I love playing teams with this motto. Whether the pitcher is "real" or not, if your kids routinely chase bad pitches, you're doomed.
HELP!!!! 10U Infield positioning and Batting Lineup
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I love playing teams with this motto. Whether the pitcher is "real" or not, if your kids routinely chase bad pitches, you're doomed.
My 9yo DD is a lefty and can play anywhere we need her. realistically she is not playing the left side of the infield as she gets older, but in 10U who cares. Toughest position for a lefty is second base though. Not saying they can't play there just realize it takes a long time for them to get rid of the ball on a throw to first. Playing infield will only help her outfield play....
Trust me... I'm not all about winning. I am doing my best to teach all of them to play multiple positions. We only have 2 teams in 10U in our league. My huge concern is NOT allowing them to get run-ruled every inning. Nothing beats down a team like losing every game.
We do work on a lot of drills and techniques, but I am also trying to teach them the rules of the game and how/when plays are made. Our first tournament is this weekend. I'm NOT looking for championship trophies. I AM looking for them to have pride in the way they play.
We do work on a lot of drills and techniques, but I am also trying to teach them the rules of the game and how/when plays are made. Our first tournament is this weekend. I'm NOT looking for championship trophies. I AM looking for them to have pride in the way they play.
Agree with all that 1B is a huge position at 10U. If you actually get the grounder and make a throw you need it to be an out. My DD is lefty and played 1B, but now plays OF and C along with 1B. She is actually pretty good at 2nd and 3rd but doesn't play there any longer. You don't say if you have a decent Catcher, but that's another place you need someone who can prevent easy runs from scoring on passed balls.
A couple of years ago in 12U we got killed by a lefty SS. She took 3 or 4 up the middle hits and make them outs at second.
A couple of years ago in 12U we got killed by a lefty SS. She took 3 or 4 up the middle hits and make them outs at second.
I think the formula for winning at 10U is pretty easy. Don’t walk everyone and only allow the other Team 1 free base when your Team makes an error.
I have an inexperienced, but decent catcher. She is taking lessons and does take direction well. We are working with her on making the plays.
I can understand coaches who want their batters to swing on the marginal pitches. I remember some rec league coaches who would ask the umps to use a larger strike zone so as to teach the kids to actually hit.
There are two BIG problems with the "swing at anything" approach. I think girls avoiding the "swing at anything" approach in rec ball helped the two DD's of mine who play or have played softball.
When DD #1 started playing softball, she was a lousy hitter, in that her hitting stance was terrible. It took forever for her to hit properly. OTOH, she did a better job than anyone of telling whether a pitch would be a ball or strike as soon as it left the pitcher's hand. It would be nerve wracking to watch her take a close pitch on an 0-2 count, and then have the ump call it a ball. Almost every time. At the end of her short playing carreer, her OBA was astronomical, because she would take every ball, and swing on every good pitch, and was fast enough to turn an infield grounder into a single.
DD #3 doesn't have QUITE the eye her sister had, but close. I've seen her foul off 9 or 10 pitches and turn an 0-2 count into a walk. Also, DD #3 is a pitcher, Having girls hold off on her bad pitches made her a much better pitcher. She went from walking batters with the based loaded (loaded from earlier walks), to strking out the side.
JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
I agree with you. Teach them to swing first and have a good eye later. We played a team in the first rec game of the season on Sat. They were clearly going for the walks and the coach was encouraging them to take pitches until there was a strike. They got a lot of runs in. Our coach encouraged the girls to swing. We also got a lot of runs in. Which team will be in better shape come playoffs when the pitching has evolved a little?
Now if a kid knows how to hit then they are ready to learn how to pick their pitch but for the three out of four 10u players that just stand like a statue in the box, "swing at anything". Is the first step in turning them into hitters.
I REALLY hope she is getting good instruction. Just like pitching and hitting, there is bad catching instruction, too.
Walks are a part of the game, and the pitcher needs to be able to throw it over the plate, and the hitters need to learn about the strike zone. Using umpire-enhanced strike zones puts everyone at a disadvantage when "real" teams (and umpires) come along. A batter smart enough to know when NOT to swing is ultimately more valuable than the "I swing at anything" type.
My kid used to be like your DD #3. However, she's gotten to the point where she can make contact with most anything in the strike zone, and some things that aren't. The problem is that, if she swings at a marginal pitch, instead of missing it or fouling it off, it will be a weak grounder or pop-up that results in an out. I harp even more on pitch selection, count, and situation. I teach her to look for "her pitch" early in the count or when she's ahead, and make darn sure that she goes after it when it comes. Otherwise, exercise some patience and work the count. OTOH, I know a kid who, given her small stature, is a tough kid to find the strike zone on. If she gets on base, she's nearly impossible to throw out. Despite this, when not told to bunt, she recklessly goes after all sorts of junk, and leads her team in infield fly-outs.
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