- Aug 26, 2015
- 590
- 16
My DD is a pitcher and desperately wanted to play on the left side of the infield last year. She wasn't good enough in my opinion. But she was close.. She just wasn't good enough to beat out the others who were already in position. Coaches must feel a strong level of comfort with the infield. We took a different approach. We took our DD to a private coach to work on infield. She went 1-2 night a week for 4 months. At the end of the season she was challenging the SS on her team and did play some SS. Come this past summer DD tried out for a new team and made it clear to the HC that when she's not in the circle she wants to play SS. She performed great in tryouts and now is occupying SS at least one of the three Saturday games. The others she is pitching or playing CF.
I think it's critical that our girls go to private coaches. Especially if the coaches on the team are not willing to develop them into different positions.
I think she should at least get some infield work (as every player should) in practice, but your DD wanted a position that she wasn't quite good enough for, yet according to you. So, she took initiative to get better on her own (via PC and extra practice time) and is now good enough because she put in the work and it showed. I can't imagine any coach splitting equal time with 9 positions for everyone. That's just insanity. Last year my DD started the season mostly in the outfield because she was slow and clumsy and it was apparent. She's never played any sport before so I fully expected her to be in the outfield and was happy that she was just out there having fun. She would have been a HUGE liability in the infield even though she had a decent glove and a great arm. No reaction time. No anticipation. No focus. So, when she asked me why the coach was picking on her, I looked her in the eye and said "Sweetie, I love you, but you're not good enough to play anywhere in the infield because you're not athletic enough. When you want to change that, let me know. Until then, stay in the outfield and help your team." She was upset for about an hour. Came back downstairs in practice clothes and said "Ok. Time to get athletic enough". By the end of the season, she was the obvious choice for 1st or 3rd. It wasn't the coach's responsibility to "coach her up" to that spot. It was on HER. If she wanted it, she had to pursue it. Bottom line is if someone is better at a position than your DD and your DD wants that position, you should challenge your DD to do what it takes to get better at that. If it takes 2 months.....6 months.....2 years. If that's HER goal, put it on HER. My DD had a grueling summer to get ready for the fall season. She asked for it (trust me I didn't want the dog days of summer in the high heat). So, when she wanted to have an attitude because she had to re-run her banana turn (or whatever else), I would always tell her the same thing. "We don't have to be out here. We can go home if you want to be mad about putting in work. But, you WILL work if you're out here because YOU have this goal." Fast forward to yesterday, her coach last season saw her and congratulated her on the hard work she put in over the summer and told her to keep going. Then, he said "anytime you need some extra work on 1B, let me know and I'll let you practice with our TB team since they have a retired D1 1B as an AC. She lit up like a christmas tree. Her work. Her credit. Her opportunity. That wouldn't have happened if I said "Hey coach, I know my daughter goes to never never land when the ball is pitched and takes forever to THINK to throw the ball, but she has a decent glove and a good arm and she wants time in the infield." Coach has a job to do. Parents have a job to do. DD has a job to do. If she cares enough, she'll put in the work. If not, she'll stay in OF or change teams.