self-depreciating talk in the dugout / poor body language

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Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
These are 15 year old girls.

"I can't hit anymore", "I don't know what's wrong with me." "I just suck at hitting right now." "Does anybody know what I am doing wrong?" Blah Blah Blah.
Is it as simple as making a team rule that this type of talk is not allowed or do you address the individuals and explain that this isn't help yourself or your teammates and it must stop immediately?

How to handle another situation: Batter strikes out swinging. As she heads back to the dugout, player on deck circle offer condolences with a knuckle knock and "you'll get them next time" but the strike victim walks right past her because she is so upset. Let it go?

One more: Player failing to run out lazy flyballs (just trots down the line barely making it to 1st base because they are upset at themselves). Make another team rule? Let it go?
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
These are 15 year old girls.

"I can't hit anymore", "I don't know what's wrong with me." "I just suck at hitting right now." "Does anybody know what I am doing wrong?" Blah Blah Blah.
Is it as simple as making a team rule that this type of talk is not allowed or do you address the individuals and explain that this isn't help yourself or your teammates and it must stop immediately?

How to handle another situation: Batter strikes out swinging. As she heads back to the dugout, player on deck circle offer condolences with a knuckle knock and "you'll get them next time" but the strike victim walks right past her because she is so upset. Let it go?

One more: Player failing to run out lazy flyballs (just trots down the line barely making it to 1st base because they are upset at themselves). Make another team rule? Let it go?
The last one (not running out popups) DD's coach sits them. Happened to DD once..she hasn't done it since.
 
Mar 22, 2016
505
63
Southern California
These are 15 year old girls.

"I can't hit anymore", "I don't know what's wrong with me." "I just suck at hitting right now." "Does anybody know what I am doing wrong?" Blah Blah Blah.
Is it as simple as making a team rule that this type of talk is not allowed or do you address the individuals and explain that this isn't help yourself or your teammates and it must stop immediately?

How to handle another situation: Batter strikes out swinging. As she heads back to the dugout, player on deck circle offer condolences with a knuckle knock and "you'll get them next time" but the strike victim walks right past her because she is so upset. Let it go?

One more: Player failing to run out lazy flyballs (just trots down the line barely making it to 1st base because they are upset at themselves). Make another team rule? Let it go?

These are good questions. Root issue is the culture of the team. How does the current team culture aim to prevent this (if at all) - and what could this line of talk/feelings to do a team's culture that DOESN'T address. I'm not sure what the right answer is. But I think to REACH 15 y/o girls, it should be communicated with empathy and positivity.

(this from someone whose never had to deal with 15 y/o girls)
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
How to handle another situation: Batter strikes out swinging. As she heads back to the dugout, player on deck circle offer condolences with a knuckle knock and "you'll get them next time" but the strike victim walks right past her because she is so upset. Let it go?

One more: Player failing to run out lazy flyballs (just trots down the line barely making it to 1st base because they are upset at themselves). Make another team rule? Let it go?
The first one chaps my hide. I think it's disgusting and selfish. I had a set of twins that were exactly like this. Totally self absorbed. Cried and pouted all the time when they didn't succeed at the plate no matter the situation. Continued into HS. I was on the other side of the fence and couldn't address it. If you have the ability, I would take this player aside and discuss how this looks to everyone but her. It's a matter of respect. It's okay to be pissed but not at the expense of your teammate.

Running out fly balls. You immediately work on this during practice with everyone. Totally unacceptable. A dropped ball could turn into a double.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Running out fly balls. You immediately work on this during practice with everyone. Totally unacceptable. A dropped ball could turn into a double.
There is nothing to work on really..not hard, just do it. After she got benched for an inning I told my kid to take her frustration out by busting her as* down the line.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
There is nothing to work on really..not hard, just do it. After she got benched for an inning I told my kid to take her frustration out by busting her as* down the line.
I see lots of older players who DO NOT run fly balls out. I am talking about rounding the base and heading to 2nd like baseball players typically do, like they are trying to get a double.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I see lots of older players who DO NOT run fly balls out. I am talking about rounding the base and heading to 2nd like baseball players typically do, like they are trying to get a double.
Fair enough but that is just baserunning...I guess it is worth mentioning that is what you should be doing (assuming it is high enough). Sometimes I (wrongly) assume that these kids actually watch as many games as I did growing up...
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
DD's team has 1 kid who pouts after ABs and had (she was our #1 but left for another "better" team in the org but we picked up a better pitcher) a "low key" pouter on the mound (you had to have watched her a number of times to see she was doing it..). The other girls just ignore the hitter pouter and she gets over it by the time she plays the field. The pitcher pouter typically got pulled when she started doing it..

Haven't ever seen a girl that was as bad as me though temper wise..luckily. Somebody needed to bench (for the whole season..) me when I was about 10..
 
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