You have never coached in your life, and you have volunteered/been nominated/been asked by your son/daughter to do so. Relax! The fact that you are here, looking for help, puts you ahead of ninety-five percent of potential volunteer baseball/softball coaches.

Let's start with what is YOUR MISSION AS A COACH!
Coaching Little League can be a very rewarding experience. It is very important however, that you keep a proper perspective of what your priorities and mission should be at this level of competition.

Your primary responsibility is NOT to win! The pressure of winning will come soon enough for these young athletes. Your primary mission as a Little League coach is to: Teach and Develop!

What do we hope for from you?

The single MOST important thing we need from you - keep kids coming back to baseball!

• We want to create an experience that brings kids back to our program year after year
• Not as important - kids with perfect swings, excellent mechanics, or a pile of state championships
• Seek the right combination of having fun, allowing kids to be kids, and focusing on getting better
• Focus on the process and the journey rather than the outcome
• Teach kids to compete
• View yourself as a critical part of our collective baseball program…because you are! The success of our little league program is a product of the success of our coach training program. We are all in this thing (providing a great baseball experience for kids) together.

The importance of teaching to compete vs. focusing on wins

• Demonstrates a focus on the process (what can be controlled) as opposed to a result (what can't be controlled)
• Enforces a big picture focus on your players' futures
• Creates a conversation about how we played, what we did well, what we need to improve on vs. what the score was
• Creates an environment in which players are allowed to fail, learn from it, and not dwell on it
• Relieves undue pressure placed on both kids and coaches, allowing for a safer and more enjoyable experience
• Opens up conversations for you to teach life lessons in an environment where kids are more willing to listen

One of our goals at Federal Way National Little League, is to give coaches the tools and knowledge to do just that, teach and develop, by engaging their players, improve their skills, and create a positive baseball experience for the entire team. With the information provided here and our in-person coaching clinics we hope to succeed in helping our volunteer coaches, assistant coaches and parents better understand how to coach baseball and help develop kids personally and athletically no matter the age or skill level.

Being a Little League coach has a similar learning curve to the players they are mentoring. To assist are wonderful volunteers choosing to coach for the first time or those return for another season in the dugout, we're showing you a few of the many ways to prepare for the coming season and through the year. Federal Way National League big emphasis is on providing training and tools to our volunteer coaches.

FWNLL Baseball Minor Division Tips.pdf

SampleCoachWelcomeLetterv2.doc

Big part of that is building your athletes' self-confidence and motivation! We've provided a "cheat sheet" with ways to encourage your kids and build their self-esteem. Print the sheet out and put it in your coaching binder.

FWNLL Build Self Esteem.pdf