Subs vs extra player vs a coach new to 10U

[PA SB Dad]

At 10U, your challenge as a coach (whether it is TB or rec) is to teach them how to play the game and to LEARN TO LOVE THE SPORT. There are any number of ways that can be accomplished depending on your situation - there is no one right answer.

I personally would see if you can bat the lineup, and mix it up as much as possible (even at 14U rec I made my batting order by the order they showed up for the game - the girls and parents all knew this, and the best players showed up early anyway, so it works itself out - I also don't mind rewarding the kid who is not as skilled but gets there early to warm up!).

If you can't bat the lineup, get as many of the kids in the batting order you can (ie use your EPs), and rotate your subs not in the lineup from game to game. DO NOT let yourself get caught up in having some girls "play the minimum" each game - you will certainly lose those girls' interest in softball forever.

Make the games fun, make sure the girls believe they are contributing to the team each game, and make sure it is not all about winning. If the girls are learning to love the game, winning takes care of itself.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

This is a little confusing and too complex for me but I think:

3. If an EP(s) is used, all players (10 or 11) must bat and any nine
(9) can play defense. Defensive positions can be changed, but the batting order must remain the same.

means you can bat everyone and switch the fielding positions anyway you want.

 

[Greenmonsters]

9 players in the field + 2 Extra Players (EPs) = a batting order of 11 and 1 sub on the bench.

Your rules indicate that when using the EP(s) any 9 players can play the field.

Given this and the fact that a any player substituted for (i.e., one of the 11 starters) can re-enter once, no player (even the lone non-starter) will ever by "out of the line up" for more than 1 inning.

Good luck and have fun!

PS - Based on the advice you've been given, it sounds like your "10U rep" is a 10U kid, not an experienced adult! You will not be pitching from 43 ft and there are no restrictions on players changing defensive positions.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

She also told me they had to pitch from 43 feet so I don't know how accurate her knowledge is.

You need to find someone else to talk to, maybe another coach.

 

[Sweet Lou]

It looks like you are a rec league that just cut and pasted ASA or USSSA rules.

For 10U rec I'm with PA SB Dad on how to handle it. I'd bat everone if I could unless I know a girl is leaving early in which case I use a sub to avoid the auto out in your league when she leaves.

Again no real right or wrong answer just different ways to approach it.

 

[BrianMonk]

It looks like you are a rec league that just cut and pasted ASA or USSSA rules.

For 10U rec I'm with PA SB Dad on how to handle it. I'd bat everone if I could unless I know a girl is leaving early in which case I use a sub to avoid the auto out in your league when she leaves.

Again no real right or wrong answer just different ways to approach it.

NSA rules or modification of NSA rules.

BB - I may have missed it but how many players do you have on your team? Do you play a standard 9 players on defense or do you play with 10 on defense?

 

[Brandi Brown]

I have 12 girls on my roster, one who has only been to practice twice and plans to be on vacation after school gets out, so really I have 11 to play. I finally was able to get in touch with another coach who was under the same impression as I was, that we had to play "tournament style" play, his words. He made his line up with out open substitution and was informed that we do have open sub during regular games. Whew! I didn't want to hurt any kiddo feelings or piss off parents. I try not to talk to some of the coaches around here because they are so competitive and will give you the wrong info just to watch you fail. Last year we had a coach screaming at our players then at the end of the game wouldn't even come out and shake hands at all. I'm pretty gun shy of talking to the coaches from the first year two years ago when they told me different rules every time I got on the field. I had to print them out and laminate the suckers inside my notebook so I knew the truth and even then some tried to challenge. But that was 8U and they were 2 pages long. This year is a notebook full, which I did print and have read through many times but I'm still learning the game. Then I read some of the posts on here and see HC make fun of AC because of their lack of knowledge and feel like I quit but them I remember these girls wouldn't get to play at all if I weren't out there. That's how I got my start in the first place.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

Then I read some of the posts on here and see HC make fun of AC because of their lack of knowledge and feel like I quit but them I remember these girls wouldn't get to play at all if I weren't out there. That's how I got my start in the first place.

Chin up, if you need a player let me know and I will send my DD your way. Sounds like you are doing a good job.

 

[GADad]

First of all thanks for volunteering your time to coach and help the young ladies.

Like Greenmonsters posted above - If you basically only have 11 bat all 11 and just list your batting order however you desire (order they show up in was a good suggestions for 10U Rec - some will be late and if you do it ahead of time you will be scrambling to make last minute changes). If you are playing with 9 in the field on defense list the 2 that don't "start" the first inning on defense as EP on the lineup card (again doing the batting order in the order they show up will help here - last 2 to show up hit last and don't start on defense).

After the first defensive inning (2 - EPs sit out on defense first inning) it would be free substitution on defense - players rotate in and out to ANY position. At 10U move them around, infield, outfield, etc. Also you don't have to report the defensive substitutions to the Umpire or other team. The batting order stays the same regardless of whether the player played that 1/2 inning on defense or not.

Use your sometimes might be there player (12th player) as your sub. If they show up squeeze them in there for someone at some point in the game (they will take that players spot in the batting order - defensive position shouldn't matter).

Hope that helps some

 

[Axe]

This sounds like a highly dysfunctional Rec league, perhaps a text book case of what to do. In our league, the coaches are competitive but not combative. We all work together to ensure fair competition and a fun experience for the kids. Sounds like you might want to work toward getting people working towards a model that is about the kids, not the wanna-be, blow-hard, travel ball coaches you seem to have.