3 weeks of fall ball, 3 players have quit my team...

[tguwarrior]

They all gave a reason, I don't buy any of them.

The first one said it was taking up too much time, but she was there for every minute of every practice and every little "extra" thing we did. Never once mentioned the time commitment being an issue, just quit after she played center field on week 1.

I started a girl at pitcher on week 2, she pitched the 1st inning and she threw to 4 batters in the 2nd inning. She hit the last 2 batters she faced with 2 straight pitches. I pulled her, she sat for the rest of inning 2. Went in the next inning and finished the game in left field. Sat the 1st inning of game 2, played rest of game 2 in various positions in the out field. She quit because she wasn't getting enough playing time. She sat for an inning and a half of a double header, coincidentally that's as many innings as my own daughter sat...

The girl who quit last weekend was a good friend of the girl who quit after week 1. She played in every inning of week 1. I started her at 2nd base in week 2 but she jumped out of the way of 2 or 3 ground balls. The were hit well, but I want that out at 1 and you're not going to get it if you run from the ball. Last week I played her in center field, and what do you know, it's taking up way too much of her time too.

I guess these kids, actually, it's probably their parents, think that we should forfeit the outfield and just have 9 infielders. My team is mostly new, 4 players moved up from 10u last year, and a lot of the girls were probably the best players on their rec team. They probably aren't used to not being the best player on the team.

I thought about just putting 6 in the infield for the 1st inning of our 1st game tomorrow and then when the umpire says something I could loudly proclaim "What? You mean I have to play someone in the outfield???" But I shouldn't have to play games like that. Anyone got any advice?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If you did not have a parent's meeting, prior to the first game, do it now. I might even call the girls that quit and invite their parents. If fall ball is for instruction, in your area, explain that. Tell them you are trying to be fair to everyone and then, ask if they have any questions. Good luck. I know you have a headache.

 

[tguwarrior]

Almost everyone on the team has spent some time in the outfield. My kid, my assistant's kid, stud player at 3rd, starting short stop. If they haven't played out there yet it's coming.

I looked at fall ball as a chance to see how well they all did, where I could play them and all that. I also wouldn't mind winning a few games. And we have. The pitchers I have pulled in the middle of innings were done. One of them had thrown 17 pitches, 16 of them were balls, the strike she threw got hammered. Paying a pitching coach 40 clams a week doesn't mean you're a pitcher. Also, getting pulled from a fall ball game doesn't mean that you're never going to pitch another inning.

I like the tennis ball idea, and we did have a team meeting before we had our first practice. I took the girls bowling and we had us a little pow wow away from them while they all got to know each other. I covered all of this stuff then. I am going to talk to them all again today at parctice.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Having 3 less players means more playing time for everyone else. How many players do you have left? What are the short- and long-range goals for this team?

I agree that simply taking private lessons does not make one a pitcher. There are a variety of ways to look at it, though. The girl who is only throwing strikes 5% of the time isn't helping her team when she's in the circle, but once you've given her a couple of innings, then it becomes evident to her parents that she's got a lot more work to do before you put her back out there again. Struggling could serve as a great motivator to the player. On the other hand, if a pitcher clearly doesn't have it one day and has walked 9 out of 10 batters and given up a hit to the 10th, then sometimes you have to throw her a rope.

She hit 2 batters on 2 pitches and you yank your pitcher? We all coach differently and of course every player is different, but I would not have made that move. I want our girls to learn how strong they are by working through adversity. I don't think 2 free baserunners in a 12u fall game is that bad.

Quick example: Bottom of the 3rd, #2 pitcher struggling. After allowing 3 in the 1st (2 errors behind her), she only allowed 1 baserunner in the 2nd. We then batted around in the top of the 3rd, so she was on the bench for a long time. She faced 7 batters in the 3rd, with 1 walk and 5 hit batters. After the 4th HB, I called for time and the ump let me go have a quick chat with her. She wasn't feeling it emotionally, but I told her I wanted her to try 1 more batter. When the next batter got hit, I had to make the change. Pitcher #3 walked 9 and hit 3, but was fine emotionally. And we won the game.

Pitcher #2's next outing: 3 runs, 3 hits, 4 walks, 1 HB in 4 innings.

 

[Ken Krause]

Travel ball is not for everyone. Some kids prefer to be the big fish in the small pond. Nothing wrong with that, but then don't play travel ball.

Sounds to me like you're doing the right things. You just need to get the right people (kids and parents) to be a part of it.

It's funny how so many parents and kids think the outfield is a punishment, or a place you put weak players. Having a good outfield is often the difference between winning and losing. Outfield is a tough position, mentally as well as physically. You may spend six innings with little to do but back up bases, then have to make an outstanding play to save the game. Outfielders have to be willing to lay themselves out to catch a ball after sprinting full out at the ball -- as opposed to infielders who may dive at a ball from a standing start.

Tguwarrior, ultimately you may find yourself with a better team. Those three have self-selected out of being team players. Replace them (if you need more) with three who are dedicated to helping the team win, whatever it takes.

 

[Lozza]

She hit 2 batters on 2 pitches and you yank your pitcher? We all coach differently and of course every player is different, but I would not have made that move. I want our girls to learn how strong they are by working through adversity. I don't think 2 free baserunners in a 12u fall game is that bad.

Just an assumption, but it could be more a safety thing than anything else. If you've got a kid who's hit two batters with two balls, you don't want her to keep going, for both the pitchers and the batters sake.

 

[CoogansBluff]

My advice would be to question the parents further. You say they gave you reasons, but you don't believe them. Why not tell them that? In a tactful way, of course. Why not say, "You say you're concerned about the time commitment, but does it have anything to do with what positions she's playing in the field?'' It sounds like you're defending your coaching philosophy to us, but is anyone on the team actually questioning it? Shouldn't you confirm that this is really the issue?

My only other thought is that anytime someone goes from rec ball to travel ball, it's always on a trial basis. Until they've done travel ball, they really don't know what they're getting into, so the mid-season dropout rate is a little higher than a veteran travel ball player. Sometimes the reaction is, 'Wow, I never realized it was all this time and work.' ...

 

[tguwarrior]

She hit 2 batters on 2 pitches and you yank your pitcher? We all coach differently and of course every player is different, but I would not have made that move. I want our girls to learn how strong they are by working through adversity. I don't think 2 free baserunners in a 12u fall game is that bad.

I have the book in front of me now, I'll elaborate. She hit 1 in the 1st and walked 2 others. 3 runs scored in the 1st inning. She walked the 1st 2 batters of the 2nd inning with 8 straight pitches then hit the next 2 with 2 straight pitches. I may have actually left her in there too long.

 

[tguwarrior]

It's funny how so many parents and kids think the outfield is a punishment, or a place you put weak players. Having a good outfield is often the difference between winning and losing. Outfield is a tough position, mentally as well as physically. You may spend six innings with little to do but back up bases, then have to make an outstanding play to save the game. Outfielders have to be willing to lay themselves out to catch a ball after sprinting full out at the ball -- as opposed to infielders who may dive at a ball from a standing start.

I initially turned them down when they came to me and asked me If I would take the team. I thought about it for a long time and then decided that if they were just going to ask some idiot to do it it may as well me THIS idiot! ;-) Before I told them I would I made sure I was able to recruit the only person I know with any actual fastpitch experience, my wife. She played in the outfield so that's who she coaches. I wanted the girl who quit in week 1 at short, my wife wanted her in the outfield. She said she was the best one of all of them.

One day I asked the girl where she wanted to play, she told me pitcher or short. I told her she would get some time at both but the outfield coach wanted her to start out there just to see how it goes. She didn't object so I figured she was fine with it. Not so much...

 

[tguwarrior]

My advice would be to question the parents further. You say they gave you reasons, but you don't believe them. Why not tell them that? In a tactful way, of course. Why not say, "You say you're concerned about the time commitment, but does it have anything to do with what positions she's playing in the field?'' It sounds like you're defending your coaching philosophy to us, but is anyone on the team actually questioning it? Shouldn't you confirm that this is really the issue?

I did question the 1st one when her mom called. I wanted to know. I asked her why she didn't just say it was getting tough for her instead of showing up for every minute of everything we were doing, she didn't have an answer. I told her that I wish I had known there was a problem before she was telling me that she was quitting the team over it. I also reminded her that fall ball is only untill the 2nd week of October, we have 3 games the following Saturday, then we are done until December. None of that mattered to her.

The 2nd one left a voice mail saying that she wasn't getting the playing time she wanted to get. Like I said, she sat about an inning and a half of a double header. Obviously not the truth.

The last one's dad sent me a text message. That's right up there on the manliness scale with having your wife call you out of work. I lost all respect for him when I read it. I hope I don't ever see that guy again.