Fundamental Fastpitch: The Podcast
Hosts Jessica Tanner, Heather Maloney, and Mike Brouillette offer their perspective on all things fastpitch softball. The trio tackles practical topics, deep conversations, and everything in between.
Episodes
Facing a talented rise ball pitcher is a very difficult task. Jess and Heather discuss how and why hitting the rise ball is different and more difficult than any other pitch. The conversation covers some things you can do as a hitter to give yourself a better chance at success. We close our discussion with a few drills to work on a higher contact point and to simulate a rising pitch.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #RiseBall #Hitti...
If you’ve invested the time and effort to create a strong, positive team culture you probably want to protect that culture. We talk about some culture killers and some things coaches can do to avoid having their team infected by culture killers. What if, as a player, you’ve found yourself on a team with a culture that wasn’t advertised or that you don’t agree with? We close the conversations with some thoughts on how to handle that...
Coaches, players, and parents are all responsible for building and maintaining a positive team culture. Communication, accountability, commitment, and respect are common themes in this episode.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #TeamCulture #Respect #Communicate
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Having a strong, positive team culture doesn’t happen by accident. Join us as we talk about the elements of a good team culture and how to build one. The culture you cultivate influences how you and your team are perceived. Take initiative and do the work to make sure that culture is a positive one.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #TeamCulture #Communicate #Trust
Buying a new bat can lead to more questions than answers. Aluminum or composite? How much should I spend? Where do I get a new bat? Does my kid even need a new bat? Jess and Heather get into the weeds as they discuss many of the questions that surround bats. Send us your bat-related questions!
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Bats #CompositeBats #Investment
Join us as we close out the week with the last of our five-part mini-series with Quincy Lewis of Diamond Dynamics. The transfer portal and NIL are new on the scene of college softball. Quincy gives some inside information on how the transfer portal isn’t what it looks like on social media.
#FundamentalFastpitch #DiamondDynamics #Softball #CollegePlanning #TransferPortal #NIL
Diamond Dynamics’ Quincy Lewis joins Heather and Jess in the fourth of our five-part mini-series on college planning. Things get real as athletes enter their junior and senior years of high school. Quincy shares how to tell when college coaches are listening and are interested as well as how to know when it’s time to focus your efforts elsewhere. As high school nears its end, it’s time to have some difficult conversations and make ...
Quincy Lewis of Diamond Dynamics is back for the third installment of our five-part mini-series on college planning. As athletes enter high school, their college planning experience diverges from dreams and aspirations and takes on a more realistic look. Get Quincy’s take on how communication with college coaches should look and how to always “be recruitable” - you never know who’s watching.
#FundamentalFastpitch #DiamondDynamics #...
Welcome back Quincy Lewis of Diamond Dynamics for the second episode in our five-part mini-series on college planning. Families of 7th and 8th graders might start feeling pressure to start the college planning process. There’s still plenty of time! Everyone’s college planning experience is different and there is no one-size-fits-all plan.
#FundamentalFastpitch #DiamondDynamics #Softball #CollegePlanning #7thGrade #8thGrade
We are excited to bring back our friend Quincy Lewis of Diamond Dynamics in the first of our five-part mini-series on college planning. Although college is a long way off for 5th and 6th graders, parents of athletes with big goals have questions when it comes to college planning. Quincy shares her thoughts and strategy for introducing college planning to families of young athletes.
#FundamentalFastpitch #DiamondDynamics #Softball...
Jess and Heather welcome Quincy Lewis of Diamond Dynamics! In the first of our series with Quincy, she gives us an introduction to the college planning process - when to start, how every experience is different, how involved (or not involved) parents should be, and some college coach red flags. Tune in next week to catch a breakdown of the college planning process from fifth grade through college.
#FundamentalFastpitch #DiamondDyna...
Heather shares her Little League Baseball coaching experience. Listen in as Jess asks Heather about how coaching boys is different from coaching girls. We talk about Heather’s least favorite baseball rules as well as how coaches, umpires, and parents treated her as a female coach.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Baseball #CoachingTheBoys #LittleLeague
When a player is injured, finances and attendance at practices and games are a couple questions that could pop up. Jess and Heather tackle the challenges that surround player injuries - big and small- and how athletes can continue to grow as players through injury.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Injury #Rehab #Practice
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Tryouts and open practices are different experiences with different purposes. Coaches, players and parents need to know what to expect, what their responsibilities are, and how to make the most of the experience.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Tryouts #OpenPractice #BeMemorable
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Learning to be an athlete helps players of all sports. Learning and practicing athleticism in a variety of sports helps softball players in a number of ways. Jess and Heather talk about how being a multisport athlete helps softball players become more athletic, build character, and grow socially and emotionally.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #MultisportAthlete #Coordination #Athleticism #Athlete
In part two of our Game Etiquette series, we talk about how parents and coaches can set a positive example for our players. How the adults behave sets the tone for how the players will conduct themselves on and off the field. In short, be respectful and keep it civil.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #GameEtiquette #Respect #BeCivil
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Sportsmanship is a huge part of the game. Jess and Heather talk about how players can ensure they are playing respectfully before, during, and after games. Softball is about much more than balls, strikes, runs and outs.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #GameEtiquette #Respect
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When it rains on practice day, you don’t have to cancel. The key to getting a quality practice in when the weather doesn’t cooperate is being flexible and fitting your practice plan to the resources available. You have more options than you might think - listen in to hear some of our favorites.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Rain #SoggyPractice #BattingCages #SoftballSchool
Private instructors have become the norm in the softball world. But how do you know you’re getting your money’s worth? How can you be sure your daughter is getting the most out of the time spent? Heather and Jess talk about how to find an instructor, what to look for, what questions to ask, and how expectations are different for private instructors vs coaches.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Lessons #PrivateLessons #Hitting #Defen...
Summer is knocking at the door, and you may be looking for softball camps and clinics for your players. Listen in to hear some recommendations, things to look for, and warnings. All camps and clinics are not created equal, and you need to know what you’re getting before you spend your money and trust a coach with your kid.
#FundamentalFastpitch #Softball #Summer #Camps #Clinics
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