4 Tips to Get Them Talking

Are you scratching your head trying to figure out how to get your players who can't seem to stop talking or cheering or screaming at the top of the lungs in the dugout to talk even just a little bit when they're on defense? If so, then join the club and discover 4 tips to help them start talking on defense!

In teaching your players to start talking on defense it's first helpful to understand why they won't. Players are no doubt capable of being pretty loud off the field or even in the dugout during games. I'll bet when they're with their friends having fun they don't stop talking. So, why are they so quiet during practice & games? The reason is that they're scared and overwhelmed and don't know what to say and the worst thing they could do is say the wrong thing really loud. So they don't say anything at all.

I know that to our adult minds figuring out what to say isn't that hard, but go back to your 10 year old mind and try to appreciate all that's swirling around in their heads…they can barely remember what base to throw to or where the bases really are, never mind yelling something out load! Some of them might be so lost they're out there secretly hoping the ball isn't even hit to them, EVER! So asking those players to start talking really loud is out of the question. Also, it's very common when a person is learning a skill that they become very quiet when concentrating on it.

But we've got to teach them what to say and to say it loud enough for players around them to hear, so let's look at 4 things that can make that start to happen:

1. Start with something simple - it's easiest for them to talk when there isn't anything going on, so get them to start an “Outs-Echo”. The catcher says the number of outs while she holds up the number of outs on her finger, then the pitcher must echo the same thing, then the firstbaseman, then the shortstop, then the thirdbaseman, then the leftfielder, then the centerfielder and then the rightfielder and then the whole dugout. This has to happen really FAST, and really LOUD! And after each batter. Make it like one of the cheers and it can become a great way for them to begin talking loud that's easy, safe for their fears and fun!
2. Practice defense with their helmets on - while this might sound crazy, if you've ever worn a batting helmet you know how hard it is to hear anything with it on. While that isn't helpful when your players are running the bases it can be when you're trying to get your defense to talk more. Get your defense to all wear their helmets and have them start talking by simply saying the number of outs loud enough for everyone wearing a helmet to hear it.
3. Simplify What they say -
   give them a short list of things to say so that your players will be more confident at knowing what to say and then more likely to say it. For instance, they might always have to tell each player surrounding them these things in this order: Number of outs (the Outs Echo) and If ball comes to me I'll do ___?. This gives them something specific to say instead of feeling like they have to make something up on every single pitch.
4. Don't Talk - CHEER! - instead of telling them they need to talk louder on defense, get them to think about it as cheering. After you've done the Outs-Echo for a few weeks or games, ask your team one day in practice how they could turn 2 keys things they're supposed to say on defense (number of outs and if the ball is hit to me I will_____) into a cheer. They all love cheer so see what they suggest. They all seem to love cheers so let's use that to help us on defense. You might be surprised to hear their ideas too and before you know it, they're all talking and you'll want to know how to get them quiet :-)

For more help with the different issues you face regarding team chemistry, fear, concentration, focus, teamwork and more then check out our best-selling book: A Coaches Guide to Creating Team Chemistry: Tips on Coaching the Female Athlete.