Outfielder pet peeve.....

[grcsftbll]

What 10U outfielders seem to do 90% of the time: fly ball hit into the outfield. They immediately run forward with their glove up in the air. Ball goes 8' over their heads, they chase it while runners score behind them. Gosh, watching that just never gets old.

 

[Lenski]

It is never too late to learn!

True, but it takes time and you have to have a coach willing to teach proper outfield play, and many of the coaches were not outfielders themselves.

 

[Westwind]

and then on top of all that if the ball is not hit to them or is hit in the infield or is being thrown around the infield you look up and 3 seconds later they have not moved one inch...is it that hard to back up a player take an angle to where an overthrow might go or just take 10 step up so you are in position to offer some kind of help if needed

A good outfielder is really, really tired at the end of the day.

Outfield play is an afterthought to most coaches.

A very wise coach told me that when two generally evenly matched teams play, the outfield will be the deciding factor in the game. (He said the next most important factor is base running. Also an afterthought to most coaches.)

He also said that in practice if your outfielders are catching half the balls, the practice is too easy.

 

[Westwind]

For those parents that don't want their dd in the of, dd playing cf has been one of the most pleasant surprises of my softball parent experience. DD #1 is fast, reads the ball off the bat well, has a good arm and has the attitude that nothing but a true line drive gapper is going to hit the ground. It is really, really, fun to watch as a dad. It has also opened a lot more doors for her than being "just another" standard dependable middle infielder with a good bat. It also makes you really popular with pitchers parents, lol!

 

[Ken Krause]

A few years ago at a National Sports Clinic they had a session on playing in college where they handed out a sheet of things freshman shouldn't say when they arrive. Toward the top of the list was "But I played shortstop in HS/travel ball." Their take was everyone on the team played shortstop on their HS/travel ball teams.

People often ask if there are any drills you can use to train outfielders. In my experience there is only one: Send them out into the outfield and then hit a bunch of balls to them until they learn how to read balls coming off the bat. There is no shortcut, it's a skill that must be acquired. Once they can do that use can use a pitching machine to create other challenges such as sprinting to the ball instead of loping. But if they can't read the ball off the bat they'll never have success in the outfield.

 

[Westwind]

Ken, dd feels it is very important to see called pitch location. That seems to be a very early step in reading the ball off the bat for her.

 

[Acatchersmom]

My DDs main position is catcher. Due to injuries/illness on our HS team she had to play the OF. As much as we laughed about this at first - she is doing really well. Made one spectacular catch this week saving a game. I'm glad her TB coach always practiced everyone in the OF. She was ready to step up when needed.


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[slugger3]

With girls around here, playing in the outfield has a stigma that starts at an early age...at an early the girls who don't know how to play, get put in the outfield...
So that stigma gets carried into the 14U (8th grade level), all the way up to 18U (varsity level).
For me, the best all around athletes I've seen at showcases, Travel Ball tournaments and College camps were the outfielders...

Read the ball off the bat...track the ball down with bullet out of a gun quickness, and top end speed...field it or catch it, whether on the run or diving on the run...throw the runner out at a base with a cannon for an arm and laser like accuracy...all within a matter of a few seconds...
Fun to watch...

 

[grcsftbll]

I understand how the outfield stigma begins. In 8U, especially rec but even travel at lower levels (which we played), the ball is so rarely hit to the outfield that the coaches definitely put their strong players in the infield. The weaker players get put in the outfield. But when playing against better teams (like when the Frost Falcons decided to come play in our B tournament for some reason, lol) a weak outfield kills you. It can literally be the difference between winning and losing. In 10U the outfield is getting a lot more action. I imagine by 12U a strong outfield is every bit as important as a strong infield. You need girls who are fast and can track the ball, and can catch, and can make strong throws. It seems like a lot of fun to me once the girls start really hitting. Plus you're less likely to get injured by the ball, since you have so much more time to be ready for it. Kind of a plus side especially for a pitcher/catcher maybe.

 

[slugger3]

I understand how the outfield stigma begins. In 8U, especially rec but even travel at lower levels (which we played), the ball is so rarely hit to the outfield that the coaches definitely put their strong players in the infield. The weaker players get put in the outfield. But when playing against better teams (like when the Frost Falcons decided to come play in our B tournament for some reason, lol) a weak outfield kills you. It can literally be the difference between winning and losing. In 10U the outfield is getting a lot more action. I imagine by 12U a strong outfield is every bit as important as a strong infield. You need girls who are fast and can track the ball, and can catch, and can make strong throws. It seems like a lot of fun to me once the girls start really hitting. Plus you're less likely to get injured by the ball, since you have so much more time to be ready for it. Kind of a plus side especially for a pitcher/catcher maybe.

I agree with you..
But we are talking about 2 different levels of play.
Aren't you the insane 10U mom?...

I have one DD in 16U, and 2 in 14U...

But I would think that outfielders are still very important at the younger levels...Around here 8U and 10U teams are literally non-existent.

Another thing is the example you are using is in relation to competitive travel ball isn't it?

But in the Play Date/Patty Cake Softball world of HS and Middle school softball, little Susie Latchkey needs to play.
So that another factor that comes into consideration.
Around here there are plenty of girls that would play outfield since they didn't make the cut for the infield positions.
They have the basic skills to play outfield, but society dictates that little Susie Latchkey gets that position...just because she "deserves it"...

And oh ya...don't get me started on the Mommy Ball Epidemic around here...

Rant over...