Advice for all the younger age groups: Stop playing so SLOW

[marriard]

Marriad, have you ever called a ball in a pitcher who was just taking too long to pitch, or the team took a long time to get on field? Or have you ever not allowed warm ups because team took too long?

After a couple of warnings, yes. It has to be really bad though. You have to have common sense with these things.

 

[Westwind]

This is such a good post.

Pin the original in softball coaching section.

 

[Westwind]

Coaches: when your players come in from defense, have them put their glove, visor, whatever on the bench. Line. Them. Up.

Rule #1: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Rule #2: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Rule #3: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Whoever the last hitter was, and any base runners, should take off their helmet and gloves and put them down, on the field, where ever they are. In a pile. Anywhere. A BENCH PLAYER or a coach, will come get it. Every time. No exceptions. That above mentioned bench player, or the player playing the position next to them, will bring their glove and visor out to them.

The defensive player should proceed immediately to their position and wait for glove/visor etc. They should not go to dugout door and wait for it or point to it and say ”that’s my glove”. They will figure out as long as you make them.

The first two weekends you enforce this, you will get 212 excuses why players are going back into the dugout and why it isn’t being done. Don't let that happen. This is one of the very few things I was a hardliner about. It will be rough at first. They will learn who’s stuff belongs to who and they will learn to pile it up to avoid the “extreme embarrassment“ of standing at their positions with no stuff.

There are approximately 9.2 million good reasons to do this. Just do it.

 

[_MIA_]

Coaches: when your players come in from defense, have them put their glove, visor, whatever on the bench. Line. Them. Up.

Rule #1: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Rule #2: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Rule #3: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Whoever the last hitter was, and any base runners, should take off their helmet and gloves and put them down, on the field, where ever they are. In a pile. Anywhere. A BENCH PLAYER or a coach, will come get it. Every time. No exceptions. That above mentioned bench player, or the player playing the position next to them, will bring their glove and visor out to them.

The first two weekends you enforce this, you will get 212 excuses why players are going back into the dugout and why it isn’t being done. Don't let that happen. This is one of the very few things I was a hardliner about.

There are approximately 9.2 million good reasons to do this. Just do it.

Coaches: when your players come in from defense, have them put their glove, visor, whatever on the bench. Line. Them. Up.

Rule #1: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Rule #2: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Rule #3: When your team is done batting, NO ONE BUT THE CATCHER IS ALLOWED BACK IN THE #*&$#*@&##& DUGOUT!

Whoever the last hitter was, and any base runners, should take off their helmet and gloves and put them down, on the field, where ever they are. In a pile. Anywhere. A BENCH PLAYER or a coach, will come get it. Every time. No exceptions. That above mentioned bench player, or the player playing the position next to them, will bring their glove and visor out to them.

The first two weekends you enforce this, you will get 212 excuses why players are going back into the dugout and why it isn’t being done. Don't let that happen. This is one of the very few things I was a hardliner about.

There are approximately 9.2 million good reasons to do this. Just do it.

I've mentioned doing this to my DD numerous times..just looks more professional (and saves time obviously..)

 

[_MIA_]

Pitchers: You don't have to take 5 warm-up pitches. They've always been told that's what they can take so they take all of them. When my DD was in a groove/the weather was hot/she had thrown a lot of pitches/knew she would have more innings later/etc., she would cut her warm-ups down, sometimes to just one for the throw-down. She did it on her own since she knew best how she was feeling. Maybe she would waste a little time in the circle if the defense wanted to get their warm-ups. Why waste perfectly good pitches?

The tournament we just played in down in TX (run by Cowart Sports Events) limited the warmup pitches to 3. They also told teams they needed to be ready to play 20 minutes before the scheduled start time. Worked out pretty well.

 

[Westwind]

I've mentioned doing this to my DD numerous times..just looks more professional (and saves time obviously..)

It sure does- true team building/problem solving exercise too.

This is one instance coaches have my personal permission to go all “R. Lee Ermi“ on players. That can actually be pretty fun. “WHY ARE YOU IN MY DUGOUT!!! YOU DON‘T NEED A DRINK OF WATER! GET OUT BEFORE I PUT COACH BOB OUT THERE AT SHORTSTOP INSTEAD OF YOU!”

Once it got rolling we had fun with it too. Mini races between coaches and players to get to the pile of stuff etc.

 

[Westwind]

@pattar I should have mentioned in my response above that the coaches really have to make enforcing this a project at first and continue to enforce it.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

The tournament we just played in down in TX (run by Cowart Sports Events) limited the warmup pitches to 3. They also told teams they needed to be ready to play 20 minutes before the scheduled start time. Worked out pretty well.

I umped a game two weeks ago, local 12u tournament, it was both teams' 3rd game of the day. After the 1st inning both pitchers were just taking a single warm up pitch. It was glorious. 90 minute (no new) time limit and got a complete game 6.5 innings in (it was also really well played / pitched).

 

[bmakj]

love the idea of batter and those on base not reentering dugout, have a sub or coaches give them gloves, facemask, visor, get their helmets and bats, batting gloves into pants pocket, and away we go....

but ...

it is then coaches responsibility to make certain at younger ages that they are all drinking as soon as they come in from fielding. if there are players talking, ask them why they are not drinking

and also, if catcher is one of first three batters that inning, they should take gear off outside dugout, sub or coach will pick it up, get in dugout, get drink, and get batting helmet and bat and get ready to go. if first batter, someone should bring their drink, bat and helmet to them.

but hydration is key and much more important than tempo.

 

[HighStrung]

I umped a game two weeks ago, local 12u tournament, it was both teams' 3rd game of the day. After the 1st inning both pitchers were just taking a single warm up pitch. It was glorious. 90 minute (no new) time limit and got a complete game 6.5 innings in (it was also really well played / pitched).

DD does this all the time, a single pitch after the first inning. She's already thrown, she knows how she's feeling, and no reason to give the first batter of each following inning any more chance to get her timing than needed.