . QHI Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

29 . . . . Ringor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

81. . . . Ringor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

30 . . . . Rotor Twin

(Funtastic Sports)

. . . . . . . 42

22 . . . . Schutt Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 7 . . . . Signature Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

82. . . . Schutt Sports

(Batter’s Helmet) .

83. . . . Schutt Sports

(Stacey Newman Series)

31 . . . . Swift Stik

(PIK Products) .

. . . . . 44

(EventDeck)

53. . . . Signature Fencing

(SportPanel) .

(PIK Products) .

. 44

. . . . . 37

54. . . . Signature Fencing 64. . . . Swift Stik

. . . . 36

. . . . . . . . . . 39

. . . . . . . . . . 42

84. . . . Swing Speed Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

17 . . . . Vantage Products Int’l. . . . . . . . . . 21

85. . . . Talent Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

27 . . . . WeatherBeater

(Colorado Lining)

. . . . 39

15 . . . . ZingBat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Call 800-221-1601 (toll free) or 609-261-1336 or visit www.cho-pat.com to learn more about Cho-Pat’s innovative sports/medicine devices.

(Batting Helmets)

67. . . . Adams USA

45. . . . Beacon Ballfields . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

9 . . . . Promats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Achilles Tendon Strap

68. . . . Adams USA

6 . . . . Beacon Ballfields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

40 . . . . Mizuno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC

Strengthens and tightens kneecap mechanism by applying pressure upon the tendon above and below the kneecap and lessens the development of iliotibial band and overuse syndromes.

PAGE NO.

58. . . . ATEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

1 . . . . Miken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC

Dual Action Knee Strap

COMPANY

12 . . . . ATEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

37 . . . . Gameface Products Group . . . . . . 47

Cho-Pat® Knee Strap

CIRCLE NO.

56. . . . Vantage Products Int’l. . . . . . . . . . 37 55. . . . WeatherBeater (Colorado Lining) . . . . 37 65. . . . Zingbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

For Quicker Response, Request Information From Advertisers On-Line at

MomentumMedia.com

Team Equipment ADAMS USA (800) 251-6857, www.adamsusa.com The 47000 and 48000 Trace Softball/Baseball Knee Guards, from Adams USA, offer high-quality protection and exceptionally long wear. The knee guards feature an open back to reduce bulkiness and built-in wings for optimum knee protection. They also have a patented side "keyhole" design for superior flexibility. They are available in long and short styles and come in the following sizes: Adult – XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL. Available colors: gold, tangerine, scarlet, royal blue, green, maroon, navy blue, purple, black, and white.

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ADAMS USA also offers BH65 and BH65-OS Batting Helmets. These models feature advanced fit enhancing cloth covered foam liners. The OS (One Size) style has a ponytail channel.

The underside of the bill is textured to reduce glare and the oval ear hole reduces risk of ear implosion. The helmets also have permanently drilled holes for facemask, snap post for chin strap hook-up, and five-point ventilation. They are recommended for all youth leagues. BH65 Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL; BH65-OS – One Size Fits All. Available colors: gold, scarlet, royal

blue, dark green, maroon, navy blue, purple, black, and teal.

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AKADEMA (973) 772-7669, www.akademapro.com Akadema’s patented Fastpitch Reptilian glove has been one of this year’s hottest selling gloves in the Fastpitch industry.

The Fastpitch Reptilian was unveiled at last year’s NFCA convention. “We were pleased by the convention attendees’ reaction,” comments Dave Winder, Vice President of Akadema. The glove features small fingers and a natural air pocket that helps infielders scoop grounders. USA Stars Julie Smith and Crystl Bustos endorse Akadema. Akadema also sponsors college Fastpitch teams including Winthrop University.

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EASTON SPORTS, INC. (818) 782-6445, www.eastonsports.com The world’s best performing composite softball bat, the Easton Synergy™ features patent pending IMX™ Integrated

MatriX technology, which optimizes the relationship between materials, design, and the manufacturing process to create a durability and consistency that no other composite bat can match.

Composed of high-strength, lightweight, maximum-elongation aerospace grade fibers and dynamic performance resins, the Synergy bat is created using

high-temperature, high-pressure internal molding which locks and bonds the materials together for maximum strength, performance and consistency.

Circle No. 70 on Reader Inquiry Card Featuring Skinz™ moisture management technology with Bio-Dri™ fabrics to wick away moisture, the half-mock T, from Easton, also includes 4way compression, long sleeve two tone performance construction and the ultimate in comfort and compression for maximum performance. Available in youth and adults sizes and comes in black, navy, red and royal.

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GAMEFACE (800) GameFace (426-3322), www.gameface.com The Sports Safety mask, from GameFace, is an ultra-light (4.7 oz.) facial protector with a unique design that provides superior strength and ventilation with visibility. Its polycarbonate material withstands high-velocity impacts and reduces the risk of injury. The mask features high-impact adjustable foam pads that enhance comfort and provide protection for players with glasses, braces, or previous injuries. It is approved by ASA, NSA, and ISA, and is available in both clear and white. The mask can be used for softball, baseball,

GROUND BREAKING POWER

www.ringor.com

800-746-4670

Add the power of Ringor to your rotation

Est. 1983 Circle No. 29

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Team Equipment girl’s lacrosse, in-line hockey, roller hockey, floor hockey, field hockey, soccer, and cricket.

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JUMP STRETCH, INC. (800) 344-3539, www.jumpstretch.com Jump Stretch, Inc., offers six sizes of heavy-duty continuous-loop rubberbands (Flex Bands®) for strength training, flexibility work, rehab, and even powerlifting. By combining the bands with the company’s customized pipe arrangements (for resisted walking/running and weighted abdominal exercises) and patented tubular steel bases (for squats and squat thrusts), Jump Stretch can help you make the most of any available space in your workout area.

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LOUISVILLE SLUGGER (502) 588-7350, www.slugger.com The TPS XXL (model FP004) features a Double Wall design with GEN1X with Scandium alloy inner and outer shell. It

has a balanced swing weight. The GEN1X with Scandium combines the ultra strong GEN1X with Scandium, the best alloy-strengthening additive available for aluminum bat development.

The result is an alloy with unprecedented levels of strength and toughness. It is available in three lengths: 31”, 32”, and 34”. It weighs 9 oz.

Circle No. 74 on Reader Inquiry Card The TPS Bionic catcher’s mitt (model FP204S), also from Louisville Slugger, is a Fastpitch catcher’s mitt with a double post open

web, closed back with Velcro strap and patented Bionic technology. The Louisville Slugger line of Bionic catcher’s mitts has orthopedically configured pads located in the interior portion of the glove. Placement of the pads behind the existing pad in the glove allows for an additional layer to help absorb more of the ball’s force.

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MIKEN (877) 807-5291, www.mikensports.com The M-Pulse, technically a simple concept: “The more the bat flexes—the less the ball has to.” With this thought

in mind, Miken has created a fastpitch bat with maximum performance and a maximum sweetspot. The M-Pulse, “the successor to the Intensit-E,” utilizes a Carbon X Shell to provide extreme durability while maintaining its trampoline effect. Advanced technology increases the batter’s consisten-

Serious About Hitting?

Softball’s best swing trainer! ♦ Instant feedback on every swing ♦ Realistic hitting sensation ♦ Use indoors or outdoors ♦ Height easily adjustable ♦ Lightweight and portable ♦ Durable and safe ♦ Only $129

Includes Free Video: Fundamentals of Hitting “My softball team began using the Rotor Twin as soon as I purchased it at the coaches clinic. The girls love it! It has given them many, many more quality reps than a regular batting tee.” Brett Burroughs, High School Softball Coach, Whiteville, North Carolina.

Toll-free 877-375-0315 www.funtasticsports.com Satisfaction Guaranteed!

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Team Equipment cy, distance and power. M-Pulse… the driving force you’re looking for in your fast pitch game.

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MIZUNO USA (800) 966-1234, www.mizunousa.com Innovative composite technology combines Fiber Reinforced Plastic and C405 Aluminum for outstanding feel, superi-

or durability, and unsurpassed performance. This bat provides explosive power for players of all abilities. A new cushioned grip has also been added for better feel and comfort. It comes in 33”/24 oz., 32”/23 oz., and 31”/22 oz. sizes.

Circle No. 77 on Reader Inquiry Card The Jennie Finch Signature Series of fastpitch gloves, bats, batting gloves, and cleats are designed specifically for the female fastpitch athlete. Each new Mizuno Fastpitch glove was designed with input from the three-time All-

American herself and features Mizuno’s exclusive Sure Fit™ Foam for outstanding fit and comfort and a ParaShock palm pad that adds protection and greater shock absorption.

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shoulder, arms, and hands. This unique product from Power Systems, Inc. is reversible to provide resistance against, or assistance through the swing movement. Designed to be used with bats, rackets, and golf clubs, it is made of sturdy nylon and strong rubber tubing.

The padded shoulder strap can adjust from 42” long for smaller athletes to 63” for larger athletes.

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POWER SYSTEMS, INC. (800) 321-6975, www.power-systems.com Hitting Cordz will bring progressive resistance training to your swing motion. Increased resistance promotes greater power, which results in superior distance when striking the ball. It is great for increasing strength in the

Power Throw Balls from Power Systems are durable, small weighted balls that are great for developing dynamic strength in the throwing motion.

Available in three sizes (7 oz., 14 oz., and 21 oz.) they can also be used for upper body rehabilitation exercises. As your exercise program progresses, gradually increase the weight of the ball. It is

What can you really DO with giant rubber bands?!

Run Faster Reduce Injuries

Jump Higher

Play Lower

Add Resistance to Machine Lifts

Improve Endurance

Increase Flexibility

Stay Ahead of Your Competition with Flex Bands!

The Best-Kept Secret in Pro Sports Used by the Patriots, Cowboys, Yankees, Indians, Red Sox, Mariners, Hornets, Heat and many more!

Flex Bands have been improving athletic performance since 1980.

Jump Stretch, Inc. 1230 N. Meridian Rd. Youngstown, OH 44509 www.jumpstretch.com 1-800-344-3539 Fax: 1-330-793-8719 Circle No. 32 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Team Equipment offered in baseball and softball sizes (standard baseball and softball size is 5 oz.). It is made of a rugged vinyl shell with filling. Power Throw Balls are color coded by weight and an instructional manual and video are also available.

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RINGOR (800) 746-4670, www.ringor.com The Play Maker Cleat with Pro-TecToe™ now comes in seven colors with protective toes on both shoes. In addition to matching the color of the shoe, the ProTec-Toe™ is made of high density, lightweight rubber that flexes with the player’s foot. The protective toe is installed during the construction of the shoe, which creates a strong and durable bond, maximizing protection. This protection is ideal for pitchers, catchers, and players who tend to wear the toe of the shoe. The Pro-Tec-Toe by Ringor gives players the same great comfort and performance in a shoe with added protection against wear.

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SCHUTT SPORTS (866) 4SCHUTT, www.schuttsports.com Schutt Sports’ 2800 Elite Batter’s Helmet for high school, collegiate, and professional play offers quality with a two-year warranty. It combines elements of Schutt’s Football Helmet System to provide for the ultimate in comfort and fit.

Available in an unlimited number of Pro Gloss® paint finishes, including Gold and Silver Metallic Flake and new Kandy™ finishes. The helmet is also available with custom bill and shell painting.

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UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman, hailed as the greatest slugger in College Women’s Fastpitch Softball history, is debuting an exclusive catcher’s gear line with Schutt Sports. The Stacey Nuveman Signature Series will include Schutt’s new Model #2963 Hockey-Style

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Catcher’s Helmet, Comfort Lite™ Chest Protectors, and Leg Guards.

In addition to the line, Newman will represent Schutt Sports in softball clinics and camps, specializing in hitting instruction and catcher’s training. She will also make public appearances and speaking engagements for the company. Nuveman ended her college career in this year’s NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., where she hit her 90th career home run, all-time tops in the women’s game.

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SWING SPEED RADAR™ (800) 589-3805, www.swingspeedradar.com The new Swing Speed Radar™, from Sports Sensors, Inc., is a small, inexpensive microwave Doppler radar velocity sensor that measures the swing speed of baseball and softball players.

The Swing Speed Radar aids baseball and softball players in developing their optimum bat speed for distance, quickness, and bat control for consistent ball contact. The Swing Speed Radar provides real time velocity feedback that assists players, coaches, or instructors in measuring performance improvement and in troubleshooting swing mechanics. Also works great for golfers.

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TALENT SPORT (405) 360-5733, www.talentsportinc.com Talent Sport offers WORTH ALLSPORT All-Weather Xtra-Dri® POWER SHIRTS. The long sleeve, mock turtle neck moisture management fabric transfers all moisture away from the body preserving energy for better performance. The Xtra-Dri Power Shirts are available in style: W1515.

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C USTOMER T ESTIMONIAL

When Easton athlete Sheila Douty sustained a C4/5 and C5/6 disc herniation, she continued to play— injured—securing an Olympic gold medal with a game winning home run against China in 1996.

In 2001 Sheila discovered Total Gym at the ARCO Olympic Training Center in California. She saw all types of athletes training on Total Gym for a variety of reasons, and very creatively.

“I immediately liked the machine. It allows for back stabilization, neck safety and core strength building.

Plus, its exercise positions eliminate the possibility of excessive stress on the body. My neck injury worsened when I started to lift weights, but I experienced great results when I started to rehab on Total Gym.” Sheila Douty, PT Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Softball for 1996, 2002 Four-time World Champion Four-time Pan American Gold Medalist

Sheila collected another Olympic gold in 2002 and now uses Total Gym at home for continued rehab and strength training without fear of recurring injury.

efi Sports Medicine 7755 Arjons Drive San Diego, CA 92126-4366

800.541.4900 www.efisportsmedicine.com

Uniforms & Apparel DYNAMIC TEAM SPORTS (800) 437-6223, www.dynamicteamsports.com Dynamic’s Elite Series is a revolutionary line of custom uniforms, sure to make your team stand above the competition. And get this—all the artwork, logos, and numbers are sublimated into the garments’ lightweight, breathable fabric.

This eliminates the heavy, sticky silkscreen that could peel, crack, or fade. You pick the colors for your own unique look.

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Dynamic Team Sports’ Shasta jersey is exploding with popularity. The Shasta is made of our 75 percent polyester 25 percent cotton Aerofibre, featuring a two-button placket and striped sides. The Shasta is offered in 10 colors and is available in youth large through adult XXL. Call Dynamic Team Sports for a full product catalog.

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MOYER SPORTS USA (800) 255-5299, ext. 3, www.moyersports.com Moyer Sports USA offers a complete line of custom uniforms in 100percent Microweave Polyester Dyna-Dry or Polyester Dazzle.

Sublimation printing allows you to choose any color combination, guaranteed to never peel or crack and is never discontinued. Many colorful designs are available.

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Moyer Sports also offers a full line of stock and custom jackets, warm-ups, bags, and visors. Custom tackle-twill and swiss embroidery services are available through Moyer’s state-of-the-art lettering facility.

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PRO LOOK SPORTS (800) PRO-LOOK, www.prolooksports.com “Just wanted to let you know that we

received our uniforms today. They look fantastic. Thanks for everything. The kids are extremely excited. I will be in touch regarding my summer team.”-Keith Williams, Head Coach, Rutgers-Camden. If you want to feel the same way about your team’s uniforms, call Pro Look Sports.

Go Pro. Circle No. 91 on Reader Inquiry Card Pro Look Sports has become the fastest growing team sportswear company in six years for one reason: fully custom, quality uniforms. Most companies limit your choices to a few styles made from sub par materials. Pro Look’s uniforms are made of the finest materials available; cut, trimmed and sewn to your exact specifications. There are no additional costs for embroidered logos or for soft tackle-twill names and numbers. Additionally, all work is backed by an unprecedented twoyear guarantee. If you can think it, we will do it for one inexpensive price. Go Pro. Circle No. 92 on Reader Inquiry Card

Tru-Toss The non-electric soft toss/pitch simulator that rebounds the ball from the ground up like a coach.

Adjustable toss angle, speed and height allow the user to pitch the ball from front, side or back angles. The most versatile toss unit available. Use softballs, baseballs even plastic balls.

Great for college and high school hitting stations.

Advanced Skills Tee

Unique forward arm and outside barrier reinforces a tight compact swing. Eliminate “dipping” and Muhl Kicker “casting” with this highly durable Endorsed by Leah O’Brien-Amico. polyurethane daily use tee. The The only training bat available to best, most portable teaching tee be used with live pitching, that has available! an audible clicking device for teaching a short compact swing, Muhl Tech while developing strength and bat Making Players into Winners.

1-888-766-8772 Teams into Champions. speed as well as improving contact.

www.muhltech.com

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More New Products COMPETITIVE EDGE DECISION SYSTEMS (888) 329-0722, www.chartmine.net Electronic pitch/hit charting.

Developed in conjunction with Dean Stotz (Associate Head Coach, Stanford Baseball) and Jay Miller (Head Coach, Mississippi State Softball), ChartMine is the most advanced pitch/hit charting program available. Chart the game on the field and transfer the data to your computer. Standard statistics and unbelievable pitching/hitting stats. If you want a Competitive Edge, you have to go beyond paper charting and simple electronic score keeping. You need to mine the wealth of information that is hidden in your pitching/hitting charts. Currently used by over 30% of D1 programs including UCLA (National Champs), U. of Arizona and USA Softball. ChartMine has been named a “best product” by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper the last three straight years!

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GATORADE (800) 88GATOR, www.gatorade.com Gatorade Thirst Quencher’s optimal formula contains electrolytes and carbohydrates. It is based on more than 30 years of scientific research and testing.

Nothing rehydrates, replenishes and refuels better than Gatorade® Thirst Quencher— not even water. REHYDRATE—Gatorade has the flavor to keep your athletes drinking—and a six- percent carbohydrate solution that’s optimal for speeding fluids back into their systems. No fluid is absorbed faster than Gatorade.

REPLENISH—If your athletes don’t replace the electrolytes they lose when they sweat, they risk becoming dehydrated, which can take them out of the game. By putting electrolytes back, Gatorade helps athletes drink more, retain fluids and maintain fluid balance.

REFUEL—Unlike water, Gatorade has the right amount of carbohydrates (14 grams per eight ounces) to give your

athlete’s working muscles more energy, help athletes fight fatigue and keep their mental edge.

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THE GEBAUER COMPANY (800) 321-9348, www.gebauerco.com Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride® is now available in two easy-to-carry spray can delivery systems: Pain-Ease® Stream Spray and Pain-Ease® Mist Spray. Athletic trainers can choose the spray can that works best for them to relieve minor sports injuries such as bruising, contusions, swelling and minor sprains. It works as fast as ice without the mess—in seconds—so athletes can get back in the game faster.

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From the most trusted name in skin refrigerants for over 100 years comes a new, non-prescription topical skin refrigerant, Gebauer's Instant Ice™.

Use it like ice for the temporary relief of to come minor pain and from swelling from Banta sprains and strains, minor sports injuries, bruising and contusions. Now instead of using ice to treat on-the-scene minor sports injuries, high school and recreational league coaches, high school athletic trainers, and others will now be able to use what professional athletic trainers use. In fact, Jim Ramsay, head athletic trainer for the New York Rangers, has been using Gebauer topical skin refrigerants for years. "Instant Ice is great for on-thescene care," said Ramsay. "If a player gets hit on the wrist or takes a puck off the shin, I can easily anesthetize the area with Instant Ice to reduce the pain, allowing the player to get back in the game quickly.

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KID’S CHOICE (800) 774-4474, www.kids-choice.com Hey Team—If you are looking for a fund-raiser that will make the most amount of money in the shortest

More New Products period of time, Kid’s Choice Cookie Dough is your only choice. Kid’s Choice works with small AAU travel teams to total P.E. Departments.

We help you before, during and after your sale to insure that your fund-raiser is a successful venture. Kid’s Choice—your only choice, when fresh really counts.

Circle No. 99 on Reader Inquiry Card New From The Kid’s Choice Family Kitchen–Are you ready for a real “Down Home” Tasty Fund-Raiser? If so, Kid’s Choice’s new farmhouse favorites, featuring Country Ham at its finest as well as cheese, sausage and two country classic “sweet snacks” are the perfect complement to its already

famous cookie dough. Call today for samples and sales kits.

Finally something different as a fund-raiser. Did anyone say cheese? Cheesecakes that is….Its new “The Ultimate Dessert Collections” features a great sampling of pies, cakes and gourmet coffees.

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POWERLUNG® (800) 903-3087, www.powerlung.com PowerLung® is the original and only integrated exhale and inhale isolated, progressive resistance respiratory strength training machine for all athletes. It is based on 80 years of medical research, and is proven to increase res-

piratory muscle strength—inhalation and exhalation. Tidal Volume is greater than 25 percent and Peak Exhalation is greater than 20 percent.

Inhale Muscle Power is greater than 40 percent; Exhale Muscle Power is greater than 150 percent.

Studies show asthma sufferers may benefit from respiratory muscle training. A player’s body is only as strong as the weakest muscles—the respiratory muscles. Your team is only as strong as the weakest player—everyone needs PowerLung Training for increased Oxygen. Use PowerLung for stamina and endurance, stronger core body muscles, reduced heart and respiratory rates. Oxygen is the limiting factor in sports!

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Check out www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.

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Catalog Showcase

Web Connections AIRBORNE ATHLETICS, INC. WWW.AIRCATVOLLEYBALL.COM, WWW.DRDISHBASKETBALL.COM Airborne Athletics, Inc. brings you the USAV endorsed AirCAT TEAM, SOLO and NetworKs volleyball training systems.

Recently introduced for basketball, Dr. Dish is the ball return system that also delivers game-like passes for game-like training. Request a free video on their Web sites today.

CLARIN SEATING WWW.CLARINSEATING.COM Over 70 years ago, Clarin produced the first all-steel folding chair in America.

From that visionary design, Clarin has become the world’s most innovative provider of seating solutions.

DIAMOND PRO WWW.DIAMONDPRO.COM On this site, Diamond Pro features a section called “Ask the Pros,” which is an interactive forum with professional groundskeepers. The site also has an online “How-To Workshop.”

EFI SPORTS MEDICINE WWW.EFISPORTSMEDICINE.COM After more than a quarter century at the forefront of innovation in athletic training,

physical therapy and home fitness, efi Sports Medicine, originator of the commercial grade Total Gym and developer of the GRAVITYSystem™, has become the leading manufacturer of functional rehabilitation and sports conditioning equipment.

NEVCO SCOREBOARD COMPANY WWW.NEVCOSCOREBOARDS.COM Nevco Scoreboard Company has been manufacturing scoreboards for sports events for 70 years. Nevco’s desire to produce equipment that meets rigid quality and safety standards is indicated by our UL Listing and CSA Certification.

Nevco’s Web site showcases its products.

PRO LOOK SPORTS WWW.PROLOOKSPORTS.COM Pro Look Sports makes fully custom, quality uniforms. Their uniforms are made of the finest materials; constructed to your exact specifications. There are no additional costs for embroidery or soft tackle-twill lettering.

SIGNATURE FENCING SYSTEMS WWW.SIGNATUREFENCING.COM Signature Fencing offers a wide range of portable fencing systems that are ideally suited for any type of facility.

POWER SYSTEMS, INC. (800) 321-6975, www.power-systems.com Since 1986 Power Systems has been a leading supplier of sport training, health and fitness products. The company prides itself in being the one resource for all of your training needs. Its new 2004 catalog has a new look with better graphics and photos. Included areas are core strength, medicine balls, speed, plyometrics, agility, strength equipment, strength accessories and flooring. You will find the catalog full of hundreds of new products and dozens of products available exclusively from Power Systems. The company has also lowered some prices to enable the customer to get premium products at great prices.

Go online or call Power Systems to request a free 2004 catalog today.

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READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD.

©2003 Hillerich and Bradsby Co., Louisville, KY. All rights reserved.

WHEN AMERICA’S BEST TAKES ON THE WORLD’S BEST, three Louisville Slugger TPS bats will be right there with them – the XXL , the Response and the Scandium XS. TM

TM

Louisville Slugger has helped the world’s greatest players achieve their goals since 1884. And with the technology and performance of today’s TPS bats, we can help you achieve yours, too.

The official bat of America’s pastime.

SM

www.slugger.com Circle No. 39

Y O U R P A S S I O N I S O U R O B S E S S I O N.

How do you prepare yourself for the big game? At Mizuno, we test

the absolute limits of performance by combining our Fastpitch-specific technology with the extraordinary skills of Team USA superstar Jennie Finch. Our exclusive Banzai AluminumTM in the new Jennie Finch Signature SeriesTM bat delivers the extra power and durability to take your team all the way to the championship. So experience for yourself the benefits of Mizuno Fastpitch Technology, and get ready to put on your game face.

Š2003 Mizuno USA, Inc.

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, Mizuno, and Serious Performance are registered trademarks of Mizuno Corporation.