How to get excitement back

[BobInMadison]

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[bmakj]

similar issues here. DD2 has said she no longer like softball, but when during practices, games, or workouts she is having fun, enjoys herself. I think part of it is a phase, the hard part is just getting her going ie up off the couch and out the door. once she is engaged, she has fun.. part of it is her situation. no matter how well she does, she is 9/10/11 player on an 11 player squad. it almost seems like the better she plays, the less time/ABs she sees. she has about 2/3 the PA of everyone else on the team, and has played about 1/4 as much at her preferred position as the current backup, with no discernable difference that I can see (I know, dad glasses, but trust me, DW thinks I am her worst critic), other than the AC's DD is #1 at the position, and #2 takes regular private lessons with HC, and parents help run the team. and she bats behind and less than other players with numbers no better than hers. when she does play, she is tentative, because she is constantly worried she may get sat and not play for a while. so of course her play is off, and she sits. self fulfilling prophecy. this is 10u ball, if HC is not going to give her opportunities to develop, including making mistakes (like they keep telling all the other they want them to make, as it is how you learn), they should not have invited her onto the team, this level needs to be about development. never even got a look at her secondary position, 1B, because other girls are taller. again, not saying she is definitely better than them but not even a look. Other girls completely space out on plays, but they are right back out there. very frustrating. she says she wants to focus only on swim, her other sport, but DW and I (and DD1, who stopped playing softball at rec 12u level) both feel she is too young to focus only on one sport, and she has too much talent to give up this early as well. hoping new team in fall where she has opportunities will spark her.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Now that I don't coach anymore. There are times I will skip practices and games. Just so my dd can come home and tell me how things went. I love hearing my dd talk softball. Try it out a few times.

 

[Fort83]

Now that I don't coach anymore. There are times I will skip practices and games. Just so my dd can come home and tell me how things went. I love hearing my dd talk softball. Try it out a few times.

I work a rotating 5 week schedule at work so I do not get to make every practice or game. Just like you I call DD and ask her things went, what she saw at practice or what was picked up from the other team, and how she did. It is super fun hearing an 11 yo tell you all about the other teams she is playing. She has a notebook that she keeps and studies before she plays. With her being a catcher she wants to know what teams steal on the first pitch, what happens after a base runner gets caught, who can hit on what team and what the pitchers do. She started doing that late last year and has kept up with it for most of this year. I saw the book out in her room this week so I know she is back into it and having fun playing!