Question Regarding Injury

[ChrisSB]

I'm a parent. If I was in this same situation you know what I would have said? "Hey DD, bad hops happen. We can spend more time working on fielding under the lights if that would help." I certainly wouldn't have blamed the coach.

Multiple times I've heard DD say the sun made it really hard to track the ball. That doesn't mean she should get pulled out of that position (unless of course she's making multiple errors).

 

[Orange Socks]

I'm a parent. If I was in this same situation you know what I would have said? "Hey DD, bad hops happen. We can spend more time working on fielding under the lights if that would help." I certainly wouldn't have blamed the coach.

Multiple times I've heard DD say the sun made it really hard to track the ball. That doesn't mean she should get pulled out of that position (unless of course she's making multiple errors).

A memory just popped in my head. HS baseball tryouts. 1986. 300lb kid trying out at 1B (later played college football-no duh). Sun is going down on the horizon and the kid says. Hey coach the sun is in my eyes and I can't see. Coach reply: Do you want us to stop and wait for the sun to go down? All those boys standing next to you see the same thing as you. Figure it out!

 

[Strike2]

Sorry about the injury to your kid, but bad hops happen. When DD was younger, I used to have her wear a mask when I hit OF to her because the fields weren't always perfect and I usually didn't hold back. That saved us several trips to the emergency room. However, she never wore a mask in the OF during a game, and her experience dealing with my hits combined with decent fields and a bit of luck helped her avoid trouble.

The sun, lights, and field condition can be a problem regardless of position. Does your kid wear a visor? If not, that will help. If your kid is having a hard time breaking out the ball from the lights at night, another trip to an eye doctor is a good idea. I say that not only as the dad/coach of an outfielder, but as someone who has personally played many games under lights. Unless the field lighting was ridiculously inadequate or on really low posts, I'm not sure what that has to do with the bad luck of a bad hop. I'm really not sure what you want from the coach, and blaming him/her because your kid took a bad hop is unreasonable. Get her eyes rechecked, get her a mouthguard and visor, and work with her outside of practice.

 

[Strike2]

There is a huge difference in playing left field and right field. For one thing it is opposite field, for another there is way more action in left field. Those are just two things I can think of that are obvious.

Not obvious at all...and often not correct, especially in HS and college. Each has its unique challenges, but both positions have the same lighting situation.

 

[chinamigarden]

honestly if a player tells a coach she feels unsafe he should pull her from the game. Not move fielders around.

 

[oppoppo]

I will not be responding to anymore posts. I’ve never read so many cruel and heartless posts before. While I can appreciate different opinions and points of view, the way in which they were delivered were accusatory and judgmental. I stand by my statement that the Coach had an obligation to listen to my daughter, not ignore her. I’m glad you key board warriors were able to win the baby fight today and bash a Mom who obviously in your opinions is clueless as to the game of softball. I’m blessed that the injury was not more severe and for that I’m thankful. I have asked to be removed from this site as I do not see this type of responses to be a positive factor in the discussion of softball. I wish you all a great rest of fall and summer season.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I will not be responding to anymore posts. I’ve never read so many cruel and heartless posts before. While I can appreciate different opinions and points of view, the way in which they were delivered were accusatory and judgmental. I stand by my statement that the Coach had an obligation to listen to my daughter, not ignore her. I’m glad you key board warriors were able to win the baby fight today and bash a Mom who obviously in your opinions is clueless as to the game of softball. I’m blessed that the injury was not more severe and for that I’m thankful. I have asked to be removed from this site as I do not see this type of responses to be a positive factor in the discussion of softball. I wish you all a great rest of fall and summer season.

By 16u she is a softball player and should be able to play anywhere short of pitcher and catcher. Somebody has to play that position, even in difficult circumstances.

It's terrible that she got hurt, but it's hard to fault the coach here. One of the things we discuss before every game is field conditions and how to handle them. Most of the time in the outfield it's divots, huge holes, sprinkler heads, etc. Watch out for this, don't slide here, play it like a hockey goalie, etc.

Safety comes first but there is only so much you can do sometimes. Sorry you didn't get the answer you were looking for.

 

[Chilixa]

I will not be responding to anymore posts. I’ve never read so many cruel and heartless posts before. While I can appreciate different opinions and points of view, the way in which they were delivered were accusatory and judgmental. I stand by my statement that the Coach had an obligation to listen to my daughter, not ignore her. I’m glad you key board warriors were able to win the baby fight today and bash a Mom who obviously in your opinions is clueless as to the game of softball. I’m blessed that the injury was not more severe and for that I’m thankful. I have asked to be removed from this site as I do not see this type of responses to be a positive factor in the discussion of softball. I wish you all a great rest of fall and summer season.

I am not sure what responses you were hoping to get. Coaches deal with all kinds of comments from players. Players mentioning it is hard to see based on lights, sun, darkness happen all the time. There is a big difference between telling a coach you are having trouble seeing and you don’t feel safe. If a girl at third doesn’t feel safe I would move her. You can’t move a girl any further from the ball than outfield. Only other option would be to sit the girl out and I would do that if a player said they didn’t feel safe out there. But I wouldn’t expect that from a 16u player. It sounds like a terrible accident with no one to blame. I am not really sure what you thought the coach should do as he has to put someone out there. There is some assumed risk when you play the game. I hope your daughter makes a quick recovery and can get back out there and play again soon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Orange Socks]

this type of responses to be a positive factor in the discussion of softball.

ETA: Okay. I think you came on here to vent rather than to listen other's opinions.

When the majority of the experienced folks on this board don't agree with you, you get offended. We are giving you our opinions on this situation that you presented to the group. This community is very tame and very inclusive for the most part with a few exceptions. Furthermore, I am sure most of these people would say the same thing if we were face to face in the stands....or we would distance ourselves. Sounds like you will have grudge with this coach going forward. I suggest you find a new team for your DD otherwise you will be triggered every time you see the coach. I am serious.

Perhaps rethink your premise of blaming the coach for an unforeseeable accident which happens every game, every tourney, across every state! They are called accidents. My DD is close to setting her college team career record for Hit by Pitches. Do you think the pitchers mean to hit her? DD knows there is a risk of getting hit, so she wears an elbow guard and a cage on her helmet. Did she always wear protection? Learned response. Last year I saw girl who chose not to wear a cage on helmet and fouled a ball off into her face. Her choice. I am curious to see if she wears a cage now.

Sign my petition: Now I'm having fun.

1. Remove lights from softball fields--Only Day Games on cloudy days
2. Spend money to properly level OF surfaces.

 

[radness]

There is a big difference between telling a coach you are having trouble seeing and you don’t feel safe.

This seems like a good discussion point.
That would be communicating two different things.
Cannot recall ever hearing a teammate or player say they did not feel safe.
That would prompt a different conversation from me then not being able to see because of the sun, shade or lights.

There have been times when I've actually warned/cautioned another team player when a particular batter has come up, including cautioning the coaches standing in the coaching box.