Post by CEZAR on Dec 27, 2013 15:07:23 GMT -6
I asked Tony Rico from the California Base Firecrackers Program if he could answers a few questions for us, about himself his program and how he feels about softball, here they are in his own words, Thanks Tony for doing this for ILSOFTBALL.COM ,good luck this upcoming season with your program!
1.ILSOFTBALL.COM- Tell us about your background?
TR- My background? Open me up inside and I'm a ballplayer. Loved and played the game since I was young, and the game has provided a life for me that has been very fulfilling.
2.ILSOFTBALL.COM- What made you decide to go into coaching? What is your coaching philosophy? How important is winning?
TR- I started giving lessons full time in 1991, and was then asked to coach a new team called the Firecrackers with a gentleman named Gary Wardein, who founded the club. My philosophy is keep the game simple, and never lose sight of the big picture. We have been fortunate to experience a lot of success, and I love to compete, but I think the difference in our program is that our players know they don't HAVE to win a game to be successful.
3. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What type of student-athlete is most difficult for you to work with? How do you overcome this?
TR-The player who is not honest about her school work is most difficult, because it is hard to move forward if there is no truth. I feel we can move through anything if we know what we are dealing with.
4. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What do you believe makes a great softball program, what criteria would you use to determine whether or not you have a good program?
TR- I look a team's environment, and how happy the families are. We can all achieve that, no matter the talent level of our teams. Sadly, it's not emphasized enough. We spend a lot of weekends together, so why not make it a point to enjoy them!
5. ILSOFTBALL.COM- How important is planning to good coaching?
TR- Planning can be simple or complex, just make sure you do it. If you don't, you better be entertaining and good at improvising.
6. ILSOFTBALL.COM- Who is your role model?
TR -My parents and family have been my biggest role models. The foundation they've given me has allowed me to realize my purpose.
7.ILSOFTBALL.COM- A parent complains about something that has happened in your program/playing time etc. How would you handle that? How do you deal with an upset parent?
TR -The first things I check are their emotions and behavior. We can deal with things much more efficiently if we can be professional about things. You also have to recognize the person who doesn't really have a problem, but their agenda is to CREATE a problem by creating emotional reactions through emails and conduct. Again, guidelines and boundaries must be in place.
8. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What motivation techniques work best for you? What do you do with the athlete who is not motivated to achieve?
TR-We try to talk with players about a situation and what needs to be done, as opposed to constantly diagnosing them after they do not get the desired results. Continually diagnosing creates uncertainty which is everywhere in softball, and mastery is never achieved. The first thing I do with an unmotivated athlete is find compassion for why she doesn't love this game. All players ill tell you that they go through a period where you are just tired of dealing with all the pressures.
9. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What motivation techniques work best for you? What do you do with the athlete who is not motivated to achieve?
TR-I create an environment that I want to be part of, and then hopefully others want to as well. It has worked pretty good so far
10 ILSOFTBALL.COM- Explain what you envision the off-season portion of your program will entail?
TR-Our off season is about 8 weeks total for the year. I say put your bats down and go see your family and friends, who you do not see anymore because of softball.
11. ILSOFTBALL.COM- How would a student-athlete describe you a year or two after she has played for you?
TR-Describe me? Well, hopefully that no one cares about them more than I do, but also that no one is as hard to play for than I am. I'm pretty demanding in the mental department.
12. ILSOFTBALL.COM- Some people say that a coach should be special, a role model that should be just as concerned about his/her behavior Others would say that the coach’s life should be his/her own after hours, what they do on their own time is their own business. What do you think?
TR-I don't judge people, but we live in an extremely judgmental world. My advice is to keep your private life separate. We coach in a very unforgiving age of softball today. I don't worry about the self esteem of this generation. I strengthen it. They have to be prepared to recognize behaviors of all people they deal with and act accordingly.
13. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What do you think of other programs that have come before or after yours?
TR- I have a lot good relationships in the softball world, but I only compete with other programs on the field. I think with the things that I've seen that I don't agree in the past, it has allowed me to be more clear with how we want Firecracker Softball Inc to be run. I am being asked by other clubs to help them develop their brand which is fun, and I am always excited to partner with people who are on the same page, and who can help make our world a better place.
14. ILSOFTBALL.COM -What is your philosophy regarding varsity vs. JV?
TR- High school is an entirely different political animal as far as softball is concerned. I will hold off on an opinion for now
15. ILSOFTBALL.COM -What are your thoughts vs PGF,ASA,USSSA NSA?
TR- My thoughts on all the associations? There are a lot of people competing for different reasons in the softball world. Just like anything else, experience and history will be your best teachers for where to go in the future.
16. ILSOFTBALL.COM -what role did your parents play in you coaching softball?
TR- My father passed in 1998, and my mother is in her 80's, but they played a big part in my philosophies, because they simply gave me the freedom to find out who I wanted to be. Luckily I didn't kill myself in the process!!
17. ILSOFTBALL.COM - Is there any thing else you would like to add and speak about?
TR- I'd like people to know that we have expanded our organization to meet the demand of what we do, which will continue to be about providing great playing environments, and developing the behaviors and resiliency of this generation of young women that we are working with. Creating a company with employees has become necessary to stay efficient in spreading our message. Softball has become a vicious business on all fronts, so those that do it "just for the kids" find out quickly that there is a lot more to it. I want to continue to educate coaches and parents, so that these players can be more comfortable with the crazy softball pressures they deal with on a day to day basis. Thanks for being interested in what we are doing with the Firecrackers!!
Tony Rico
Firecracker Softball Inc.
Softball Connection/ Pres
Junior World Team USA '11
Firecrackersoftball.com
1.ILSOFTBALL.COM- Tell us about your background?
TR- My background? Open me up inside and I'm a ballplayer. Loved and played the game since I was young, and the game has provided a life for me that has been very fulfilling.
2.ILSOFTBALL.COM- What made you decide to go into coaching? What is your coaching philosophy? How important is winning?
TR- I started giving lessons full time in 1991, and was then asked to coach a new team called the Firecrackers with a gentleman named Gary Wardein, who founded the club. My philosophy is keep the game simple, and never lose sight of the big picture. We have been fortunate to experience a lot of success, and I love to compete, but I think the difference in our program is that our players know they don't HAVE to win a game to be successful.
3. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What type of student-athlete is most difficult for you to work with? How do you overcome this?
TR-The player who is not honest about her school work is most difficult, because it is hard to move forward if there is no truth. I feel we can move through anything if we know what we are dealing with.
4. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What do you believe makes a great softball program, what criteria would you use to determine whether or not you have a good program?
TR- I look a team's environment, and how happy the families are. We can all achieve that, no matter the talent level of our teams. Sadly, it's not emphasized enough. We spend a lot of weekends together, so why not make it a point to enjoy them!
5. ILSOFTBALL.COM- How important is planning to good coaching?
TR- Planning can be simple or complex, just make sure you do it. If you don't, you better be entertaining and good at improvising.
6. ILSOFTBALL.COM- Who is your role model?
TR -My parents and family have been my biggest role models. The foundation they've given me has allowed me to realize my purpose.
7.ILSOFTBALL.COM- A parent complains about something that has happened in your program/playing time etc. How would you handle that? How do you deal with an upset parent?
TR -The first things I check are their emotions and behavior. We can deal with things much more efficiently if we can be professional about things. You also have to recognize the person who doesn't really have a problem, but their agenda is to CREATE a problem by creating emotional reactions through emails and conduct. Again, guidelines and boundaries must be in place.
8. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What motivation techniques work best for you? What do you do with the athlete who is not motivated to achieve?
TR-We try to talk with players about a situation and what needs to be done, as opposed to constantly diagnosing them after they do not get the desired results. Continually diagnosing creates uncertainty which is everywhere in softball, and mastery is never achieved. The first thing I do with an unmotivated athlete is find compassion for why she doesn't love this game. All players ill tell you that they go through a period where you are just tired of dealing with all the pressures.
9. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What motivation techniques work best for you? What do you do with the athlete who is not motivated to achieve?
TR-I create an environment that I want to be part of, and then hopefully others want to as well. It has worked pretty good so far
10 ILSOFTBALL.COM- Explain what you envision the off-season portion of your program will entail?
TR-Our off season is about 8 weeks total for the year. I say put your bats down and go see your family and friends, who you do not see anymore because of softball.
11. ILSOFTBALL.COM- How would a student-athlete describe you a year or two after she has played for you?
TR-Describe me? Well, hopefully that no one cares about them more than I do, but also that no one is as hard to play for than I am. I'm pretty demanding in the mental department.
12. ILSOFTBALL.COM- Some people say that a coach should be special, a role model that should be just as concerned about his/her behavior Others would say that the coach’s life should be his/her own after hours, what they do on their own time is their own business. What do you think?
TR-I don't judge people, but we live in an extremely judgmental world. My advice is to keep your private life separate. We coach in a very unforgiving age of softball today. I don't worry about the self esteem of this generation. I strengthen it. They have to be prepared to recognize behaviors of all people they deal with and act accordingly.
13. ILSOFTBALL.COM- What do you think of other programs that have come before or after yours?
TR- I have a lot good relationships in the softball world, but I only compete with other programs on the field. I think with the things that I've seen that I don't agree in the past, it has allowed me to be more clear with how we want Firecracker Softball Inc to be run. I am being asked by other clubs to help them develop their brand which is fun, and I am always excited to partner with people who are on the same page, and who can help make our world a better place.
14. ILSOFTBALL.COM -What is your philosophy regarding varsity vs. JV?
TR- High school is an entirely different political animal as far as softball is concerned. I will hold off on an opinion for now
15. ILSOFTBALL.COM -What are your thoughts vs PGF,ASA,USSSA NSA?
TR- My thoughts on all the associations? There are a lot of people competing for different reasons in the softball world. Just like anything else, experience and history will be your best teachers for where to go in the future.
16. ILSOFTBALL.COM -what role did your parents play in you coaching softball?
TR- My father passed in 1998, and my mother is in her 80's, but they played a big part in my philosophies, because they simply gave me the freedom to find out who I wanted to be. Luckily I didn't kill myself in the process!!
17. ILSOFTBALL.COM - Is there any thing else you would like to add and speak about?
TR- I'd like people to know that we have expanded our organization to meet the demand of what we do, which will continue to be about providing great playing environments, and developing the behaviors and resiliency of this generation of young women that we are working with. Creating a company with employees has become necessary to stay efficient in spreading our message. Softball has become a vicious business on all fronts, so those that do it "just for the kids" find out quickly that there is a lot more to it. I want to continue to educate coaches and parents, so that these players can be more comfortable with the crazy softball pressures they deal with on a day to day basis. Thanks for being interested in what we are doing with the Firecrackers!!
Tony Rico
Firecracker Softball Inc.
Softball Connection/ Pres
Junior World Team USA '11
Firecrackersoftball.com
