Trickery has no place on the field??

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

Wow, you were going fine until this came up. Making loud verbal sounds to throw players off is poor sportsmanship. It is cautioned against and not done at the higher levels. Do it if you wish, maybe there is nothing against it, but eventually you will be called out and someone will call you a poor sport.

If that doesn't bother you fine, but it is a long journey. How about gentle heckling from the stands. Calling out pitches from the outfield fences. Delaying games extensively for time limits, I could go on and on.

Better to play the game in the manner it was intended. Beat folks the right way. Let your game do the talking, little else. Much better in the long run and teaches young ladies the correct lesson.

The pro's are playing for different reasons. Their livelihood is at stack. Not true in travel softball.

Don't forget the reaction to A Fraud when he tried that in Toronto. Bottom line to me is if it's a play where you would get drilled in the ribs in your next at bat in a major league game, don't do it. Softball doesn't play by that code and I'm fine with that, but I still honor it.

 

[John T]

SCDad,

A bit of clarification.

My journey is over, done coaching and while I miss working with kids I do not miss dealing with parents.

I should have been more specific in my post. What I meant to say was the shortstop waves his/her arms to "Call for the ball". Nothing verbal.

I was not the type of coach that would do something like this but the teams I coached were ready for it and I recognised it was part of the game. If we were caught off guard I used it as a life lesson and was not upset at the other coach or my players.

Lastly, I am not on this forum seeking your approval. I was only giving my opinion which is what the OP asked for.

 

[SCDad]

SCDad,

A bit of clarification.

My journey is over, done coaching and while I miss working with kids I do not miss dealing with parents.

I should have been more specific in my post. What I meant to say was the shortstop waves his/her arms to "Call for the ball". Nothing verbal.

I was not the type of coach that would do something like this but the teams I coached were ready for it and I recognised it was part of the game. If we were caught off guard I used it as a life lesson and was not upset at the other coach or my players.

Lastly, I am not on this forum seeking your approval. I was only giving my opinion which is what the OP asked for.

It is all good. I have trouble with tone at times, and occasionally react too forcefully to the written word when I do not read it in the manner and tone the writer intended.

I am as guilty as anyone. Though I sometimes like to present controversial topics, many times I get it completely wrong and have been caught on occasion deleting past posts because I was ashamed of what was written, after reading it a second time.

I try to be polite, and respectful. But also have been known to use inflammatory adjectives.

The things seen at the younger ages 10U, 12U, seem to disappear as the game gets played by older players. Such as the trickery described. Only to have some of it resurface, for example recently, in an international game between the US and Japan, and there seemed to be a big fuss over the language/timing/words some of the Japanese players were using and were understood by US players/coaches who knew the language.

As the stakes get elevated, many tricks sometimes resurface.

 

[Umpire]

It isn't a look back rule (aka circle rule) violation anyway. For purposes of this rule, a play is defined as anything, in the umpire's judgment, that causes the runners to react. Seems like if the runner left the base, it would have been as a result of this form of "play."

 

[John T]

SCDad,

I have the same problem...we are good. Thanks for explaining, some on here would not take the time to explain and would have fired back at me

I have seen the same, younger teams do it more, but as a fan of the games (Baseball and softball) I enjoy seeing a hidden ball trick once in a while.

 

[MTR]

It isn't a look back rule (aka circle rule) violation anyway. For purposes of this rule, a play is defined as anything, in the umpire's judgment, that causes the runners to react. Seems like if the runner left the base, it would have been as a result of this form of "play."

But the rule (speaking ASA) requires a "play" on any runner. A play is defined as an attempt by a defensive player to retire an offensive player. Well, if the pitcher is in possession of the ball, that would have to be the player making the play. If the pitcher isn't making a play, it could be argued that the LBR is still in effect.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Wow, you were going fine until this came up. Making loud verbal sounds to throw players off is poor sportsmanship. It is cautioned against and not done at the higher levels. Do it if you wish, maybe there is nothing against it, but eventually you will be called out and someone will call you a poor sport.

Bill Conroy of the Bandits used to have a play he pulled when he was coaching the younger Bandits teams years ago. If he had bases loaded he would have the girl on 1st base take off like she was stealing. Then he would be screaming her name to get back trying to draw a throw from the catcher. She would "slip" and fall down. If the catcher threw the ball the girl on third headed home. After he did it a couple of times the local teams all knew the ruse. It worked on out-of-town teams.

 

[mad hornet]

Four years ago I was coaching a 10u team and our third basemen was really excited one day when I put her in center field. So she's out there runner on first and a base hit up the middle. She fields it cleanly but pretends it got by her and starts to run for the fence. The baserunner from first turns at second and goes for three. I kid you not this girl actually grinned and gunned her down like Wyatt Earp. Us coaches had nothing to do with it but to this day it's something I'll never forget.

 

[Eric F]

Four years ago I was coaching a 10u team and our third basemen was really excited one day when I put her in center field. So she's out there runner on first and a base hit up the middle. She fields it cleanly but pretends it got by her and starts to run for the fence. The baserunner from first turns at second and goes for three. I kid you not this girl actually grinned and gunned her down like Wyatt Earp. Us coaches had nothing to do with it but to this day it's something I'll never forget.

I call BS. I have yet to meet a 10U infielder who was excited to play outfield.


(Kidding...about the first part, not the second).

 

[Sweet Lou]

I have yet to meet a 10U infielder who was excited to play outfield.

I've met a few but they are generally the exception rather than the rule.