Wrapping up the 2022 season, most of the games played out the same. Enthusiasm, optimism, belief in self...then a couple blown routine plays leading to negativity, defeatism, and loss of confidence.
Blown routine plays.
The story of the season.
Missed infield pop-ups, terrible play at first base, lack of awareness, and missing that fire...that mindset to dig in and double down after a botched play. I wholeheartedly believe that most of the run-rule games we lost were mostly just due to blown routine plays. Second chances for an offense can be devastating.
It's just experience. I truly believe we made the most of the time we had. We worked hard on the basics and added more at practice between games. Fundamentally in practice, we were halfway decent, and we ran sessions at times probably 30% over game speed. Rep after sweet rep, and they handled things pretty well.
Somewhere mid-season, we had a stretch of no games and had been struggling with communication amidst chaos. I had this dumb idea to take a page from the football playbook, playing loud music during practice. It seemed like a fun idea until I realized we would probably drown out soccer. As much as I hate soccer and everything it stands for, I still had to amend my plan.
So, loud (but not too loud) music was the plan, but I added more direct interference. Ear plugs. Before practice, I sent a message out to the teamreach group and told the girls to make sure they wear something with pockets. It drove them crazy not knowing why. I mean EVERY single one of them pestered me during warmups, and when I finally broke out the foam plugs, half of them didn't know what they were, and not a single one of them knew how to use them.
So, we got on the field. Music up, plugs in, and took some IF/OF--slow at first, and they did ok. I had my DD1 (HS player, injured) catching-in for me, sans plugs. When I sped up, it was full blown chaos. I would yell where to make the play and they couldn't hear me. They were overthrowing the bases, outfielders were caught off guard, girls were getting mad at each other, and someone got hit with the ball. We're a fairly involved coaching staff during games. We instruct, shift them around, etc, and they didn't have that. It was the meltdown I had hoped for, but I didn't know how it would go after that.
But, to my delight, leaders emerged. DD2 at 3B starts barking commands. Shortstop is pointing. Cuts are waving hard for the OF throw. Outfielders are actually paying attention when I swing the bat. No one wants a line drive to the body. Everyone is freakin paying attention and communicating with their bodies. IF pop-ups are getting wave-offs instead of two or three people getting close and not taking ownership. DD1 was like "Wow. I didn't see that one coming."
It was amazing. At any age, to some degree, we can use our natural intelligence to adapt and overcome.
But you're probably wondering...did they apply it later?
To be honest? Probably not. But, I would do that exercise regularly and find real value in it.
Truthfully though, after our strong outings at the tournament and the exciting win, we only won one more game, which was against the perennial doormat. We run-ruled them, and got no real enjoyment out of it. The kids did I guess, but beating someone like that is only slightly more fun that BEING beaten like that.
We had hoped to play the team we beat, and then the doormat team again, but both games were rained out. Winning those two would have put us close to our goal for the season. I also tried multiple times to schedule the team we beat at the tournament, but it didn't work out. I'm already scheduling for next season, so I'm currently in touch with the tournament host coach, and hopefully can get to that other team through him. Or maybe I'll just call the school. Depending on how pitching work goes before spring, our MS team could be a bit weaker than last year.
Our other main issue was still just hitting. There's such a delicate blend of happenings that keep a team's spirit and fire going. There were a few games against good teams where we managed to eke out a run or two in our first at-bat. That always gets the kids going, but when your 5-9 hitters can't do much, you end up right back in the funk. The routine plays start falling apart, the mental mistakes kick in, and you're right back into the mess. It's just so tough to watch this all go down when you know the kids are capable.
Hitting though...reps, reps, reps. Different looks. Tee work, etc. So much to do, and so little time to do it. If the 2023 team can't knock the tar out of the ball, it's gonna be another long season. I'm not actually gonna coach on the field next season, but I'll be around a lot for pitching work, and filling in on the field for a few games when needed. Regardless, we may push a little more for some of the parents to get the kids set up with hitting lessons.
Something has to give. We just can't get it done giving them 40 swings a week.
Blown routine plays.
The story of the season.
Missed infield pop-ups, terrible play at first base, lack of awareness, and missing that fire...that mindset to dig in and double down after a botched play. I wholeheartedly believe that most of the run-rule games we lost were mostly just due to blown routine plays. Second chances for an offense can be devastating.
It's just experience. I truly believe we made the most of the time we had. We worked hard on the basics and added more at practice between games. Fundamentally in practice, we were halfway decent, and we ran sessions at times probably 30% over game speed. Rep after sweet rep, and they handled things pretty well.
Somewhere mid-season, we had a stretch of no games and had been struggling with communication amidst chaos. I had this dumb idea to take a page from the football playbook, playing loud music during practice. It seemed like a fun idea until I realized we would probably drown out soccer. As much as I hate soccer and everything it stands for, I still had to amend my plan.
So, loud (but not too loud) music was the plan, but I added more direct interference. Ear plugs. Before practice, I sent a message out to the teamreach group and told the girls to make sure they wear something with pockets. It drove them crazy not knowing why. I mean EVERY single one of them pestered me during warmups, and when I finally broke out the foam plugs, half of them didn't know what they were, and not a single one of them knew how to use them.
So, we got on the field. Music up, plugs in, and took some IF/OF--slow at first, and they did ok. I had my DD1 (HS player, injured) catching-in for me, sans plugs. When I sped up, it was full blown chaos. I would yell where to make the play and they couldn't hear me. They were overthrowing the bases, outfielders were caught off guard, girls were getting mad at each other, and someone got hit with the ball. We're a fairly involved coaching staff during games. We instruct, shift them around, etc, and they didn't have that. It was the meltdown I had hoped for, but I didn't know how it would go after that.
But, to my delight, leaders emerged. DD2 at 3B starts barking commands. Shortstop is pointing. Cuts are waving hard for the OF throw. Outfielders are actually paying attention when I swing the bat. No one wants a line drive to the body. Everyone is freakin paying attention and communicating with their bodies. IF pop-ups are getting wave-offs instead of two or three people getting close and not taking ownership. DD1 was like "Wow. I didn't see that one coming."
It was amazing. At any age, to some degree, we can use our natural intelligence to adapt and overcome.
But you're probably wondering...did they apply it later?
To be honest? Probably not. But, I would do that exercise regularly and find real value in it.
Truthfully though, after our strong outings at the tournament and the exciting win, we only won one more game, which was against the perennial doormat. We run-ruled them, and got no real enjoyment out of it. The kids did I guess, but beating someone like that is only slightly more fun that BEING beaten like that.
We had hoped to play the team we beat, and then the doormat team again, but both games were rained out. Winning those two would have put us close to our goal for the season. I also tried multiple times to schedule the team we beat at the tournament, but it didn't work out. I'm already scheduling for next season, so I'm currently in touch with the tournament host coach, and hopefully can get to that other team through him. Or maybe I'll just call the school. Depending on how pitching work goes before spring, our MS team could be a bit weaker than last year.
Our other main issue was still just hitting. There's such a delicate blend of happenings that keep a team's spirit and fire going. There were a few games against good teams where we managed to eke out a run or two in our first at-bat. That always gets the kids going, but when your 5-9 hitters can't do much, you end up right back in the funk. The routine plays start falling apart, the mental mistakes kick in, and you're right back into the mess. It's just so tough to watch this all go down when you know the kids are capable.
Hitting though...reps, reps, reps. Different looks. Tee work, etc. So much to do, and so little time to do it. If the 2023 team can't knock the tar out of the ball, it's gonna be another long season. I'm not actually gonna coach on the field next season, but I'll be around a lot for pitching work, and filling in on the field for a few games when needed. Regardless, we may push a little more for some of the parents to get the kids set up with hitting lessons.
Something has to give. We just can't get it done giving them 40 swings a week.