2012 International Softball Coaches Symposium

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Registration

Come early to pick up your registration package before the presentations begin!!

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Are You A Good Coach? - Mark Smith/Melissa Basilio

The role of coach is arguably the single most important responsibility you can experience. Coaching is more than wins and losses. Let's talk about what it takes to be a competent coach.

7:30 - 9:00 pm

Making Your Hitters Better - Dave Paetkau

Your players have good mechanics but still aren't hitting as well in games as you would like. What can a coach do to "make their hitters better". Listen to Dave Paetkau discuss the tools and techniques coaches can use to take their players to the next level. Scouting teams and pitchers can give your hitters an advantage. Coaches will learn what to look for and how to use this information with your hitters. Coaches will also be given drills on how to teach your hitters to recognize pitches and make adjustments to hit the ball during games.

9:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Keys to Successfully Manage the Skill Ranges on Your Team - Cindy Bristow

It's one thing to coach your team. It's a whole different ballgame to make sure your star players are challenged while giving your lesser-skilled players enough reps. Learn how to challenge your top players, manage your average players and give special attention those that need it within the time, space and coaching staff you have for practice.

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Long-Term Player Development - Drew Mitchell [LJ1]

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Optimizing Your Practice or Planning Effective Training Sessions -Melissa Basilio/Mark Smith

The younger the athlete the more important it is to ensure training meets athletes needs. This session will talk about how to build effective practices and help you develop athletes to reach their potential.

11:00 am - Noon

Preparing your Pitchers for Game Success - Rob Guenter/Kaila Holtz

We all agree that great pitchers usually have solid fundamental mechanics. But often good mechanics don't translate into game success. Solid pitching mechanics is only a part of what makes a good pitcher. In this session we will explain five drills all coaches can do with pitchers to improve their strikeout to walk ratio, get ahead of hitters and make something out of a 3-0 count. Teaching athletes to strategize early in their career, often using only a fastball and change-up will greatly improve their ERA and result in empowered, instinctive pitchers in command of their best stuff.

Noon - 1:00 pm

LUNCH - on your own

1:00 pm - 1:10 pm

Investors Group Volunteer Sport Administrator Award Presentation

1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

Working with Female Athletes, Keeping Girls Active - Christine Bradstock [LJ2]

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Developing Competitors and Gamers in Practice - Cindy Bristow

Discover why some players don't compete as hard as others and what you can do about it. You'll learn some exciting and fun drills and techniques that your players will enjoy that will greatly improve how hard your team competes in games.

3:00 pm - 3:15 pm

BREAK

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

Competition - Introduction Evaluation Process using Video - Laura Watson [LJ3]

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Detecting Signs & Symptoms of Concussions - Seb Hartell [LJ4]

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Essentials of Training Youth - Spencer Baker (Twist Sport Conditioning)

With the decline of free play and diverse sport participation, today's children and youth are de-conditioned and unmotivated. To help youth be successful in sport, coaches need to be prepared to provide conditioning skills and drills that build personal confidence and the physical tools to support playing softball. Leave this session with practical training tips that are fun and interactive to build foundational softball sport characteristics that inspire your youth athletes to play hard, remain injury free and stay in the game.

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Umpire/Coach/Player Management - Bob Henning [LJ5]

7:00 - 8:00 pm

DINNER - on your own

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

National Team Hot Stove & Social Get Together/Tradeshow

Softball Canada and Softball BC will host a get together with your fellow symposium participants on Saturday evening after the last presentation (starting at about 7 pm). A cash bar and free finger food will be available. Plan to attend and meet your fellow coaches and the presenters!! In addition, walk around the Trade Show and see the latest softball related equipment and products.

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Tiering - Richard Way [LJ6]

10:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Talent ID - How To Measure Skills In Your Athletes? - Mark Smith/Melissa Basilio

Softball is a skill game that requires good technical execution of skills. In this session we'll explore how to measure skills in your athletes in a fun and progressive way.

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Drills, Drills, Drills - Cindy Bristow

This presentation is packed with over 15 drills ranging from Throwing to Defensive to Hitting to Pitching. You'll see video of each drill in action and hear a detailed explanation of each. Improve your practices by learning some more game-like drills.

Noon - 1:00 pm

LUNCH - on your own

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Hitting Principles: The fundamentals that make an efficient swing - Dave Paetkau

Coaches will learn what makes an efficient swing that will make more contact with more power for better results. Examples of current top hitters will be used to explain.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

The Pathway to Becoming a National Team Athlete - Derek Mayson & Sasha [LJ7]  Olson