There are thousand of players creating videos for college coaches to look at every year.
They hope these videos are seen by coaches, and that the coaches will invite them to join the team. Some will even get scholarships from these videos.
Many times a player ads her video to … Continue Reading
I thought I would share this with the Fastpitch TV Community.
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
MEMORANDUM
April 3, 2012
TO: Head Softball Coaches, Directors of Athletics , Senior Woman Administrators, Conference Commissioners and Conference Senior Woman Administrators that Sponsor Softball. … Continue Reading
ROSEMONT, Illinois – May 14, 2012 – The game on June 9 against the USSSA Pride was already going to be a special one, but it just got more exciting as the Bandits have announced that former Bandit and Team USA star Jennie Finch will make her inaugural appearance at The Ballpark at Rosemont.
Finch will join the Bandits for a pregame … Continue Reading
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – University of California, Berkeley was named the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship today when the NCAA Division I Softball Committee announced the 64-team field. The Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific-12 Conference, are 50-4 and will play Iona College, an automatic qualifier from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, May 18, in front of a home crowd in Berkeley. … Continue Reading
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville, TN – (May 3, 2012) National Pro Fastpitch has teamed up with MTV and the producers of MADE for an episode that will air on Saturday, May 5.
Akron Racers’ third baseman Kelley Montalvo was selected as the MADE Coach for this episode, and was given an opportunity to coach and mentor a young softball player with the goal of becoming a starter … Continue Reading
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) League Commissioner Cheri Kempf announced today the schedule for the upcoming 2012 Season.
Four teams will compete in the 2012 Season; the Akron Racers, the Carolina Diamonds, the Chicago Bandits, and the USSSA Florida Pride. Each team in the league will play a 44-game regular season schedule, with all teams playing 6 home and 6 away series’.
The 2012 season will begin on Thursday, June 7 with the defending 2011 Cowles Cup Championship Series Champions, Chicago Bandits, taking on the defending 2011 Regular Season Ringor Cup … Continue Reading
When you play each opponent at least 12 times during the season, you’re bound to get real familiar with the opposition. There’s the time spent in the cage before the game, time in between innings, the downtime before the game and the various meals and get togethers.
The women that play this game are … Continue Reading
If you are a regular reader you know I started a new set of blog posts called 10 questions. On these blog posts I send 10 questions to great softball players, and coaches. Then I am posting the questions with their answers.
This week Former Olympian Leah O’Brian Amico answers our 10 questions. … Continue Reading
We’re officially less than two months away from the start of another NPF season and the wheels are definitely moving for the four teams!
Akron is in full swing with its tournament schedule, Carolina is learning the ropes as the “new team”, USSSA is in motion 365 days a year and the Bandits have a little bit of everything going on. … Continue Reading
The other day I received an email from a young girl named Ashley. She is a pitcher who was recently hit by a ball while in the pitchers circle. I am a big believer in protecting these young players from harm, so when I saw her email I knew I had to share it with all of you. It read as follows: … Continue Reading
“I hate high school ball. Do I have to play high school ball?” This is something we hear from travel ball players at the beginning of each high school softball season. How we respond … Continue Reading
ROSEMONT, Illinois – Chicago Bandits GM, Aaron M. Moore, announced the re-signing of left-handed pitcher, Monica Abbott, for the 2012 season.
“We knew signing Monica again for the 2012 season was a huge priority and we’re happy that we’ve made that happen,” said Moore. “She was the leader of the pitching staff last season and she took … Continue Reading
ROSEMONT, Illinois – Chicago Bandits GM, Aaron M. Moore, announced the re-signing of veteran utility player, Vicky Galindo for the 2012 season.
“Vicky is a key member of the Bandits,” stated Moore. “She has the ability to play several positions, both infield and outfield, and she can handle the … Continue Reading
Memphis, TN – National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and its four-affiliate teams held the 2012 NPF College Draft Presented by Miken from the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN. The Draft was streamed live through profastpitch.com.
Each team had at least three selections in the five-round draft. The USSSA Florida Pride held the most picks with seven and also the coveted number one slot. Several Draft trades led to USSSA’s position including … Continue Reading
Brittany Mack, Andrea Harrison, Kristyn Sandburg, Nikia Williams, Valarie Arioto, Michelle Moultrie, and Christi Orgeron were all selected by the USSSA Pride at the 2012 NPF Draft, held in Memphis, Tennessee on March 7, 2012.
Louisina State University Pitcher and overall SEC standout Brittany Mack was selected as the first overall pick by the USSSA Pride in the 2012 NPF Draft. … Continue Reading
ROSEMONT, Illinois – Mar. 8, 2012 – With the second overall pick in the 2012 NPF College Draft, the Chicago Bandits selected University of Washington outfielder Kimi Pohlman.
Pohlman, a senior at Washington, was named to the 2009 Pac-10 All-Freshman Team after winning the National Championship with the Huskies. Most recently, in 2011 she was named co-offensive MVP at Washington after leading … Continue Reading
AKRON, Ohio – With the third overall pick in the 2012 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) draft, the Akron Racers chose shortstop Lexy Bennett from the University of Texas.
“Bennett’s versatility in the infield makes her very valuable,” said Akron Racers’ President/GM Joey Arrietta. “From first base to second to shortstop she has performed flawlessly in every position. She is fluid, she’s graceful, she is the real deal! And she brings a big bat.” … Continue Reading
ASTARKVILLE, Miss. – Sophomore pitcher Teylor Schiefelbein of Concordia University (Texas) has been named the Louisville Slugger Division III National Player of the Week for games played Feb. 27-March 4. … Continue Reading
If you are a regular reader you know I started a new set of blog posts called 10 questions. On these blog posts I send 10 questions to great softball players, and coaches. Then I am posting the questions with their answers.
This week Former Arizona Pitcher Taryne Mowatt answers our 10 questions. … Continue Reading
As you may know I am a State Director for USSSA Fastpitch.
Since I am a state director I receive emails from time to time from the USSSA home office.
Today I received one about the new bat rules getting ready to go into effect. I thought I would share it with everyone. … Continue Reading
I have this fantasy as a coach. Maybe other coaches have it too. Now, before you go crazy and think this is a strange post, hear me out. My fantasy is someday I will have a parent bring a player to my team and say, “Hey coach. My daughter is going to try out for your team. She can play a lot of different positions, but she would really love to be an outfielder.” … Continue Reading
Kissimmee, FL- USSSA Florida Pride of the National Pro FastPitch (NPF) League announced today the addition of former Olympian, Leah O’Brien-Amico to the Pride coaching staff. Amico, a three time gold medalist (’96, ’00, and ’04) will be an Assistant Coach for the Pride for the 2012 season. … Continue Reading
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was announced today that the National Fastpitch Coaches Association will relocate its national headquarters to Louisville, Ky., in the coming months. The announcement was made by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer during a press conference in Louisville in which he proclaimed it “National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Headquarters Day” in the city. … Continue Reading
This past weekend in Los Angeles at the International Olympic Committee’s 5th World Conference on Women and Sport, two-time Olympic softball medalist Jennie Finch (Team USA, gold – 2004, silver – 2008) joined former gymnast Nadia Comaneci and figure skater Michelle Kwan in receiving the “Power of I” award. During her remarks, the American pitcher called for the reinstatement of softball to the Olympic programme. Her complete speech follows: … Continue Reading
There are a lot choices in Fastpitch Softball Gloves. It can be very difficult to find the best glove with all the sizes, designs, and models available.
Fastpitch Softball Gloves have a larger pattern length because the ball is larger. A deeper pocket is commonly designed into a softball glove also. New glove manufacturers designed certain Women Fastpitch Softball mitts with small hand slots. The distance between the thumb and index finger is shorter to support a small hand. … Continue Reading
Nashville, Tenn – National Pro Fastpitch announced final plans today for the 2012 NPF College Draft. The 2012 Draft which is presented by Miken will take place at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis Tennessee on March 7 at 5:00 CST. The Memphis Sports Council is hosting the event in conjunction with the Peabody Hotel. … Continue Reading
The man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides.
Henri-Frederic Amiel
You face hundreds of decisions daily, BusyCoach. Venti or grande? Recruit A or recruit B? Practice more or rest? … Continue Reading
Do you have a passion for softball?
Do you think people may be interested in what you have to say?
Do you enjoy writing? … Continue Reading
CHARLOTTE, NC – January 24, 2012 – The National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) League announced today that a new professional women’s fastpitch team, the Carolina Diamonds, has been franchised and will begin play in 2012. The team is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina.
“The League is certainly happy to be making this announcement,” said Cheri Kempf, Commissioner of the National Pro Fastpitch League. “We believe the Carolinas region is a very good area for expansion in the women’s professional fastpitch market for a number of reasons. Primarily, there is an audience there that understands and appreciates the game and has shown their support in the past. We are looking forward to returning the top level of competition the sport has to offer to current and future fastpitch fans in the Carolinas area.” … Continue Reading
STARKVILLE, Miss. – You can celebrate in your own community or join with thousands in Washington, D.C., to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 1. The theme of this year’s event is “Title IX at 40: In it for the Long Run.”
Started in 1987 to honor Olympic volleyball star Flo Hyman, National Girls and Women in Sports Day has grown into a nationwide celebration to honor the participation, success and accomplishments of girls and women athletes. The Washington D.C. celebration is organized by five national organizations for girls and women — Girls’ Incorporated, Girl Scouts of the USA, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, National Women’s Law Center and the Women’s Sports … Continue Reading
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Arizona State Sun Devils will began the 2012 exactly where they left off last year, as the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, according to the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll that was released by the Association on Tuesday.
The defending national champion Sun Devils (60-6) claimed all 30 first-place votes in the poll to top the rankings for the sixth straight edition dating back to last season. Florida (56-13) and Alabama (53-11) also remained unchanged in the preseason poll, finishing the rankings in second and third, respectively. Rounding out the top five was California (45-13) who moved up one spot from the final poll last year to fourth, while Oklahoma (43-19) shot up two spots to fifth. … Continue Reading
Keeping It Simple Is a Pre-requisite for Releasing Talent
Today’s Mental Skills Tip – I wrote a book with 200 pages and I can talk to athletes for hours about thinking DOs and DON’Ts. This leads some to think that they should avoid mental skills training because they don’t want to make the game too complicated. Not to worry: a primary goal of mental skills training is to help athletes keep it simple when it’s time to perform. … Continue Reading
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Twelve athletes have been named to the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced today. An additional five athletes will be named to the squad, which will compete at the International Softball Federation (ISF) Women’s World Championship, following a 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team and USA Softball Women’s Elite National Team Selection Camp in June. … Continue Reading
Are you planning ahead? As a former teacher, I know the importance of planning lessons in the classroom. As teachers we are taught to set objectives, set deadlines for when skills have to be learned, and then making progressive plans that lead us to the final result; our students learning what they need to learn and demonstrating that via exam or project.
What I find with most coaches is that they know when their first games are and they have an idea of where they want their team to be when that game comes, but they don’t really have anything written down. That make work for some coaches; the ones who are truly gifted, but the rest of us tend to get sidetracked without a guide to keep us focused. … Continue Reading
You’ve heard about the Titanic, the ship that “not even God could sink.” Maybe God couldn’t sink it, but an iceberg sure did. The ship’s operator had received multiple warnings to “look out for icebergs,” and after the 6th warning he even shot back, “Shut up! I’m busy!” Perhaps he thought they didn’t look big enough to damage his huge ship, yet he forgot one important fact: 90% of an iceberg lies below the surface.
What a powerful metaphor for leadership. Dr. Tim Elmore, author of Habitudes, likens the 10% of an iceberg above the water to our skills and the 90% of the iceberg below the surface to our character. Though unseen, our character is much bigger and has greater potential to wreak havoc. How many coaches are “too busy” honing their skills to heed warnings about character flaws that can sink their ship? … Continue Reading
I often get asked about my feelings regarding slapping in the game of fast pitch softball. In a nutshell I say “It’s unfair.” Really it’s like stealing when you think about it. Not sure why they even allow it. Why? Well in any normal foot race things are even. The “racers” line up on the same line and they run to the same location. Occasionally the two racers might even come to an agreement like “Hey Meghan you know you are way faster than me how about giving me a 5 foot lead?” Many times Meghan and Anne will then negotiate the size of the lead, and the slower runner will get the “head start.” … Continue Reading
I recently had the opportunity to visit with baseball’s great Pete Rose. No matter people’s opinion about Pete, one thing everyone will agree on is that Pete went all out when he played baseball. During our visit, Pete asked me this question. In the thirty years that I coached, what was the most important thing I learned to do? I went into all my lists of things, such as recruiting speed, having an offensive that would create runs, win with defense, etc. and when I was finished Pete smiled at me and wrote three letters on a piece of paper in front of him. WIN … Continue Reading
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Fourteen coaches were honored at the 2011 Convention In Las Vegas for having achieved the prestigious rank of Four-Star Master Coach, an honor bestowed to those that have completed all eight National Fastpitch Coaches Colleges courses.
These fourteen join 82 other coaches who have also reached the milestone since the program began in 2002. The first class of Four-Star Master Coaches was recognized at the 2005 Convention and included 22 members. … Continue Reading
Nashville, TN – National Pro Fastpitch announced today the establishment of the NPF Official Developmental Partnership Program. The Program is designed to join the professional ranks of owners, players, and staff with the amateur ranks of youth participants, their coaches and parents.
The NPF Official Developmental Partnership Program is broken into three distinct groups: Park Partner, Performance Partner, and Playing Partner. ODP’s are linked with NPF through a benefits and privileges package that includes preferential camp and clinic booking, preferential guest speaker scheduling, discounted tickets to NPF games and special events, opportunity to become an Official Retailer of NPF gear, equipment and apparel discounts, and more. … Continue Reading
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Stacy May-Johnson has been named the 2011 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year while Greg Connell was selected as the Male Athlete of the Year, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced today. Cheyenne Cordes has also been selected as the Athlete of the Year from the Junior Women’s National team program.
Rookie infielder May-Johnson (Reno, Nev./Iowa assistant coach), who saw time at shortstop and third base, came out of retirement in 2011 to make her first USA Softball Women’s National Team at 27-years-old. … Continue Reading
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Chicago Bandits annouced today that Darrick Brown has resigned as head coach of the Chicago Bandits.
“We want to thank Darrick for the wonderful year of service he provided to the Bandits,” said Bandits GM, Aaron M. Moore. “He was a big reason for the team’s success in 2011, including winning the team’s second NPF Championship.
“We respect his decision to focus on what he has going on in Michigan with his family and indoor center, Brown’s Fastpitch, and the Bandits organization wishes him nothing but success moving forward.” … Continue Reading
Today’s Mental Skills Tip – Athletes can do everything else beautifully, but if they fail to focus, they will not release their talent.
Did you ever try to hit a ball or target that you didn’t see? Stop an opponent with your eyes closed? It won’t work too well. What about the opposite? Did it ever look like the game was going in slow motion, and relevant cues (ball, target, etc.) seemed bigger than normal? That’s a tunnel vision focus on the task-at-hand. The goal is to get zoned in like that and making the attempt to get there will help performance, whether it becomes a “peak performance” or not. … Continue Reading
There is nothing that people seem to love more than sales. You can’t really argue with the logic either.
If you wanted to buy something anyway why pay full price when you can get it for less. The word “sale” alone isn’t always enough to prompt folks to go out of there way to buy something. But if the “X% off” is a big enough number, people will camp out overnight and stampede over each other to purchase the item.
Yet on the softball field we so often neglect to even look at the numbers involved with what we do, let alone see what we could get “on sale.” If you ask the vast majority of coaches and players how far it is from home to first they will tell you that it’s 60 feet. … Continue Reading
In separate conversations with four different coaches recently, a common theme surfaced—they wanted to show more joy and enthusiasm during the season. Even when they experience these emotions, they struggle to express them outwardly to others—especially to their teams.
While competitiveness and intensity are the hallmarks of great coaches, those strengths turn into liabilities when taken to an extreme. These four coaches strongly desired to live more joyfully—even, and most importantly, during the season. They had grown weary of allowing their joy to be stifled in the crucible of intensity, competition and pressure. … Continue Reading
