Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Practice Checklist Before Your First Game

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

It's been said by many that "failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Checklists are used so things aren't forgotten - even experienced pilots and surgeons use them all the time. In this video, Florida's championship-winning head softball coach, Tim Walton, explains how he prepares for success at the highest level of college softball through the use of a checklist.

Using a Checklist

Coach Walton shares his annual checklist for the 2022 season to begin the video. His checklist is broken down by topic and includes baserunning, bunts, hitting, defense, team defense, protocol, and rules. Under each topic are the specific things that his team must work on during practices as they get ready for the season. You'll hear Walton discuss a few of these points and how he documents them as they are achieved. He also covers protocols for practice in order to promote efficiency and ensure a well-organized program.

Practice Plans

It's one thing to have a checklist, but another to use it. Coach Walton shows you detailed practice plans and explains them so you can see how the items listed in his checklist are incorporated into practice. In planning, Walton is mindful of his desire to "impact every player every day," even if it's just to say hi.

You'll also hear Coach Walton discuss the use of technology in his program. Today's players need to see what they are doing, not just hear it from a coach. A video, whether shown in a classroom setting or on an iPad out on the field, helps players see what successful execution looks like.

A fun way that Florida ends practices is with what Walton calls the "Finisher." This is an activity in which he pits one player against another, or a group of players. The activity is not only fun for athletes, it will help them get better at handling the inevitable pressure of a game.

Coach Walton lets you see how a top level Division I softball program operates from a planning and practice perspective in this outstanding video. Detailed planning, hard work, and a caring environment all come together to produce elite results. There is something inside for coaches at any level to learn!

56 minutes. 2022.