obtaining equipment

[Eric F]

so I have finalized my wish list, but financially gonna be difficult to swing all this (or at least hide the expenditures from my DW, who would probably think this is excessive), so need help prioritizing, below is my first stab at prioritizing based on importance vs cost

1-reel type tape measure ($10-$15) (for measuring base paths and pitching distances at practice field that have backstop only
2-thick rubber base set (not full thickness, but not just a sheet either) ($20) (thought I had these, but I can only find one now, at least with a new set of three I will have a HP as well)
3-12 SKLZ bolt balls (I already have the machine, but I did not realize it did not come with balls)($25)
4-Batting Tee (unless I can borrow one from shed of our local defunct LL)($25)
5-2 dozen tennis balls (for popfly and possible soft toss practice)($15)
6-Tennis racket (for hitting said tennis balls to simulate pop flies, so quality not an issue really)($15)
7-Cones (20) for all types of drills ($20)
8-SKLZ Target Swing Trainer ($45)
9-Youth Fastpitch Catcher's Mitt ($60) (funny our league issues catcher's mitts for baseball as team gear for most division, but not softball)
10-Mag Lineup Board ($25) (so I do not have to keep repeating myself every inning as to who is where, and the girls have a visual reminder of batting order (we do CBO)

list totals approx $265, can probably not justify this (or hide) from DW, so I need to prioritize. My main goal for season is progression of the girls, not winning ( was quite pleased last season, we won about 45% of our games, but I was very happy with development)

leaving nets off due to trunk space and $ limitations, can normally use backstops (or buildings with wiffle, tennis, or bolt balls). Have 12 wiffle softballs for soft toss. buckets I will scrounge, as well as anything else on this list I can find for free or second hand.

My 2 cents...

1. A piece of rope with knots at 35' (pitching distance) and 60' (base distance) is a lot cheaper than a tape measure.
2. Okay....if you regularly practice on fields without bases.
3. Okay...but this could wait. Not at all a priority, IMO.
4. Okay.
5. If tennis balls are regularly part of your practice routine, that's fine, but I could easily pass on that one.
6. For beginner-level fly-ball work, just throw the ball. Once they have decent skills, move to real balls.
7. Some use cones, some don't. Personally, I like the option of having them around, but I have also gone full seasons without needing them once.
8. Nope. I bought one when my DD was first starting to play at 8U. I didn't use it then, and I haven't used it even once since. Hell, if you're in So Cal, I'll give you mine.
9. Okay...but I would make an effort to harass the league into providing it before I spent my own money. If I had to buy one, I'd look at Play-It-Again first.
10. Yep.

 

[bmakj]

main reason for tennis balls was not easier to hit (although this might be consideration if I have a parent doing it while I am running another station). I like the idea of tennis balls because I think girls will be less scared to get under them properly in order to get used to it. Also, I think they will help in getting them to receive the ball softly and squeeze the glove (tennis balls should pop out of glove easier than regular ball). Fear of the ball in the air is a big problem for a lot of these girls, usually have 2-4 first year players in our 10u teams. Once they build confidence in their ability with tennis ball, I can then introduce regular balls (starting out with very short popups).

as far as catcher's mitt goes, we too have a lot of different girls who try catching, but I think mitt will help give pitchers batter target (many girls end up poining end of their glove at the pitcher), and help girls if I get a girl who has some speed on her pitches. it was a mitt for the team, not just for one girl. And when teams I coach outgrow it, I would pass it down to another coach in our league. ideally, I think a right hand throw catcher's mitt should be part of team gear at this level for rec, like it is for boys (really tired of getting short end of things in our league, but a group of us are working on it). I think putting my money where my mouth is will help this.

feedback so far seems to mostly agree with the ranking/priority list at any rate (since hit stick and mitt were pretty near the bottom). Probably cannot get it all this year, that is why I wanted help on prioritizing

 

[Eric F]

I get the reason for tennis balls. Like I said, if you use them regularly, go with it. I would skip the tennis racket, IMO.

Tennis balls can also be helpful for bare-hand ground ball work. Your really need to focus on the ball to grab it cleanly.

 

[YOCOACH]

Get rid of 5-9 and go to Amazon and purchase a portable hitting net. Here's the link to an exceptional net that will last you years and happens to be on sale right now for $79.95.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K...rukket+net&dpPl=1&dpID=61LnlYZRHUL&ref=plSrch

 

[bmakj]

thanks for all the feedback.

tennis balls not currently part of practice, only because I do not have any. But I like the idea of using them to overcome fear of the ball. hadn't thought for barehanded grounder practice, will give that a shot too! As far as racquet, I have no idea what my Asst coach situation will be like. I will probably need to save my bum shoulder for pitching BP, so I need something to help me, or help a parent I pull onto field, to put balls in air for girls.

Only reason I have bolt balls on list is at a recent local dept store clearance, got the machine pretty cheap, but did not realize it did not come with any balls. can't return it, so need balls for it.

probably will leave off 8 unless I can find one used cheap (or free). will pressure league for mitt, in fact it looks like I may be on BOD soon, so that will help, but still can't count on it. Our league is pretty strapped, I guarantee if baseball mitts were not already in the storeroom, they probably would not purchase any.

 

[bmakj]

by the way, love the knotted rope idea! will definitely do that! will actually suggest it four or league, currently our tape measure we use for setting pitching rubbers (we have multiple pitching distances used on same fields) is torn up at end, have to mentall add 8 inches when measuring, this would alleviate that. Will take it one further, will also knot in clip on rope at length where lining machine will set a perfect 16 foot circle when tethered at center of rubber.

 

[Eric F]

Keep in mind that rope tends to be a little stretchy. It's fine for doing a quick layout of bases for practice, or finding the right distance for pitchers during warmups. For laying out a field on game day, a metal tape is the right tool (the league really needs to supply this).

 

[bmakj]

yeah, I am mostly concerned with setting up a practice field at local schools (field consists of a weed overgrown infield of sand and a backstop. if that is off a few inches, no biggie. our regular fields (where we paractice about 1/3), bases anchors are buried, home is set, and anchors for pitching rubbers are buried. only measuring is for circle (we use a precut piece of PVC with two holes 8 feet apart, stick screwdriver through one hole into direct directly behind center of rubber, long metal rod through other to trace circle in dirt, then we line). knotted roper will be quicker, easier, and cheaper for practices I think (can even have girls do it, going ot try to have girls do as much as possible on set and breakdown this year, so I do not get stiuck, including rule that no personal gear gets addressed until team gear is all packed.

gonna drop the hit stick and lineup board (I will make one from old whiteboards around office or home and a sharpie).

 

[bmakj]

proof that the sun shines on the righteous and clean living (OK, at least the righteous). Once all other BS got sorted out about coaching/managing this year, was going to lean on our equiipment manager to see if they could swing softball catcher's mitss for the teams, when out of blue, he announces just that! he has the mittts,managers just ahve to breack them in, small price to pay!

 

[daddiox2]

Before you go out and buy tennis balls and a tennis racquet check to see if any of your players or players parents play tennis. Really you don't need new tennis balls for what you are doing, everyone that plays tennis throws balls away or has tons of old balls clogging their house. As for a racquet you can use a youth size entry level racquet. One of the kids or parents probably have a kid that used to play and gave it up. I'm sure someone has a racquet to donate.