Implementing Huge Changes In-Season a No-no, Says Top Softball Coach

Online, September 1, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Implementing significant technical changes during the season could negatively affect a softball player's game, says a top softball peak performance coach.

Dagenais said in a statement that softball players and coaches should make the necessary changes before the season or when it is over. The reason for this, he says, is that learning new skills takes time to develop. That is why making significant changes in-season will hurt a player's game, not help it.

"At the... moment, you've got to go to war with what you've got," Dagenais said.

Instead of creating massive changes during the season, Dagenais suggests focusing on practices that will help patch minor problems with the team's game. He outlined them as maintaining sharp skills, finding rhythm, making very minor adjustments, perfect defensive and offensive tactics, work on things that have not worked in past games, and preparing for specific opponents.

Most softball teams have very tight schedules that are usually composed of games during weekends, while traveling or practicing during the weeknights. Because of this, Dagenais tells coaches to, "focus on the most important things and make sure you keep your game sharp to be at your best in game."

Dagenais also tells coaches to, "focus on quality, not quantity." Coaches, he says, should keep practices and drills short but intense. That way, the players will get the most out of the drills while having enough time to recover.

To aid with the recovery, Dagenais also recommends that players always keep their proper diet. "Most players, because of their busy schedules, either have too little time to eat or resort to eating unhealthy food." A diet like that leaves players feeling fatigued most of the time, and would be unable to perform well on and off the field, says Dagenais.

He adds that players should get a diet that is rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates to fuel players during the game as well as protein to repair damages on the muscles.

Dagenais is a softball coach with more than 20 years of coaching teams that include the Canadian Women's Softball National Team.

For more details about this information, contact Marc Dagenais or visit his website at http://www.softballperformance.com

About Marc Dagenais:

Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, be mentally tougher, and more dominant on the field.

Contact:

Marc Dagenais
M.O. Dagenais & Associates, Inc.
154 Charlotte St., Suite #C508
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H2X 4A1
+1-866-589-0439
http://www.softballperformance.com