Everything Fastpitch - The Podcast
Everything Fastpitch is a podcast hosted by Coach Tory Acheson and Coach Don McKinlay. Tory and Don are former college coaches that are now full time instructors and travel ball coaches. Since retiring form active collegiate coaching they have committed themselves to providing educational materials to the fastpitch community. This podcast is one of the resources they are providing. Their website has 500+ blog posts and they have a YouTube channel. All of these cover fastpitch softball from coaching and training beginner athletes up through college athletes. It is a great resource for players, parents and coaches. Whether it be training tips, mental aspects, coaching methods, recruiting etc. it is all covered, hence the name Everything Fastpitch.
Episodes
619 episodes
Am I better with a offensive prospect or a defensive prospect?
This week the topic revolves around when you have a choice between a player who is good offensively and weak defensively or good defensively and weak offensively. Which one can you have the most impact on that gives you the best team?
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10:17
Expectations of college play / More Money equals More Problems / What college coaches are looking for / Putting together a schedule
This week's LineupWarmup SegmentListener Question: What expectations should a player have when playing in college? (@10:10)Forbes Magazine article: More Money equals More Problems (@16:33)What college coac...
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35:52
Preparing for clutch situations
There are time in a game where a player is in a clutch situation. Pressure is on. Coaches need to help the players prepare for these situations.
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10:16
Hitting in the 9 spot / Etiquette at the ball park / Part 3 of things a college coach is looking for / Getting the most out of home training
This week's Lineup:Warmup SegmentListener Question: Is hitting in the 9th spot a sign that the coach thinks I am the worse hitter on the team? (@8:39)Etiquette at the ballpark (@:14:03)Things that college ...
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35:03
Coaching the "hard to coach player"
Some players are just hard to coach. They have bad attitudes for a lot of different reasons. How much can you do as a coach with players that bring a lot of baggage with them. We discuss that coaches have an opportunity to change lives and...
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8:28
Travel Impact of Conference Changes / Invitations to camps / Positions Recruited First / Traits that set you apart / Quality At Bats
This week's Lineup:Note: some of these topics are based upon recruiting questions from listeners. But coaches of all ages should listen, because if you know what makes a recruitable college player it will help you develop players that a...
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42:03
Academics and the Team
Today's discussion is whether coaches should implement a policy of emphasizing academics by requiring certain standards. Academics and outside activities have always been a conflict and parents have had to balance them out. What should the coac...
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11:09
Girls who play sports have an advantage / Tips for the runner at second / Update on paying college players / Top things college coaches are looking for / Coaches deliver what you promise
This week's Lineup:Warmup SegmentGirls who play sports become women who lead (@02:28)Listener Question: What should a runner at second do in various situations? (@19:18)Update on paying college playe...
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54:14
The batter's box is the size it is to give you freedom to move around
Players and coaches should not have a predisposition that a batter should always stand in the same spot in the batter's box. We preach "make adjustments" and that should apply to the stance. Good advice for players and coaches in the types of a...
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7:49
Watch some fall ball / Why are men's and women's pitching styles so different / Recruiting Calendar / Daddy Ball / Slow pitching is not an excuse
This week's LineupWarmup SegmentGo watch some fall ball (@2:55)Listener Question: Why are men's and women's pitching styles so different? (@12:02)Review of Recruiting Calendar (@18:15)Daddy Ball (...
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41:35
Suggestion to solve the problem of the shortage of pitchers
We discussed in the last Everything Fastpitch podcast that a great number of teams continue advertising that they need pitchers. One of the solutions to this problem is for sanctioning bodies to implement pitching restrictions. This would requi...
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13:58
There not enough pitchers / Correlation between Professional Baseball and Collegiate Softball / Coaches continuing to learn
This week's LineupWarmup SectionHow many college softball programs? (@2:39)Listener Question: Bad or good strategy in allowing the catchers and pitchers call pitches? (@9:52)There are not enough pitchers (...
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37:43
Impact of pitch count on a hitter's success
This episode discusses the impact the pitch count has on a hitter's success.
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11:57
Do certain majors limit you in softball / Affect of additional scholarships / Breakdown of college athletics / A question every coach should ask themselves
This week's LineupWarmup SegmentListener Question: My daughter wants to study medicine, will that limit the schools that she can play softball? (@11:56)How the additional scholarships will affect colleges (@17:35)<...
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46:59
Running is a skill that needs to be taught
Straight line running is a skill and everyone can get better. Players are at many different levels when it comes to speed. Coaches need to educate themselves or get someone with track experience and incorporate running drills into their practic...
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12:50
Softball LLWS / Pay for softball players / Respect your glove / Classifying college teams / Coaches can change lives
This week's lineupWarmup SegmentSoftball Little League World Series (@2:39)Listener Question: How much do professional softball players make? (@14:46)Respect your glove (@22:17)Classifying college...
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42:43
Fail Better
In this episode we use a quote from Samuel Beckett about failing better. Failures are a major part of our game and we need to think about ways to handle them better.
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11:13
Starting a New Team /Travel Ball Silly Season / Classifying College Teams
This week's LineupWarmup SegmentListener Question: What type of players should I be looking for to field a new 12U team? (@13:26)Travel Ball Silly Season. Teams switching organizations and players switching teams i...
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49:36
The 0-2 pitch
This week the topic is the 0-2 pitch and what should the pitcher be trying to do.
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10:25
Softball in the Olympics / Future of slapping / Thoughts on coach retiring / Classifying colleges / It's just a dream
This week's lineupWarmup SegmentSoftball in the Olympics (@2:50)Listener Question: Future of the role of slapping (@9:45)Thoughts on a coach retiring (@15:50)Classifying colleges and conferences (...
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33:35
Cut a marginal player now or see what happens?
Some players have attributes you want but their skill level is not quite up to what is needed. It often happens that you keep that player with the hope that she might make it. Is it better to make the cut early or see what happens?
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10:37
Impact of scholarship limits / Advice for lesson business / Classifying colleges / Too much negative feedback is a problem
This week's LineupWarmup SegmentImpact of increase in scholarship limits (@2:48)Listener Question: Advice on starting in the lesson business (@20:28)Comparing college athletics to structure of professional...
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50:24
Always believe in your success and stay away from hoping to be successful
We have all seen it or been a part of it. A team is beating a team that is better and should beat them or we make a big rally and go ahead in a game and LOSE. It is something that coaches have to work on and create that mindset of believing and...
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10:56
Runner on third and batter gets walked defense / Challenges of starting a new team / Daughter wants to Quit
This week's LineupWarmup SegmentListener Question: Defending first and third with runner on third and batter walked. (@22:08)Challenges of starting a new team (@31:28)Managing when your daughter wants to q...
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48:53