Gotta love it!

[Rhodyman]

My daughter had a 10u TB game tonight. Prior to the game, the coach said something to the effect of, "The object is to always try to win."

Not missing a beat, her 9 year-old daughter said, "But mom, I thought the object was to have fun?" Classic!

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Reminds me of what my old man use to say, " not only do you always play to win.........but play to make everyone else lose". He's in his late 60's now but his pep talks will live forever.

 

[chinamigarden]

To be honest I got real tired of the "as long as you are having fun" instruction parents give their kids. I got tired of it because when I would spend 10 minutes covering a situation with the kids and then I would ask them what do I expect from you when this happens and 2 or 3 of them would answer "have fun" Yes but what else. Blank Stares. I think parents should want their kid to have fun, but when its the only thing the parent says about the game. It becomes the most important thing to the individual player, and doing things that are important to the team become unimportant.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

I am not real sure when winning became a bad thing. Why does "having fun" have to exclude learning fundamentals of the game and being competitive. If winning doesnt matter , why do they even bother to keep score?

 

[obbay]

There's two different kinds of having fun and I focus on the constructive.

I tell them we are there to have fun playing softball.

we have a (relatively) short time together, so we need to use that time learning the game, perfecting our skills and learning to have fun playing as a team.

I read on here once that some great coach once said his key to success came when he stopped trying to win and learned to have fun. then the victories came easily. when the girls are having fun they play relaxed and play better.

 

[Lozza]

Why does "having fun" have to exclude learning fundamentals of the game and being competitive.

My dad used to say to me 'Lauren, winning isn't everything, you have to have fun too!' My answer was ALWAYS (and my mum backed me on this) 'But I have fun when I'm winning'

Winning is fun. Losing isn't.

 

[CoachKevin]

My dad used to say to me 'Lauren, winning isn't everything, you have to have fun too!' My answer was ALWAYS (and my mum backed me on this) 'But I have fun when I'm winning'

Winning is fun. Losing isn't.

Yup, after going 0-4 at a recent Tournament I asked the players if they had fun, a few said yes. I said really? Was loosing that much fun? They all agreed they really didn't have that much "fun"

 

[RichK]

We have fun, on and off the field. Why else would you be doing any of this, right?

But that isn't the object of * the game *. A short story:

Last year, at 12U, I stressed with our girls the overall defensive object of "stopping runs from scoring." It's funny they'd need to be told that, but many players think the end result of a play is "getting the ball in" or "getting the ball back to the pitcher" from lower levels and there's no urgency about stopping scoring. For instance: ball hit back to pitcher, runner on third. First time she throws straight to first, forgetting about the runner. Next time she does a "look back" but only because we tell her, not to really stop the runner from scoring. Next she tries a wheel play, but is more worried about how she looks than getting the out. We talked and worked on this stuff again and again until they got it and changed their mindset (and learned the game).

This year, we've started defensively working on the point of the game being stopping advancing runners (to home of course, a holdover from last year) but stopping every advancing runner, knowing where all runners are at all times before and after a play, getting outs on over-aggressive base coaches, etc. Again, it's a mind set change.

Of course all of these things lead to winning. But winning is a byproduct of preparation, as Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights liked to say : >

And yes, winning is fun. And consistent losing, especially among girls, gets taken to heart in I think the wrong ways....they stop trying, get defeatist, etc. That doesn't mean winning above everything, but as a goal you work toward.

 

[Sparky Guy]

" It's funny they'd need to be told that, but many players think the end result of a play is "getting the ball in" or "getting the ball back to the pitcher" from lower levels and there's no urgency about stopping scoring.

I had to have that conversation with one of the assistants this season. There would be a play on the field and he's yelling "Pitcher, pitcher, pitcher." I told him to stop yelling that. I told him we have to train the kids on how to stop advancing runners, not throw the ball back to the pitchers ASAP. I could see by the look on his face when he realized how wrong what he was yelling was and the understanding of just how bad that instruction is to the kids.

 

[stemcellsrock]

When I played, I had a lot more fun when my team was winning... But I am a very competitive! Do I want my team to win, of course, do I want them to have fun, of course... Let's do both, then we all are having fun!!