10/22/2026
Having coached youth sports and travel softball for several years now—about 7–8 years of travel ball alone—I’ve learned that our job evolves drastically as these girls grow up.
By the time they hit that 14 to 18 age bracket, the stakes feel higher, the pressure mounts, and the game gets faster. But let’s clear one thing up right away: Being calculated and protective of a player’s confidence does not mean babying them.
These young women have a lot on their plates. They are navigating high school, changing social dynamics, identity, and the heavy mental load of growing up. They don't need things handed to them, and they certainly don't need us to lower our standards.
What they do need is a coach who understands the difference between hard coaching and destructive coaching.
There’s a common old-school myth out there that if you aren't tearing them down or screaming from the bucket, you aren't "hard coaching"—and if you aren't hard coaching, you aren't winning. I completely disagree.
You can demand excellence, hold players accountable, and push for greatness without breaking their spirit. In fact, players perform better, stay resilient longer, and fight harder for a coach who teaches them to know their self-worth.
At the end of the day, championships are won with talent and discipline, but lifelong athletes are built on confidence.
That’s just my take as a coach. What do you all think—how do you strike that balance between holding the line and protecting a player's mental game?
