WebBall.com - Coaching Cliches Survey

Coaching Cliches

Training is all about communication... coaches and instructors helping players understand what to do. By example and by explanation. But over the years a number of phrases have crept into to the teaching mantra... at best they are cues as to what to do, at worst they are just clichés.

We wonder if any of these over-used, hackneyed baseball phrases actually have meaning left in them. So, part one of this survey was to ask which of these you have used and which you think might actually help - provided everyone involved understands what they mean in a common context.

Putting a new spin on it, we also offer our take on these. As you'll discover we are not fond of many of these (though we admit to having used most over the years). More importantly, we hope, we offer some suggestions as to what they might mean or what to say instead, or what a better approach might be over all.

Final point: We also appreciated a number of overall comments on this Nose 2 Nose and a few of those comments appear below the boxed area.

Heard Used: Considered Helpful:
YOUR OPINIONS:
What it means:

Choose from the menu of cliches. This box will reveal your comments on that specific cliche, including your reinterpretation of what it really means, and helpful suggestions. Each opinion box is divided into 4 sections including this.

Why say it:

(reasons it might be okay)

Coaches also say:

(alternate phrases)

On the other hand:

(comments opposed to it).

AND OURS:

This box will contain WebBall's take on each cliche from the list. Overall we found an interesting difference between cliches used and those considered helpful (see percentages). As noted above, it often comes down to interpretation. But also timing... we encourage you to develop good cues during practices, we discourage pointless comments during the pressure of the game.

In addition to the specific comments above, we received many emails with general suggestions, questions about the value of any cliche, and some lists of other helpful 'cues'. We have space to share a few of our favorite comments...

From Ron Wolforth

Cliches are a mixed bag. These cliches in themselves are very poor excuses for coaching and are primarily for the parent or coach to show their support and encouragement for the athlete (very much like a skill specific cheer from a cheerleader)...which of course can indeed be very helpful for the emotional/ mental state of the athlete. Thats why they can be and are quite often benefitial. But if one actually thinks repeating these phrases actually is coaching or one is actually helping make a change at the technical or neuromuscular level by these baseball/ skill specific cheers...they are sadly mistaken. In that way...they can be dangerous... as Coaches and parents become irritated or frustrated that the athlete is not 'following' the 'directive' of the cliche (ie. their 'coaching')...and then as punishment... withdrawing their emotional support for the young athlete. So few parents and coaches truly understand the complexity of motor learning and the time and repetitions required in making changes at the neuromuscular level.

So ...like most things...cliches can be both bad or good...but most of the time the general population simply doesn't understand the why or how of either. Haven't we as adults heard 'the secret to a good marriage is communication'...'the secret to winning in the stock market is buying low & selling high', the secret to economics is supply & demand, the secret to Poker is to know when to hold em and know when to fold em...based on this 'wisdom' shouldn't we all be incredibly wealthy with tremedous marriages? Seems to me cliches don't work for us adults any better.

From Steven Conger

Rule #1 never take your eye off the ball.

Rule #2 never quit see the play threw.

Rule #3 never hold on to the ball for more then 3 sec. unless you're the pitcher, the ball is a grenade you have 3 seconds to evalute and throw. In doubt always throw to pitcher.

From James Brady

Get ready on the pitch - means simply to be in a ready position when the pitch is thrown.

Field the ball in your center - means to field the ball in front of you on the infield so you get to the throwing position as soon as possible.

You're killing the grass - means you're just standing around and not hustling.

From Dan Baits...

I think that little we say during a game actually helps players, but we have to say something. Silence is not very motivating. It's more cheering than instructing. Players (should) do what they've been taught to do in practice.

And finally, a not-so-short selection of other cliches seen and heard (perhaps we'll do a later survey to see how others react to some of these choice phrases)...

Time to go to work ... Stay down ... Feet moving ... Everything goes toward the plate ... Look at the glove not the batter ... One pitch at a time ... No hurt or no damage (after a walk) ... Hitters pitch (gotta be in your zone) ... Swing through the ball ... Keep your weight back ... Keep your hands back ... Don't pull your head out ... Keep your head down ... Nose to the ball ... Watch the ball hit your bat ... Don't lose him (gee, thanks coach) ... Spread your wings (to pitchers) ... Push off the rubber (wrong, actually) ... Pick that quarter up off your toe (to pitchers re: follow through) ... Fast hands ... Hips then hands ... Show the pitcher your hip pocket ... Squish the bug (wrong, please don't use) ... Make him come to you ... Let your defense work for you ... Trust youself, trust your pitch ... Nothing above the hands ... Live down there ... Mike and Ike (don;t ask we have no idea what this means) ... Bottom Hand ... Swing at Strikes ... Hit the ball, not the plate ... Watch the Top Hand (for bunt defense) ... See it early ... Don't aim it just throw the ball ... Don't drop your shoulder (if I had a dime) ... Level swing ... Good Stop (after a fielder doesn't get the ball in his glove, but keeps it from going past him) ... Line 'em up and drive it (line up the knuckles and drive the ball on a line up the middle) ... Just make your pitches ... work to the hitter ... Every pitch, every batter, every inning (to remind players about the importance of focus).