For the Love of the Game—Is Our Sport Better Now Than It Was Thirty Years Ago or Not?
Many of us have had numerous discussions about this topic. There is no doubt that there are many more individuals and teams playing now and that the technology of the equipment and the uniforms are far better than they were 30-40 years ago. Back then the uniforms were basic and usually the teams only had one set. So they were worn either dirty the next day or players went home and did a late night load of laundry. Those uniforms were not the quick dry ones of today either. The bats were not fancy and at one time wooden instead of the different materials used today. The balls were white with plain old cork centers and were definitely not the plastic poly core balls of today. When someone hit a home run back then, you knew they had power. There were no check swing homeruns in those days like you see today. Nor were there any mouth guards, face guards or helmets.
The players today have the advantage when it comes to strength training equipment, businesses geared just for softball training, personal trainers for fitness, hitting coaches, pitching coaches, mental training coaches, agility coaches and so on. The players back then did not have any of this, they had the coach of their team, their physical education classes, the players who they watched play as they grew up, their teammates and themselves to learn from.
Many coaches, especially in the larger universities, can now make a very good living just coaching softball. Some other coaches are still being paid to be classrooms teachers first but there are a lot now who just coaching softball for a living. Back then no one just coached softball, all coaches had another line of work that paid the bills unless they were retired from a different job and now were coaching with little or no compensation. They coached just for the love of the game. The female physical education teachers usually taught fulltime and then coached two or three sports in the same year. This was common in the 70’s and 80’s.
So, is softball better off today? For the most part, the kids are bigger and stronger with more technology than thirty years ago but do most of the players of today have the heart, the desire and the dedication? Do the players of today know the fundamentals of the game as well as the strategies of how to really play the game? There are many more coaching clinics now days but are coaches taking advantage of that fact by attending those clinics? Today there are more opportunities, more fields, more tournaments, more possible games-is that a positive or a negative?
Here are some questions to think about and answer about the sport we all love. Base your answers on all ages of players that you have seen. If you want to add comments, please keep them to 1-2 sentences. Thank you for your help.
Type of team that you coach and their age__________________________________________
(college-what division, high school-what class, summer-age and classification)
1-Do the players of today know the fundamental skills of the game of softball?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
2-Are the coaches of today teaching the fundamental skills of the game? Are they breaking down every skill so that the player learns to do it correctly?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
3-Are we teaching the “game” of softball and the strategies of the game?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
4-Are we doing everything that we can to beat the other team by preparing the team thoroughly, scouting the other team, understanding the strategy of the game and knowing how to use it?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
5-Are we teaching our players to be good winners as well as good losers?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
6-Are we teaching them to play the game and not worry about the statistics and scoring of plays? That stats are stats and may or may not be accurate?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
7-Are we attending clinics, seminars, etc. by credible and knowledgeable coaches?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
8-Are we being critical of our players during the games (making negative comments to them) when we as their coaches haven’t taught them what to do in those situations in practices?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
9-How do you choose which clinician to go to hear at a clinic? Consider these options and respond with all that apply to your choice:
solely on topic_____ gender_____ level of speaker (DI, DII, DIII, NJCAA, NAIA, HS or any)____________ level of program (ranked nationally or any type program)_______________.
10-Are we making our players hate the game?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
11-Are we telling our players and their parents that to pursue an athletic scholarship to any college, that they must play 150-200 games a summer?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
12-Are we having our players travel across the country to go to “quality” tournaments and play almost year round in order to get a college scholarship?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
13-Are we as coaches, playing a lot of games instead of using some of that time to practice?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
14-Are we taking the sense of competition away from the players by not playing in tournaments that lead to a champion?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
15-Are we going to so many “National Tournaments” hosted by different organizations, that our players are actually thinking that if they don’t succeed in one tournament that it is OK because there are always more the next weekend?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
16-Are we letting our players learn or enjoy playing other sports especially 16 and under players?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
17-Are we making our players choose between their high school programs and the summer programs?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
18-Are we coaching with common sense and what really is the best for the players or are coaches and parents living through their players/kids?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
19-Are we really analyzing how good our players really are compared to the others across the country?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
20-Are we really being honest with the player and their parents concerning the best fit for that players in college or do we try to “sell” the player to the best program just so we can say we got them there?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
21-Are we just trying to get our kids a “softball scholarship” versus trying to get them money from financial aid, grants, scholarships or money in some other way.
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
22-Are we treating the best players on the team better than the other players so they won’t leave even though it hurts the team as a whole?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
23-Are we enticing the best players on other teams to come to our own team instead of working harder with our own players?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
24-Are we making promises to the players and parents that we cannot keep just to get them to play for our own team?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
25-Are we teaching our players to be dedicated to the team or teaching them that if they don’t get their way, they can quit and go to another team that may give them what they want?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
26-Are we telling our players that they should play select ball over high school ball because those teams are better and can get them a scholarship to college?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
27-Are we making our players come to our select program practices or games even though they are very early in the season instead of letting them be in music, drama, debate or other activities at their high school or churches?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
28-Are we starting the summer seasons too early in the year?
80-100% 60-79% 40-59% 20-39% 0-19%
Agree Somewhat Agree Maybe Half Somewhat Disagree Disagree
29-Which month should the summer season start regular season games?
January_____February______March______April______May______
This is a sampling of questions dealing with our sport to think about. We may be a lot better off now than thirty years ago with all of today’s advantages but then again are we?