The Softball Coaching Bible » (1st Edition)

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the sport's leading professional growth organization for coaches at all competitive levels of play. The NFCA has more than 4,000 members, most of whom are high school, travel-team, and collegiate coaches.

The NFCA provides a forum for discussing matters of interest to its members and works to formulate guiding principles, standards, and policies for conducting competitive fastpitch softball programs for girls and women. It recognizes outstanding members through its Victory Club and Coach of the Year awards programs, in addition to All-Region, All-American, and Scholar-Athlete awards programs for members' college and high school players. All members receive the association's newspaper, Fastpitch Delivery, and enjoy discounts on softball coaching clinics, videos, and books. They also have access to the NFCA job bank, camp network, and other professional networking opportunities.

The NFCA headquarters are located in Columbia, Missouri, where executive director Lacy Lee Baker and her husband, University of Missouri head softball coach Jay Miller, and their daughter, Nikki, also reside.

Rarely in any sport are 28 top coaches assembled to share their principles, insights, strategies, methods, and experiences in a book. Fastpitch softball is an exception. Now you can learn from the best and take your players, team, and entire program to a higher level.

Find out how Mike Candrea develops productive hitters at Arizona, and follow the advice of Fresno State's Margie Wright for competing in tournaments and playoffs. This landmark work covers all the bases, from recruiting players to attracting fans. Chapter after chapter, you can use this book as the game plan for building a winning program.

Introduction: Learning From the Best Jacquie Joseph

Part I Coaching Priorities and Principles
Chapter 1 Sharing a Love for the Game
Dianne Baker

Chapter 2 Making Softball Fun
Margo Jonker

Chapter 3 Competing With Class
Carol Bruggeman

Chapter 4 Out-Hustling Your Opponent
Teresa Wilson

Chapter 5 Coaching With Integrity
Marge Willadsen

Part II Program Building and Management
Chapter 6 Organizing and Orchestrating a Winning Program
JoAnne Graf

Chapter 7 Mentoring Within Your Staff
Gayle Blevins

Chapter 8 Building a Recruiting Network
Brian Kolze

Chapter 9 Marketing and Promoting Your Program
Yvette Girouard

Chapter 10 Establishing a Successful High School Program
Denny Throneburg

Part III Creative and Effective Practice Sessions
Chapter 11 Organizing Indoor and Outdoor Practices
Bill Edwards

Chapter 12 Conducting Innovative Practices
Deb Pallozzi

Chapter 13 Using Practice Drills Effectively
Betty Hoff and Jacki Wright

Part IV Individual Skills and Team Strategies
Chapter 14 Developing Productive Hitters
Mike Candrea

Chapter 15 Manufacturing Runs
Jay Miller

Chapter 16 Producing Elite Pitchers
Cheri K. Kempf

Chapter 17 Charging Up the Battery
Lori Sippel

Chapter 18 Playing Situational Defense
Linda Wells

Chapter 19 Competing in Tournaments and Playoffs
Margie Wright

Part V Player Motivation and Leadership
Chapter 20 Winning the Mental Game
Jeff Janssen

Chapter 21 Building Team Chemistry
Rhonda Revelle

Chapter 22 Developing Responsible Athletes
Elaine Sortino

Chapter 23 Building Loyalty and Tradition in Players
Carol Hutchins

Chapter 24 Inspiring Today's Players
Mona Stevens

Part VI Off-the-Field Opportunities, Challenges, and Pressures
Chapter 25 Learning and Developing As a Professional
Rayla J. Allison

Chapter 26 Conducting Camps and Clinics
Judi Garman

Chapter 27 Beating the Burnout Factor
Sharon J. Drysdale and Karren J. Drysdale

About the NFCA
About the Contributors