A couple of questions about softball

[doodle_bug_1111]

1. What good is having a flex player when the coach takes turns sitting the starters. Doesn't do much good to add a weak bat into the line up in place of a strong bat.

2. Does it hurt a team never having the same 9 on the field together for more than 2 innings a game?

3. How much batting practice should a player get a day? And does it hurt to use a pitching machine during the season?

4. How much does the starters to need play to get ready for post season?

5. How much does a coach not having confidence in a player affect the player?

[illpete23]

1. A flex player would be used for a player that is in the game for their defense. Usually this would either be an outfielder, middle infielder, or pitcher. You don't see many 1B, 3B, or catchers in the game for defense only. Taking turns in sitting the starter could either be giving the other players some playing time, or seeing what defensive/offensive combinations work the best.

 

2. The only way that I can see not having the same 9 on the field together long enough seriously hurting the team would be the lack of on the field communication. Constantly switching players in and out could lead to a defense not having proper communication, resulting in dropped fly balls or players not covering the bags when they need to.

 

3. Batting practice, in my opinion, is important because the more that you take it, the more that it comes second nature (kind of like a microcosim of walking and breathing). During batting practice, the same steps are taken repetitively, which teaches muscle memory (you can go VERY in depth on this), but in short it builds up the ability to quicken the reaction time from "seeing the ball" to "hitting the ball". As far as a pitching machine goes, for baseball I hate pitching machines because it takes the element of "seeing it out of the pitchers hand" out of the scenario, and the same goes for softball. Honestly, I love intrasquad games because it can give more people on the team a chance to participate, while giving hitters, fielders, and pitchers a chance to see real life situations first-hand.

 

4. I would say that your season long starters need ample time in the game in order to prepare for the post-season. This depends upon the player though honestly. Baseball and softball differ in that their are more pitchers per team in baseball, and in softball the same pitcher may pitch a complete game even though they may give up 15+ runs. For this reason, it may not always be a good idea to sub out your starters late in the season, even when a slaughter rule is going to come into play. However, the reserves also need to see some action in case of an injury or suspension of a starting player.

 

5. If a coach does not have confidence in the player then that can have a great negative effect on the player in question. However, that player needs to keep believing in their own talent. If the player loses faith in their talent, then all hope is lost. You cannot let the ideas of a coach get you down as a player, because sometimes that coach may or may not be seeing something that everyone else sees or doesn't see.

[hopalot]

I believe i know where this is going.

 

I think the coach has been given the responsibility of guiding that team. He/She should be able to sub players and try as many combinations as they see fit. It is a tournament sport. Regular season means very little in the overall scheme. I understand it counts for seeding in post-season, but anyone can beat anyone on any given day in this sport.

 

As far as not having confidence in a player, there is a reason why that coach doesn't have confidence. They didn't just come out to the field one day and the coach thought to himself, "I don't have confidence in her to make a play or to get a key hit". Something preceded that thought. It could be anything from the way the kid practices to possibly not being responsible enough to get to practice on time. Many things affect a player's playing time. If parents are griping about their kids playing time and the coach succombs to the pressure and plays the kid, then every other parent jumps the coach in hopes of getting their daughter more playing time.

 

Just let the coaches coach and let parents parent. If you don't like how the coach handles the program, take your daughter to the house. My guess is the team would be better off without the internal strife.

 

Just my thoughts. Have a wonderful and blessed day!

[jacketsfan13]

Sounds like an unhappy parent!!

[NewNews]

Why do highschool coaches feel so threatened by questions?

 

As a Travel Coach trust me questions are part of it. If only Travel Coaches had 1/10 the power and authority of a highschool coaches. Sorry but parents have the right to question besides who took the time to teach these highschool kids from the ages of 4 to 14. thats right there summer coaches and parents. And they must be fairly good players or a good Coach would have cut them if they were not.

 

I know that might make some people mad but Parents do have the right to Protect and Serve.

 

And yes I have coached with my kid on the team and also without a kid on a team. I coached for the kids and the love of the game, Not the power or tenure.

 

Good over all answer illpete23. To all those kids Keep trying and Parents keep praying that seems to be the only solution I have seen work so far.

 

5. If a coach does not have confidence in the player then that can have a great negative effect on the player in question. However, that player needs to keep believing in their own talent. If the player loses faith in their talent, then all hope is lost. You cannot let the ideas of a coach get you down as a player, because sometimes that coach may or may not be seeing something that everyone else sees or doesn't see.

[hopalot]

NewNews, "protect and serve"?? you are thinking of the police creed, i believe.

 

My child is not in school ball, yet. He plays league and travel baseball. Have i agreed with every move that his coaches have made regarding him? No. But here's the thing, i understand THEY are the coaches of that team. Not me. He is to do what they say. My point is that i let them coach and i'll be his parent. He has been discouraged at points, as have i. But i never told or showed my feelings/opinions regarding the coaches to him or to his coaches. And everything worked itself out -----on the field. His coaches have been very instrumental in his growth and devlopment as a player. I am appreciative of their endeavors. The point that is missed by most parents is when they don't give respect to the authority figures in their child's life, their child won't give the respect either.

 

Now, on to my next point. Why do travel coaches think they know any more than the school coach?? Let's be real, both kinds of coaches put a lot of time and effort into their program. It's a shame for parents to try and undermine either program. Let the coaches coach(travel or school) and let the parents parent!!!!

[jacketsfan13]

I wish travel and high school coaches could get along. There is rarely a good relationship. One usually feels threatened by the other and one always thinks they know more than the other. Can't we all just get along!!

[hopalot]

The best thing is: 1)for the players to play together in the summer 2)with a coach that is program and community friendly. This normally causes less conflict than other situations. What i see is that the kids and parents see these summer tourneys(with their travel team) as being bigger than the TSSAA State Tournament. I don't (and never will) agree with that philosophy. Travel ball is very exciting because you get to hand pick your team and play against other select teams. It is good to gauge yourself against top competition that you don't always see during the school season. So understand, I am not knocking travel ball. I'm just old school and the school sport is more important to me than the travel. Just my opinion.

[KenHawk]

I wish travel and high school coaches could get along. There is rarely a good relationship. One usually feels threatened by the other and one always thinks they know more than the other. Can't we all just get along!!

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I have a great deal of respect for the travel ball coaches who have been parents of some of my players, especially Fred Fekete and John Sterling (who continue to coach our fall league team even though their daughters have graduated), John Giles (who is my scorekeeper at present), Slick Hickman, Roger Vance, and others. I believe we all get along very nicely, even though we may not always agree on strategy or lineups or discipline or whatever. I have learned a great deal from all of these gentlemen about softball over the past six years. I have asked them to help me in a myriad of ways, and each has willingly and capably done so. I value their advice, but none of them have offered any unless I asked their opinion on something.

Ken Hawkins

Maryville High School Softball

[NewNews]

Parental Police...

 

Hopalot started to write alot, about 6 paragraphs but after what jacketsfan13 posted ....decided not to. I do wish you and your son well and wish we could all live in a perfect world but that would be heaven.

 

Respect I agree with that. Have one child that played maybe everyother game I never said a word. He was only average on team of 10 superstars. But yet I encouraged him and told him to respect their decisions. Sometimes Parents can see that. Some can't

 

Didn't say one was better than the other. Just why communicating is such a Sin. Be honest with the kids 1st and parents upfront and things will usually work out.

 

Did say most kids are products of God given talent and skills taught from 4yrs and up..

Don't see many highschool coaches taking time out to have relationships with summer coaches.Jmo

 

Ralph and Karen Weekly (UT coaches) invited every coach in E Tn to meet with them including highschool coaches on promoting fastpitch and local girls in TN....seemed like 100 or more Coaches were there Sadly only a few highschool coaches came. What is wrong with that picture.

.

 

Undermine.....ouch As a coach I realize that parents don't undermine they are only protecting their children and someday you will know what I mean.

[KenHawk]

I, as well as most coaches, could write a book about the issue of playing time and the conflicts that it causes. This one topic is probably the main reason why most players who quit do so, why most parents who get upset with their child's coach do so, why players with negative attitudes have them, why etc. etc. etc. High school athletics is, or is designed to be, competitive. It is not necessarily a "feel good" scenario where EVERYBODY plays, everything is always "fair", and winning isn't so important. As a coach, I try to be objective in my decisions about who plays when, where, and why. Do we coaches make mistakes? Of course we do. But after a season of practices and games, most coaches usually end up with the best available players on the field when the season is on the line. Injuries, illness, suspensions, etc. can limit a coaches decisions about who plays, but coaches really do want to give their team the best possible opportunity to advance at tournament time.

Edited April 27, 2005 by KenHawk

[wpasi]

Good post coach Hawk. If a coach is not trying to win by making their team better and playing their best players they should think about running for mayor or smothing and leave sports to the people that care about their program.