Help We are new

[mnmsr4ever]

Hello, my daughter has only been playing for one season,she plays first base and is very good at it and i am not saying that just bcause she is my kid. She has made the all star team,My question is how long dose it take a coach to usally see her talent at first base...i'm worried she will get bored in the out field and not want to play? any advice i would love!

 

[CoachKevin]

What age group? As you move up in age brackets, outfielders become more and more important. Good outfielder's are hard to find, they have to be able to judge where the ball is going, make adjustments on their angle to the ball depending on how hard it's hit, have a strong throwing arm, and a good glove to catch the ball.

Since 10U I have always told the girls that playing in the outfield isn't a punishment, in fact it is one of the best positions to play. Now these girls are 2nd year 12U and more balls are getting hit out to them, we haven't dropped a flyball yet, and in fact, completed a 7-6-5 to nail a girl trying to turn a double into a triple. They now see how much fun it is playing in the outfield.

 

[TNSoftballDad]

The best advice I can give is to not make a big deal out of playing outfield, as in don't make it sound like it is worse than the infield. If you are concerned with her getting bored, talk to her about her job in the outfield...when to back up bases, etc.

You said she is a first-year player. There is a lot to learn by playing outfield. In addition to making sure she is aware that she has a role even when balls aren't hit to her, explain the opportunity she has to watch things taking place in front of her. My DD played OF last summer in travel ball and it was a good experience for her...didn't get a lot of action there but she was much better prepared to move to 2B this season.

Every position creates an opportunity. Use it.

 

[mnmsr4ever]

Help we are new...Thanks!!

The best advice I can give is to not make a big deal out of playing outfield, as in don't make it sound like it is worse than the infield. If you are concerned with her getting bored, talk to her about her job in the outfield...when to back up bases, etc.

You said she is a first-year player. There is a lot to learn by playing outfield. In addition to making sure she is aware that she has a role even when balls aren't hit to her, explain the opportunity she has to watch things taking place in front of her. My DD played OF last summer in travel ball and it was a good experience for her...didn't get a lot of action there but she was much better prepared to move to 2B this season.

Every position creates an opportunity. Use it.

Thank you both!!! SHe is playing in 12u, I am going to use what you both have said and let her know how inportant the out field is. I try and tell everyone is inportant no matter where your playing,You are part of a team. I want to say thank you, Also one more ?ok there will be more i am shure, How many days a week 7 hours a days should the team be working for all stars?

 

[alabama_lowlife]

when i played baseball when i was younger, i started out in the outfield and stayed there. i never played a single out during a game that wasn't on the grass. even when i was given the chance to try playing in the infield at practice i prefered being in the outfield. to me there was nothing more fun than having to sprint as fast as i could and slide on my knees to catch a fly ball. at that time it never occured to me that i was being "hidden" in left field or being "punished". left was MY position. i even threw a guy out at home from (very shallow lol) left. infielders NEVER get as many cheers as i did that day.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I thought you asked how many 7 hr. practices they should be having. LOL. But, I see you meant &, instead of 7.

We sometimes worked 5-7 days a week for a couple of hours at 12U. Depending on the amount of times we had to prepare. It wouldn't have been unusual to practice twice a day when school was out, but not every day.

 

[mnmsr4ever]

when i played baseball when i was younger, i started out in the outfield and stayed there. i never played a single out during a game that wasn't on the grass. even when i was given the chance to try playing in the infield at practice i prefered being in the outfield. to me there was nothing more fun than having to sprint as fast as i could and slide on my knees to catch a fly ball. at that time it never occured to me that i was being "hidden" in left field or being "punished". left was MY position. i even threw a guy out at home from (very shallow lol) left. infielders NEVER get as many cheers as i did that day.

Yeah, I as a mom feel the same as you. So what i have done is try to play the out field as a good learning tool,she not falling for it I will give her some time and see what happens. I just hope her couch sticks to his word because she is starting to see the lies. As he says one thing and dose another. I as a parent hate that. Wish us luck!

 

[mnmsr4ever]

I thought you asked how many 7 hr. practices they should be having. LOL. But, I see you meant &, instead of 7.

We sometimes worked 5-7 days a week for a couple of hours at 12U. Depending on the amount of times we had to prepare. It wouldn't have been unusual to practice twice a day when school was out, but not every day.

Thanks i worded it wrong but you got it...I just wanted to see if that was normal. This is are first year playing!

 

[Bill Bollinger]

If she plays at a higher level she may be really thankful of having some basic experience in the outfield now. Outfield is not easy, but most people havn't a clue as to its importance to the team. A girl can keep runners from stretching a single into a double, they can make every catch Etc.... One of the hardest things about playing outfield is you can go 15 straight outs and never see the ball even close to your position and then the game is tied 2-2 and you have a frozen rope hit right at her and she NEEDS to make the play. Each position on the field is there for a reason and none is more important than the other. So, I would challenge my daughter... Until you can play in the outfield better than anyone else, I want you to learn to be the best outfielder in the league/division/area etc..

Bill

 

[calgofo]

I agree with Bill on this.

Here is a story that might help your daughter.

When I was coaching gold we were at the Colorado college exposure tournament and we had Arkansas coach come up and talk to us about our 1st base. He said I like her stick but can she do anything else. I said I had to be honest with him and if he was looking for a speedster she wasn't it. But I asked him if he would like to see her in another position. He said yea put her in rf. I called time put her out there. As luck would have it, she had 3 come her way. She made 2 shoestringers and laid out for one.

Ark. coached liked her well enough that she signed a NLI with him later and the rest, as they say....is history.

So you never know.....