Team player vs being taken advantage of?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Apr 26, 2015
704
43
As a parent - where is the line between having your kid be a "team player" and being taken advantage of?
I've always heard that you want your kid to be a team player, and do what is best for the team, but I'm struggling here...

DD is 12, she is playing on a 1st yr 14s team because she has been with the same coach for 4 years and really likes him and he decided to move the team up. She is fully capable of playing with this team. She is a catcher. She works hard at her position, catching for several pitchers outside of team practices and taking advantage of every opportunity she can to learn and grow. She is a great athlete and has a great work ethic. She is hands down the best catcher on this team. HC knows it and states it regularly.

The problem? He cleaned house this summer and picked up 7 new players (some of our team stayed down and some needed to go)(Team of 12 girls). He picked up all infielders - on purpose according to him. He said he wants athletes and to make sure the girls work hard and compete for their positions. He said if he has good athletes he can turn some of them into outfielders. Sounds good in theory, but he has basically no outfielders. His DD will play outfield occasionally. My problem? DD is a great outfielder as well. She is fast and can track a ball. Plus she has a cannon for an arm. He has been putting her in the outfield pretty regularly now. The girls he has catching are slow and don't know the game from behind the plate. It is hard to watch. I know in his mind he's doing what he thinks is best for the team because we need girls who can catch in the outfield, but it is also hurting us not having DD behind the plate - and she misses it.

DD has always had a good attitude and plays where he wants her. I am frustrated because I feel like she has worked hard over the past 4 years to establish herself as a catcher. I feel like she is being punished because HC made a poor decision in not picking up any outfield. DD's theory is - I would rather play (anywhere) than sit the bench. But she is getting frustrated with wanting to catch as well. She sees that we are losing games on steals home all.day.long. She doesn't mind playing outfield sometimes - she rather enjoys it actually, but she wants to catch more than just an inning here and there.

So - where is the line between being a team player and being taken advantage of?
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
She needs play C, it is a lot of work to get there.

I would to talk to coach. DD is forbidden from playing C but me and her respect the work they put in.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Pitcher and Catcher, (or Catcher and Pitcher depending on how you look at its) are the 2 most important positions on the field. Why would a coach stick his best catcher in the OF?

And I agree with Quincy, talk to the coach. I mean it's one thing if there are better alternatives to your DD at C but if he's just sticking girls back there because they are slow, it's a problem.
 

CR1

May 8, 2016
13
0
I only hope he is trying them out to see if they can catch, not because he needs a strong outfielder. That makes no sense. A Catcher has way more chance to let runs in than an outfielder. I would just bring it up to the coach and see what his reasoning is. Go from there.
 
Sep 4, 2015
70
0
Georgia
Maybe he's just looking for a 2nd catcher. I would ask what his plan is for games and catching time for your DD. Agree with everyone else that catchers need to catch to get better. We have had to leave a team when my DD couldn't get catching time.
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
Two schools of thought on this being a catching coach for our organization which is well known in our are for turning out great catchers. First thing to think about, Is your DD a better OFer than anyone else currently on the team or at least the second best? If this is the case, then maybe the coach feels he or she needs them more out there than behind the plate. If this is not the case, then the second thing to think about is whether he or she feels the need to develop a second or even a third catcher so that he/she can eventually move your DD to the OF full time because he/she has few options in that position, Either way, if your DD has decided to play the catcher position full time, then she needs reps behind the plate and it should be known that this is the case...but gently at first and more forcefully afterwards if the gentle approach doesn't work. If either approach doesn't work, then it'll be time to move on next season. In the meantime, keep working the skills and mechanics. It'll be in her best interests in the long run if she truly wants to be a catcher.
 
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
How do the players that want to play in the outfield do it ??? Do they take lessons.... How many on here give fielding lessons ??? I'm sure DD could be a great fielder if she put the time into it. I know a Fielding Coach, one that can Crowhop better than anyone I've seen... he is close too. I have taken her to him, because she gets dropped in playing SS in schoolball sometimes, so I took her to get lessons. :cool:
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
How do the players that want to play in the outfield do it ??? Do they take lessons.... How many on here give fielding lessons ??? I'm sure DD could be a great fielder if she put the time into it. I know a Fielding Coach, one that can Crowhop better than anyone I've seen... he is close too. I have taken her to him, because she gets dropped in playing SS in schoolball sometimes, so I took her to get lessons. :cool:

Exactly the same way you get to Carnegie Hall
 
Apr 26, 2015
704
43
Two schools of thought on this being a catching coach for our organization which is well known in our are for turning out great catchers. First thing to think about, Is your DD a better OFer than anyone else currently on the team or at least the second best? If this is the case, then maybe the coach feels he or she needs them more out there than behind the plate. If this is not the case, then the second thing to think about is whether he or she feels the need to develop a second or even a third catcher so that he/she can eventually move your DD to the OF full time because he/she has few options in that position, Either way, if your DD has decided to play the catcher position full time, then she needs reps behind the plate and it should be known that this is the case...but gently at first and more forcefully afterwards if the gentle approach doesn't work. If either approach doesn't work, then it'll be time to move on next season. In the meantime, keep working the skills and mechanics. It'll be in her best interests in the long run if she truly wants to be a catcher.

DD is far and away the best outfielder on the team. She can track the ball, catch the ball and throw the ball. Plus she is FAST! But I think there are also attitude problems on the team. Several of the girls have been heard joking about how they purposely play poorly when placed in the outfield so HC won't put them back out there. DD would never purposely play poorly. It's not in her. But she is also a great catcher. Before tryouts began she was offered spots on 4 12U teams - no tryout necessary, and she tried out for 2 other 14s teams and was offered spots on both those teams as well. She has quite the reputation around here as a great catcher. I posted a thread a couple weeks ago about DD's AC and how horrible he is to her. I'm beginning to think he is pressuring HC to put DD in the outfield. AC does not "believe" in lefty catchers.

Anyway...I agree the team needs more than one catcher - and DD agrees too. However, last weekend for instance DD didn't catch at all. 2 games. CF only and one inning at 1st. The weekend before she caught 2 innings over 2 games. There is one other decent catcher on the team and 2 awful catchers. So slow - and not smart. Like throwing down to 2nd with a runner on 3rd - not smart. Over and over again. Watching the ball roll past and strolling to go retrieve it slow. They like to "play catcher" not BE a catcher.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top