Fairly New 10U team

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May 25, 2010
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This age group is NOT about the parents or winning. Who cares. Life is not instant gratification (oh I forgot this is the USA, where that is all we want). It is not about mommy and daddy's new star.

Sounds good in theory, but 6u/8u/10u ARE about the parents, especially when you're talking about a group of t-ballers. If the parents aren't enjoying themselves, many will steer their players away from softball altogether. But, with that being said, people who have realistic expectations and who understand who and what they are tend to be able to enjoy themselves when other parents of would-be t-ball 'all stars' are steaming and muttering, because they don't understand the patience required to develop a young pitcher.

We need to engage the parents of these younger age groups, but be direct with them and let them know that, despite flashes of brilliance, it takes hours and hours of repetitions to develop real ball players and even more hours and hours to build serviceable pitchers.

In this case, the parent is part of a team where the parents don't understand what they are and what they are not. There's a chance some of them - players and parents - are ready to quit softball and that's a part of the game, too.
 
May 18, 2009
1,314
38
When your talking new 10U a good way to judge would be winning one of every four games at the beginning of the year. Shoot for 60% by the end of the year. The following year your team should be a lot better.

At 8U I wouldn't expect the girls to be anywhere close to where they should be by the time they're ten years of age. I'm guessing your team is comprised of mostly 8 year olds and some 9 year olds? Our 8U team is made up of six year olds and girls that have just turned seven. My DD could play 8U for three years before she's ten U age. I don't expect her to look like Finch this year or hit like Bustos.
 
Apr 1, 2010
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For what it's worth, I spent last fall watching my child's team get thrashed many times also. :) My DD is a second year 10U coming out of rec ball. She made it onto a 10U B team that's mostly first year 10U (8 and 9 year olds). The times we won in the fall were exciting, but rare. I think they'll be more competitive this spring, but next year is probably when they will do a lot of winning. ...which she will miss because she will have aged out by then. Whatever 12U team she plays on next year will probably be mostly first year 12Us and I bet they'll get trounced a lot too. But we knew she was going to have to play catch-up, so we expected all of that. She's playing a lot, having fun, enjoying being with her teammates and coaches and she's learning and improving all the time. We're happy campers.

If you can get your parents to focus on improving for the long term rather than winning now, perhaps they'll start to enjoy the game again.
 
Mar 28, 2011
35
6
I wouldn’t necessarily judge my success by wins and losses, especially for a team of younger players playing up a level. I would focus on learning, development, comprehension, skills, mechanics and technique. Challenge them to be just a little better every practice and every game, than they did the game or practice before, as a team and as individuals. Make sure to set attainable goals and communicate these goals to the parents, and then build on them. Give them bite size pieces such as getting three outs with no errors rather then setting a goal to win a game. Even when a team looses, you can still come away feeling good about playing well, having little successes within that loss. Try to avoid beating yourself with errors and mental mistakes. Teaching sound fundamental softball, you’ll avoid chaos and confusion that is generally associated with younger inexperienced players. Let them know its o.k. if the other team wins simply because they are better then you. The team can hold their heads high and they will know they played well, so will the parents. When the player/team know what to do and when to do it, and try to execute, even if they don’t make the play they will look cohesive connected. One last thing, you HAVE to find some pitching or develop the girls you have. It takes at least two years of playing and practicing year round, with lessons of course, to become an effective pitcher. Be steady, determined, patient and persistent. They will come along, they always do. I have seen it happen without exception on the teams I have coached.
 

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