Concerns about both my DDs

[coolestcoachever]

I have a 13yo and a 9yo who both play travel softball.
My oldest is the youngest on her team. Her coach is the JV coach at the HS she will go to next year. She practices at 3rd base during practice but she plays RF one game per tournament and sits the bench the rest of the games. If she hits well in that one game she will hit in the next game and so on. Her team is pretty good and they usually make it to the final game of most tournaments. I wish he would play her a little more in the seed games. Should we talk to the coach about switching her to another team in the organization to get her more playing time?
My younger daughter is on a 1st year 10u team that was GREAT in 8u. Before our 1st 10u tournament the coach asked if she wanted to catch because we only had one catcher. After several catching lessons (with older dds travel ball coach) she is the best catcher on her team and the other catcher no longer wants to catch. I think our pitcher and catcher have progressed much faster than most of their other teammates. I don't like her catching all 5 games in every tournament. I'm the AC on her team but have no real say in the line-up. I have another travel ball player on my rec ball team and have been teaching her to catch but the coach doesn't have confidence in her. There is a big difference between her and DD. Any suggestions?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have experience with DD (darling daughter) #2. My great niece caught all of those games, even though, I warned against it. By age 13, her knees hurt like crazy. By age 15, she finally spoke up and said that she was done with softball. If we made a young girl do what you are describing, for any reason but softball, it could be considered abuse.

I would like for her to catch 2 games per weekend. I guess you could tell the coach that 3 is her limit. Of course, a lot depends on weather and length of the games. We are starting to realize that we need to pay attention to the number of pitches a girl throws, we need to do the same for the catchers.

 

[InsidePitch]

Put your kid on the best team they can play on. I like to think play means more than one game per weekend. DD catches so I'm ok with her playing 2 games on Saturday but sometimes she'll pick up a 3rd in the OF when it's not to hot.

Pardon me for saying but you are a sadist if you let your kid catch every game. DD's first coach tried to get her to catch 3 games on Saturday and I said NO. The coach didn't have a hissy, just said ok and got someone else to suit up. Maybe don't wait until the moment to mention you don't want her catching 3 games in a day.

 

[riseball]

I have 2 catchers on my 18U team that are physically capable of 3 or even 4 games in a day. But, by the end of the day their performance would be awful. You need your catcher to be at their best for every game. That 1 mistake resulting in a passed ball, fat pitch, or whatever will always happen at the worst possible moment. You must have multiple catchers. Hopefully at least 2 that are front line and another 1 or 2 that can help out.

 

[Sweet Lou]

I'm a firm believer in you have to play to get better. So if there is a younger 14U DD1 could switch to where she could get more playing time, I would do it. But ask DD first if that's what she wants.

DD2 I agree with others that that's way too many games for a 9 yo to be catching in a weekend. She's young and can probably do it, but long term it's probably not in her best interest and as Amy points out you run the risk of injury and quitting.

 

[MsDinosaur]

I agree that the older one needs more playing time. The fact that her current coach is also the JV coach is worrisome. Is he likely to take offense if you try to move your DD to another team?

On your younger daughter, you've gotten good advice IMO. My 14 yr old catcher who had come from a situation much like your older daughter's, was wildly happy to be getting playing time. She was sitting out at least one pool game, but playing all the brackets if possible in fall 2012 and spring 2013. She had to stop playing (including batting) mid-fall 2013 because her right knee hurt too much. She's been trying to rehab it ever since. She's come back enough that she'll probably bat, but not play any fielding position in the team's first spring tournament this weekend. Please don't let your DD catch too much.

 

[Sweet Lou]

OILF - competing for a spot in HS is all well and good.

Paying full fees to play at most 1/5th of the innings of a weekend tournament as the youngest player on a travel team is a whole different story. Just my $0.02

 

[dadonachair]

Sitting the bench for all but one game a weekend is why girls go play soccer. For girls to get better they have to play. Get on the best team she can play most of the games.

You wouldn't have a 10y/o girl pitch every game on a weekend. The same should be for the catchers.

 

[riseball]

Play me or trade me. Got to get the innings. Yes, kids need to learn to compete for a spot. But they also need to learn to make a change to seek out opportunities. The days of working 30 years down at the plant, getting a gold watch and pension are long gone.

 

[coolestcoachever]

I understand my older DDs limitations. She isn't the best 3rd baseman on the team. She isn't the best OF on the team. She is probably the best 1st baseman but she has slow feet and the coaches DD plays 1st when she doesn't catch. I just wish she could get some innings somewhere.