National Coaches Week
Sally Smith is proud to be the first female Assistant Coach of Softball BC’s Men’s Team at the Canada Summer Games. She is a Chartered Professional Coach with the Coaching Association Canada, and NCCP Trained Competition Development Coach.
As a youth softball player, she won several provincial and national championship medals as a member of the White Rock Renegades. After a distinguished 25-year playing career, she wanted to give back to the sport she loved, so she turned her hand to coaching at the Ridge Meadows Minor Softball Association (RMMSA). Currently, she is the head coach of the Pride 06, and the BC Summer Games Zone 3 Girls Team.
In addition to her extensive coaching experience, Sally currently sits on RMMSA’s Executive Board as the Director of Coach & Player Development and Clinic Coordinator. Furthermore, Sally is a Softball Canada Trained Softball Learning Facilitator and In-Training Coach Evaluator. And finally, as a member of Softball BC’s Return to Play Committee, she played an integral role in facilitating softball’s return to play in 2020.
Who was/is your mentor? Kim Brooks, she was one of my coaches when I was 14 years old. I believe life brings people back to us when we need them the most. When I started to coach, it just happened by chance that Kim was the pitching instructor in the same association. I can say without her support & mentorship I would not be the coach I am today.
What is one of your best on-field memories? All my memories are the best. Every time I step on the field, it is an honour to have the title of coach & to be able to have played the game I love.
What do you think is the most important aspect of coaching? Setting a positive culture and impact mindset and being there for the right reasons! As a coach you can make an impression on a player for years to come, you might not know it now but the players will never remember the coach that taught them how to throw right but they will remember the one that was always there for them and pushed them to be the best version of themselves.
What advice would you give to an upcoming coach? It is important to remember the reason why you are coaching. I wear a small whiffle ball on my shoe. Players, parents, and coaches always ask me what is with the ball on my shoe. I tell them it is to remind me, that the game is about the players & the players are here to have fun and enjoy something they love.
What is your advice in regard to coach education? We are always coaching our players to become better students of the game. I truly believe we as coaches should lead by example and set even higher expectations for ourselves.