The Secret to Coaching New Players? Building Trust

We took the field for practice in OKC with just one hour to prepare before chasing a Championship run in the USA All-American Games. These players had never played for me before, and came from many different teams/orgs, but I wasn’t about to change my approach.

We started with my normal infield routine—rolled ball drills from shortstop, and once we were moving in rhythm we broke out into positions for ground balls. After a few rounds, we circled up to talk defensive strategy and learn how each of their teams ran their specific defense. With only 60 minutes on the dirt, I had to balance skill work, team building, and confidence.

That’s when one kiddo looked at me and asked: “Coach, why aren’t you destroying us with ground balls?” The others jumped in, laughing and swapping stories about how their coaches crush balls at them in practice—so hard they could barely field cleanly and getting yelled at when they made a mistake. I stepped back and thought: For what?

A Coach’s Reflection

Later that night, I lay in bed replaying that moment. I thought back on all the different teams I’ve coached, and what my approach was when training our infield.

• Were we naturally strong defensively, or did we struggle with errors?

• Who were my assistant coaches?

• What did our practices look like that year?

• How long had I coached each of them?

I was going through it—not just thinking about drills we did, but about the bigger picture of why I coach the way I do.

I've watched too many coaches think that they need to hit balls harder at their players if the team is making errors, and yet their team continues to make the same mistakes. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place to hit "piss-rockets". But we need to understand when to move from Training Mode into Game Mode.

What I’ve Learned as a Coach

Over the years, I’ve grown as both a person and a coach. I’ve realized something powerful:

• My players need to have sound fundamentals.

• My players need to trust themselves and each other.

• My players need to feel loose and play free.

I want my teams to be athletic. I want them to communicate. I want them to trust that mistakes are part of the game—and that together, they can rise above them.

Because at the end of the day, softball isn’t about being perfect on the field. It’s about building athletes who believe in themselves and in the teammate standing next to them.

What's Important Now?

That question from a kiddo in OKC—“Coach, why aren’t you destroying us with ground balls?”—reminded me why I coach the way I do. It’s not about how hard I can hit a ball at them. It’s about how confident they feel through their preparation so that they are their strongest in the biggest moments.

👉 Coaches and Parents—if you’re looking for tips on building defensive confidence, teamwork, and trust, stay tuned in our weekly newsletter. I’ll be sharing drills, strategies, and stories that help young athletes play free and still be relentless competitors.