Bracket Play on Sunday

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Feb 10, 2014
2
0
Our team has been one of the better pool play teams in the area, for the last 2 years we are always a #1 or #2 seed heading into Sunday. When we show up on Sunday it is like a different team shows up. We might win the first game of the day and then we will but when we hit the quarter or semi finals we play like we have never been on the field before (1 really bad inning there is an implosion). This is the second team that I have coached and this is new to me. My first DD and her teammates weren't as talented as this group but they have the drive and the will to earn the victories they gathered. The current team has 6 talented players with 2 nice roll players. I believe the leaders just don't have the killer instinct, we have changed practices, warm-ups, and lineups nothing seems to work. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Could it be that your team isn't playing differently, but that the other teams are playing to win on Sunday (and not necessarily playing their best lineup combinations in pool play)?
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
One of 3 things.

1. Your team is playing all out on Saturday (batting 9, no new positions,etc) while the others are trying out new pitchers batting 11,etc.

2. Your team is not getting to sleep on time or getting up too early. Sometimes hard to sleep in hotel rooms.

3. You are in a week bracket in pool play. We just played a tournament this weeken with 15 team divided into 3 brackets. Our bracket wound up having he 4 semi teams in it.
 
Jan 31, 2011
453
43
One definite thing to consider is the pool seeding. That is a great point canyonjoe... I really hate playing low caliber team on Saturday and then get a wake up call right away on Sunday. I would rather play the tough teams on Saturday to set the tone for the weekend. Rolling through pool play sets you up for failure on Sunday if you're not careful...
 
Mar 29, 2012
377
0
Yeah what's been said, could be a combo of.

1. Other teams getting their number 3 and 4 pitcher on Saturday and playing people out of their primary position.
2. getting weak pool bracket and hitting the meat grinder on Sunday.
 
Feb 3, 2011
1,880
48
Sometimes it's just not your day. And some teams are going to have more of those 'days' than others. Is this a 16u team?

One of the philosophies I preach is to make all the routine plays and then the highlight plays will happen on occasion. Offensively, get bat on the ball and then let your speed and smarts on the bases put pressure on the defense. The more pressure you apply, the more mistakes they're likely to make.

As far as the mental part goes, we take every opponent seriously. Seeding matters not one single bit. On Sunday, you play to win the game, period. If you're the 1, don't think for a minute that your 1st opponent is a cupcake you're going to roll over. Get out there and go for the throat early. Even if your girls don't respond to this teaching right away, keep repeating it and hopefully they'll eventually and as a team pick up on what you're saying and apply it.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Sometimes it's just not your day. And some teams are going to have more of those 'days' than others. Is this a 16u team?

One of the philosophies I preach is to make all the routine plays and then the highlight plays will happen on occasion. Offensively, get bat on the ball and then let your speed and smarts on the bases put pressure on the defense. The more pressure you apply, the more mistakes they're likely to make.

As far as the mental part goes, we take every opponent seriously. Seeding matters not one single bit. On Sunday, you play to win the game, period. If you're the 1, don't think for a minute that your 1st opponent is a cupcake you're going to roll over. Get out there and go for the throat early. Even if your girls don't respond to this teaching right away, keep repeating it and hopefully they'll eventually and as a team pick up on what you're saying and apply it.

Attitude is definitely an important part of the equation. A large part of the success of UConn Women's basketball is that they don't worry about who they are playing, they know that how they themselves play is what will determine the outcome. IMO, it also doesn't hurt to be able to start 5 All Americans either.
 

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