Overcoming intimidation

[grcsftbll]

My DD's team is all 9 and newly 10 year olds except for one 05, who has only played rec before this spring. None played up, all but the 05 straight from 8U coach pitch. This spring we have watched them come a LONG LONG way. They've improved a ton from the fall, when the scores were like 22-0. A couple of tournaments we played one of the local big 3s and they got us by one run 5 to 4. When they're playing with confidence they do really well. Still mostly losing to the 05 A teams, but not getting killed anymore. In our last tournament we actually beat one of these 05 teams for the first time, took those coaches by surprise

We play a lot of A level 05 teams. Some of these teams have girls that are huge compared to ours! There are a couple of teams in particular that seem to dwarf our little 06s, and the girls just fall apart. They can't hit, they can't field. Yes, these bigger girls hit the ball harder, and we can expect some hits to get past an outfielder or a bobble that might have been a clean fielding off a slower hit. But it's beyond that into can't make a simple play because they're freaked out/intimidated. We'll go a whole tournament not losing by more than a couple of runs, winning a couple of games, then play one of these teams and it's 12 to 0 (still better than 22 to 0! But not ideal).

Any tips for helping get them past this psychological issue they have? They have it in their heads that they can't compete with these teams, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[MNDad]

Teach them bigger isn’t always better. The smallest girl on DD’s college team is listed at 5’3” and that’s probably being generous. She holds most of the school’s all-time offensive records and was the Big 12’s leader in hits last season. She’s also our first player to be drafted by the NPF. There’s hundreds of examples like that in softball.

 

[JAD]

Have a team movie night and watch "Facing the Giants"....

 

[spleen1015]

The good news is next year the 05s will be 12s and you'll be the new bully on the block, intimidating the 07s. That's just the way 10u is between 1st & 2nd year. I don't think you're going to find many first year 10u teams beating 2nd year 10u teams.

Just wait until you make the leap to 12s and they're not that intimidating anymore. Some of the 05 teams that beat you as 2nd year 10s won't be able to beat you when they are 2nd year 12s.

 

[canyonjoe]

Focus on getting better yourselves and don't worry about the other teams.

I think that parents and some coaches often forget that there are 2 teams playing. Sometimes the better team has a great game when you play bad or vice versa and it's a close game.

 

[grcsftbll]

I don't care whether we win or not. I figured playing the level of tournaments we're playing the wins would be few and far between this year. That makes no difference to me, I just want them to feel confident, like they can go out there and hold their own.

 

[Tom]

Find some videos of Kelley Montalvo hitting off of Cat Osterman, Sarah Pauly (same team so may not find these), Monica Abbott etc. and videos of her playing 3B to show them. She's personification of heart, skill and ability trumping physical size. When they see her hopefully they will get the idea that it's all about their ability, heart and confidence and not the size of opponent. If you live near a NPF stadium take them to see her when Racers come to town.

 

[Eric F]

Oh, just wait until you get to 12U! The range of sizes is pretty ridiculous. In reality, it's just something they are going to have to get used to.

Try challenging them to find some quality in themselves where they have an advantage over their assumptions about bigger girl - speed, quickness, game smarts, fielding skills...get creative if you have to.

 

[GoCaboNow]

Oh, just wait until you get to 12U! The range of sizes is pretty ridiculous. In reality, it's just something they are going to have to get used to.
Try challenging them to find some quality in themselves where they have an advantage over their assumptions about bigger girl - speed, quickness, game smarts, fielding skills...get creative if you have to.

Yeah, that's what I was going to say.

My 05 played 10u last year. She played teams that had assorted players that were decidedly bigger but more few and far between and just look like bigger kids. At 12u this year we see a lot more of the 2004 that really spurted up over the winter, and then you see the 2003's that look like actual young women.

I think it is natural, at first, to be intimidated by bigger and more mature looking players. In time they will find teams made up of bigger kids that they do well against and beat. Part of the process, they just have to work through it.

 

[mudrunner]

I think it will get better with experience. DD has always been the smallest one on the team, and struggled with this early last season in her first year of 12U. Her team was never "big" to begin with. She was 11 and maybe 60 lbs., playing against 13 year olds that looked like they drove themselves to the game. I think some of the teams we played had a minimum size requirement lol. By the end of the season she had some good at bats, strung together some hits, and made some plays in the field. All of the sudden she realized she could hang with these girls, and it hasn't been a an issue since.