Expanded Strike Zone in 10u Rec Ball?

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Sep 28, 2015
150
18
OP,
This is a great time to teach your DD the very important lesson of learning the strike zone is not static but is umpire specific. It will drive the “rule followers” crazy that umpires do this.

Kids often have a very difficult time accepting this and many times they get hung up on it and feel helpless. That is what you have to address and get them back in control. Lots of practice hitting “bad” pitches so they have confidence to attack anywhere. The 2nd part of this is to teach them to be picky and look for a good pitch until they get 1 strike on them, then it is wide open and survival time.



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Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Rec ball in my county is really weak. Most of the good players have moved to travel by 12U and there isn't much left as far as pitching goes in the rec program. Without widening the strike zone things get really boring.

Without giving away too much info, what team/area is your daughter on? I recall you saying you're in Atlanta or the 'burb of Atlanta. As am I.

Our rec ball is above average, from what I can tell. But the better girls are quickly syphoned off to Travel Ball and the umpires (in Rec) have very generous strike zones to keep girls swinging and games more interesting. I agree it's a bit frustrating to teach girls the strike zone for months on end just to then tell them to "swing at anything you think you can hit". Last night my older daughter in rec ball was called out with a ball at her nose. *sigh*
 
Last edited:
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Without giving away too much info, what team/area is your daughter on? I recall you saying you're in Atlanta or the 'burb of Atlanta. As am I.

Our rec ball is above average, from what I can tell. But the better girls are quickly syphoned off to Travel Ball and the umpires have very generous strike zones to keep girls swinging and games more interesting. I agree it's a bit frustrating to teach girls the strike zone for months on end just to then tell them to "swing at anything you think you can hit". Last night my older daughter in rec ball was called out with a ball at her nose. *sigh*

Semi-rural county, NW of Atlanta. I know there are other counties that have stronger rec programs but ours is just ok. Or was, back when DD played in 8U. She moved to travel in 2nd year 8U. I think a decent number of the local people on here know who I am already. lol
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Semi-rural county, NW of Atlanta. I know there are other counties that have stronger rec programs but ours is just ok. Or was, back when DD played in 8U. She moved to travel in 2nd year 8U. I think a decent number of the local people on here know who I am already. lol


Gotcha, I'm North Atlanta as well -- Alpharetta.
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
In 10U rec this season, we had one ump tell us this at the pregame meeting: "I see a lot of players go back to the dugout crying because they got called out. I tell them they have a metal stick in their hands for a reason and they need to use it." He called it big and it was one of the most fun games of the season because everyone went up swinging the bats and put a lot of balls in play.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Chins to the shins? Yeah...I've seen this before.

A walk-fest may grate on those of us who have seen a lot of softball, but if I'm trying to teach a young batter to not wave a bat at an unhittable pitch, an umpire making up their own rules as they go along is sure to jack up my blood pressure.

Regardless of age, I'd prefer that the umpire just call it according to the rules, and require the pitcher to throw a decent pitch before they ring up a strike-out. Walks are just as much a part of the game as strike-outs, and the young pitcher will need to figure it out eventually, or they won't be pitching long. Giving the pitcher a helmet/ankle-high strike zone isn't helping the batter or the pitcher.
 
Last edited:
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
Chins to the shins? Yeah...I've seen this before.

A walk-fest may grate on those of us who have seen a lot of softball, but if I'm trying to teach a young batter to not wave a bat at an unhittable pitch, an umpire making up their own rules as they go along is sure to jack up my blood pressure.

Regardless of age, I'd prefer that the umpire just call it according to the rules, and require the pitcher to throw a decent pitch before they ring up a strike-out. Walks are just as much a part of the game as strike-outs, and the young pitcher will need to figure it out eventually, or they won't be pitching long. Giving the pitcher a helmet/ankle-high strike zone isn't helping the batter or the pitcher.

I completely understand your point. At the same time, when you have pitchers who are struggling to throw strikes, the hitters stop swinging even at good pitches, because they are just looking for walks. And it's not like the pitchers start trying to hit the chin or the shins, they are still trying to throw strikes.
 
Jun 19, 2016
858
63
My daughter plays 10U travel ball and it seems like whenever we get a umpire that has been higher level games there is a lot more walks.
 
Jun 4, 2014
159
28
Chins to the shins? Yeah...I've seen this before.

Pikers! For 10u rec I want "nose to toes"! If the catcher can catch it, it's a strike. If the batter could hit it with the bat, it's a strike. Teach the kids to hit before teaching them not to hit. We don't "lawyer ball" at 10u!
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Pikers! For 10u rec I want "nose to toes"! If the catcher can catch it, it's a strike. If the batter could hit it with the bat, it's a strike. Teach the kids to hit before teaching them not to hit. We don't "lawyer ball" at 10u!

Lol...expecting an umpire to call a game according to the rules is "lawyer ball"???
 

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