Daddy ball down sides

[grcsftbll]

Oh, sure. My DH talks about possibly coaching a team after our DD grows up. But while she's playing, he's going to coach where she can play and learn, ya know?

 

[KPower]

It's interesting, a coach I know is coaching a very talented 10U team. I really think they could end up being one of the best 06 teams in the SE, not because he's a great coach but because the girls are talented and motivated and the parents are committed and work with them a bunch when not playing with the team. Only his daughter is not at that level and probably will never be. He even said, she plays for fun and doesn't really have any desire to practice outside of team practices, and she's just not as athletic as the other girls. So she sits, a LOT. It seems weird to me to want to coach a team that is so far over your own kid's level. Like, these kids who were strangers before you formed the team are somehow more important than your own just because they're better at softball. If my DD were a B level player I'd want my DH to coach a B level team so she could play rather than sit. That's like, the anti-daddy ball which seems just as bad to me. Or worse maybe.

My DD plays on a team with this situation. HC's DD is arguably the weakest player on the team. And she sits - a lot. She is the sweetest girl and never causes any drama. HC has mentioned several times that he feels he might be doing his DD a disservice because she would probably play a lot more on another team. I will say though, this year I have seen a huge jump in her skills. She is still probably the weakest player, but she is catching up. I'm thinking we are seeing a version of "playing the best makes you better" - playing with the best is making her better. In the beginning HC did give her opportunities to play positions she had no business playing. He has since figured out the best use of her abilities and she plays those positions. I used to feel sorry for her and for all the time she sat, but she never seemed to be bothered by it.

 

[grcsftbll]

I hope that will be the case w/ this girl too. She's also super sweet, great attitude, no drama.

 

[KPower]

I has taken 3 years for me to see a difference, but it is starting to happen. I don't think she will ever be a superstar, but hopefully she will at least be better able to contribute...

 

[ando]

For 3 years I've been the Anti-Daddy Ball coach, but I have seen my daughter improve leaps and bounds. She has attention issues that aggravate me to no end, but we are doing the best we can. She hasn't been the one who puts in the most work, and I have no problem having that conversation with her. I try to keep it encouraging, but I'm not going to 'make' her practice outside of practice if she doesn't have the desire. All I can do is encourage her. Thought about giving up at one point... quitting coaching and letting her find something else to do, but persistence paid off in this case and she really is enjoying it more and more. I am guilty of letting other girls play and sitting her to keep it fair (or all eyes off me, rather), but she is becoming more and more deserving of playing time. We are in pitching lessons now and she really seems to be enjoying it. Maybe pitching will be her strength. It keeps her extremely focused, HUGE PLUS!

 

[Greenmonsters]

For 3 years I've been the Anti-Daddy Ball coach, but I have seen my daughter improve leaps and bounds. She has attention issues that aggravate me to no end, but we are doing the best we can. She hasn't been the one who puts in the most work, and I have no problem having that conversation with her. I try to keep it encouraging, but I'm not going to 'make' her practice outside of practice if she doesn't have the desire. All I can do is encourage her. Thought about giving up at one point... quitting coaching and letting her find something else to do, but persistence paid off in this case and she really is enjoying it more and more. I am guilty of letting other girls play and sitting her to keep it fair (or all eyes off me, rather), but she is becoming more and more deserving of playing time. We are in pitching lessons now and she really seems to be enjoying it. Maybe pitching will be her strength. It keeps her extremely focused, HUGE PLUS!

FWIW - IMO/IME catcher is the ideal position for a kid who needs to be constantly stimulated to be engaged and focused on the game.

 

[grcsftbll]

Older DD's team almost lost their undefeated record last night. Coach's kid missed a couple of textbook plays at 1B. Dad yells at him that if he wants to play first he has to catch the ball. Dude, I don't think he does want to play first. I think YOU want him to play first. Poor kid. Most of the parents seem really annoyed. I'm afraid this team is not long for this world. Though I don't think they even offer rec there in 14U anyway so we would have another year at most anyway. DD says once this team is done, she's through with baseball. She doesn't want to find another (possibly travel) team. Guess my life would be a lot easier with only one in sports...

 

[MacLobo]

FWIW - IMO/IME catcher is the ideal position for a kid who needs to be constantly stimulated to be engaged and focused on the game.

My daughter suffers from the need of CONSTANT stimulation....most 7 year-olds are like that, but DD even more so. Her teacher even bought her a special chair that wobbles (allows her to move/fidget while keeping her in her chair for the most part). Every game, I hear "Dad, am I going to catch today?" The kid loves catching, because it's constant stimulation!