Rec (LL) 10u team. excuse the long windedness
background - 10 year old, Ok fielder, terrible hitter, and I can tell her lack of success at plate is bothering her. getting more nervous, reluctant to swing, basically looking for BB at plate rather than hits, no balls in play yet this season (7 games), a few fouls. BB is statistically a pretty good bet if batter never swings in our division, but I want my girls swinging and getting hits, not walks. I basically tell them if it is hittable, they should swing (ie nothing in dirt or over head, but that is about it). All this makes no difference to me, but I present it because it might be making the player to seek an excuse not to play.
missed 4 games due to her ankle bothering her. 2 games previous to this her ankle was wrapped. parents took her to ortho, they found nothing. last game, she plays, but I can tell it bothers her, even had to pinch run for her when she got a BB, mom said she was OK, had been running around on it all weekend. my wife sees the mom at kids school this morning, girl is in a boot. she asks her about it. Mom says boot was just to pacify her, and she will be there tonight.
she has in past played 3B and 1B for me pretty OK, but I am worried about her at these positions right now. having trouble pushing off (right ankle, throws right), so throws are going high (and we try throw downs to third, with subsequent need to throw home normally, several times a game), and worry about her stretching for throws at 1B.
I am all for toughing it out when appropriate, but I do not want this girl to be so pressured to play if she really is in pain. tonight is our last regular season game, and I am already down to 8 (looking for pool players, but no guarantee, small league, 3 teams).
Any advice on how to handle?
background - 10 year old, Ok fielder, terrible hitter, and I can tell her lack of success at plate is bothering her. getting more nervous, reluctant to swing, basically looking for BB at plate rather than hits, no balls in play yet this season (7 games), a few fouls. BB is statistically a pretty good bet if batter never swings in our division, but I want my girls swinging and getting hits, not walks. I basically tell them if it is hittable, they should swing (ie nothing in dirt or over head, but that is about it). All this makes no difference to me, but I present it because it might be making the player to seek an excuse not to play.
missed 4 games due to her ankle bothering her. 2 games previous to this her ankle was wrapped. parents took her to ortho, they found nothing. last game, she plays, but I can tell it bothers her, even had to pinch run for her when she got a BB, mom said she was OK, had been running around on it all weekend. my wife sees the mom at kids school this morning, girl is in a boot. she asks her about it. Mom says boot was just to pacify her, and she will be there tonight.
she has in past played 3B and 1B for me pretty OK, but I am worried about her at these positions right now. having trouble pushing off (right ankle, throws right), so throws are going high (and we try throw downs to third, with subsequent need to throw home normally, several times a game), and worry about her stretching for throws at 1B.
I am all for toughing it out when appropriate, but I do not want this girl to be so pressured to play if she really is in pain. tonight is our last regular season game, and I am already down to 8 (looking for pool players, but no guarantee, small league, 3 teams).
Any advice on how to handle?