coachjsoriano

[So Cal Seth]

For those interested, Soriano just posted on his Instagram that he has room for remotes.

 

[Rolling Hard]

"I mean she's 8. "

Enough said.

I just don't think she "gets it".
Gets what???

Please let her have fun. The more fun she has the more likely for her to stay interested. Another little secret I discovered is that young girls like to compete at practice. Make practice fun by setting goals or competitions. (knockout for example). If you are practicing with your DD one on one.(which I am sure you do) time her 1st to 3rd, then teach how hitting the corner of the bag with right foot and /or rounding the bag can lower her time. Time her again and record it for next time. Girls love beating their PB. When hitting off the tee, hit out to the field (dad shags) and tell her the goal is to get 4 out of 5 to the grass. If you get 5 out of 5, we will stop at 7-11 and get a slurpy. Fun and competitive will get her better.


Second year 10s you would want her on the gold all star team. You and her have plenty of time.

 

[Eric F]

Thanks, Eric. A conversation of her goals is something we need to have. Again, she's just 8, and I just don't put that in to perspective enough. The competition is fierce out here (as you know). I just found out last night that the 8U gold all-star team has 10 players that were playing in the 10U division. I thought there were three of four, but 10 blew my mind (this is our first year playing softball, so I was probably just naive). The only two players that played in the 8U division to make the gold team were from my daughter's team. Trying to be objective, I think my daughter was the third, or tied for third, best player on the team overall. She definitely was if you only look at the last six games of the season, when coach pitch stopped and they were only hitting off of girls (first half of season had coach come in to pitch rather than a hitter be walked).

My daughter's poor efforts last night combined with the news of how far she really is from the top of the league just put me in a down mood. That's MY issue.. I love, LOVE baseball/softball. I love being on the field and teaching and talking and sharing it all with her. But right now, her aiming to become a top player seems to only be my goal - not hers. At least in her actions. We talked about Soriano and paying for his services and commitment she needs to make because of that. She's attended a couple of catching clinics and raised her hand at the end when instructor asked who wanted to play college softball. I just don't think she "gets it". And to no fault of her own, I mean she's 8. She's loved finally playing with girls this season (after four years of t-ball and machine pitch with boys) and loves to compete out on the field when she's there.

I'm just venting. Thanks to anyone who is still reading. Eric, again, I appreciate your insight. This has to be something SHE decides to put the time and effort in to. I guess I just hate that she won't want to - and that's my own baggage to overcome.

Thanks, all.

She's 8? Oh, jeez. I thought she was older - LOL. When my DD was 8, I was fresh to DFP, and made the mistake of trying to get heavy with mechanics as I was learning them. It was overwhelming to her, and frustrating for the both of us. Find any and every way to make things fun, and keep the mechanical fixes minimal and general. At this age, focusing on a decent sequence will probably be the biggest payoff, along with the intent to hit the ball hard.

 

[So Cal Seth]

"I mean she's 8. "

Enough said.

I just don't think she "gets it".
Gets what???

Please let her have fun. The more fun she has the more likely for her to stay interested. Another little secret I discovered is that young girls like to compete at practice. Make practice fun by setting goals or competitions. (knockout for example). If you are practicing with your DD one on one.(which I am sure you do) time her 1st to 3rd, then teach how hitting the corner of the bag with right foot and /or rounding the bag can lower her time. Time her again and record it for next time. Girls love beating their PB. When hitting off the tee, hit out to the field (dad shags) and tell her the goal is to get 4 out of 5 to the grass. If you get 5 out of 5, we will stop at 7-11 and get a slurpy. Fun and competitive will get her better.


Second year 10s you would want her on the gold all star team. You and her have plenty of time.

I'm the issue here, not her ; )

Thanks, Eric. I just needed a dose of perspective.

 

[Eric F]

I'm the issue here, not her ; )

Thanks, Eric. I just needed a dose of perspective.

You are the issue. Good to recognize it now. I wish I had for myself.

Keep this in mind...At every level, the game has to remain fun for her. Her definition of fun will evolve, but if she's not enjoying it, something is wrong. Your job is to not get in the way of the fun.

 

[bobbyb]

Thanks for the progression update So Cal Seth! Please keep it up. I do follow him on twitter.

Your in the right place to help keep things in perspective. A lot of good advice here. You are not the only one that loses their perspective.

I didn't even know my DD was serious about softball until she was 12 and broke her nose and wanted to still play that night. So being serious about it at 8 is a little foreign to me.

I agree with the others and will add. She wants your approval, wants you to see her in the best light (never forget that)...don't show her your frustration. Tell her all the good things she does even if you have to really look for something. Keep your criticisms to your self. You have to make it fun and don't get caught up in the rat race of trying to get her to be the best at an unrealistic pace. Play, have fun, love her, encourage her, be her fan...rinse and repeat!

Later on you may be able to have a relationship where your able to have coach talks or dad talks and she will understand the difference. Until that time...you need to realize that when your talking to or about her..she hears and sees daddy.

One thing I have learned working with alot of girls and different ages is ...not you, me or any other person/coach ect..... knows what a girl can accomplish from 1 year to the next. I have seen some surprise me and get the bug to put in the effort and compared to the previous year...they are a different player. Some were well into their teen years before that happened.

You have many years ahead of you if she ends up loving the game... and you will experience a variety of times when she will be TOO hard on herself, feel like she is not progressing and a whole lot of other issues where she will need as a dad! Be her dad first!

 

[bobbyb]

Crankermo's DD, Brooke, was in HS when I joined DFP. Her journey was influential for us, and the information shared by Crakermo was valuable.

You know...I can see some of the influence there, The first swing I seen of your DD...she was in all black. I liked the swing...now I know why! I would say your DD swing if very resemblance of Brookes game swing at that time.

I suspect there are young parents out there that your influencing by posting of your journey with Maddie too! And I hope they appreciated what your doing... in sharing it. I do.

 

[_MIA_]

This is getting too sappy..I think @Work=wins and I need to start an argument in here to balance it off..

 

[Work=wins]

This is getting too sappy..I think @Work=wins and I need to start an argument in here to balance it off..

Yes! Balance is a big fundamental! I’m with you!

 

[_MIA_]

Yes! Balance is a big fundamental! I’m with you!

I see what you did there..if you want to argue pick something we disagree with..that isn't one of them