What age should players start specialising

[trying_2_coach]

Hi,

I'm coaching an under 10 team this year. This is the second year the majority of the team have been together and last year every player got to play every position at least once. This year I'm thinking of having the players semi-specialise in fielding positions. My plan is giving them 1 position in the following groups...

Outfield
3rd, 2nd or SS
1st, Pitcher, Catcher

So for example a player would only play centrefield, ss and catcher throughout the season. What do you guys reckon, is it too early to have players specialise like this?

 

[Atlantabell]

This is too early. For one thing, at this point we want kids to enjoy playing and the more they get to try other positions, the more they are challenged, the more they will like it. One of the problems with baseball and softball is that players get pigeon holed into positions and they end up hating it. Also, this in entirely too young to determine what a player might be good at. I still have 15 year old kids who are growing and changing in their skills and abilities. We still have kids work different positions in practice, at least for part of the time! Most of them have an idea where they should play, but we want them to be versatile as well.

My advice to you is to move the kids around. Teach them the fundamentals of many different positions. Let them enjoy learning new things. Develop good all around players. Leave the specialization till much later in their careers. ( Besides, ask college players how many of them are playing the same position in college ball that they played in travel ball. You'd be amazed at how many are playing something different.) Help these kids be versatile and teach them to love the game.

 

[chinamigarden]

The way you describe it is the way I would do it. I don't see it as specializing, since you are giving them more then one position, but if you have a corner outfielder its better to give them game time in the infield on the same side of the field. LF plays third, RF plays first center plays ss or second... It gives the kids the advantage of recognizing the spin and ball movement from one position and it carries over to the other.

To me when you say specializing I picture a kid who never plays or practices anything other then one spot, for example she only takes outfield practice and she only plays RF. To me there is never a good age for that sort of specializing, until the college coach says this is what I am doing with you.

 

[Bucketrider]

Utility players are worth their weight in gold. There are some players who feel more comfortable in one position than another. Granted I wouldn't put a pitcher behind the plate, but other than that do not pigeon hole them. From what I have read on this forum, if you have a player who only played 1B, and the college needs an OF, she may not be chosen.

 

[chinamigarden]

Utility players are worth their weight in gold. There are some players who feel more comfortable in one position than another. Granted I wouldn't put a pitcher behind the plate, but other than that do not pigeon hole them. From what I have read on this forum, if you have a player who only played 1B, and the college needs an OF, she may not be chosen.

At 10u you wouldn't put a pitcher behind the plate? Why not? At that age you see it quite a bit

 

[guero_gordo]

I agree about not specializing, but IMLE catchers should start putting in at least 20-30m a week at their own specific skills.

 

[Diamond Junkie]

At least my area in NEPA we have a problem with coaches specializing players at a young age in the name of winning. Many of our area youth coaches slot a player into a certain position and thats all they play. At a young age I think its extremely important for all players to learn as many positioins as possible. If you move them around and teach them the various responsibilities that go with different positions I feel they gain better understanding of the game as a whole. This problem plagued me this past spring when I was asked to coach the area JH team. Many of the players only played one position prior to the season. With only three players on the team that play travel and have had the extra training, I was forced to teach many of them skills they should have been taught their youth teams. To all of the players credit, they worked very hard and after taking out lumps during the first half of the season we competed well and won most of our second half games. Youth coaches need to remember that they are there to teach the game, not just try to win. I feel winning is by product of good teaching, at least at the youth level (10u and 12u). Just my 2 cents on the matter.

 

[trying_2_coach]

Youth coaches need to remember that they are there to teach the game, not just try to win. I feel winning is by product of good teaching, at least at the youth level (10u and 12u). Just my 2 cents on the matter.

I completely agree, and that's my goal as well. As I mentioned this is the second team the team has been together and last year everyone had an opportunity to play in every position, and although I worded the title of the thread poorly, my intention wasn't to limit players to one position all season. It's more about developing three or four positions that they can play really well while also developing their all round game, so every kid is going to learn to catch a fly ball, to throw from the outfield, to catch a pop up and tag or throw a runner out for example.

Tbh I'm not expecting to win a lot of games this season as it is our first season in this grade (which is also our first season against a pitcher) and we will be playing more experienced teams, but if I could give a player a buzz because she made a double play from shortstop because she knew with out really thinking to tag up at second and then throw the runner out at first then that would be a good thing.


But by the sound of things it might not be a good idea just yet.

 

[quincy]

It's more about developing three or four positions that they can play really well while also developing their all round game, so every kid is going to learn to catch a fly ball, to throw from the outfield, to catch a pop up and tag or throw a runner out for example.

Where are you located and can my DD signup?

 

[Greenmonsters]

The way I think of it at the younger levels is that you have four positions: IF, OF, P, and C. Every player should play at least two positions and try to learn how to field groundballs, catch fly balls, and begin developing an understanding of situational play i.e., force plays, tag plays, etc. P and C are positions that require "specialized" skills that don't translate directly from the other 2 positions. Specialized skills at that age mean that the P has to be able to throw the ball underhanded (accuracy and speed are just bonuses) and that the C has to be willing to wear heavy, sweaty, and dirty equipment and block and chase errant pitches without fear or complaints while you find out who your pitchers are.