Girls Softball All-Stars
- Thread starter ageecee
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A quick read of the topic got me thinking that this might be something that should be posted in the mojo forum. :mj07: Guess not.
I guess I'd need to know a little more about the situation to give any advice (not that I'd have any). My experience is coaching from about age 8 up through 15 or so, and mostly boys. Have worked with some girls in basketball, but they were in the 14 and up range.
I haven't really had much of an issue in my coaching, but I have always been pretty specific about what both the kids and parents should expect in the upcoming seasons, playing time, etc. If you get the rules and expectations out first, and stick to those, you pretty much have done what you can. I also know you'll never please all the players or parents all the time, so being able to be realistic and not "own" all the parental issues has to be a part of it.
I haven't really had much of an issue in my coaching, but I have always been pretty specific about what both the kids and parents should expect in the upcoming seasons, playing time, etc. If you get the rules and expectations out first, and stick to those, you pretty much have done what you can. I also know you'll never please all the players or parents all the time, so being able to be realistic and not "own" all the parental issues has to be a part of it.
- Nov 26, 2003
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I agree with chadman...need more info.
Age of players?
Competitiveness of program?
Is this a single game or a tourney? One and done? Pool play? Double elim?
Generally speaking, with younger kids where the emphasis should be more on developing them as players, I would lean toward equal or as close to equal playing time for them all.
Older kids, where the emphasis switches more toward winning games, I go with the Darwinism approach.
The previous is the "fairest" and should quell most parents. The latter is just how plain on competitive sports work and if they dont like it, tell them they need to continue to work with their kids in the offseason to improve their skills and maybe, hopefully next season they will be able to EARN more playing time.
Good luck mane
Age of players?
Competitiveness of program?
Is this a single game or a tourney? One and done? Pool play? Double elim?
Generally speaking, with younger kids where the emphasis should be more on developing them as players, I would lean toward equal or as close to equal playing time for them all.
Older kids, where the emphasis switches more toward winning games, I go with the Darwinism approach.
The previous is the "fairest" and should quell most parents. The latter is just how plain on competitive sports work and if they dont like it, tell them they need to continue to work with their kids in the offseason to improve their skills and maybe, hopefully next season they will be able to EARN more playing time.
Good luck mane
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7-8 yr old girls who have been slected to play All-Stars
we have 4 tournaments plus practices 4 times a week.
Parents are asking:
1-Why dont my kid get to play the infield?
2-Why arent you working on hitting?
3-My kid is bored in the outfield and i dont want her to get discouraged.
Typical questions from parents who dont understand All-Stars which is different from the regular season.
Maybe it's just me but 7-8 seems young to have such an intense all-star league. I am not sure I would handle it any different than the regular season. Keeping it fun is the most important thing. At that age. Yes, be competivie and reward winning but stress the team. Just my opinion.
I have been a girls softball coach for about 8 years, and have served on the softball league board for about 4 years. Our league is considered rec level, but we have some pretty good players and teams. One thing that I can tell you is, almost all of our problems are w/ the lower aged players and parents. Not sure excactly why, but the parents of the these young girls are far worse than the parents of the high school girls. (which is where I coach)
One thing I will tell you is, if you are practicing 4 nights a week and playing weekend tourneys, you will reach burn out factor very quickly w/ those age girls. Have seen it a bunch. They haven't reached the age to be dedicated and passionate about playing softball, plus their retention in the things you try and teach them is very liimited. As someone else stated, at that age, you should be workiing on fundamentals and developing them as players.
As far as what to tell the parents, let them know that they can coach the team next year and make the decisions, but beings you are the coach now, you are making them. They allowed their daughter to play for your team, so they should have known a little about you, I would think, and how you were going to run the team. If they don't like it, find another team. I would also think that if this was some sort all-star team, that the players would have been selected based on position, and that you wouldn't have picked 12 infielders, and expected some of them to play in the outfield. Your kind of in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation, and nothing you will do will please everybody. Just let em know whose boss.
Good Luck
One thing I will tell you is, if you are practicing 4 nights a week and playing weekend tourneys, you will reach burn out factor very quickly w/ those age girls. Have seen it a bunch. They haven't reached the age to be dedicated and passionate about playing softball, plus their retention in the things you try and teach them is very liimited. As someone else stated, at that age, you should be workiing on fundamentals and developing them as players.
As far as what to tell the parents, let them know that they can coach the team next year and make the decisions, but beings you are the coach now, you are making them. They allowed their daughter to play for your team, so they should have known a little about you, I would think, and how you were going to run the team. If they don't like it, find another team. I would also think that if this was some sort all-star team, that the players would have been selected based on position, and that you wouldn't have picked 12 infielders, and expected some of them to play in the outfield. Your kind of in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation, and nothing you will do will please everybody. Just let em know whose boss.
Good Luck
exactly
exactly
if they are so concerned with their daughter's progress, then next year the job is their's, plain and simple.
exactly
if they are so concerned with their daughter's progress, then next year the job is their's, plain and simple.
1-Correct this is a rec all-star team selected from the teams who particpated in the rec during the regular season. This is not a select team.
2-If i kept it just fun i would get 10-run ruled every game and how fun that would be. That would be only 3 innings also.
3-I have 13 players on the team and 11 played infield during the regular season. Thats where your better players are in the infield. So now i have to take some infielders and play them in the outfeild which led to a few grumblings. In the regular season i did move the girls all around-infield, outfield. But once you get to All-Stars i think it gets more serious and its more of a win attitude.
4-Also our team is not that good so its led to parents questioning our every move.
Crunch you are correct when you say most problems come from lower aged kids and parents. That is so true.
So far ive been patient but my patience is wearing thin. I wont say anything to the parents because i want to keep my compusure. These kids will be jumping up to the next level next year so i will see them and there parents again next year.
- Mar 19, 2006
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coached for many years at the youth level..
from 8-16
boys and girls..
buckets and bases..
3 rules ...
Rule #1 I am the coach..every decision is made by me..When and if "you"[parents-grandma-uncles-aunt} become coach you get to set Rule #1
Rule #2...See rule #1
Rule #3...questions concerning postioning and playing time..See Rule #1
See ya at the game...Cheer us on..The kids will play hard and have fun..
from 8-16
boys and girls..
buckets and bases..
3 rules ...
Rule #1 I am the coach..every decision is made by me..When and if "you"[parents-grandma-uncles-aunt} become coach you get to set Rule #1
Rule #2...See rule #1
Rule #3...questions concerning postioning and playing time..See Rule #1
See ya at the game...Cheer us on..The kids will play hard and have fun..
My best advice is always make sure as many as possible get to bat. Don't worry about getting them into the field as much. Every kid in a uniform is asked, "Did you win?" "Did you get any hits?" first. If you put one in the field in the late innings just to play them and they cost you the game, everyone, including their own parents, will HATE you.
at this age you put the crap players in the outfield because most of the balls put in play are in the infield, so i would think that all of the players would be infielders during the regular season
Tell them it's okay and that their daughters have a 70% chance of being a muff diver when they get older
This is slow pitch softball for 7-8 yr olds. These girls routinely hit it in the outfield so you need a decent outfield. The better teams will hit line drives in the outfield. When you get to the regional tourneys they have some damn good teams so outfiled play is crucial.
You can bet that next time i will let them know this. That might of been my mistake this time not telling them that.
If I may offer some input here - you don't need to explain anything to the parents. Instead, you should help the girls understand why it is you are making the choices that you are.
The first thing that I teach my girls is that we are stronger when we are positioned (batting or fielding) to play off of each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Second, I teach my outfield that they are an extremely important cog in the system - especially right field. You can't discount a right fielder who backs up EVERY throw to first and can even make the occasional out at first base on what should have been a single. Sounds, crazy, but it happens on my girls' team all the time. Outfield has to back up every throw from the catcher and be ready to relay into home if needed.
Third, I guess my question is for you - if you are practicing 4 times a week, why aren't you working on hitting. I'd be hitting at least one of those nights. At the very least, I'd be working on some soft toss and drop toss to get their hands quicker. Drop toss is pretty tough for the girls to grasp at first, but they'll be glad you taught it to them once their bat speeds improve drastically.
Just some thoughts...
The first thing that I teach my girls is that we are stronger when we are positioned (batting or fielding) to play off of each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Second, I teach my outfield that they are an extremely important cog in the system - especially right field. You can't discount a right fielder who backs up EVERY throw to first and can even make the occasional out at first base on what should have been a single. Sounds, crazy, but it happens on my girls' team all the time. Outfield has to back up every throw from the catcher and be ready to relay into home if needed.
Third, I guess my question is for you - if you are practicing 4 times a week, why aren't you working on hitting. I'd be hitting at least one of those nights. At the very least, I'd be working on some soft toss and drop toss to get their hands quicker. Drop toss is pretty tough for the girls to grasp at first, but they'll be glad you taught it to them once their bat speeds improve drastically.
Just some thoughts...
