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  1. Rick M

    How often does your DD go to lessons?

    DD went to pitching and hitting lessons weekly for years starting at 10U. Now that she’s 17, she’s cut back to every two or three weeks. After eight years, her mechanics are pretty solid and her muscle memory is pretty firmly set. Last year she started working with a personal strength trainer...
  2. Rick M

    Have any pitching coaches changed their teachings based on leaping being allowed?

    Here is a closeup of DD’s stride foot completely disappearing in the trench that develops in front of the rubber at most fields. If allowing leaping does anything to mitigate this, I’m all for it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  3. Rick M

    "Bullpen" Etiquette

    I’ve posted this story before: we played at a tournament at a multi-field complex that’s home to a large org that was hosting. A bunch of teams were taking turns in the batting cages when the owner came over and shooed everyone away, telling them that the cages were for the exclusive use of the...
  4. Rick M

    Cost per game?

    We usually play some early-season friendlies that get you three tournament-style games in one day. They run about $350 plus the $180 for pay at the plate. Would we pay the same for two regulation games? Probably, but then the matchups become important as well. If one game of three is a mismatch...
  5. Rick M

    10U Coach Giving Take Sign on 3-0 Count

    When I coached 10U Rec we had four signs: swing away, take, bunt, and steal. There was never any grand strategy at play, we just wanted hitters and base runners to get into the habit of getting a sign and executing it. A 3-0 count is likely the only time a kid would see the take sign, so show...
  6. Rick M

    14/16/18

    Our team is 16U but has played only 18U up to this point this season. This coming weekend we’ll be playing a 16U USSSA tournament after playing in 18U showcases the last two weeks. Why? Because the tournament we originally scheduled got canceled and we had to scramble to get some games in...
  7. Rick M

    Cost per game?

    Here in the NJ/Eastern PA region paying the umpires in cash before each game has become the standard in most tournaments (the big exception being showcases). It makes budgeting a little challenging as you have no idea how many games you’ll play on Sunday and the coach has to keep a pocketful of...
  8. Rick M

    Statement from USSSA on age cutoffs

    DD is the same with the December birthday. Looking back, the biggest mistake we made in TB was playing that last fall season in 8U when our team was still eligible. They romped over everyone and were ill-prepared to start 10U in the spring, especially since that was the start of kid pitch. Fall...
  9. Rick M

    Ways to improve as a coach?

    The practice plans, for sure. You don’t need to follow them to the letter, but they give you a great overview of setting goals and plenty of good drills for focusing on skill development. Gunner mentioned keeping a binder, I’ve printed out the drills that I think would most benefit the players...
  10. Rick M

    Hit and Run. How do you teach this?

    This is how I think of it, more of a green light to the hitter. Straight steal you’re taking (or wagging the bat in a faux bunt attempt if you’re one of those people). Run and hit you’re free to swing at a pitch you like, not being forced to take a strike. As others have said, I’ve seen many...
  11. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    That is pretty close to what he actually said, but the implication is clear when combined with the disparaging remarks made about her current team. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  12. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    In the immortal words of Lili von Shtupp: It’s Twooo! It’s Twooo!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  13. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    It’s been a week, DD has given it some thought, and your option #2 is pretty much where she’s settled. Thanks @Cannonball, your opinion was one I was most looking forward to. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  14. Rick M

    Infield fly rule

    Not sure why that benefits the defense? If it gets away, runners advance. If it goes foul, you lose the out. It does make me think we should emphasize to the infielders that they should never let an IFF roll foul. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them don’t know that negates the out. Sent...
  15. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    That’s fair, I was being harsh. There’s a short detour on another thread about the value of baseball guys calling pitches. I do think that the underlying strategies of setting batters up and keeping them off balance applies to both sports. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  16. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    Can confirm. Our varsity team is 18 players who play only softball, year round, on a variety of travel teams. There are eight incoming freshmen next year who are the same. Every move the HS coach makes ruffles feathers, it’s the main reason I didn’t make a fuss about this. Hard to understand why...
  17. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    All good points. DD gets plenty of reps on JV whether coach wants to use her on varsity or not. Even though the JV games are bad, the whole kinetic chain of pitching involves too many timing points to just throw with no intent. In other words, she’s making good pitches even when it’s 10-0...
  18. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    Somebody got it [emoji106] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  19. Rick M

    Pitchers parents

    I took it upon myself to create wristbands and call cards for DD’s TB team after tiring of watching HC breakdance on third after every pitch. His pitch calling was slightly less annoying. He thanked me for the work I did, but handed the call card back and said, “It’s great but my daughter has...
  20. Rick M

    A Pawn in Game of Life

    Sorry, that was my long-winded way of saying neither team is significantly better than the other. They play many of the same events. Which brings me back to the theme of the thread: this strikes me as little more than a vindictive move to punish a TB coach he doesn’t like and funnel a pitcher to...

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