Is there more drama in softball?

[dbias]

(I thought this would be a good thread...)

Softball is worse. The downtime is much longer in softball, and the uncertainty about when, and even "if" you are going to play a game, means that conversations often drift away from the game and into other topics.

You have 9 positions to fill in softball, and it is pretty easy to figure out who the best 4 or 5 girls are on a team of 15. In fact, all the parents and the players can easily see who are the top players.

But, that leaves 3 or 4 positions where the selection of the players is not so obvious. When you get down to your 8th and 9th starters, it becomes tough to justify why Sarah plays over Janey, especially to players, parents and coaches who don't have a clue about the finer points of softball--fielding, relays, bunting and base running.

So, players immediately assume that Sarah is the coach's favorite, and then the players start forming cliques due to the injustice done to Janey. Then, Janey starts kissing the pitcher's feet in order to maybe get the pitcher to intervene in her behalf. The whole thing can get really nasty.

A great line by Kathy Rodolph, head coach of New Mexico State: The players started complaining that "Sarah" was the coaches favorite, and she calls all the players together and tells them to stop whining. She says, "You're d*mn right Sarah is my favorite...she is batting .675 with runners in scoring position. You hit .700 with runners in scoring position, and you'll be my favorite."

I follow Coach Rodolph's philosophy.... if you want to know why who is where we can go look at the book (in private of course)... shuts them up nicely.

 

[Mommajo7]

Ray LOL! I am beginning to believe this.

 

[klamath632]

DD is a 10U player, the team played its first ASA tournament in the past month. In the other alphabets, continuous lineup is allowed, but not in ASA. DD played one game out of the five (the game she pitched.) We had 11 last fall, a 12th joined over the winter and the new girl was immediately the best player on the team, and everyone could see it. She took over the SS position from a girl who was obviously in the top 3. The old SS moved over and took 1B, my daughter's position. I was incensed, especially because the girl playing 2B (in my mind) was really inferior to DD. It's been on my mind ever since.

Last week, in a "pep talk" with DD I asked her "remember how bad it felt not to play in that tournament..." and she interrupted me: "I didn't feel bad." She's a far better player than I was at that age, and now I know she's a far better teammate also. I was floored. My assumptions were completely wrong. I trust DD now, and I know she wants her spot back and is working to get it. I thought coach was bad, coach was wrong, and maybe I still disagree with his choice, but I'm ready to shut my mouth and let DD do all the talking now. I won't be "that dad" anymore.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

I hear football has more drama

 

[Huskerdu]

DD is a 10U player, the team played its first ASA tournament in the past month. In the other alphabets, continuous lineup is allowed, but not in ASA. DD played one game out of the five (the game she pitched.) We had 11 last fall, a 12th joined over the winter and the new girl was immediately the best player on the team, and everyone could see it. She took over the SS position from a girl who was obviously in the top 3. The old SS moved over and took 1B, my daughter's position. I was incensed, especially because the girl playing 2B (in my mind) was really inferior to DD. It's been on my mind ever since.

Last week, in a "pep talk" with DD I asked her "remember how bad it felt not to play in that tournament..." and she interrupted me: "I didn't feel bad." She's a far better player than I was at that age, and now I know she's a far better teammate also. I was floored. My assumptions were completely wrong. I trust DD now, and I know she wants her spot back and is working to get it. I thought coach was bad, coach was wrong, and maybe I still disagree with his choice, but I'm ready to shut my mouth and let DD do all the talking now. I won't be "that dad" anymore.

If a parent were to come to me and ask, "what does my daughter need to do to get better?" I'd just hug the guy, instead, he sees his kid not even hitting her weight, cans of corn being dropped and balls ticking off her glove in the outfield, and yet he has the audacity to ask why she is being used as a substitute runner on Sunday? Now he is one of those guys on the sidelines asking other parents, "why is she bunting again?"...well figure it out Einstein!

I feel like just once, I would like to pull this guy who has never played sports, to come and coach 3rd base and to make the lineup for the next game...and to ask him the difference between interference and obstruction...

Being a former player has its benefits when it comes to the X's and O's but not playing time decisions, and that seems to cause all the drama behind the fence.

Have you seen the movie Multiplicity and the kids football scene? Epic...

 

[Huskerdu]

I follow Coach Rodolph's philosophy.... if you want to know why who is where we can go look at the book (in private of course)... shuts them up nicely.

Using batting average is not always the best judge of performance...although it frequently is. I have a kid who walks an incredible amount, she is a great bunter and she always seems to have a key hit in a key situation. She is a great kid, but yet her batting average is not indicative of the player she is, and so if I were to compare it to another kid who just swings while praying she hits something, it is not a true comparison.

 

[CPEM]

I hear football has more drama

Watch this show when you get the chance: Friday Night Tykes

I cringed many times watching this, and thought about what would be different if a TV crew followed a softball team around.

 

[CoogansBluff]

If a parent were to come to me and ask, "what does my daughter need to do to get better?" I'd just hug the guy, instead, he sees his kid not even hitting her weight, cans of corn being dropped and balls ticking off her glove in the outfield, and yet he has the audacity to ask why she is being used as a substitute runner on Sunday? Now he is one of those guys on the sidelines asking other parents, "why is she bunting again?"...well figure it out Einstein!

Just curious - Why is she not better? Does she not work hard enough, or did you overestimate her when you invited her on the team?

re: stats - The high walker/good bunter is valuable, but that can be seen in the books just like batting average. I know that parents will see in stats what they wish to see, but I think it's easy for a coach to say, ''This is what I value. This is why I think this player is valuable. She gets on base. She scores runs. She gets down bunts.'' After that, there can only be honest disagreement.

 

[PA SB Dad]

This wasi n my Inbox this morning: https://responsible-sports.libertym...-Nightmare-Sports-Parent-by-Coach-Candrea?src

I forwarded it to every parent I could think of.

 

[chinamigarden]

I still think it begins and ends with the parents. Our hs had low turnout for the first time this year. Only had 10 on varsity. Coach said it was the smothest season he could remember. Well with only one kid on the bench there were no parent factions pissed off together, huddling up and complaining to each other.