New Coach! 8u and I don't know what to do!

Rule # 1...when playing catch..ALWAYS make sure the glove fingers are up. if they are out, palm to the sky, they WILL get a ball in the face and will be signed up for soccer next season.

Rule #2 - the first baseman lines up on the edge of the bag with her throwing hand foot ON THE BAG. Glove foot is under them and strides to the thrown ball. I call the throwing hand foot the "wiggly finger foot" and the other foot the "glove foot". Kids get that. If you get that perfected this season, you will be on your way to making softball players.

Rule #3 - DO not attempt to ever get a force out at second. Until they are 12 to 14. EVERY GROUNDER - THE PLAY IS AT FIRST! ALWAYS. Unless some runner is running into the ball.

Rule #4 - Do not put your foot on the bag unless it is a force out. Force outs will only be by a quick grounder or a line out/pop up double play. EVERY OTHER PLAY IN SOFTBALL is a tag play. On tag plays, straddle the bag and tag low. Do that for the next few years. Good luck. Thanks for coaching.

PlayPerfect said:

Rule # 1...when playing catch..ALWAYS make sure the glove fingers are up. if they are out, palm to the sky, they WILL get a ball in the face and will be signed up for soccer next season.

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That's not what I would say at all. The thumb goes on the bottom, parallel to the ground.

Great advice here and as a High School Wrestling coach and a Jr/Sr Softball coach, far and away, the most important contribution you (we) will make as a coach(es) is that YOU to become a STUDENT of the game. As coaches, we must known the details and fundamentals of the game in order to break it down and make it all make sense to the kids. It has been my experience that eight out of ten coaches in rec league ball simply do what they were taught as kids; not knowing right from wrong. Now, if your childhood coach was a former college player and/or semi-pro/pro, then you've got good stuff (training) and a child can learn the proper fundamentals. If not, and as is most often the case, a lot of valuable time can unfortunately be lost in those early developmental years. More often than not, their arm/elbow hurts for a reason, you know.

It appears that you'll do fine!! Starting here was very wise on your part. Best of seasons to you.

CH