Sorry, but no, I don't think. Just my opinion.
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Scrimmages...to score or not to score?
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Sorry, but no, I don't think. Just my opinion.
- Feb 7, 2013
- 3,188
- 48
Not all scrimmages are created equal and are used differently depending on the season, team, etc.
For example, informal scrimmages could be 6 on 6 where you are working on situations and moving players around, to development different fielding skills of the players and evaluate secondary positions. Score might be kept for bragging rights only but quickly forgotten after practice.
Another scrimmage we have done is to play a "sister" team who is part of our organization but might be a division older (i.e. they are playing down to our level to prepare us for a qualifying tournament, for example). It's a good test for our team and scoring and stats are kept in Gamechanger as an "Exhibition" but are not part of the regular season overall stats for the team. I think it's important to keep track of stats so you can evaluate and learn from them. For example, you can start your #3 pitcher and see how she does, what she needs to work on, what are her strong points, etc.
The other kind of scrimmage is a "friendly" which is a practice game against a rival team you will likely face later on in a tournament. These are definitely scored but again, players are moved around more than a tournaments game and the focus is on development of the players, how they react in certain game situation, etc. While the score is kept, whether you win or lose is not the focus of the game, development of the players and game strategy is. In fact, we have been on both sides of a blow-out in "friendlies" and when we play the same team again in a tournament, the "friendly" game had little bearing on the outcome of the tournament game.
So IMO, go ahead and score runs in a practice scrimmage but understand the reason behind the game and if you are hosting a scrimmage, be gracious to the other team, before, during and after the game.
For example, informal scrimmages could be 6 on 6 where you are working on situations and moving players around, to development different fielding skills of the players and evaluate secondary positions. Score might be kept for bragging rights only but quickly forgotten after practice.
Another scrimmage we have done is to play a "sister" team who is part of our organization but might be a division older (i.e. they are playing down to our level to prepare us for a qualifying tournament, for example). It's a good test for our team and scoring and stats are kept in Gamechanger as an "Exhibition" but are not part of the regular season overall stats for the team. I think it's important to keep track of stats so you can evaluate and learn from them. For example, you can start your #3 pitcher and see how she does, what she needs to work on, what are her strong points, etc.
The other kind of scrimmage is a "friendly" which is a practice game against a rival team you will likely face later on in a tournament. These are definitely scored but again, players are moved around more than a tournaments game and the focus is on development of the players, how they react in certain game situation, etc. While the score is kept, whether you win or lose is not the focus of the game, development of the players and game strategy is. In fact, we have been on both sides of a blow-out in "friendlies" and when we play the same team again in a tournament, the "friendly" game had little bearing on the outcome of the tournament game.
So IMO, go ahead and score runs in a practice scrimmage but understand the reason behind the game and if you are hosting a scrimmage, be gracious to the other team, before, during and after the game.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 1,057
- 36
You do not need to keep score, the players know who won.
DD is not going to play as hard in a scrimmage, she is not going to lose(or earn) her spot on the Team.
She still wants to win though.
DD is not going to play as hard in a scrimmage, she is not going to lose(or earn) her spot on the Team.
She still wants to win though.
High School softball season is soon approaching, and as many here know, I am a high school softball fanatic.
And catch a bunch of flake for it.
For high school, you are trying to learn how to win. All the scrimmages are at the beginning of the season. You are trying to utilize the maximum number of players. Yet keep the game close, and toward the end, put the stars back in to try to win the ballgame.
In high school, you keep score, you want to learn to win. It is the beginning of team bonding, and important.
In travel ... well from me, I sometimes wonder why they keep score even in games. At the older ages it is quite sad, as every player is mostly playing for themselves anyways. So travel scrimmages ... no ... who cares?
And catch a bunch of flake for it.
For high school, you are trying to learn how to win. All the scrimmages are at the beginning of the season. You are trying to utilize the maximum number of players. Yet keep the game close, and toward the end, put the stars back in to try to win the ballgame.
In high school, you keep score, you want to learn to win. It is the beginning of team bonding, and important.
In travel ... well from me, I sometimes wonder why they keep score even in games. At the older ages it is quite sad, as every player is mostly playing for themselves anyways. So travel scrimmages ... no ... who cares?
Do you mean keeping score to tell you who won? Or do you mean keeping stats that go into the 'official stats' of the team?
If you mean keeping score, I always did, (no longer a head coach),just like score is kept for a pool game that doesn't count. We're trying to win, even if winning isn't the most important thing. It might be part of the strategy. Tie game. Winning run on third. That sort of thing.
As for the stats, it depends if you think they are helpful. When I started a new, young team, I counted stats for scrimmages because the girls hadn't played that many games yet and I wanted all the information (stats) I could get on them. And those scrimmages were treated more like real games because we were still relatively inexperienced in playing games. The purpose of a scrimmage at that early age was about getting 'game' experience.
But once you have an experienced, 'veteran' team, then they didn't need more game experience. They need situational experience that is best simulated in a scrimmage, and so we used scrimmages more to try things, like bunting, or pickoff plays, or stealing, whatever. While we kept a book, I didn't consider those real games and didn't add them to the stats.
If you mean keeping score, I always did, (no longer a head coach),just like score is kept for a pool game that doesn't count. We're trying to win, even if winning isn't the most important thing. It might be part of the strategy. Tie game. Winning run on third. That sort of thing.
As for the stats, it depends if you think they are helpful. When I started a new, young team, I counted stats for scrimmages because the girls hadn't played that many games yet and I wanted all the information (stats) I could get on them. And those scrimmages were treated more like real games because we were still relatively inexperienced in playing games. The purpose of a scrimmage at that early age was about getting 'game' experience.
But once you have an experienced, 'veteran' team, then they didn't need more game experience. They need situational experience that is best simulated in a scrimmage, and so we used scrimmages more to try things, like bunting, or pickoff plays, or stealing, whatever. While we kept a book, I didn't consider those real games and didn't add them to the stats.
We did a lot of scrimmages. Mostly they fell into two categories. 1) We played an older better team before a regional/national event to sharpen our skills and for the tougher competition we might face abroad. 2) We played a weaker or younger team so that they might have the experience in the #1 post. Either way, I'm keeping score even if the other team isn't. I'll use the "score" later for a motivational speech to my girls, as should any coach.
Ummm....... The same thing.
As for the original question from the OP. It depends on the point of the scrimmage
Player Stats.
A whole different subject. When my DD was young, I kept meticulous stats of her. Summarized them, was proud of them, it was important.
Now she is older, my perspective has completely changed. Just do not care about stats. Did the team win? Did my DD contribute in a meaningful way to the win? Did DD get on base?
Now, while I am watching a softball game, I only want DD to get on base. BB, ROE, infield hit, or rip single. Just does not matter. Every AB ... get on base. If ducks on the pond ... hit them in. Crack one deep, or gapper to the fence, even better.
I look at stats put out by the coaches at the end of the year, sure. But for young folks asking questions about how something should be scored for maximum benefit for DD. I laugh to myself, because I have been there, done that. Now it is only about winning, contributing, getting on base.
Every softball game has a story. 3 or 4 players usually win a game for a team. Was DD one of those players? Great defensive play maybe ... Stats simply do not matter to me anymore.
A whole different subject. When my DD was young, I kept meticulous stats of her. Summarized them, was proud of them, it was important.
Now she is older, my perspective has completely changed. Just do not care about stats. Did the team win? Did my DD contribute in a meaningful way to the win? Did DD get on base?
Now, while I am watching a softball game, I only want DD to get on base. BB, ROE, infield hit, or rip single. Just does not matter. Every AB ... get on base. If ducks on the pond ... hit them in. Crack one deep, or gapper to the fence, even better.
I look at stats put out by the coaches at the end of the year, sure. But for young folks asking questions about how something should be scored for maximum benefit for DD. I laugh to myself, because I have been there, done that. Now it is only about winning, contributing, getting on base.
Every softball game has a story. 3 or 4 players usually win a game for a team. Was DD one of those players? Great defensive play maybe ... Stats simply do not matter to me anymore.
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well the coaches don't score the games but I know that some of the parents score them and facebook and tweet these scores to their softball friends lol
I keep score but only as a way to predict what the other players will do in the future. As I use Iscore every time a batter we have faced comes up I know where they hit the ball. It also allows me to see who's been doing well lately and who hasn't, basically the hot or not theory. We play everything full out with the intent to win, but I do not keep the stats from the scrimmages, just the spray charts.
