How to Coach an Adult Softball Team

An adult softball team coach is generally referred to as a manager and tends not to “coach,” but organize the team, practice and game schedules and team line ups. Coaching an adult softball team can be rewarding, but for the novice coach, it can also be a little intimidating. If you’ve played on a team before, you probably already know the basics and learning the fundamentals of coaching or leading an adult softball team won’t be too difficult.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Softball rules & regulations manual
• Softball equipment
• Softball uniforms
• Score books
• Softball practice field
• Practice and game schedules
• Team roster (including contact phone numbers)

1. Attend any required coaches' meetings. Many adult teams are governed by a city’s parks and recreation department who may have set rules, which include meetings, especially at the beginning of the season. These meetings are a good time to learn if there are any special rules governing your team, especially if it’s a co-ed team.
2. Get advice from other adult softball coaches or teammates who have coached a team in the past. Most of them will be more than willing to help with your coaching questions.
3. Put together an adult softball team roster, including contact information, of those who want to play on the team. Find out what kind of experience each person has and what positions, if any, they have played in the past.
4. Talk to your team and find out if everyone knows the basic rules of the game. You will need to go over these rules first, if there are players who don’t know them or it’s been a while since they’ve played. Obtain a copy of the appropriate softball rule book governing the league you’re coaching.
5. Set up practice sessions with your players. Some adult softball team coaches will skip practice altogether and have team members just show up on game days. Practicing, however, allows you to learn each player’s strengths and weaknesses and determine who will be good in which positions.
6. Choose who will play in your key positions. Two of the most important positions are the pitcher and catcher. Find out who has played in these positions before or try out each player to learn who would best fill these spots as both the starting players and back-up players.
7. Find someone who can keep score for your team. If you don’t already know how to keep score, then learn, and teach someone else, either on the team or a volunteer, to keep score in case you are too busy. You can sometimes find softball score books at major sports stores, like Academy Sports, or look online.
8. Find softball coaching tips in books and online, if you are still uncomfortable with your coaching duties. You can find good tips, including drills you can run during practice, from many university Web sites, like the University of South Dakota.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don’t already know them, learn the basic rules of the game prior to beginning your coaching duties. Knowing the rules can save you from a lot of future embarrassment and you will need to pass on the rules to any players who don’t already know them.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who has coached an adult softball team before. They are almost always willing to offer some advice.
• Always encourage good sportsmanship among your team mates and other teams’ players.
• Always have both starting players and back-up players for key positions. Your starting players may get hurt or tired or might not be able to make it to a game and you have to know who is able to take their place.
• Remember, most adult players have played before and although you are the “coach,” some team members will not like being told what to do.