Coming full circle!

ANNASDAD · Mar 4, 2021

Started out coaching my daughter in 10U for our little church team, this team played in our city Rec league program. With this same team we tried our hand at TB in 12U, every girl on that team was 10 & 11. We took our beginners lumps but that team became really good, and successful.

Fast forward to 2018 (lots of TB in between, lots!), got to coach my DD's HS team to a NC 3A State Championship, returned in 2019 to play in the NC State Championship again and lost on a bone headed error in the Championship game that still keeps me awake some nights! So 2019 State Runner-Up!

This past Fall, was asked to assist on our Orgs 18U National team, this team had 9 commits, I think it was 9? Very good team, we won our Bracket at Myrtle Beach & Atlanta in back-to-back weekends to finish out the Fall.

Got a phone call yesterday from the lady that heads up our City Rec league, she said they're struggling to fill teams, so no 12U or 14U teams for this Spring, but they do have a 10U kid/coach pitch team and asked me if I'd be interested in coaching it? Didn't hesitate.....yes ma'am, I'd love to do it!

So, looks like I'm right back where I started!

Chris8 · Mar 4, 2021

Love this AD. My DD is still in HS but we are helping out with a younger TB team....and have plans to coach a rec team together in the future as well. Giving back to the game you love and your DD love's is AWESOME. You have so much to give and share with them. Best of success!

uncdrew · Mar 4, 2021

When my kids are in college I was considering umpiring at the lowest level. But parents suck.

So now I think I'll volunteer to coach 12U rec. However, parents suck.

ANNASDAD · Mar 4, 2021

uncdrew said:
So now I think I'll volunteer to coach 12U rec. However, parents suck.

Yes they do! I actually spoke to this woman a couple years back and told her when Anna went to college that I wanted a 12U Rec team. Guess she kept my number and took me literally? She said yesterday if she had a 12U team that I would have got it but no dice! 12U would have been my preference though, but it should be fun! And NO travel!!

Orange Socks · Mar 4, 2021

When I went back to coach DD2 teams, I used that opportunity to work with the asst dads to help coach them up so that they can gain the confidence to take on their own teams. My goals for DD1 teams vs DD2 teams were very different because I gained knowledge and confidence in what I was doing. I also knew the rules! One of the goals for DD2 team was everyone was going to learn to bunt. The parents were very confused. I told them, if your kid plays Summer All stars you will be playing against other REC leagues that teach the kids to bunt and run the bases very aggressively. Not all succeeded but all tried. The other coaches had no idea how to defend a bunt. For some kids that was their only hit of the season.

DD2 quit softball after that 2nd year 10u season. She really didn't have the desire to work at it, and frankly I needed a break from the league. I also had to be the taxi for DD1 for mid week TB practices across the city. So it's partly my fault. This year, DD2 is soph and decided that she wanted to play JV HS softball. She knows how to play, has a great attitude, but she is slow in everything she does. On Tuesday, she was asked to lay down a bunt. She executed the most perfect Sac bunt I have seen from anyone on that team. Proud dad right here. The other parents in the stands have no clue how good that was. She only gets one AB a game and plays in the field for one inning since they play timed games and usually only get in 2-3 innings.

ANNASDAD · Mar 4, 2021

Orange Socks said:
When I went back to coach DD2 teams, I used that opportunity to work with the asst dads to help coach them up so that they can gain the confidence to take on their own teams. My goals for DD1 teams vs DD2 teams were very different because I gained knowledge and confidence in what I was doing. I also knew the rules! One of the goals for DD2 team was everyone was going to learn to bunt. The parents were very confused. I told them, if your kid plays Summer All stars you will be playing against other REC leagues that teach the kids to bunt and run the bases very aggressively. Not all succeeded but all tried. The other coaches had no idea how to defend a bunt. For some kids that was their only hit of the season.

DD2 quit softball after that 2nd year 10u season. She really didn't have the desire to work at it, and frankly I needed a break from the league. I also had to be the taxi for DD1 for mid week TB practices across the city. So it's partly my fault. This year, DD2 is soph and decided that she wanted to play JV HS softball. She knows how to play, has a great attitude, but she is slow in everything she does. On Tuesday, she was asked to lay down a bunt. She executed the most perfect Sac bunt I have seen from anyone on that team. Proud dad right here. The other parents in the stands have no clue how good that was. She only gets one AB a game and plays in the field for one inning since they play timed games and usually only get in 2-3 innings.

If nothing else, these little 10 year old girls will learn to bunt! And I can promise you EVERY girl that gets on base WILL BE stealing!

They'll have to prove to me they can defend the steal, which I'm sure they can't!

And it'll take me all of 5 minutes to figure out who will play 3B, just look for crazy little kid!

No seriously!

Orange Socks · Mar 4, 2021

ANNASDAD said:
If nothing else, these little 10 year old girls will learn to bunt! And I can promise you EVERY girl that gets on base WILL BE stealing! They'll have to prove to me they can defend the steal, which I'm sure they can't!

And it'll take me all of 5 minutes to figure out who will play 3B, just look for crazy little kid! No seriously!

I had Reid Ryan's (Nolan's Ryan's son)youngest DD on that last team, and she was crazy good. She was playing 3rd base, batter pops the ball up close to 2nd base, she runs all the way over to the spot. 2nd base drops the ball and this kid picks the ball up and throws the runner out at 1B. Let me add she had played a little TB before coming to the league. She was also slapping. The parents were dumbfounded. What is this girl doing! lol. I never saw her again.

Eric F · Mar 4, 2021

ANNASDAD said:
If nothing else, these little 10 year old girls will learn to bunt! And I can promise you EVERY girl that gets on base WILL BE stealing! They'll have to prove to me they can defend the steal, which I'm sure they can't!

And it'll take me all of 5 minutes to figure out who will play 3B, just look for crazy little kid! No seriously!

This is a plan for success!

In my last season coaching 10U rec, we took an unusual tactic for 3B. Instead of trying to find a kid who could throw all the way across the diamond (which is a low-percentage out, anyway) we picked a kid with a decent glove but not a great arm, and told her to just field the ball and get it back to the pitcher. Giving up a single was way less damaging than wildly off-line throws and missed catches by 1B that give up multiple bases. We also put one of our very best fielders and arms at 2B. Lots of ground balls to the right side in 10U rec, and I want every out we can get. A good arm can still get the out, even if they don't field the ball cleanly the first time.

uncdrew · Mar 4, 2021

ANNASDAD said:
Yes they do! I actually spoke to this woman a couple years back and told her when Anna went to college that I wanted a 12U Rec team. Guess she kept my number and took me literally? She said yesterday if she had a 12U team that I would have got it but no dice! 12U would have been my preference though, but it should be fun! And NO travel!!

Exactly. 12U is perfect. Girls aren't rude teens yet, but also not 6U girls you have to babysit.

And a double-header at the local park on a Saturday? Perfect...

bmakj · Mar 4, 2021

Eric F said:
This is a plan for success!

In my last season coaching 10U rec, we took an unusual tactic for 3B. Instead of trying to find a kid who could throw all the way across the diamond (which is a low-percentage out, anyway) we picked a kid with a decent glove but not a great arm, and told her to just field the ball and get it back to the pitcher. Giving up a single was way less damaging than wildly off-line throws and missed catches by 1B that give up multiple bases. We also put one of our very best fielders and arms at 2B. Lots of ground balls to the right side in 10U rec, and I want every out we can get. A good arm can still get the out, even if they don't field the ball cleanly the first time.

mmmm, kinda got two minds on this one. it probably does lead to more wins, and girls (and everybody) enjoy winning, but I am generally one to try to teach them the correct play to make and to try it, even with low success %. when I coached rec (8u coach pitch and 10u) (and I too am strongly considering going back to it once DD2 is done HS, she is a frosh next year), I told parents right up front, i really do not care about Ws too much. I guage successfull season by girls having fun and developing. there was nothing quite like that first made out in coach pitch from a fielded ground ball, throw to first, with a successful catch. parents went nuts cheering. it was about 3-4 games in (rest of outs were Ks and grounders to 1B). I also remember in 10u the first time I saw that play made, it was DD at 3B, ACs DD at 1B, bit of a rainbow throw, slow runner, but again, all the parents went nuts

hell, I had an AC in Tball where the was no score, who said he kept score mentally by which team made the most defensive plays for what would have been outs. kept him interested.

Coming full circle!

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ANNASDAD

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Orange Socks

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