10U Stay in the box!

[Greenmonsters]

Whatever you do, don't tell them that it won't hurt if they get hit or else they'll have every reason to never listen to you again. And there is a difference between "Don't worry, it won't hurt" and Don't worry, it won't hurt......much"

 

[Indiana]

My 14 yo DD was practicing pitching the other night - actually more just trying to throw as hard as humanly possible. She made her 11 yo little brother get in the box because she wanted to see how hard she could throw before her control left the building (and probably bully little brother). Anyway, little brother was scared to death. He wouldn't stay in the box if she payed him $100. He said the balls were wizzing (sp?) by all over the place and nearly took off his head.
My hyjack does have a point - maybe that's how your 10 year olds are seeing the pitches. What looks like pretty mild 10 year old pitching to you looks like a death wish to them. I like the bunt idea and the bat bag to keep them in the box ideas. Greenmonsters has a good point, too - yeah it stings but not too much and hey, you get to take first now and run the bases!

 

[ignition]

Teach them to get out of the way first. I've done a drill where you tell them that you're going to throw three pitches, and one will be headed towards them. They can only get out of the way of that one pitch, if not, run the bases. When they all get the hang of that get it down to one pitch. Obviously you're not throwing screaming fastballs in this drill.

 

[Lozza]

Teach them to get out of the way first. I've done a drill where you tell them that you're going to throw three pitches, and one will be headed towards them. They can only get out of the way of that one pitch, if not, run the bases. When they all get the hang of that get it down to one pitch. Obviously you're not throwing screaming fastballs in this drill.

I know we did this drill with a little girl we had this issue with (she had taken a ball to the face and was understandably terrified) We used foam balls so they wouldn't hurt.

 

[VAcoach]

You're playing 10u tournaments with an 10u/8u rec team and that's why the 8-year-old rec players are acting like 8-year-old rec players.

Try to find a league with similar teams.

I am playing with girls I got from our rec league, but they want to be more than "rec" players...that is why we have been practicing for 4 months before going into our 1st tournaments. We are also only doing 3 tournaments this year to ease them into the next level.

I am happy to report that our tournament on Saturday went very well for offense! Almost all the girls that were scared in the last several weeks of practice not only stayed in the box but they also got a couple hits!!! (one 10 yr old is still stepping out) We even had one girl hit an inside the park home run!! Last month this same girl wasn't swinging because she was scared to hurt someone (she hit a catcher two years ago and has not really swung the bat since).

Progress going in the right direction, but will take many of the suggestions to help them continue on the right path! Thanks all!!!!

 

[Chewy_06]

Teach them to get out of the way first. I've done a drill where you tell them that you're going to throw three pitches, and one will be headed towards them. They can only get out of the way of that one pitch, if not, run the bases. When they all get the hang of that get it down to one pitch. Obviously you're not throwing screaming fastballs in this drill.

This would be my (general) approach too. At the beginning of every season I've insisted on spending a fair amount of time working with the kids on standing in the box focusing on self defence. Have approached two ways (in parallel) - first up, hit them. LOL. No, really, but not like you think I'm saying to. Line them up on a baseline & work your way down the line hitting them in the back with balls of progressively more mass soft tossed from close. Start with bouncing them off their helmets (while on their heads) then move to their backs/backsides - wiffles, foamies, softies & eventually let them take grazing contact from the game balls. by the time weve been done, they havent realized that theyve been hit by the "hard" balls and the idea isnt quite so scary. Next step now that they understand that the equipment will help, teach them how to avoid getting hit. Step across, step back & worst case, turn the other cheek (take it in the tuckus). emphasize never taking a pitch in the hands, legs, head while watching (swinging hand hit is another issue). At any coach pitch BP we also periodically wire foamies directly at the batters - if you get hit, your BP is over.

Your association/district/league may have rules at the u8 level that may be hurting your success here too. Ours did, specifically, at U8, ANY batter hit by ANY pitch was given first. Crazy considering most of those pitches bounced first and/or the batter had enough time to swing twice before still getting hit. Put this with coaches who were interested in seeing their kids get on base = a bunch of kids who have already learned to not try to avoid getting hit. My team opted out of this rule, If we (coaches) felt our kid had a chance to avoid getting hit and didnt move, we didnt let her take her base until she'd earned it (IF she'd earned it). They learned that there wasnt any real advantage to getting hit & started swinging - or avoiding instead.

Now, all that said, my own DD became the poster child for getting whacked at our provincial level tournament this year and took a really hard fastball to the meatless & exposed side of her knee. She'd popped up & was trying to get back from it (why she didnt do any of the things she'd been taught to do, we have no idea) when it hit her & took both her legs out from under her causing her to land on her shoulder / cage part of her mask - with her feet up in the air (had it not been my DD and had I not been counting on her to deliver a hit that at bat, I probably would have found it slightly amusing). Once the tears dminished, she thought it was pretty cool how you could see the stitch pattern on her newly enlarged knee. Unfortunately, she couldnt bear weight on it & that spelt the end of her tournament (and a wonderful few hours at emerg!)

 

[Perfect Circle]

Here is how I do it. Teaching bunting. Unless its a catcher, not to many get familiar with the ball coming to them at the plate.

 

[CoachKevin]

Here is how I do it. Teaching bunting. Unless its a catcher, not to many get familiar with the ball coming to them at the plate.

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