I'll get to the point. My DD's 16UB team stinks. Nice girls, but they are not good. DD's pitching okay -- so is the other pitcher -- but we're averaging 4 errors a game and aside from DD and two others, no one can hit -- team BA is .266 and OBP is only .320. We aren't even taking walks. We're 2-13-1 for the season and are averaging about two runs scored and 10 given up a game.
So we're starting to lose everyone. parents are grumbling, coaches are getting upset, girls are checking out. We spent the entire off season in the cages hitting off machines and getting in what work we could but it hasn't been enough so far. And more than anything else, it's not fun for anyone. They aren't playing with energy -- as soon as something goes wrong, they expect to lose and then it snowballs.
So I talked with the HC yesterday about what we could do to at least start giving the girls some fun, and maybe get better. I've done some team building over my real life, and I want to see if y'all thought it might help out. We're going to try setting different goals for games and for each player -- stuff they can feel good about even if they have a mistake or we lose. So instead of taking to 3B about no errors, have her shoot for three clean plays or three good throws a game. DD's would be to not walk a lead-off. She can give up a home run, but not walk a lead off. OFs can't count on the ball getting hit to them, but they can crash grounders. or be the first person to their spot to start the inning. Stuff like that.
As a team, then, then goal might be to score 4. Or to win or tie an inning every game. Little stuff so they can feel like they accomplished what they set out to do for the game even if they lost, because I think if they start putting together little success the bigger ones will follow. We're going to start giving out helmet stickers for plays and making their goals. Anything to get them feeling better about themselves, and remind them they can do things on the field.
But as I've thought about it, I'm getting worried. These aren't 12-year-olds. Almost all of them drive cars, are looking at colleges, are turning into women. Some are sleeping with each other. Will this stuff I'm talking about come off as too patronizing or too infantile? DD thinks we'll have buy in, but I'm sure we'll have a few that will roll their eyes and that's enough to throw off the entire team.
So that's what we're thinking now. Does anyone have suggestions/feedback or ideas hat might help? It's going to be a long season if things don't get better, or a real short one because more than a few parents are starting to talk about pulling the plug. It's a lot to do if no one is having fun. I'd hate for that to happen because there aren't many years left -- this could be DD's last one -- but that would be less bad than watching them fail four times a weekend.
So we're starting to lose everyone. parents are grumbling, coaches are getting upset, girls are checking out. We spent the entire off season in the cages hitting off machines and getting in what work we could but it hasn't been enough so far. And more than anything else, it's not fun for anyone. They aren't playing with energy -- as soon as something goes wrong, they expect to lose and then it snowballs.
So I talked with the HC yesterday about what we could do to at least start giving the girls some fun, and maybe get better. I've done some team building over my real life, and I want to see if y'all thought it might help out. We're going to try setting different goals for games and for each player -- stuff they can feel good about even if they have a mistake or we lose. So instead of taking to 3B about no errors, have her shoot for three clean plays or three good throws a game. DD's would be to not walk a lead-off. She can give up a home run, but not walk a lead off. OFs can't count on the ball getting hit to them, but they can crash grounders. or be the first person to their spot to start the inning. Stuff like that.
As a team, then, then goal might be to score 4. Or to win or tie an inning every game. Little stuff so they can feel like they accomplished what they set out to do for the game even if they lost, because I think if they start putting together little success the bigger ones will follow. We're going to start giving out helmet stickers for plays and making their goals. Anything to get them feeling better about themselves, and remind them they can do things on the field.
But as I've thought about it, I'm getting worried. These aren't 12-year-olds. Almost all of them drive cars, are looking at colleges, are turning into women. Some are sleeping with each other. Will this stuff I'm talking about come off as too patronizing or too infantile? DD thinks we'll have buy in, but I'm sure we'll have a few that will roll their eyes and that's enough to throw off the entire team.
So that's what we're thinking now. Does anyone have suggestions/feedback or ideas hat might help? It's going to be a long season if things don't get better, or a real short one because more than a few parents are starting to talk about pulling the plug. It's a lot to do if no one is having fun. I'd hate for that to happen because there aren't many years left -- this could be DD's last one -- but that would be less bad than watching them fail four times a weekend.