She looks like a strong girl Eric, great pics! You whistled at that batter in the first picture to distract her didn't you........tell the truth, you should be ashamed of yourself! Anything to help your team right.......lol.
She's a powerful kid, for sure. Another parent was wandering around with a "real" camera and got these pics.
I'm not a coach on Maddie's new team, so I am learning how to sit calmly on a chair in the shade. It's weird.
Sounds like we did things exactly alike. When Anna went from 12U to 14U I also stepped back and it was HARD!! The hardest thing for me was pitch calling, which I think is an art form! That year we joined a large, very respected organization, the AC, who BTW was a great guy didn't have even a small clue when it came to pitch calling!! I studied every every girl on deck, watched the teams we were playing next, especially 1 through 5 hitters, I knew exactly what they did their last AB. Heck, sometimes I felt like I was cheating! This AC used the pitch calling card like some kind of menu......."oh well, I think I'll try this pitch?"
Even though I don't coach anymore, the HC on Anna's 16U team always has me around and uses me for various things, mainly warming up pitchers during games and occasionally coaching a base. He's a great coach, that don't mean i agree with his decisions 100% of the time but I keep my mouth shut and do what needs to be done. I've said here before, Anna's 5'0" and 115 lbs. and this coach puts a lot of weight on her shoulders. This past weekend during a 18U showcase, he had her in the 4 hole, smallest girl on the team and she hit two very long HR's. Fun stuff!
Don't worry Eric, sitting on the sidelines get easier (it really doesn't), you just have to learn to bite your tongue.....
It is good that she feels she can self-correct..that is important but I bet the amount of input she asks for may come full circle (or at least half circle) if she continues to play.In the meantime, I'm learning a new role. Maddie is wanting less input from me now, too.