How much bench time should I expect?

[_MIA_]

I know this is a bit of a dead post but i just stumbled across it looking for the opposite of OP's concern. My DD (12U) rotates every inning at RF during pool play. LF and RF are the only positions that do this. The infield gets shuffled around but no "outfielder" gets infield time. She has been moved up to leadoff hitter and is one of the most athletic girls on the team but is not getting any reps on the infield as originally stated by the coach during our selection to the team. My concern is not about playing time but more on development. I think 12U is too young to lock in a position. I have asked about her getting infield work at practice and it gets shot down. I'm currently considering an offer to leave to another team, any thoughts?

If you want her to play infield then
A) If you know nothing about infield play there are plenty of resources out there to help you and then
B.) Get a bucket of balls and hit 2 or 3 of them to her 2 or 3 times a week and then finally
C) find her another team because it appears this coach isn't going to give her a chance if she isn't even getting INF reps in practice.

 

[riseball]

My daughter is a top player on her team. She is a bracket pitcher/Utility player, top of the order, hard worker. She is probably one the best on the field at any position. First to get to practice. Last to leave. She has a great attitude listens to the coach and asks me to work on the things the coach mentioned every day.

We love our team and get along great with everyone. I know the coach needs to develop the other players for everyone's benefit.

My daughter rides bench about 25% of our pool game innings. She never sits in bracket play.

Should I just keep my mouth shut and realize that this is for the benefit of the team as a whole? Is this pretty standard?

I respect the decision. It just burns a bit. The players that need help developing are getting more innings in pool games than my DD.

My DD and I put in hours and hours of pitching lessons/batting cages/field work and it's paying off. However, the coach puts in more softball hours than I do and his kid sits too.

Am I a jerk for even thinking about it?

As a coach you need to spread the time around to develop players. I do not just sit my top players. I tell them they will be sent to the plate or the circle at some point during the game when I need something specific. Runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out I want them to find the barrel and go deep. In other situations it may be a ball on the ground backside or even a bunt. If college is the end game there are 20 or so other players on the roster so odds are they may not start. So they need to be able to add value in other ways. The proven ability to stay prepared, come into the game when it matters, and execute as requested is the hallmark of a great player. If they can do that they have some great stories when the coach of DreamU asks them about a time when they performed under pressure. I would talk to your DD's coach about providing her such challenges.

 

[softball dad 6]

IMHO at 12u girls should be working on at least 2 different positions in practice and at least some in games. At 12u DD was tall and left handed. She got slotted at 1st base and loved it. Through lots of hard work she became a very good first baseman. The other infield parents loved having her play there and the coaching staffs through 14u only worked her there. Since she essentially played every inning of every game she was happy. The unfortunate side effect was she was always skipped to doing any work in the outfield. It got to the point she was so far behind in the outfield getting playing time in travel at the level she was playing was not going to happen. Fast forward to high school as a freshman and she needed to play outfield because that was what allowed the coach to put the best 9 girls on the field. I know HS coaches get a bad rap but he was 100% correct. DD was better at first than the girl playing there but she needed to play somewhere and that was the best spot for her. She finally got the reps she needed to become a good outfielder. It also took a lot of work outside of practice. This in turn allowed her to start to play outfield for her travel team. She has been recruited as a first baseman by some college coaches, an outfielder by others, and an athletic, left handed power hitter by the college she is going to attend.
As someone suggested make a fair evaluation of you dd and where her skill level lies. If possible work with her outside of practice. When you think she is ready for the challenge approach the coach about giving her reps in practice. See what happens and then make a decision about switching teams. It almost happened to late for my dd.

 

[OK04dad]

I know this is a bit of a dead post but i just stumbled across it looking for the opposite of OP's concern. My DD (12U) rotates every inning at RF during pool play. LF and RF are the only positions that do this. The infield gets shuffled around but no "outfielder" gets infield time. She has been moved up to leadoff hitter and is one of the most athletic girls on the team but is not getting any reps on the infield as originally stated by the coach during our selection to the team. My concern is not about playing time but more on development. I think 12U is too young to lock in a position. I have asked about her getting infield work at practice and it gets shot down. I'm currently considering an offer to leave to another team, any thoughts?

Have you asked your DD if she would rather be playing IF? Is she willing to put in the extra work to learn a new position? If either of those answers is a "no" then no reason to go any further with it. Sounds like you already have an answer from the current coach about the situation. If your DD and you are set on getting IF time, unless the current coach changes his approach then another team would be your only option.

 

[Filterbing]

If you want her to play infield then
A) If you know nothing about infield play there are plenty of resources out there to help you and then
B.) Get a bucket of balls and hit 2 or 3 of them to her 2 or 3 times and then finally
C) find her another team because it appears this coach isn't going to give her a chance if she isn't even getting INF reps in practice.

That is what i have been doing. She primarily played infield during the little league days pre travel ball but had no real training. I am fine with her not starting but having the practice time drop off concerns me more. She is doing her last spring at 12U little league where she is pitching, catching and playing shortstop. She just started pitching this spring all in all I wish i would have taken this more serious earlier. We were rec playing until last fall and I'm working her almost daily to close the gap which I think she is advancing quickly.

 

[Rick M]

I know this is a bit of a dead post but i just stumbled across it looking for the opposite of OP's concern. My DD (12U) rotates every inning at RF during pool play. LF and RF are the only positions that do this. The infield gets shuffled around but no "outfielder" gets infield time. She has been moved up to leadoff hitter and is one of the most athletic girls on the team but is not getting any reps on the infield as originally stated by the coach during our selection to the team. My concern is not about playing time but more on development. I think 12U is too young to lock in a position. I have asked about her getting infield work at practice and it gets shot down. I'm currently considering an offer to leave to another team, any thoughts?

DD's TB coach has recently discovered that she is a pretty good outfielder. At second-year 12U, there are more and more balls getting hit out there, and having DD play the outfield gives the team a better chance to win. When we signed on, DD was a pitcher first, then a shortstop. Nearly all of her non-pitching time has moved to the outfield, and I'm fine with that.

There was another thread recently that lamented the lack of respect given to outfielders, and it comes from the early age levels where the best players are on the dirt and the also-rans stand out on the grass. After 12U, you can't hide a poor player in the outfield, they get just as many chances as any infielder.

As I've pointed out to DD, when she gets to 14U the girls will start wearing metal spikes. Since she's primarily a pitcher, I'm just fine with her chasing fly balls instead of risking injury covering second base.

 

[Filterbing]

I've thought about that as well, a little silver lining in this situation is that moving forward from 12U it will be to her advantage how much time she has spent on outfield over the last year. However, her current company in the outfield is not our best players or our speed. It's obvious that she didn't make the skill cut he made when dividing the positions. This coach has also grimaced when I informed him that I was going to see if she has a pitcher in her last fall.
I've got several former coaches and pitching coaches that I've brought her to for pitching and they all tell me she is progressing very fast and has done well for only 7 months of work. His lack of support is what I don't like, this team is structured around a local allstar team that comprises the infield and the outfield players and gives me the impression that they are roster fillers

 

[_MIA_]

That is what i have been doing. She primarily played infield during the little league days pre travel ball but had no real training. I am fine with her not starting but having the practice time drop off concerns me more. She is doing her last spring at 12U little league where she is pitching, catching and playing shortstop. She just started pitching this spring all in all I wish i would have taken this more serious earlier. We were rec playing until last fall and I'm working her almost daily to close the gap which I think she is advancing quickly.

I really should have started my post with if SHE wants to play IF but you get the idea.

 

[bmakj]

feel your pain. DD (12u) came to her current team after last fall, team was looking for another catcher, they only had one. HC apparently liked what he saw, offered a spot at the semiprivate (they had like 3 girls they were looking at that night) workout. Apparently the catcher previously had complained (rightfully so IMHO) about having to catch every game.

knew there was gonna be trouble early on. 2-3 of the pitchers did a "group" lesson one night a week in winter before practice. we had a long drive to get there, so it was hard, but we got DD to these once we were informed about it. before that, one of the GDs was catching one of the girls, incumbent catcher the other (only two tunnels). when we walk in the first time, other catcher's mom looked completely shocked, even commenting on how she "didn't realize this 'other' catcher was gonna do lessons too". she and one of the other pitchers mom without informing anyone (at least as far as we knew) moved their lesson. apparently, this catcher was "going to catch this pitcher".

HC has surgery, has to take a back seat for a while, still at a lot of games after first couple of weeks.

over next few tourneys, pattern develops, pool play or one days, other catcher catches games 1 and 3, DD game 2. several times, if interim HC tells chloe she is catching, other catcher runs to sidelined HC (sitting just outside dugout always), asks who is catching, invariable he tells her to tell HC or tells him himself other catcher is. last time she even taunted DD about it, coming into dugout saying "X said I am catching", AFTER interim HC told DD she was catching. other catcher has now caught 3 in a row, and DD cannot make tourney this Sat. due to previous plans (unoffical class trip planned by kids and parents months ago, if games were in AM like normal, she would be there)

killin DD. they are both pretty decent catchers, each has strengths and weaknesses. Other Catcher is a little bigger and stronger and flashier, but DD is more technically sound and consistent.

this crap is killing DDs confidence and joy. Other players and one AC also talk crap about some of the "new" or "extra" players, and DD hates that (generally gets along with all the girls fairly well though). but now she is tentative both behind plate and at plate, fear of being yanked if she makes mistake.

phone call scheduled for tonite, I think it is 70% she is done with this team, unless HC promises much more equitable treatment. we do not schlep all over, pay them a good deal of money, and DD work her tail off to be this team's insurance policy, which is what it is amounting to.

I know a bunch are going to say "clearly outplay her", etc., well this is supposed to be about the girls and them learning, developing, and having fun (this is a C team). Other catcher, who uppped game for a little while, is now slouching back into bad habits since it seems to her she is clearly on top. DD cannot develop not playing. she has more bench time than any other player by far, but is clearly better than a few of the girls who rarely see the bench (some nepotism definitely involved), she really can play pretty much anywhere competently, but this team rarely has the core group play anywhere but one position (can count the number of innings on one hand)

Rant over, thanks

 

[bmakj]

update, HC said she was seeing less time behind late because he trusts her in OF (we are down a couple of players for last two weeks) more than the other C. had to tell him maybe a word to DD stating this would have gone a long way for her mentally and confidence wise. Should a HC realize this sort of thing on their own? siad now that we have at least one of those girls back, should start to change. doubtful, as before these injuries, DD and other C got same amount of innings in OF when the other was catching, so I think he was BSing us.

HC also said the crap with the other C coming to him to ask who is catching (after iterim HC had said DD) never happened. I saw heard it from 10 feet away one game for certain cemented in my mind. oh well, I guess in softball like everything else today, truth/fact is relative and malleable now.

will see how the next week or so goes.