8 Ways You Can Build Pitching Staff Unity
/A quality pitching staff is a key component to building a successful team. Some coaches make the mistake of having a group of ranked individual players. This means that each player has a number, #1 pitcher, #2 pitcher, and #3 pitcher. This can translate to your pitchers thinking that they’re “second best” and “third best”, without identifying their specific (and important) role on the team. Having a certain role for each pitcher gets them excited to fulfill them. If players are ranked, it can sometimes be a motivating factor, but without specifics on why a player is where she is and how she can improve, resentment and jealousy can arise among teammates AND their parents. Assigning a role is a way of providing those specifics.
Coaches should find fun ways to build confidence and unity within their pitching staff. First, identify each pitchers role by using stats and numbers and providing suggestions for how she can get better (and earn more innings). For example, say in front of your pitching staff and possibly their parents, “Emma, you are the power pitcher. You throw the fastest. This talent is needed against many of the teams we face. Lilly, you are the “change of speed pitcher.” Your velocity is slower than Emma, but the change of speed is important to keep other teams off balance. If you want to play more you need to increase your speed by lifting weights 3x a week and doing 50 perfect push ups. Is that something you’re interested in?” If so, check in every week to monitor her progress. Parents can also paint this picture.
In order for a player to want to change for her team, or at least live up to her existing role, she needs to be encouraged. There are a bunch of ways to get her excited about the role that she has or the role she wants to accomplish. These are some ideas I have learned from college, travel, and high school coaches I have met along the way.
Put a plastic hand in the dugout. When you do something well, stand in front of it and give yourself a “pat on the back”. Other pitchers and players can give you a “pat on the back” too. A player is recognizing their own successes and so is her teammates.
Have players decorate each other’s lockers or create a bag tag for one another.
Assign each player a “bus buddy” or “travel buddy” before each away game or big competition. You can have each player pick a name out of a hat. The players will write a letter to her “buddy” with an uplifting, motivational, or complementary message and maybe include their favorite snack. This is a very simple gesture that can players pumped and unified for the upcoming weekend/game.
Polish your cleats before every game. This is a routine that can be done as a group and helps players put their best foot forward (pun intended :))
Play the Tic-Tac-Toe game at practice. Take a standing target, one that has 9 squares, and hang a written goal on a piece of paper in each opening. For example, “pitch two riseballs that move and hit their spots” Once someone accomplishes this, she gets to knock that square out by removing the paper. Once the pitching staff accomplishes enough goals to make a tic-tac-toe shape, they earn a reward.
Have a group pitching session apart from regular practice. It is more convenient to have the pitchers work during the team practice, but it is important to build your staff in other settings. Have the pitchers pair up with another teammate who throws a pitch that they struggle with. Let them teach eachother how to improve. This allows them to work together and learn to take constructive criticism from their peers with minimal coach intervention. Pitchers are also recognizing others strengths and using that to motivate them and make one another better.
Play a game where all of the pitchers stand by the mound and the rest of the team standing on the third base line. Start a timer for 10 minutes. Every time a pitcher steps up to the plate, so does a “batter” (they just stand in and work on pitch selection, not swinging) and the coach calls a pitch. If the pitcher hits her spot, she gets to stay on the mound and the batter moves to the first base line. Good misses result in a new pitcher and batter. The batter goes to the end of the line that is on the third base line. If it’s a bad miss, all the batters that made it to the first base side must go back to where they started. The game ends once all batters make it to the first base side or time runs out. This is a very motivating drill because the pitchers must work with one another to accomplish a goal. If they do not come through, their teammates suffer. Everyone is kept accountable and a single pitcher is not going to win the game--each pitchers role is recognized and contributes to the overall success.
Overall, a pitcher needs to know that her fellow staff members are there to support her, not hope that she fails so they can take her spot. The pitchers should be one another’s biggest cheerleaders. They are going to succeed at different times and in different ways and they should know that this is okay. We can’t be perfect at every outing. The unity and confidence of a staff will soar once the players understand this.
