With this weekend being the Qualifiers for the PWSA Squit girls in Stratford and in Pickering it a great time to bring up the U12 Coaches Guide (Learning To Train Stage). You can purchase the this great coaching tool from Softball Ontario for $29.99. Follow links at http://www.softballontario.ca/content/view/142/98/
Softball Canada created the Coaches Guide series to increase the knowledge of coaches and improve the development of players. The information in each guide is based on Softball Canada’s Long‐Term Player Development (LTPD) model ensuring it is both age and stage appropriate.
Each guide contains a season’s worth of practice plans divided into 4 training phases with each phase having its own objectives and outcomes and will assist softball coaches with the critical skill of developing and conducting sequential, well organized practices. The practice plans are laid out in a manner that is very easy to follow and to work with. Each drill is described in detail including a list of equipment that is required and a time limit to ensure that the practice is kept on track. The coach can use the information in the Key Teaching Points section of the guide to ensure the players are not simply doing the drills but are instead “learning the skills and game”. Each drill also contains a clearly illustrated diagram to allow for easy understanding of the drills. Beyond these valuable practice plans, these guides contain sections on practice planning, dynamic warm‐up routines, cool‐down routines, and key teaching points for each skill. This fantastic new resource means that age‐appropriate practices and information are now at the fingertips of every softball coach in Canada. If you are a beginner coach, you can simply follow the practice plans as they are laid out and rest assured your players and team will improve the skills prioritized for their age category and LTPD stage over the course of the season. If you are an experienced coach, you can use these practice plans as a guideline and modify them to meet the individual needs of your players and team.
Each guide is contained in a binder which allows the coach to remove the appropriate practice plan from the binder and take it with them to the field.
