How do you define success on the field.

[SCDad]

okay wow, you need to step back and look at both of your post. You are that parent and that kind of shallow person. You don't mind your dd riding the coat tails of those that work hard. I take your post as, "Why should my dd work hard, let the other girls do it for her."

Did I attack you?

It is only a point of view.

I do not call others losers.

So why do others have to express negativity towards specific posters?

Is it possible that many elements of my position is correct.

Look at some of the teams who win. Look closely at their LF and RF players. Someone's DD is playing there. Does the competition have elite outer outfielders ... Or just filling spots with throw away players.

It is a key component to winning. You can look and judge. Sure, be negative, call it riding coat tails. After every successful season, we are thanked ... Even honored. so that has not been our experience.

I am happy. DD is happy. Your words are not happy words. That is something you have to figure out.

 

[riseball]

Geez pull the Prius to the side of the pretentious highway and give it a break. Who is the "we" you are referring to? By your own admission you had nothing to do with it. If I understand correctly you are referring to a HS State Championship, not a cure for cancer.

 

[SCDad]

Geez pull the bus to the side of the pretentious highway and give it a break. Who is the "we" you are referring to? By your own admission you had nothing to do with it. If I understand correctly you are referring to a HS State Championship, not a cure for cancer.

Do you call your hardworking daughter and team for which you specifically pay the bills a "we"

Won significant championships at all levels. 10U baseball, 12U softball, JV softball, HS softball.

What is the problem here? Other than a few having trouble with happy people. I don't get negative when your DD bats .700 do I? Then please explain why you do.

We are not great. I am shallow. My DD could work harder. So what. What we do have is the ability to get on great teams. Get accepted as one of "them" and win.

That is the only message.

 

[riseball]

Do you call your hardworking daughter and team for which you specifically pay the bills a "we"

No. When it is about her accomplishments in the circle the word is appropriately "she". Anybody can write a check.

 

[SCDad]

No. When it is about her accomplishments in the circle the word is appropriately "she". Anybody can write a check.

Sigh ...

ALL our best friends in softball with my DD has been with pitchers. You are a pitcher, so I know you know why.

For it is the great pitchers who get mine on their teams, or at least show her that respect. Funny huh?

I am just giving honor to the LF and RF of this world. Those like us know. The least of our problems are pitchers. DD and super stud pitcher(s) have been buds forever. Almost a staple with a bunch of different ones.

I get a kick out of it. Thanks for acknowledging.

 

[YOCOACH]

I believe the idea that great hitters are successful 3 out of 10 times is one of the biggest sports myths ever perpetuated. The definition of success at the plate or any of the other aspects of the game runs much deeper than batting averages or earned run averages. How do you define success at the plate, in the circle, or elsewhere?

So I bypassed all of the bickering so if this has been said already, I apologize in advance. I define success as the following.

Pitching: Success= the pitcher throwing the ball in spots which will result in strikes, strategically planned balls setting the batter up for a certain pitch or weak hit balls resulting in a routine out.

Fielding: Success= making the routine plays for outs and making the hard outs look easy. Add to that no more than 1-2 errors a game but I would prefer having no errors.

Batting: Success= the batter doing what is necessary in the given situation. i.e. over a three game stretch, the number three batter with no outs hits hard grounders up the right side of the field to advance the runner from second to third but doesn't reach base. By the book, her BA over those same three games is .000 yet because she did this, the team has scored all of those runs from 3rd. I would qualify this as a successful day at the plate.

For the team: Success= winning the games you should win, winning some of the games you shouldn't, having your players wanting to return year after year to play for you and most importantly, the girls having fun. After all, it is still a game.

 

[BobInMadison]

I like the way DD's HC, AC and PC defined success.

A few weeks ago DD's local U11 team wound up playing in a tournament with strong, regional U12 teams (the tournament they signed up for was cancelled, and they were put into a stronger tournament). She pitched the losing side of 2 complete game blowouts, and came in relief in another blowout. Her complete games were both 12-0 losses in 3 innings. Her PC was HC for a U16 team. He and his AC watched her pitch against State Line, a regional powerhouse in this neck of the woods. After the game PC sent a text to tell her how proud he was of her pitching, that is was the best she had ever pitched. Both HC and AC told her after the game what a great job she did.

Yesterday, DD pitched a complete game 5 inning 11-0 loss against a strong local U12 team. She kept expecting to be pulled at any minute. In fact, HC told her to expect too pitch 1 or 2 innings, but kept her in the entire game. Why? Her pitches were going to the locations AC told her to pitch to. Her change-up was the best it had ever been. She got some great K's with pitching combinations she couldn't have pulled off even a week or two ago. She made some great fielding plays, including a 1-3 double play (catch the fly, get the runner returning to 1st).

After the game, HC and AC told her in front of the entire team it was the best pitching she had ever done. PC texted that I should buy her some ice cream as a reward. (I got her gelatto, at a store where older sister was working. DD #1 got to serve DD #3 as a reward for playing well. That was special by itself, since DD #3 learned to play by helping DD #1 practice).

The point is, when we started working with PC, he said DD would have her "breakout" season as an older U12 pitcher in 2015. So far, she is on track. Last year she was a fast, but wild, U10 pitcher. This year faster, but still wild, and only one pitch at the beginning of the season. At the end of the season, much less wild, and 2 effective pitches (she added her change-up ahead of schedule). We hope next year she will be faster, more accurate, and hopefully add another pitch.

Also, DD's hitting and fielding have improved greatly during the course of the season.

DD wasn't the only success story after an 11-0 loss. Some girls, especially outfielders, made spectacular catches. There were girls whose fielding had been suspect even earlier in the day who were making great plays. All in all the most successful 11-0 loss you can imagine.

Wait until next year, when these are the BIG girls, instead of the tiny U11 girls.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Success in games for me is seeing the stuff I've taught them in practices. Often what I see is when the game-time nerves are there, old muscle memory returns and you think you've traveled back in time to when they played rec-ball.

 

[BobInMadison]

For all the bad rep rec ball gets, I still insist that DD #3 plays rec ball.

Simple.

First off, sometimes she can arrange things to get on a team coached by TB coaches. In that case, I know she will learn to do things the right way. (Not all coaches are as good. DD #1 was once shocked that most of the girls on her U14 rec ball team didn't know how to slide!)

Second, if the pitcher isn't too wild, it makes for good batting practice.

Third, and most importantly, it is great pitching practice. Many of the girls will just stand at home plate and watch the balls go by. If DD #3 throws balls, she starts loading the bases, and waling in runs. When she is accurate, she averages about 2.5 K per inning (dropped 3rd strikes raise the total a bit. She has had 4 and 5 K innings). Sometimes she faces a good TB batter in a low-pressure situation, which is good practice for tournaments. In addition, rec ball is a great place to try out new pitches before taking them to tournaments.

I just wish she could calm down in tournaments and pitch the way she does in rec ball. The game-time nerves are really tough to watch sometimes.

 

[NEF]

Lots of good posts, I think seeing fundamentals improve, playing with respect (for coaches, teammates, opponents, umpires, most of all self), as a coach developing those characteristics and a high player return rate from previous season rank up there.