One...Rough...Season...

[JAD]

Just finished up the roughest season that I've ever coached. 3-29 in 12U 'C'. Yes, we had the youngest and most inexperienced team in our league. But I certainly didn't expect this. Improvements by entire team, but the talent level was woefully short of others in our age group. My DD was our #1 pitcher (and is probably a #2 on every other team). My expected #2 pitcher quit lessons in middle of season, and then quit team altogether. My expected #3 had to step up and eat innings way more than I wanted her to. Another player moved halfway through season. We had to scramble to have 9 players for second half of season.

We finished with 4 straight beat downs in the last tourney. Outscored 35-2, and there is a 5 run rule per inning! My DD takes a beanball off left forearm. Out for most of Saturday. And she is by far and away my top hitter and run scorer, besides the best pitcher. #3 pitcher is all I have left (with 8 players total). She had to toe the rubber in back-to-back games, and also on Sunday. She pitched 9 innings, walking 35 batters. And there wasn't a thing I could do. My DD came back with injury and played CF and batted left handed for the first time ever. She also scored the only 2 runs we had all weekend (1 pre injury, 1 post injury).

So, I will now step back for the month of July and determine if I should be coaching again. Or if I want to...

Sounds like you could use a cold beer and a cigar! When your season turns into a "dumpster fire", look for small victories. Did the girls have fun? Did they improve from the beginning to the end of the season? Do they want to play softball again next season?

 

[Alsmygal]

You do not ask an emergency sub for money. Enough said?

My dd was asked to play as an emergency guest player for a team. We live nearly 3 hours away from them, too. The coach emailed me asking if he could please use her for that weekend's tourney because he was down to 8 players and lost his #1 pitcher. DD's team wasn't playing that weekend, so we thought it would be a fun weekend away....expensive, but fun since it was close to family. Before I had a chance to respond to coach's first email, he informs me that if she can play, we have to pay $40 tournament dues. We politely declined after that. I just kept thinking how a coach should never ask a player to play on such short notice and then expect them to pay $$ to come help them out. We were going to be paying quite a bit anyway for hotel and meals and gas to begin with.

 

[LetsPlayTwo]

Everybody should experience this kind of season at least once to keep things in perspective. My DD's team (mixed 01-02 U12 that was Frankenstein'd together over winter) is on a 3-15-2 stretch with a month to go. There are brief flashes of brilliance top to bottom, but it never lasts. I have coached in the past so I know what I'm seeing and what I'm seeing is a team that hasn't given up ONCE so far. But...they are happy. Chatty during warm-ups, smiling with each other between innings, cheers, etc. The reasons why the W-L is not what you hope for are many but for another post, but these things do happen. They are slowly earning and appear to have realistic expectations, but the most important thing is that THEY ARE PLAYING SOFTBALL. Either they will make the most of things this year and learn what/what not to do down the road or figure out that this sport is not for them. Not everyone can be on a "stand on their throats until the pupils are fixed and dilated" team.

 

[YOCOACH]

Just finished up the roughest season that I've ever coached. 3-29 in 12U 'C'. Yes, we had the youngest and most inexperienced team in our league. But I certainly didn't expect this. Improvements by entire team, but the talent level was woefully short of others in our age group. My DD was our #1 pitcher (and is probably a #2 on every other team). My expected #2 pitcher quit lessons in middle of season, and then quit team altogether. My expected #3 had to step up and eat innings way more than I wanted her to. Another player moved halfway through season. We had to scramble to have 9 players for second half of season.

We finished with 4 straight beat downs in the last tourney. Outscored 35-2, and there is a 5 run rule per inning! My DD takes a beanball off left forearm. Out for most of Saturday. And she is by far and away my top hitter and run scorer, besides the best pitcher. #3 pitcher is all I have left (with 8 players total). She had to toe the rubber in back-to-back games, and also on Sunday. She pitched 9 innings, walking 35 batters. And there wasn't a thing I could do. My DD came back with injury and played CF and batted left handed for the first time ever. She also scored the only 2 runs we had all weekend (1 pre injury, 1 post injury).

So, I will now step back for the month of July and determine if I should be coaching again. Or if I want to...

As a combination 11/12u first year TB team, the team went 6-35. Had many girls quit and were constantly making phone calls to fill out the roster just to play that weekends tournament.

Fast forward to today. Many of the same girls that quit the first year are now begging to come back. The team last year won 3 of the 7 and placed second in 1 of the Summer tournaments we entered. This year, we placed second in 2 of those, won 1 of them and ended up one game shy of the quarters in our bracket in a 76 team tournament (without our other #1 pitcher).

Keep coaching and continue to be a student of the game. Eventually, with the right tools, a little faith and a lot of patience, things will get better.

 

[csmda5]

The thing I like best, is that it sounds like you care a lot about what your pitchers (daughter included) and players had to go through more than yourself. I bet you're a great coach and one day your record will change!

 

[Ken Krause]

I've coached a long time. I've had great seasons and I've had rough seasons. During the rough seasons I've questioned whether I should be coaching. It's a natural feeling. But if you throw yourself into it, as it sounds like you do, you'll find success.

Incidentally, during one of those "down" seasons i emailed Cindy Bristow about it because I remembered something she'd said about feeling like the worst coach in the world. She confirmed that. So it happens even to high-level coaches. Sometimes no matter what you do you can't turn it around that season. But what a difference a year can make.

 

[obbay]

I feel your pain

This past year, I managed a U16 LL team that was terrible. 0-12. Now this team has made me consider taking time off from coaching. I may not return to LL. I had 16 kids to try to get into the game for the minimum number of innings- often spending 2 hours planning for a 1:45 game, and then some kids show up unexpectedly or do not show up. At that age you get HS kids who have lots of conflicts. The part of this that absolutely killed me is that all of these girls have supposedly been playing softball since they were 7 and some are in their 4th year on this team. there are some who are 17 and do not know how to call a ball in the air, can't hit a pitched ball, can't slide (even after they are told they will be out if they don't slide on close plays.) don't know to look for signals, don't know the signals when they get them, etc. also they don't seem to be able to make it to practice because they are too busy.

Several years ago we formed a U12 or U14 team that played in an indoor league in the winter. that first year we were something like 1- 19, but it was a good team. Good chemistry. the players made some mistakes and the coaches made some mistakes but wewere all learning. the next winter, every player returned to that team and we won our division going something like 19-1! for the years following, we always had a winning record and finished near the top in our division. That was a great team-players had fun, parents had fun and it was fun to coach!

Your team could still become that team. I think in our case, we looked at the competition as being a good experience, win or lose. I don't know if I will return to that LL team (I don't think I can) but I will stay with my tournament team and summer team because I have seen them gel into a team and win or lose, I know I can count on them to do their best.

Having a losing season is hard and it's hard not to blame yourself. BUT... if you are seeing improvement in some areas and the team is playing well together (except for people moving away or quitting) you are probably on your way

 

[RetiredCoach]

I have been AC for a 16U "B" team this year. We have won only two games. We have, maybe, three standout players and the rest are not so good. I DD is one of the standout players and a very good pitcher. However, looking at her stats you wouldn't know it. The defense does not get to balls, even easy ones, so they don't get put in the book as errors. My DD is glad she's playing but finds it quite frustrating otherwise. We are hoping that she makes the "A" team for next year.

 

[vcackerman]

My season is better than the record but in my first foray into travel ball, I'm seeing all the signs that I read about and have been warned about. We are sitting at 14-20 in 10U C with 8 girls league aged 8 or 9.

It's been a great learning experience and one I can grow from. Next year will be a fun year.

 

[nanotech14]

I have been AC for a 16U "B" team this year. We have won only two games. We have, maybe, three standout players and the rest are not so good. I DD is one of the standout players and a very good pitcher. However, looking at her stats you wouldn't know it. The defense does not get to balls, even easy ones, so they don't get put in the book as errors. My DD is glad she's playing but finds it quite frustrating otherwise. We are hoping that she makes the "A" team for next year.

Wait, does your dd play on my dds team? I could of wrote this same post.