Developing Thinking Players: Baseball/Softball Edition

Developing Thinking Players Baseball/Softball edition What is the best play for the fielding with a runner on three and one down? Does this change if the fielding team is up by five runs in the bottom of the last innings as opposed to being ahead by one in the third? With a left-handed batter should the fielding team shift, if so how far? Where should the batting team be hitting? Is a bunt a good idea? What factors would alter this decision? Baseball and softball both require a deep understanding of the game and how contextual factors impact on tactics to play well. When players have developed this deeper understanding it brings an extra dimension to their play. We all know of players who have a real feel for the game, who understand it in ways that lead to them making good decisions and making the great plays at crucial times. But how do they develop this understanding? Are they born with a special level of interest that leads to them becoming “students of the game” or is this understanding developed through good coaching and game experience? The Developing Thinking Players (DTP) approach is based on the strong belief that appropriate coaching/teaching will lead to every player becoming a smarter player. It uses game based scenarios, played out in real game situations, to help players to develop their understanding of the game and to learn to make good decisions. DTP is based on the following six principles If players are to become good decision makers they need to practice making decisions in realistic contexts. For players to learn at a deeper level they must be practically involved in the coaching/learning process. The motivation to learn physical skills is enhanced when players understand why they are important within the game context. Competition is a strong motivator for players and it is important in the training phase to help replicate the competitive pressure faced in games. The role of the coach is of paramount importance. A positive team culture is important. The book presents twenty-five different scenarios. Each scenario has the innings, score, batters out and the runners on base detailed. For each scenario three outcomes, ranked from a three pointer for the best through to one point for the less favoured, are supplied for both the batting and fielding team. Once the scenario is shown to the players they are asked to work out the tactics that will give them the best opportunity to score their team the maximum points while restricting the oppositions scoring. Then the scenario is played out as in a real game and points awarded. While there are a number of ways of running the programme the most common is to allow the players’ time to discuss what happened and whether they need to modify their tactics before repeating the scenario. The DTP programme is designed with a great deal of flexibility. This allows it to be implemented successfully by teaches and coaches of all levels of experience and knowledge. Coaches can develop their own scenarios and points tables and add any other relevant contextual factors that they feel may impact on the decision-making. DTP is a player centred approach designed to allow the players to get involved with their learning. It supplies an opportunity for coaches and teachers to stimulate interest and generate authentic learning for their players. As such it is a valuable additional resource for all coaches and teachers of physical education Note: All scenarios have a QR code which allows them to be uploaded quickly onto a smart phone or iPad. This allows for easy access during practice. Each scenario has an attached coaching/teaching page that explains the scenario in more detail. It also has space for notes to be taken for future discussion on the tactical decisions made, and to list skills that have been identified during the scenario as needing to be improved.

Barrie Gordon PhD Barrie is a senior lecturer in health and physical education at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has a life time interest in fast pitch softball having played for many years, including several in the New Zealand national league. He worked as a high school physical education teacher before travelling to USA in 1992 to complete a Masters in physical education at The Ohio State University. It was at this time he became interested in baseball, an interest he has maintained since. Barrie has a specific interest in coaching and teaching in ways that facilitate greater engagement and understanding by the players. Developing these attributes is central to the Developing Thinking Players (DTP) concept that forms the core of the DTP coaching and teaching program.