You be the coach

[Momo'sDad]

First step to learning is paying attention. Just because they're 10 is no excuse for them to lose focus. If you want to teach them that the position they are playing is not important, then let them pick daisies and chase butterflies in RF, otherwise, pulling them from the game is teaching them to pay attention.

He said this was all stars. This is a chance to take the best rec ball players and teach them how to play at a higher level. If they are not serious about playing, give another player a chance.

Making errors while doing your best is one thing, having a ball roll past you while you are looking for a four leaf clover is another.

Thanks, Coach. You fully understand what I was saying and I agree with what you stated about teaching them that it's important to pay attention. I gave my regular rec team similar instruction. Girls who were more prone than others to spacing out were placed in the outfield for their own safety, not because they were great left-fielders. I don't think it's unreasonable to hold the all-stars to at least a similar standard of attentiveness.

Softballphreak, thanks so much for that suggestion. I don't know that we have any legitimate catching instructors among our group, but even if we can get a HS player to come teach the girls - and prospective coaches - the basics, that might go a long way towards improving our league by getting more players interested. Because of the popularity of basketball and indoor soccer, though, I know it'll be hard to get much participation during those months. As of right now, my plan is to run 2 all-around clinics for the league in January, but I'll seek to add emphasis on the catcher position.

 

[BB875]

First step to learning is paying attention. Just because they're 10 is no excuse for them to lose focus. If you want to teach them that the position they are playing is not important, then let them pick daisies and chase butterflies in RF, otherwise, pulling them from the game is teaching them to pay attention.

He said this was all stars. This is a chance to take the best rec ball players and teach them how to play at a higher level. If they are not serious about playing, give another player a chance.

Making errors while doing your best is one thing, having a ball roll past you while you are looking for a four leaf clover is another.

Should the kids of a 10 U rec all star team pay attention, yes. Do they all the time, heck no. If you let the kids "pick daisys" (as FPMark says) in practice, then don't expect them to do any different in a game. Also, I imagine the kid at RF and not SS for a reason. Furthermore, if the kid is standing there not paying attention on the previous 25 pitches and NOTHING is said to her, don't get mad at her when the one time during the game she actually gets some action. Too many people on this board want to blame the kids. Even at the 10U level!

So, if you guys want to encourage a coach to yank a 9 or 10 year old kid in the middle of an inning to make a point about not being prepared, then go ahead. Its not the kind of team I want my kids around...

 

[SnocatzDad]

I've heard umpires talk about times when a coach ejects themselves from a game. I'd argue that there are times when a kid benches themselves mid inning in a game. I have never in 6 years benced a kid mid inning for a physical or mental error. A small handful of times I've taken kids out mid inning when making an error (or even someone else making an error) has had such an effect on them that they essentially quit playing. First year of coaching we were in an elimination game at a state tournament and my two best infielders at SS and 3rd couldn't let a few mistakes made by others on the team go and were completely beat (crying in position, not moving on the pitch, showing no sign they were still in the game) and for the teams sake I called time subbed them out explained to them that they were out for quiting and that if their job now was to get on the fence of the dugout and help cheer their team on and pick them up. To their credit both kids flipped the switch and stopped crying and started cheering. We were down 6-1 and rallied to tie 7-7 before losing 8-7 in international rules.

Errors happen, Derek Jeter makes errors and no one pulls him from his spot immediately following an error so the argument that at high levels of competition pulling kids for making an error is normal doesn't hold water. Quiting on the team, showing by your body language that you are beat, making more errors because you can't let the first error go? That should get you to the pine.

 

[BrianMonk]

I’m surprised some can’t see what you’re trying to address in the post is an effort issue, not an error issue. Seems crystal clear if you ask me.

The two are completely different issues. Everyone can give effort, regardless of their ability to make (or not make) a play. The two are not one in the same.

Lack of effort is highly contagious. Giving great effort is also highly contagious.

Pulling a player in mid-inning is all about what previous expectations have been set. What have the coaches talked about previously with the team? What has happened and what discussions have taken place with this player in the past? It’s not something that I’ve done but I’ve come awfully close. If a player doesn’t want to put forth a decent effort, put in a player that does want to give a good effort. How that’s done…..depends on what previous expectations have been set.

BTW, I have seen a coach pitch player pulled mid-inning. I didn’t have a dog in the hunt but I agreed with it. For the second time in the same game, a big hitter cranks one out deep. Left fielder was in lala land. Didn’t have a clue the ball was even hit let along in her direction. How you can be that are out of it, I don’t know. She was pulled right then.

She’s on a 10U team right now. She’s not getting the playing time she wants. I’ve asked other parents on the team why? Their answer – she doesn’t give good effort and doesn’t know her assignments. Pulling her mid-inning in coach pitch really had no short-term or long-term effects on her. I think she was oblivious to that as well