What you wish you knew then....

[ignition]

Ill be moving up to coach a 12u team next year, but thought it would make for a good thread for all ages. What did you wish you knew before the season started in your transition years.

Starting at 10u....

- Make each kid commit to learning either the pitching motion or catchers position enough to be put in a game.

- Steal, steal, steal.

- Scrimmage a team that won a tournament before starting off season practice!

 

[Pitching Dad]

Delayed stealing, base running fundamentals
Everyone knows how to bunt,
Be a vocal team, I want the loudest, most encouraging group I can get.
Lots of practice on fly balls!

 

[James Smith]

I wish I knew what parents feed their kids.

Last game DD was playing 3rd and the runner on base dwarf her, it was kind of funny until the next player on her base was even bigger. Not an extra ounce on them, big athletic kids.

Our rules changed a little bit at 12U, D3k, stealing home and some other things. At lot of work needs to be put into it, more then I thought.


And until they prove they can throw you out steal, steal, steal. Especially with the dropped 3rd strike.


Edit: 12Us can hit the ball, tracking down fly balls is a great suggestion by pitching dad.

 

[softballphreak]

Delayed steals certainly do happen at later ages.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Not sure my 12U experience was typical, but I saw some 'natural' 10U pitchers hit a wall and get passed by those hard-working pitchers taking good weekly individual instruction. There are more catchers who work on their craft (framing, blocking, throwing), and they provided an edge over those n 10U who simply had a good arm and good hands. ...

First-year 12U for us seemed to be a turning point where our team found out who was in travel ball for the long haul and who wasn't. Those who weren't as dedicated didn't necessarily fade right then and there, but looking back two years later, it was a turning point.

 

[ignition]

Delayed steals can be very unsportsmanlike....

Since I'm still pretty green as a coach, in what way are delayed steals unsportsmanlike?

 

[Easton33]

Delayed steals can be very unsportsmanlike, again that will not happen at later ages. I don't think knowing to do that adds any value to this conversation. Now preventing them is important.

If you are learning to prevent them, then surely they happen. It is not unsportsman like. If your pitcher turns her back or walks to circle with head down while catcher is playing with gear, my runner is going home.

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

My high school team uses the delay steal as part of our aggressive base running strategy. It does bother some teams but it's part of the game, like the squeeze play or the push bunt. We usually steal off the catcher trying to pick us off at 1st base or sometimes at 2nd because they are so mad they missed us at 1st they try to pick us off at 2nd. Most of the teams we play have rosters full of travel ball players. Were not picking on some low skilled teams. This is what we do, better than them, to help level the playing field. We use it at the right time, if we are the stronger team we will not do it. I want my team to learn how to play with respect. On the flip side it also prepares us for the teams that try and delay steal on us. The choice to do it or not is yours. What I think is wrong is hitting the batter on purpose.

 

[Pitching Dad]

Delayed stealing is absolutely NOT unsportsmanlike!! That is ridiculous, it is part of the game. Just like me picking someone's steal or change up signs. If it's unsportsmanlike then you definitely don't want to play my bunch and you don't want to try it on us either

 

[sluggers]

PD, the trouble is that delayed steals work against bad teams. If a team can't stop delayed steals, then you should be able to beat them with your 3rd string pitcher. The trick is not beating bad teams. The trick is beating the good teams. Spending more than 10 minutes on teaching kids delayed steals is a waste of time.

When I was younger, I agreed with you about stealing signs. That ended when I caught the other team stealing signs, and asked the coach to stop. He laughed. So, I switched the signs that inning, gave my hitter the bunt sign, which now meant "mandatory swing". 3B crashed and almost got her head taken off. (Honestly, it took 10 seconds to change the signs.)

So, I guess in your world it would be OK if the ball would have hit the 3B in the face or perhaps broken a rib or two. In my world now, I realize that I endangered a child for no good reason.