The Softball Shift
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The Softball Shift
Welcome to **Coaching the Mental Game of Softball Podcast**—the go-to podcast for softball coaches dedicated to enhancing their team's mental game and fostering a winning team culture. Hosted by seasoned coaches Mel Rushing and Alicia Smith, who bring over 30 years of combined experience in sport ps...
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Introducing the Clutch Mentality Bootcamp Podcast
Interested in attending the Clutch Mentality Bootcamp but have some questions? This (10 min) series can help you decide!
Ready to join? Head to...
Get Them Mentally Ready for the Day - Rewire App Introduction
Imagine being able to screen your girls before practice to get a true idea of what you're going to get out of them that day?
Instead of HOPING...
Get Your Team to Bring the ENERGY - w/ David Lindsay
Ever look at your team mid-practice (or mid GAME) and think... Are they ALIVE?
There are so many things that drain their energy, then before yo...
Case Study: Bootcamp alum & Professional HC Candace Fenton-Brockbader
In today's episode, we chat with Bootcamp OG Candace Fenton-Brockbader! You're going to find so many moments in this episode you can relate to. She is...
How Culture Kept Us In Coaching
Coaching is hard. You know what I mean. Not the on-field stuff.
It's the attitudes... The lack of competitiveness... The people talking smack a...
The Top 3 Culture Killers (And How to Deal with Them)
Culture can be complicated.
You have to get 12-20+ players on the same page, understanding what it takes to achieve the goals they want. As vit...
Advice from the TOP softball coaches
We coaches are contantly looking forward. What's next. Where is there room to improve. What can we do better as a coach? But sometimes the answers are...
Sometimes You Have to Loosen Your Grip- Mattawan Season Finale
As much as we as coaches want to control the situation and do everything in our power to help our girls succeed... T
here are some times when we...
When They Don't Seem to Give A [shhh] - Mattawan Part 2
Have you ever felt at a loss? Scratching your head... maybe even pulling-your-hair-out level... No clue what to do to get them to CARE?
You're...
Getting Them To Focus on the Positive - Mattawan's 2023 Season Part 1
We've said it before and we'll say it again: just telling them this game is a game of failure DOESN'T make them stop obsessing on their fails.
...
How to Feel Proud Even When You Lose - LC Finale
Coaching is NOT easy. You of all people know that.
There are ups and downs - in both on-field performance AND the emotions - that are easy to g...
Learning Lessons Every Day (Win or Fail) - LC Part 5
I think we all can agree - it's MUCH easier to see what's going wrong than it is to notice what's going right. Honestly- that's our job as coaches!
What to Do When the Energy Isn't There - LC part 4
We've all experienced those games when the team we KNOW they're capable of just didn't show up.
The energy was off.
They were more quiet...
Creating A Culture System w/ JP Nerbun
There's no doubt about it: Culture is the key to a great season. Even if performance isn't quite there, a strong culture makes it worthwhile.
P...
Stronger Relationships, Faster Adjustments - LaGrange 2023 Season Part 3
If you're listening to this episode, you've likely listened to Alicia's past seasons and learned the same thing I have: strong relationships are the s...
Getting Them to Believe in Themselves - LaGrange 2023 Season Part 2
The ultimate goal for coaches like us... The coaches who care most about developing the person THROUGH the sport of softball... Is getting our girls t...
Less is More - LaGrange College 2023 Season Wk 1
It's that time of year for spring softball!
Since us covering Alicia's season has gotten so much great feedback, we've decided to follow my team...
From Their Biggest Critic to Their Best Coach - Ray Santiago
Have you even wondered why your girls are so hard on themselves? Why can't they let things go, even when you're doing everything to convince them they...
Developing Confident Young Women - w/ Harvard HC Jenny Rohn
Most coaches WANT to develop strong young women, but not all of them actually know HOW to build those people skills into their training plans.
...
Being the Coach They'd Choose Again - w/ Jessica Bracamonte
We get into coaching because we want to help. But you don't get to stay there unless athletes CHOOSE to play for you year in and year out.
Ther...
Where to start with the mental game - w/ Lindsey Wilson
We're in the middle of an amazing era of sport where performers are starting to tap into the power of their minds and COACHES get to be a part of that...
Redefining Success - w/ Mike Candrea
I don't brag often, but I think we're going to win BEST GIFT this season.
Because today we're joined by one of the most influential coaches in...
What Today's Athlete Really Needs - w/ Lauren Ammon
We're definitely coaching a different breed of athlete these days - but that shouldn't come as a surprise.
Every generation has their own versi...
Our Role In Building Their Confidence - w/ Shay Haddow
Most of our girls could use an extra dose of confidence. Some seem do be on empty. Which means we as coaches have the amazing opportunity to build the...
How Elite Level Coaches Get There - w/ Roberto Arroyo
You don't know what you don't know. Which is why coaches who reach the elite levels KEEP seeking out opportunities to learn & grow.
And that's h...
We Eat Pressure for Breakfast - Mattawan's 2022 Season (Part 3)
It's not magic. But it sure does feel like it when everything clicks and your girls play FEARLESSLY.
If you've followed this podcast for a while...
There's LOTS of Crying in Softball - Mattawan's 2022 Season (Part 2)
You know the line (and if you don't, you're on the bench until you watch A League of Their Own!). But as funny as that scene was, we do NOT live in th...
When the Girls Buy In Right Away - Mattawan's 2022 Season (Part 1)
Every coach goes into a season with a vision of what they want this team to do this year. Now imagine if your girls could buy into that vision immedia...
Lessons from my favorite (& least successful) season - LaGrange College 2022 Season
Have you ever had every intention of pushing something off for just a little bit... and then a million things happened and before long it seems like F...
It Takes An Army -- w/ Alabama's Montana Fouts
Have you ever watched the World Series (college softball of course) and thought, “That player is super-human” Like there’s no way the rest of us or my...
First Round of Playoffs -- Alicia's HS Postseason
Was this the last weekend Alicia had with her team? Or did they pull it out and make it to the next round of playoffs???
Listen in to today's ep...
What to Do When They're Not Competing -- Alicia's HS Season 3/3
But wait, there's more! Listen in for some tips on connecting with your athletes & one of the most popular drills Alicia has shared to date!
What to Do When They're Not Competing -- Alicia's HS Season 2/3
Part 2/3 here! Find out if that Figure-It-Out moment actually worked.
What to Do When They're Not Competing -- Alicia's HS Season 1/3
It's been a hot minute, but we're back & have a treat in store for you!
Listen in to today's episode (and then two more!) as we get caught up o...
Advice From A True Difference-Maker -- w/ Sue Enquist
In honor of our fast-approaching Difference-Makers Bootcamp, we wanted to re-share this GEM of an episode with Sue Enquist. Listen in, get inspired, t...
How to Be A Difference-Maker -- Audio sales page for our upcoming (4/18) Bootcamp
Are you a passionate softball coach who believes in developing the whole person?
Do you like making a difference?
Then what are you up to...
Mattawan High School 2021 Season -- Week 1
Alicia's been at this for a while, so you'd think she's experienced it all by now. Not the case!
This season brings new challenges:
Listen...
What It's Like to Train the Mental Game
When coaches contact us to ask about consulting for their team, the first question is always, "What does that look like?"
So we're pulling back...
When There's Not Enough Time... Or $$$ -- Difference-Maker Tips
If I could wave a magic wand and you had ALLLL the time and money you could ever want to use with your team...
What would that feel like?
...
How to Stop Wasting Energy -- Difference-Maker Tips
Coaching is exhausting - usually in all the best ways!
But we all know there are energy sucks out there that end up affecting our performance.<...