Parents

[bmakj]

We are losing some key players that are aging up to 12U. It leaves us needing a pitcher and an OF (and some other positions as well).

that was according to parents, none of them think their girl is an outfielder

 

[quincy]

10u parents are normally at practice so maybe does not apply.

The players catch and hit way more balls then during a game. Ask the parent to participate in practice.

(I am not patters friend either so there)

 

[Sweet Lou]

that was according to parents, none of them think their girl is an outfielder

None of them ever do.
But a good CF is worth a lot once you hit 12U.

 

[_MIA_]

(I am not patters friend either so there)

That is only because I won't let you be..you know you want to be my friend..

 

[Ksphenom]

Make it part of your contract that all the parents have to sit in the OF..problem solved

I've actually been at the conversation with a parent that they wouldn't participate in practice and not interact with their kid or coaches during the game. They agreed and sat in the outfield for the season. Some people can't handle the competition or not being involved.

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[_MIA_]

I've actually been at the conversation with a parent that they wouldn't participate in practice and not interact with their kid or coaches during the game. They agreed and sat in the outfield for the season. Some people can't handle the competition or not being involved.

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If they made me sit in the stands I would pull my kid from the team...

 

[The Man In Blue]

None of them ever do.
But a good CF is worth a lot once you hit 12U.

That is the problem with the OF ... for the first few years it is a place to banish “weaker” players. Then, almost overnight, OF becomes very important and few players are prepared for it.

 

[daave266]

That is the problem with the OF ... for the first few years it is a place to banish “weaker” players. Then, almost overnight, OF becomes very important and few players are prepared for it.

What's also funny is that some kids will enjoy playing OF when they get older. My DD has been playing SS for a couple of years and when we picked up for a team recently she was thrilled to play LF. When they put her in to play SS because the team's SS was making a plethora of mistakes my DD was a bit disappointed. I thought it was kind of funny.

 

[grcsftbll]

I've loved watching a few of the kids embrace the OF this year. We had two that really stood out. One of them we tried for a back up SS (she's also a catcher) and she wasn't happy there. She's a great kid, "wherever you need me coach!" but he finally sat her down and asked her what SHE wanted. She chose OF over IF and she's a beast there so why not?

Another player considered herself a 1B who played OF when we started but I think by the end she felt like a true outfielder. Our last tournament she made an incredible diving catch. This was a kid who would barely slide a few months ago. It was fun to watch them start to really claim the OF this year.

daave266- my DD's also an infielder, and she's said several times this year she wishes she could play more OF. She was really our only SS all year so she got very little OF time. I think the opportunity to make the grand save is something they want again, once they've done it the first time. You rarely hear the parents cheer for an infield play the way they do for a great OF save.

 

[Rick M]

Bottom line is this: Is it possible to coach the team and be friends with all the parents at the same time?

You haven't detailed it explicitly, but I'm guessing that as a 10U travel team with whom you have valued friendships among the parents, that you are dealing with a group of local girls. Most of them probably go to school together, and you see these parents regularly outside of softball. I was in this exact situation a few years ago, this is how it played out.

8U rec all-star team consisted of some good players. All of the girls were friends at school, and the team had a good summer, winning lots of games. I was an AC, the coach was the rec league's VP of softball. The parents of this team all got along great, we had a wonderful summer filled with barbecues and fun practices. Heading into the fall, we all decided to form a travel team to keep the girls playing together.

We played one season. While there was minimal drama, we were a .500 team at first-year 10U. Not bad, really. But everyone had such high expectations and slowly everyone got the idea that their budding superstar would be better off on an established team.

Over the past few years, all of the girls have moved around from team to team, often with one or two of their original teammates. We still see everyone at school events, and that original group has played together in rec every year. I just finished coaching them all in what will likely be my last season as a rec coach. Now, they're all on the middle school team together and all of us parents sit together and watch.

Bottom line, even if the team doesn't survive the friendships (mostly) will.