The worst team I've ever had - what to do?
- Thread starter obbay
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quit spending hours (preparing for practices and games) if they don't care. Start everyone at a position and rotate them (clockwise as in batting practice rotation) each inning. Assign positions based on when they walk in the dugout. If their only purpose is for social contact, why bother teaching them the game? At this point they don't care and you're unlikely to change that. Five yourself some free time and volunteer with 6-8 year olds.
That's quite a range of opinions you're getting here. 
I always tell my DD that practice makes permanent. A good focused practice will tell you who is engaged and can be counted on to step up as a leader. Practice where she is goofing off or not paying attention to her coach is a waste of everyone's time. And I don't like wasting time.
I say the exact same thing...followed with "if you practice sloppy, you'll play sloppy". I love it when I hear her repeat it to others.
t0+LE ge+ wut U me@n
obbay
Banned
Thanks for all the input!
Part of the reason i do all the d@mn preparation is to make the game go smoother. I have kids who can do 1 thing right and I have to first find out what that 1 thing is, then I have to "build a watch" in the field that maximizes strengths and hides weak spots. This changes every game because everyone has different schedules so the combination always changes. fortunately they've been pretty good about telling me ahead of time when they can't make it.
I'm all for team building, but I don't think that's going to do it- the team seems to get along extremely well. doesn't appear clique-y and though they don't talk so much in the field and get distracted while sitting (5 at a time) on the bench, they do support each other.
They have no fire in the belly - I think I will ask them if they want to play.
Part of the reason i do all the d@mn preparation is to make the game go smoother
. I have kids who can do 1 thing right and I have to first find out what that 1 thing is, then I have to "build a watch" in the field that maximizes strengths and hides weak spots. This changes every game because everyone has different schedules so the combination always changes. fortunately they've been pretty good about telling me ahead of time when they can't make it. I'm all for team building, but I don't think that's going to do it- the team seems to get along extremely well. doesn't appear clique-y and though they don't talk so much in the field and get distracted while sitting (5 at a time) on the bench, they do support each other.
They have no fire in the belly - I think I will ask them if they want to play.
- Jun 24, 2013
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I had a rec team like that, but we turned it around. We practiced on sliding a lot. We made it fun. We called it "Dirty Time". I would prefill their heads before every game with something I wanted them to take away. Here are some of the pre-game stuff I would tell them:
"We are the best sliding team in this league." And almost all of the girls would slide (there was always that one, but even she got down on occasion).
"We are the best base-running team in this league. No one runs the bases better than we do." And we would perform well in that regard.
"We are going to hit the ball like nobody's business today. (turning to look at our "worst" hitter) And when you hit that ball I want you to run like the wind, cuz after all, we are the best base running team in the league."
We worked on getting one skill down and then praising that skill when done in games. Each game was an exam. It showed us what we needed to work on for the next practice. Too many outs cuz the girls didn't slide, We worked on sliding a lot the next practice. Too many dropped fly balls, yup, they got plenty of fly ball practice next time.
It sounds like you have many problems and both you and the girls know it. Trying to fix all of them at each practice will wear all of you out. Getting the girls to own each problem and develop the skill (which develops their confidence) will be key. Performing work on one skill problem area at a time will cause dramatic improvements. You might not have enough time to save this season for this team, but you may be able to light the fire under the girls for next season and beyond. If you save one girl and get her to come back next year with love and passion for the game, you have won. Once you improve their ability at one skill, you can then reinforce it with the "pep" talk that tells them that you are confident in their ability to do that task. I used sliding as an example because as the girls get older they become more reluctant to slide (well except for the fiery, you ain't gonna stop me types).
So take a deep breath and pick one or two areas to work on. Make it fun and stress free. Then focus on that in the next game.
P.S. 16 is way too many for one team. That is the other big issue I see.
"We are the best sliding team in this league." And almost all of the girls would slide (there was always that one, but even she got down on occasion).
"We are the best base-running team in this league. No one runs the bases better than we do." And we would perform well in that regard.
"We are going to hit the ball like nobody's business today. (turning to look at our "worst" hitter) And when you hit that ball I want you to run like the wind, cuz after all, we are the best base running team in the league."
We worked on getting one skill down and then praising that skill when done in games. Each game was an exam. It showed us what we needed to work on for the next practice. Too many outs cuz the girls didn't slide, We worked on sliding a lot the next practice. Too many dropped fly balls, yup, they got plenty of fly ball practice next time.
It sounds like you have many problems and both you and the girls know it. Trying to fix all of them at each practice will wear all of you out. Getting the girls to own each problem and develop the skill (which develops their confidence) will be key. Performing work on one skill problem area at a time will cause dramatic improvements. You might not have enough time to save this season for this team, but you may be able to light the fire under the girls for next season and beyond. If you save one girl and get her to come back next year with love and passion for the game, you have won. Once you improve their ability at one skill, you can then reinforce it with the "pep" talk that tells them that you are confident in their ability to do that task. I used sliding as an example because as the girls get older they become more reluctant to slide (well except for the fiery, you ain't gonna stop me types).
So take a deep breath and pick one or two areas to work on. Make it fun and stress free. Then focus on that in the next game.
P.S. 16 is way too many for one team. That is the other big issue I see.
