Teaching skill vs. teaching the game

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Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
I think another difference is how much as kids we played in the street or field, unorganized. How many reps we took and how much we learned and didn't even know it. Hours upon hours we played. Most teams only practice a few hours a week, it is organized and structured and we only work on a few things that we probably botched last weekend. It is hard to be pro-active on teaching all the situations that can bite you. You teach the basics and common situations. Many lessons have to be lived and learned.
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
Your quote is my dilemma. We are a very aggressive team, stealing a lot of bases and generally forcing teams to have to make plays to get us out. The runners in question are both 10th graders. I, mistakenly, assumed they would have more softball knowledge and make the right play. How can I help someone who has the potential (3rd base runner) to play varsity to start thinking on a different level?

If it were me, I’d do as stated above and ask her what she was thinking, and then explain what she should have done. Not done in a negative or talking down to tone. Just have a conversation about it. I would also address it with the team at the next practice so they can all learn and be on the same page. Don’t call her out for it. Just teach from it.

Good luck!
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
Your quote is my dilemma. We are a very aggressive team, stealing a lot of bases and generally forcing teams to have to make plays to get us out. The runners in question are both 10th graders. I, mistakenly, assumed they would have more softball knowledge and make the right play. How can I help someone who has the potential (3rd base runner) to play varsity to start thinking on a different level?

If it were me, I’d do as stated above and ask her what she was thinking, and then explain what she should have done. Not done in a negative or talking down to tone. Just have a conversation about it. I would also address it with the team at the next practice so they can all learn and be on the same page. Don’t call her out for it. Just teach from it.

Good luck!
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Our travel team spends a lot of time working on the mental side of the game. At nearly every practice we will do a short scrimmage of some type. During that scrimmage we will simulate certain situations and drill the players how to handle them. As an example, we spend a lot of time focusing on where the opposing outfield is lined up, and then taking extra bases as often as possible. Tagging up, etc. It's all relevant. [It amazes me how few runners automatically run on the pitch during a full count, with two outs, and no open base behind them. I think I learned that when I was 7 or 8. But I see a lot of high school age kids mess that up locally.]

When DD was growing up, we watched a lot of baseball and softball on TV. She was a very curious kid, so she would constantly ask questions. We would talk about strategy very often.

That all said, the coaching staff also needs to accept more responsibility during the game. DD's high school team is very inexperienced. The varsity coach will often ask my advice about certain things, and I have suggested that she be more active during the games. For example, they had several plays where players forgot they could tag up. Runner on 3rd with 1 out. Fly ball to center field. Runner goes part way home and then retreats to 3rd after the ball is caught. Yes, part of that is on the runner. She should have known better. But the 3rd base coach is standing right there. She should have been talking to the runner, making sure she was tagging up on the play. Mistakes on the player and the coach in that situation, in my opinion. When I read the OP I was thinking along the same lines. If the player failed to move from 2nd to 3rd (or tried to move too late), yes, that is a mistake on the player. But the 3rd base case should have also been signalling her to advance or stay put.
 
Last edited:
Aug 10, 2016
686
63
Georgia
DD's first year playing all-stars in 8U, HC went over tagging up. Scored runs off it as well even at that age. I can't imagine older girls who have played a while not knowing this. We work on pickles as well - mostly for defense but good for the runner to learn as well. This was all taught in just regular rec ball..

I try to get DD to watch more SB and BB on tv with me. We have a girl on our team that has a real head for SB but is still working on all of the skills. She's one of our only 6th graders on our 14U team but HC likes that she thinks about each play.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Our travel team spends a lot of time working on the mental side of the game. At nearly every practice we will do a short scrimmage of some type. During that scrimmage we will simulate certain situations and drill the players how to handle them. As an example, we spend a lot of time focusing on where the opposing outfield is lined up, and then taking extra bases as often as possible. Tagging up, etc. It's all relevant. [It amazes me how few runners automatically run on the pitch during a full count, with two outs, and no open base behind them. I think I learned that when I was 7 or 8. But I see a lot of high school age kids mess that up locally.]

When DD was growing up, we watched a lot of baseball and softball on TV. She was a very curious kid, so she would constantly ask questions. We would talk about strategy very often.

That all said, the coaching staff also needs to accept more responsibility during the game. DD's high school team is very inexperienced. The varsity coach will often ask my advice about certain things, and I have suggested that she be more active during the games. For example, they had several plays where players forgot they could tag up. Runner on 3rd with 1 out. Fly ball to center field. Runner goes part way home and then retreats to 3rd after the ball is caught. Yes, part of that is on the runner. She should have known better. But the 3rd base coach is standing right there. She should have been talking to the runner, making sure she was tagging up on the play. Mistakes on the player and the coach in that situation, in my opinion. When I read the OP I was thinking along the same lines. If the player failed to move from 2nd to 3rd (or tried to move too late), yes, that is a mistake on the player. But the 3rd base case should have also been signalling her to advance or stay put.
With regards to baserunning, one thing to consider is how a coach reacts to a runner being overly aggressive, in particular at the younger ages. If the coach screams at a girl for being too agressive (trying to take an extra base, running on a passed ball which doesn't get too far from the catcher , tagging on a short fly to the OF, etc) you can pretty much guarantee next time around when aggressive baserunning is called for the young lady is going to think twice (or 3 times) about it..
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
With regards to baserunning, one thing to consider is how a coach reacts to a runner being overly aggressive, in particular at the younger ages. If the coach screams at a girl for being too agressive (trying to take an extra base, running on a passed ball which doesn't get too far from the catcher , tagging on a short fly to the OF, etc) you can pretty much guarantee next time around when aggressive baserunning is called for the young lady is going to think twice (or 3 times) about it..

I agree with you. Sometimes coaches get exactly what they ask for, without intending it. I find the same dynamic in my work life :)
 
Feb 13, 2015
164
18
I THINK WE, AS COACHES, ACTUALLY INHIBIT KIDS ABILITY TO LEARN THE GAME.

When I was growing up, long ago, we played baseball in backyards and fields without grown ups supervising. No one to to yell, "Don't throw it" because they didn't want an overthrow that would let a runner advance. We were never taught to stand in the baseline and yell time or run to the pitcher's circle and yell time. We taught ourselves to play ball and get outs. Coaches, at younger ages, are playing by rules that change every year as the kids advance and they are playing to win games rather than teaching the game. I hear coaches talking about stopping throws, not because it is too late, but to prevent cascading errors that will allow runs to score and cause them to lose.

When I look online at teaching positions and strategies, I see pages and pages of slides showing varying outs, runners on base, and location of hit balls. Who can memorize all that crap? Teach them to be hungry to get outs! Every time I see a throw to one that gets an out, I don't yell great throw or great catch, I say "Stop the runner" or Get the runner" to remind them to always find the next out. I then ask the rest of the team, "Were you in that play"? Constantly remind them not where to run, but to get in the play. With reps, they start learning where to to go to get results and you have to let them make errors before you start seeing positive results.

Remind them of the 3 B's, ball, base, backup. If they move somewhere on every play, they will soon start finding ways to get to the hit or overthrown ball, not just the base they are assigned to cover or backup. Help them keep their heads in the game. Each player on defense should know, on every pitch, this ball will be hit to me. Every time. Remind them, that if by some strange quirk of magic, the ball is not hit to them, they know where to go to get in the play and get outs.

Do all this with situational drill where THEY make all the decisions. Coach can place runners, call out score, outs and inning before putting ball in play, but don't direct the action. Discuss the results after the play to help them learn. Ask them how they could have made a better play or got another out. Don't say you should have done this to stop a run or get the out. They receive that as a scolding and they didn't reach the solution by analyzing what happened.

I believe if you can make them hungry to get outs, they will learn the game.
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
do they watch the varsity play? this might be a good classroom for situational teaching. possibly organize a trip to a neary college game, doesnt matter what Div.
 

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