All star practice strategy

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May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
3 teams in our first round/district. 10/11.
I have two pretty fast pitchers. One average accuracy...one extremely accurate and very fast with and 11"

Our 1st team is on 6-27. My daughters team played them and we beat them in regular season 6-1. They hit 3 hits in 2 innings off her (two were errors) and hits were right of second base.
They have a strong infield, weak outfield...they take every base they can.

Their pitchers are lob type pitchers but do well pitching over the plate.

My dilema ...
we need kid pitch during our own practice ...coach pitch isn't working (they seemed timid in our scrimage tonight 9/10)
my pitchers are much faster than what we will see in our first game...but maybe not in our second game.

I'm thinking after tonight we set up more real pitcher batter battles with the fast pitchers.
My DD is good enough to win gthem in down the middle to get batters swinging...
thoughts?
 
Jun 21, 2008
4
0
We use the pitching machine with an extension cord out to the field. Speed it up or slow it down to work in timing.
 
May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
Strategy

Wish we had that option ...
field away from road/buildings.....no power ..no machine either ....

My #1 pitcher is pretty quick and most of our hitters can't hit that .....
...but coach pitch isn't translating ....

I'm not convinced that a machine is different/better than a real kid pitcher ...
..nothing I have seen tells me that kid pitch isn't the best option....
 
May 7, 2008
468
0
Morris County, NJ
Can you bring an another pitcher from the organization (older girl) of JHS to pitch BP so the girls can see faster pitching? that would be an great option.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
A pitching machine really doesn't help. When I have had no other choice, I throw them tennis balls overhand. Encourage them to swing hard, by offering incentives. (like sticks of gum.)

Also, if your field is like concrete, you can bounce a tennis ball to them. It is tricky at first, but just throw it so that it bounces up into the strike zone. That simulates off speed pitching, in itself.

I just had a thought. Are you having one girl hit, while the others stand at a position? If so, get the girls set up at hitting stations, so they are getting hundreds of swings. Make sure that one is a bunting station.
 
May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
Coaching strategy

My players all seem to be able to hit very well at stations. They hit great when I pitch (underhand) to them. We've been doing stations since January with most of the girls......
At our scrimmage (against 9/10's), they froze when it was a real pitcher. The Majors girls were better than the Minors girls (mostly coach pitch).

My problem is that the pitchers I have are way too fast for what we see in the first game.

The pitcher we will see is VERY hittable ...if we swing at the ball.....

why don't they swing?

Today we use the pitching machine for fly balls .....
working with my two catchers pitchers...
Situation knowledge in the field is so weak.....
T-storms all around us ....

Thanks!
 
May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
Our Short Season 10/11

My team consisted of the girls not a single coach thought had any potential.

My husband and I named them the "forgotten ones" privately. These are the kids that are "used" to provide the venue for the "chosen ones".

"if you don't water the flower, it doesn't grow"
No one watered during the regular season. I did get a ton of commentary about skill deficits from their reg season coaches.

Parents were slightly unhappy as their daughers got no help on how to play any position, but got yelled at every time the didn't know what to do.

I was the ONLY one to volunteer to coach (Not one other coach wanted to coach a losing team)

I had two short weeks and the first day was so challenging.
Three girl brought up from Minors, three didn't play before this year ...
They worked so hard ... I did not yell at them......

Our first game: team was one who played together for two years. Extremely aggressive...
Pitcher (my DD) struck out 12, walked 5...girls did great, but we lost 9-5. A few erros, scared kids.....not much for hitting. But they really dod so well.

Second game: if we could eliminate the 12 run second inning it would have been a 4-1 game! We got mercied in 4 .. pitcher sweet but that second inning combined with a few huge hits...we got killed.
Some very huge hits from opposing team.

Very few errors or misplayed balls from girls deemed not worth bothering with.
The girls made huge gains in two short weeks with just a little attention and instruction.
My 1st base girl was a girl previous coaches told me keep on the bench ...she turned out to be a great 1st base.
My 2nd base was a girl who never played before and she was awesome!

Almost all of them want to come back and play Fall Ball.


I was told by a few observers that they were suprprised by some of the girls level of play...they didn't realize that some of them could even catch.

I'm hoping that doesn't get around .. I want to draft them next season, so I'm not saying much!
 
May 9, 2008
45
0
A Big Wtg!!!!

Great Job!!! We're in the same situation right now. My younger DD is on the 10-11 team also. If we get enough girls to commit. I talked my husband into coaching the team. No one else would either. There is no one else in our district putting a team in so if we have a team they will go straight to state. He is planning on teaching them as much as possible in the 2.5 weeks he'll have with them, and then just tell them let's go have fun. He wants to put as little pressure on them as possible. We'll see how it goes. It's unbelievable how much these girls can absorb with some attention and instruction. GL next year!!!! BTW if my older daughter wins in Junior district (they have a really good shot), both girls will be playing states at the same time.
 
May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
All stars

Our Juniors are undefeated at this point....sectionals
11/12's just won District 7 in CT....all but one were Mercy games.

9/10's have their 1st game the 10th (Thursday (my 9 yr old is on that team)

My DD who just turned 12 is at a Nike softball camp this week. She's playing in the 14/15 yr old group.
I feel bad...sent her off after a week off with no pitching and the two weeks before that she used an 11" ball. still fastest pitcher there.

Most of the high end pitchers are playing on a team and not at a camp....but it is doing wonders for her confidence so I'm not bursting that bubble. She is actually one of the better players on her camp team.
Itis very hot right now here.....9 year old is at an all day soccer camp this week....
Imagine paying $1000 to put both daughters in the hot sun all day! :)


We need to focus on running, better fitness and pitching for my 12.
She understands the game, makes smart plays/decisions...just methodical/slow. Very calm on the mound...no matter what.

My 10/11 team showed real promise ... the girls really stepped up and made great gains.
.....hoping for two Fall Ball teams this year.....
they may be the forgotten-ignored ones...but I think we can work with them!

We have a year...11/12 next year will play the exact same team that killed us last year and this year!
 
May 9, 2008
45
0
Good and Bad News

The bad news, we didn't have enought girls to do the 10-11 team this year. :mad: The parents wouldn't commit. The good news is my 10 year old got picked up for the 9-10 team after all, one of the other players dropped. The bad news, is now she has missed almost a week of practice and is playing catch up, so extra work in the mornings for her and I. My older daughter's first game is tomorrow night, younger's first is on Monday.
 

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