Overcoaching

It was 1960 and I had just moved to Oklahoma and taken a professor position at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. While being interviewed by Dean Ernie Sturch, I carelessly mentioned that I had played semi-pro baseball and done some coaching. Earnie said, “I’m coaching a  12 year old boys Babe Ruth league team and I could use an assistant.” I accepted the “requested” task. Actually, I was happy to take on that job - Ernie was a legend of coaching in Durant, Oklahoma, and I spent six years coaching and learning with him.

One evening I was sitting in the stands with my team ready to play the following game and I was  watching the coach of the team on the field. There were runners on first base and third base with one out. The coach called a timeout and was actively going over some directions with his players. I wondered if he was trying to teach his young, 12 year old players “The Cut-off Play”. When the runner on first tries to make the automatic steal of second, the pitcher makes an outside pitch, the catcher catches it and throws the ball toward the shortstop covering the base - the second baseman “cuts-off” the throw, and nails the runner trying to go home.

This was a classic example of what is called “Overcoaching.” Overcoaching is having your players attempt tactics that they are not physically and experientially ready to do. When I was the second baseman on that semi-pro team we tried that tactic - just  once. Let’s just say this Babe Ruth team didn’t get it done either. It simply  requires too many actions. At this age, a team should be dealing with three or fewer instructions to follow in one sequence.

Most overcoaching is done by players who are still playing or have recently ended their playing careers. That coach may have gotten away with the “Suicide Squeeze”* but that would also have needed a lot of practice by players who were more mature and experienced than his players. You have to deal with those kids who are there in front of you. They are where they are, not necessarily where you want them to be. 

Every child is ready to learn something – it’s our job as teachers and parents (and coaches) to determine what that child is ready to learn.

—James Hymes

I am always surprised what my children (players) can comprehend while maturing. Our language texts with my fourth graders instructed us to have them learn that two negatives produce one positive, e,g, “I don’t have no money so I must have some money.”  We teachers wished that those “experts” had tried this out with our fourth graders. We tried every gimmick except standing on our heads and got nowhere. A few years later, I was teaching sixth graders and when I introduced this  concept to them, they just nodded and said, “Oh, that’s interesting.

What else is new?” 

When I see a coach trying to use a tactic ahead of her players’ growth - such as “The Suicide Squeeze”, I simply tell her, “Wait a couple of years - this is a readiness thing; they need more maturation time. Just teach them how to bunt for a hit.” 

Overcoaching is the worst thing you can do to a player.    Dean Smith

*The Suicide Squeeze - Last of the ninth inning - tied score. You have a runner on third base with no outs or one out. She takes off for home on the pitch. Your batter lays down a bunt on the first base side - is not concerned about getting on base. Runner scores - you win.