Coaching Youth Softball: A Baffled Parent's Guide [Paperback]

Jacquie Joseph (Author)

Book Description

Series: Baffled Parent's Guides | Publication Date: February 26, 2001

Coaching Youth Softball is written especially for the unprepared parent thrust into the role of coaching his or her 8- to 12-year-old child's softball team. Upbeat and inspirational, it schools new coaches in the fundamentals of controlling, motivating, and encouraging a disparate group of kids in the art and science of softball.

Parents learn the logistics of running a youth team and the specifics of coaching softball. They learn how to match drills to a player's skills and motivation level and gain a wealth of detailed instructions on such specifics as how to run a successful practice and manage during a game.

• Takes a drill-based approach to teaching basic skills
• Reviews softball fundamentals for inexperienced parents

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Jacquie Joseph conveys her knowledge of the game with a great, hands-on approach to coaching kids. This book is essential reading for parents and coaches of young players."--Lacy Lee Baker, Executive Director, National Fastpitch Coaches Association

"Your goal is to provide a fun and rewarding softball experience for your players. This is an opportunity for you to make a difference in their lives."­­--Jacquie Joseph

Coach. You thought you were just going to sign up your child for the youth league. Now here you are, a newly appointed coach. You didn't ask for it, but it happened anyway. Now you need help.

Don't despair. This complete guidebook will not only get you through it but will help you become the coach you'd like to be­­--the coach who can give those kids the sports experience they deserve. You've already taken a big step: you said "yes" to this important commitment. Congratulations. You'll have a great time, and Jacquie Joseph is here to help.

• Survive your first practice and game
• Win over problem players--and parents
• Reach all your players
• Match your drills and strategies to age and ability
• Make it fun and rewarding
• Be the coach you never had
• Generate enthusiasm
• Improve your players and your team

Praise for other books in the Baffled Parent's series:

"This book is a great source of information for youth coaches and players."--­­John Cerutti, former major league pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays, on Coaching Youth Baseball

"An excellent guide to teaching kids about the game."--Larry Bird, basketball legend, on Coaching Youth Basketball

"Essential reading."--­­Jim Sheldon, Executive Director, National Soccer Association of America, on Coaching Youth Soccer

About the Author

Jacquie Joseph is head coach of the Michigan State University softball team. She has coached at the national level as an assistant to the gold medal U.S. team in the Pan American Games qualifier in 1997 and as head coach for the West Team in the U.S. National team trials.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (February 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071368256
• ISBN-13: 978-0071368254
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #301,166 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Softball
  • #29 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Coaching > Soccer
  • #68 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Coaching > Baseball

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coaching Book for New Coaches, April 27, 2001

By 

Peach "jmp" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coaching Youth Softball: A Baffled Parent's Guide (Paperback)

I am not a parent but nonetheless, this book is excellent! This book gets right down to the heart of coaching. It tells you step by step how to teach someone how to throw, catch, pitch, hit and play every position. It also tells you what type of girl would be good for positions of pitchers and catchers which is important since most girls at this age have no experience in many positions. The drills have diagrams and there is glossary in the back to help with the terminology. There are not that many good softball coaching books (believe me I've looked), so grab this one!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for beginner or experienced coach, May 10, 2002

By 

Toby Ward "tobyalan" (Kalamazoo, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coaching Youth Softball: A Baffled Parent's Guide (Paperback)

This is an AMAZING book! Even if you have never coached, played, or even heard of softball, it helps you out. It breaks every aspect of the game down and puts it in simple terms so you can explain it to your team. It gives you practice advice and schedules as well as drills you can use for team members to improve, or establish, softball skills. It also gives you advice on how to become the best coach, dealing with gender issues and how to handle difficult parents. This book is a MUST for EVERY coach!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for coaches, December 11, 2008

By 

J. Harris (LV, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coaching Youth Softball: A Baffled Parent's Guide (Paperback)

I bought this book when I agreed to coach my daughter's 10u softball team--and then panicked! I played softball for years but it is a lot different now. This book was my coaching Bible. It helped me with fundamentals and beginning to intermediate drills. I highly recommended it to any coaches or parents want to learn the basics of softball.