Game plan or winging it?

[The Man In Blue]

Whatever you decide, make sure it is the plan and the expectations are set with players, parents, and your coaching staff. As others have said, there may be times to deviate, but stick to your plan as much as possible. If you are deviating, communicate the reason.

The last year my daughter played rec we had 11 players and I designated games ahead of time so parents knew when it was their daughters’ turn to be the “split time” players.

One game, my daughter jacks a 3-run blast over the left-center fence. And the next half inning I benched her. The parents started asking what I was doing ... it was her turn to sit. We pre-determined that and I wasn’t going to deviate, even if ... no, especially since ... it was my daughter. “Forget it Jake. It’s Rec Ball.”