Corporal Punishment

[fastpitch5]

I'm not sure it's necessarily "corporal punishment", but depending on who you ask it might be...

DD's coach likes to make the girls run and do push-ups for mistakes. Shank a ball in the infield, you get 10 push-ups. Drop a pop fly, you get 10 push-ups. Lose the game b/c of a few errors, the team runs. Sentences are not served at practice...the girls do this stuff right after the game, and between games if at a tournament. This is a mixed 12U team (with a few 10Us mixed in as well). Generally, these girls play hard.

My question - Do you guys see this a lot in quality programs? At any level?

My rant - As a parent of a child on this team, I find this incredibly embarrassing. As a coach, I don't see it doing anything but make the girls play scared and more worn out than they need to be. My DD mentioned that while they were running this weekend (we lost to a pretty good A team by only 4 runs), another team was laughing at them. So obviously this is going to affect their game psyche.

I wrestled with myself as to whether or not to say something, but decided against it. Don't think it would do any good anyway.

 

[Sweet Lou]

It happens. Frankly I think it is stupid. Making girls do pushups etc. for losses and mistakes is dumb in my opinion.

Now for not paying attention, disrupting practice, not following directions etc., I have no problem at all with pushups, laps, etc.

 

[jazz10NE]

I only see this in the high A level - Drill sergeant type coaches.

This past weekend 12U I actually had a coach start with 8 girls on defense and 1 on the bench. It was punishment for not following one of the team rules prior to the game.

She then proceeded to in the middle of the inning pull a girl out of the field because she didn't participate in the team huddle and run out to her spot on defense.

Really like beating the coach - felt bad for the girls.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Had a coach tell me recently that he made his team run 12 laps as punishment for making 12 errors in a game. I'm thinking the team already knows how to run 12 laps. They should use that precious time learning to throw and catch better.

So I agree w/ Sweet Lou. Except in the examples he mentioned, I think it's stupid. Maybe the coaches should run 12 laps for not preparing the team better.

 

[quincy]

DD would not be on this Team.

Sure DD makes mistakes but punishing her for mistakes on the softball field does not help anything.

Players that are not trying get penalized, because they made a mistake no.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Sure DD makes mistakes but punishing her for mistakes on the softball field does not help anything.

Totally agree. I like Ken's thread on "3 tips for bouncing back from mistakes" much better.

I mean it's not like a girl goes out there and says "Hey it be real cool if I kick this ground ball and then compound my mistake by throwing the ball into right field instead of to our first baseman. That would be a hoot." The girls aren't actually trying to make mistakes.

I agree with Coogan's bluff. Much better to take the time working on problems they had that cuased the errors in the first place.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Maybe most of the girls and their parents have bought into this style, but it wouldn't work in my system.

I don't coach 12u, but I'd never punish a kid for making a mistake in the field. If they never make a mistake, then they're not trying hard enough.

If a young team gets the giggles or isn't hustling and you've got to regain their attention, then yes, I'd understand sending the team for a scenic run or having them drop to do some ab work, but mistakes in the field tell us as coaches what we've got to work on.

 

[MTR]

Let's just give everyone a trophy and go home!

Really, it is embarrassing as a parent? Damn, cannot have that!

Punishments for mistakes? Maybe, depends on what caused it.

The types of punishments may seem ludicrous, but what is mentioned above are these easiest to apply with minimal maintenance.

Personally, I have no problem emphasizing an error, but use it to teach. Not get your tail down on a ground ball, fine. Next opportunity, you field ground balls until you are successful X number of consecutive times. Misjudge a fly ball........get the point?

Want to use that peer pressure everyone talks about, fine. Remember 3rd grade when the teacher punished the whole class for whatever? When a certain number of mistakes are made, everybody runs. Doesn't have to be an exorbitant amount of laps, but just the point they have to do something as a team.

If you feel that strong that it is wrong, offer to work with the girls who need help. Or maybe it is just time to find another team or coach. If you run into a coach that doesn't want the help, I would run away as fast as possible. Unless you are only there as a daddy and want to be a personal coach to DD, then s/he will probably run away from you.

Years ago when I coached boys, it was not unusual to hear a new parent stand behind the dugout and criticize. After all, they watch the pros play on TV, so they knew how things got done. That's when I would walk over with a bat and ball and ask them to take a couple of players to the outfield and work with them. Never once in over five years did a parent take the bat. Those who were interested in helping were already on the field. Those who thought we were babysitters could cheer for the team and their son, but were not allowed to criticize the team or coaches unless they were willing to get involved at some level.

 

[sluggers]

Yes, lots of coaches do this. College coaches and HS coaches do this all the time.

IMHO, running for punishment generally is not good. But, physical activity isn't necessarily punishment for an athlete in good shape. My DDs in college were in such good shape that 20 pushups, home-to-homes, or suicides barely made them sweat.

In many intra-squad games, kids who like to compete *want* their to be a penalty for the loser. (Ben Hogan's comment was true: "If there is nothing bet on a game of golf, then golf is just a walk in the woods". And, to paraphrase, "If there is nothing to lose when playing softball, then the kids are just working on a tan.") So, I don't see a problem making the losing team do a lap around the field.

The only time I have made one of my teams run in front of the other team was when my team made a loud, disrespectful comment about the other team (they were 14U) during a mid-week friendly. On top of everything else, the other team was visiting us at our home field. It violated so many of my core beliefs (sportsmanship, fair play, being nice to visitors, respect for others, etc.). I was livid. So, I stopped the game and sent them on a lap around the field. For the rest of the year, they were the nicest, most polite bunch of kids you've ever seen to the other teams.

 

[guero_gordo]

I think it depends on the person and how it's applied.
DD goes to a skills class where the throwing pair both have to do crunches if they drop a few balls(never for just one). Make a wild throw, run after it yourself. Whiff on the change-up when they talked about if for 5m, crunches.
Sounds like boot camp, BUT they all laugh at themselves, she never yells at them, and they're always smiling when they leave.