GRIT~ be Willing to get hit by the ball.

[radness]

WHAT ?!
Yes...i wrote that!
Be Willing to get hit by the ball!
And i'm talking about the entire team!
Its bound to happen.
Its not a pretty topic

At bat, may be encouraged to take one for the team
Gets you on first base.
( Current rules say batter can just stand there. Which i still think batters should have to make an attempt to get out of the way. )


*Really i'm talking about be
Willing to get hit by the ball defensively!

Getting our body behind the ball is the correct thing to do.
Unfortunetly bad bounces, and miss played moments happen, we can get plugged.
Ouch!
When this happens we need to learn to stay with it and keep trying to finish the play!

Can recall playing 3rd and the batter crushing a bouncing grounder my way. Wicked hop the ball smacked me in the upper chest near shoulder left side.
Big THUNK noise !!!
Kept my athletic posture.
Ball bounced in front.
Stayed on it.
Threw the batter out.
After the game a sports journalist asked me about it.
"What were you thinking when the ball hit you?"
I was still in my game mindset answering.
Replied "Get the out!"
They asked did it rattle you?
Replied "It rattled them!"
They asked
" What do you think now the game is over?"
Replied
"The bruise will go away,
The out will last forever!"

It may not be everyones shared opinion that getting hit by the ball is something that takes Willingness, it is to me because befor stepping out on the field there is the possibilty it can happen!
Regardless of knowing this,
Step out on the field bringing 100% !

GRIT is part of softball !

 

[ANNASDAD]

Definitely part of the game! I know you're mainly talking about defensively, but at the plate my DD is an absolute ball magnet, in our circles I've never seen a girl get hit more than her! She's small and I've seen her get drilled but you'll never know how bad it hurt her!

Hey........I need base runners, don't care how you get here! (my mantra while coaching 1B)

 

[Eric F]

Definitely part of the game! I know you're mainly talking about defensively, but at the plate my DD is an absolute ball magnet, in our circles I've never seen a girl get hit more than her! She's small and I've seen her get drilled but you'll never know how bad it hurt her!

Hey........I need base runners, don't care how you get here! (my mantra while coaching 1B)

My kid is one of those, too. She's been the HBP leader of almost every team she's been on. Her current stats have her at 7 (out of 57 PA), with second place at 3.

As for using her body on defense...well...she's a catcher. Goes with the territory.

 

[texasheat]

My kid is a pitcher and I've instructed her to avoid a HBP like the plague! Lol....

 

[radness]

My kid is a pitcher and I've instructed her to avoid a HBP like the plague! Lol....

Pitcher sure can work both ways!

Know a guy who wont eat shark.
Says if he doesn't eat them, maybe they wont eat him.

 

[canyonjoe]

I would never tell a kid to let a pitch hit her. Sometimes you get hit and that's part of the game and to be honest most times you really can't do much about it. Now on defense that's where grit takes over. You have to be tough to stand in there when you instincts tell you not to.

 

[texasheat]

As a pitcher's dad, I will say that nothing irks me more than a batter that has enough grit to stay put on an inside pitch and take one for the team. Hate giving up free bases like that. Much respect to those girls.

Now if they wear one of those elbow protectors and get hit there, all bets are off. That's cheatin' if you ask a pitcher's dad! lol. Either take it for the team the old school way or get out of the way. Don't suit up like a hockey goalie and start taking HBP's and think you're all that.

 

[SESwildfire]

id rather have my hitters hit the ball
Hate to say this but it depends on the batter, the velocity of the pitch and what association we are playing. #1 if a girl is throwing smoke I dont want any player taking one. IF she isnt throwing hard and a weak bat gets hit good for us. Nothing aggravates me more than watching a big stick watching a ball arc into them and taking the free base.

the reason I add association last year in a a USA tourney the UIC was telling all girls that didnt make an attempt to move and got hit that it was not a free base and a ball only. This was the game preceding our game and we have never seen a call like it before nor can I find it in any book. (maybe someone can help me out on that one)

 

[Quigs10]

As coaches ask yourself, Do you TEACH how to get hit by the ball if the player can't avoid it? Long time ago in baseball I had ONE coach actually spend time now and then and do drill on HOW to turn AWAY from the ball and get hit in the back or butt on a ball that just can't be avoided. No other coach ever actually taught it. They just all assumed we would know or figure it out. Eventually, yes...but think of all the young players getting hit in hands or face or gut.

I made it a point to teach how to control their body and react safely to a ball coming right at them. How many times have you seen a young player turn and face the ball coming at them and put their hand up to "STOP" the ball flying towards them? They ALL do it at young age. It's instinct to put the hand up and block it. But, as we know that's what you do NOT want to do.

So, I use tennis balls or soft sponge balls and we have a station now and then during cage time and we teach the girls how to turn away and curl to avoid being hit or at least how to absorb the hit if unavoidable, so that movement becomes instant and not to get hurt by facing the ball and getting hit in gut, hand or facemask.

All coaches need to teach the younger players how to react for their safety. It's amazing how many don't teach it.

 

[Eric F]

id rather have my hitters hit the ball
Hate to say this but it depends on the batter, the velocity of the pitch and what association we are playing. #1 if a girl is throwing smoke I dont want any player taking one. IF she isnt throwing hard and a weak bat gets hit good for us. Nothing aggravates me more than watching a big stick watching a ball arc into them and taking the free base.

the reason I add association last year in a a USA tourney the UIC was telling all girls that didnt make an attempt to move and got hit that it was not a free base and a ball only. This was the game preceding our game and we have never seen a call like it before nor can I find it in any book. (maybe someone can help me out on that one)

I believe USA (maybe HS, too) requires the batter to make an effort to avoid. Not all alphabets are the same on this issue.