I hated clinics and group sessions when I was younger. I was the ‘shy’ kid who didn’t like being stuck with other girls I didn’t know and was nervous I’d get lost in the shuffle and chaos clinics can sometimes be. I was nervous to fail in front of others.
I really enjoyed the 1 on 1 time that I got with my coaches, but I started to realize that I was missing many benefits of learning with a group.
Although 1on1 lessons are awesome for fundamentals, I’ve come to realize most think that’s enough.
Group sessions offer a level of competitiveness, team building, and mental understanding of the game that 1 on 1 lessons sometimes just cant give.
Want your daughter to be more of a leader on the diamond? To command the field and be a better teammate and friend?
A group can tackle more complex drills/situations than on their own, learn roles and responsibilities, pool knowledge and skills, motivate and hold each other accountable.
I am, and always have been a visual learner. By signing up for group sessions and watching the older girls go ahead of me and do the drills. I was learning by watching. I was soaking up not only the physical softball skills, but their body language, their presence, and their knowledge of the game.
When I was younger, I was lucky enough to always have the opportunity to play up in age level. I truly believe this not only helped me develop faster, but eventually, I also learned how to be a role model for the younger girls as well.
Softball isn’t JUST about SOFTBALL, it never has been for me. Softball was about learning how to be confident and believing that I really could do anything I put my mind to and practiced enough. That confidence I learned from softball translated over into my schoolwork and motivated me to become a better friend, teammate, student, daughter, and person.
Believe it or not (if you have been coached by me, I’m sure you won’t believe this) I have always been an introvert. My teammates who knew me in my high school always knew me as the reserved and quiet one on the team. Working with a group taught me that I didn’t have to be the loudest on the field to be a leader. Leading is more than just being vocal.
By learning accountability from the older girls I practiced with, I learned how to lead by my example, hustle, focus, and energy. To always show up and be prepared for the game and my teammates.
Looking back, I wished I had signed up for more group sessions than I did. It was only until when 14-15 years old that I really learned that they were not only helpful, but also something I truly enjoyed. I started to thrive in the competitiveness and the camaradarie that comes with completing a difficult new drill and making new friends.
I am so glad that my parents and coaches both pushed me to sign up for local events and encouraged me to do group workouts. By doing these things not only did I get to meet and learn from so many amazing local coaches, but I also (unknowingly at the time) started networking myself to make my recruiting process easier when the time came.
My advice to parents nowadays, is to push your daughter to get out of her comfort zone a bit. Learning how to work with others and be adaptable will translate into her daily life far longer than her softball career will.
My favorite part of doing these clinics is watching the ‘shy’ girls walk in at the beginning of the day and be able to watch a completely different, confident, and outspoken young girl walk out at the end of the day. The best feeling in the world is seeing the ‘light bulb’ turn on when the girls realize they CAN do something they may have struggled with at first.
This is what inspired me to create something that even ‘shy me’ would have LOVED. We make it a point to know each and every girl’s name, motivate the girls with fun competitive drills and prizes, and teach a little softball while we’re at it.
