- Jun 8, 2016
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Fair enough, although there are a lot of crappy "TB" teams out there
The Saga of Rebuilding a School Program: A parent-coach's journal
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Fair enough, although there are a lot of crappy "TB" teams out there
I would imagine so. That word is tossed around so much and I've seen plenty of travel players that flat out suck. Seems to be an ego thing for the parents as much as anything else. One of the other team dads and I sometimes will randly just start saying "Travel ball" at each other over and over in different voices.
I have returned.
Two more games. Two losses.
First one was our county rival. It's not necessarily a rivalry when you haven't beaten them in something like 10 years, but nonetheless, all the sports we play with them are considered rivalries. They're 75% larger in student body, which makes them a class bigger than us in football. I think most sports we play them in with either gender are back and forth other than softball and football. Although they did win last season, we've had their number in football for several years and if we're being honest, football is all that matters when it comes to rivalry games.
Anyway, I wasn't expecting victory. They had an average program until the mid 2010's when some fortuitous things happened, and it ignited more of a travel ball type of mentality there. They've had solid teams since. Kudos to them. I didn't grow up around here so I don't have that born hatred for the other side--but I'd certainly love to beat them.
My hope was that we could go 7 innings. That's a realistic goal at this point, but I certainly wouldn't tell the kids that. I felt like we probably had the defense to do it, but if they hit the gaps we weren't gonna be able to do much about it.
The first inning was brutal. P1 walked the first two batters, which is uncharacteristic of her. I was told by a couple people that the ump's zone was very tight. I didn't recognize him, but I've chatted with the field ump before and he does a good job. Managed to get going, but so many of the at-bats were deep counts and fouls. We managed to get it to 2 outs having only given up 2 runs, but we mishandled a couple third out opportunities and they finally started stringing together hits. Ended up with 7 by the time we put an end to it. P1, bless her heart, had thrown almost 60 pitches. I've realized more and more that avoiding these deep counts is critical to our kids staying competitive late into the game.
Our first batter hit a great double into a gap, and we got the bats going a little better than I expected. Still, their D was solid and we didn't score. We managed to string together a few great defensive innings though, and up until the 5th (I think) they had only scored maybe two more. We did manage to score two as well, but they were killing us on what I think of as micro-defense (dumb name maybe). Pickoffs, heads-up plays, sneaky throws. They took advantage of things like our girls lollygagging back from their secondary leads. Unlike most of the teams we've played, they weren't afraid to make those dangerous throws and it paid off.
Eventually I think fatigue set in for P1. She was around 110 pitches when P2 came in for mop-up duty. When all was said and done it was 14-2 after 5 innings.
DD2 threw a 5 inning JV game. We had managed to get a good practice in the day before, so she had sharpened up her drive and threw a ton of strikes. They beat the pi$$ out of those strikes, but what's the point of JV if the kids don't get to play some D, right? Their pitcher was really good, and I don't think we scored on her at all.
The next game the following day was against a team we've usually hung with the past few years. I believe I mentioned before that they came here and whipped us earlier this season. I was pretty surprised since their pitching staff hasn't changed.
I arrived to the game a tad late, and it's 2-0 them in the bottom of the first. It was raining and chilly. Their field, which is some of the best drainage and manicured dirt around (MS coach told me last year they had $10k invested into it) was soaking it up, but it was definitely close to threshold. The rain was steady enough that it was kida surprising they hadn't called the game. But, it continued on. The wet ball resulted in slippery pitches, subpar movement, etc, and a bad 2nd inning ended up with them up 10-0. It didn't help that P2 was pretty rattled after having illegal pitch called on her three times. Not pausing 1 second, not bringing the hands together, and not putting her drive foot on the rubber. A kid who has been pitching for 8 years isn't forgetting to touch the rubber, so I can only presume he couldn't see it for the mud. She's been called for not pausing (seems to be a crackdown on that in the area this year), but I've not seen her keep the hands apart. That may have had something to do with distraction trying to dry off the ball, etc. Who knows. She was rattled to the point that DD2 was asked to warm up, which was a nightmare of worm-burner throws for a bit until I got her thinking about extra grip on the seams and focusing hard on the release.
But, in the 3rd (I think it was), P2 came to the plate and got her first ever homerun. It was a great moment for her and she came out firing in the next inning. We still lost, but played a great game from that point on, scoring 5 and only giving up 2 more over the rest of a complete game. All things considered, it ended up a decent outing.
The teams let their kids vote on whether there would be a JV game. It was already well past 8pm and although the rain had stopped around the 5th inning, it would be another hour of play and a 60 mile drive home. It clearly wasn't the type of conditions any sane high school kid would play in if given the choice.
This week we have our away game at the county rival, a rematch with the team we beat in the game that involved the passed runner and incorrect infield fly call, and a 90 minute drive to a team I don't think we've played before. I'm predicting we win two of those.
Current record, 9-12
Two more games. Two losses.
First one was our county rival. It's not necessarily a rivalry when you haven't beaten them in something like 10 years, but nonetheless, all the sports we play with them are considered rivalries. They're 75% larger in student body, which makes them a class bigger than us in football. I think most sports we play them in with either gender are back and forth other than softball and football. Although they did win last season, we've had their number in football for several years and if we're being honest, football is all that matters when it comes to rivalry games.
Anyway, I wasn't expecting victory. They had an average program until the mid 2010's when some fortuitous things happened, and it ignited more of a travel ball type of mentality there. They've had solid teams since. Kudos to them. I didn't grow up around here so I don't have that born hatred for the other side--but I'd certainly love to beat them.
My hope was that we could go 7 innings. That's a realistic goal at this point, but I certainly wouldn't tell the kids that. I felt like we probably had the defense to do it, but if they hit the gaps we weren't gonna be able to do much about it.
The first inning was brutal. P1 walked the first two batters, which is uncharacteristic of her. I was told by a couple people that the ump's zone was very tight. I didn't recognize him, but I've chatted with the field ump before and he does a good job. Managed to get going, but so many of the at-bats were deep counts and fouls. We managed to get it to 2 outs having only given up 2 runs, but we mishandled a couple third out opportunities and they finally started stringing together hits. Ended up with 7 by the time we put an end to it. P1, bless her heart, had thrown almost 60 pitches. I've realized more and more that avoiding these deep counts is critical to our kids staying competitive late into the game.
Our first batter hit a great double into a gap, and we got the bats going a little better than I expected. Still, their D was solid and we didn't score. We managed to string together a few great defensive innings though, and up until the 5th (I think) they had only scored maybe two more. We did manage to score two as well, but they were killing us on what I think of as micro-defense (dumb name maybe). Pickoffs, heads-up plays, sneaky throws. They took advantage of things like our girls lollygagging back from their secondary leads. Unlike most of the teams we've played, they weren't afraid to make those dangerous throws and it paid off.
Eventually I think fatigue set in for P1. She was around 110 pitches when P2 came in for mop-up duty. When all was said and done it was 14-2 after 5 innings.
DD2 threw a 5 inning JV game. We had managed to get a good practice in the day before, so she had sharpened up her drive and threw a ton of strikes. They beat the pi$$ out of those strikes, but what's the point of JV if the kids don't get to play some D, right? Their pitcher was really good, and I don't think we scored on her at all.
The next game the following day was against a team we've usually hung with the past few years. I believe I mentioned before that they came here and whipped us earlier this season. I was pretty surprised since their pitching staff hasn't changed.
I arrived to the game a tad late, and it's 2-0 them in the bottom of the first. It was raining and chilly. Their field, which is some of the best drainage and manicured dirt around (MS coach told me last year they had $10k invested into it) was soaking it up, but it was definitely close to threshold. The rain was steady enough that it was kida surprising they hadn't called the game. But, it continued on. The wet ball resulted in slippery pitches, subpar movement, etc, and a bad 2nd inning ended up with them up 10-0. It didn't help that P2 was pretty rattled after having illegal pitch called on her three times. Not pausing 1 second, not bringing the hands together, and not putting her drive foot on the rubber. A kid who has been pitching for 8 years isn't forgetting to touch the rubber, so I can only presume he couldn't see it for the mud. She's been called for not pausing (seems to be a crackdown on that in the area this year), but I've not seen her keep the hands apart. That may have had something to do with distraction trying to dry off the ball, etc. Who knows. She was rattled to the point that DD2 was asked to warm up, which was a nightmare of worm-burner throws for a bit until I got her thinking about extra grip on the seams and focusing hard on the release.
But, in the 3rd (I think it was), P2 came to the plate and got her first ever homerun. It was a great moment for her and she came out firing in the next inning. We still lost, but played a great game from that point on, scoring 5 and only giving up 2 more over the rest of a complete game. All things considered, it ended up a decent outing.
The teams let their kids vote on whether there would be a JV game. It was already well past 8pm and although the rain had stopped around the 5th inning, it would be another hour of play and a 60 mile drive home. It clearly wasn't the type of conditions any sane high school kid would play in if given the choice.
This week we have our away game at the county rival, a rematch with the team we beat in the game that involved the passed runner and incorrect infield fly call, and a 90 minute drive to a team I don't think we've played before. I'm predicting we win two of those.
Current record, 9-12
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So the away game at our county rival went just about the same as our home game. They didn't score 7 in the first inning, but hit us up for a few runs per inning and ended it with a 10 rule rule in the 5th. No big surprise there.
The JV game was awful. DD2 was pitching and throwing strikes, but her (and the others with her) gradually deteriorating level of seriousness about the JV games resulted in a giggling fit that caused three straight illegal pitches. Long story I won't get into, but I quietly gave her an ear full behind the dugout. Another parent said they were gonna do the same with their kid on the ride home.
Anyway...next game was 90 minutes away. I didn't go. But, the girls got a win. Cheerleader hit another dinger. That brought her to 5 on the season.
Thursday night we played the team who we had previously had the botched infield fly call and the homerun runner passing her teammate, etc. This Thursday game was kinda back and forth from the start. Both teams were beating up on the pitchers, but we managed to play better D and pick up a few more hits. Cheerleader hit her 6th homerun OTF, which was also her 100th career hit (2.5 seasons played), so that was pretty cool. In her at-bat before the homerun, she hit a shallow infield popup that resulted in a miss, then a botched 2B thow into the outfield turned that blooper into an ITP homerun (on error of course). As she slid into home, the opposing catcher purposely (there wasn't even an incoming throw) backed into the baseline, resulting in cheerleader's helmet colliding with the catcher's knee. Ump ejected the catcher immediately. Our girls went on to win the game, 11-7.
The opposing coach is a hot head. Every time I've been around him he's finding anything he can to bark about. Lucky for everyone, though, he missed that game. I can't imagine the fit he'd have thrown over that ejection.
DD2 pitched the JV game. Walked just about everyone she faced. It was in the 40's and misting rain, etc. Both pitchers were a mess, so they called it done after two innings.
Current record is 11-13, 3-3 in district play. Two more games to play later today.
On the middle school front, they played one of the perennial powers Wednesday evening. That coach hung 54 runs on us in two games back in 2021. He ghosted me last year while we were discussing dates and I didn't bother trying to reach him again. Why schedule a team who doesn't have the class to end the inning after 15 runs? He also didn't contact me this season to schedule, and seeing as how our last meeting with them had resulted in them putting up 30 runs on us in 3 innings, I didn't bother to reach out.
But, MS had an open date and we heard that team was struggling this year, so we got together. Our kids came out and beat that team 17-2. Unfortunately I didn't get to go watch. Regardless, that's the most satisfying win the MS has had since restarting the team three years ago and I don't think I could have been happier had I actually been coaching in the game. I think they're 6-6 now. Not too shabby.
The JV game was awful. DD2 was pitching and throwing strikes, but her (and the others with her) gradually deteriorating level of seriousness about the JV games resulted in a giggling fit that caused three straight illegal pitches. Long story I won't get into, but I quietly gave her an ear full behind the dugout. Another parent said they were gonna do the same with their kid on the ride home.
Anyway...next game was 90 minutes away. I didn't go. But, the girls got a win. Cheerleader hit another dinger. That brought her to 5 on the season.
Thursday night we played the team who we had previously had the botched infield fly call and the homerun runner passing her teammate, etc. This Thursday game was kinda back and forth from the start. Both teams were beating up on the pitchers, but we managed to play better D and pick up a few more hits. Cheerleader hit her 6th homerun OTF, which was also her 100th career hit (2.5 seasons played), so that was pretty cool. In her at-bat before the homerun, she hit a shallow infield popup that resulted in a miss, then a botched 2B thow into the outfield turned that blooper into an ITP homerun (on error of course). As she slid into home, the opposing catcher purposely (there wasn't even an incoming throw) backed into the baseline, resulting in cheerleader's helmet colliding with the catcher's knee. Ump ejected the catcher immediately. Our girls went on to win the game, 11-7.
The opposing coach is a hot head. Every time I've been around him he's finding anything he can to bark about. Lucky for everyone, though, he missed that game. I can't imagine the fit he'd have thrown over that ejection.
DD2 pitched the JV game. Walked just about everyone she faced. It was in the 40's and misting rain, etc. Both pitchers were a mess, so they called it done after two innings.
Current record is 11-13, 3-3 in district play. Two more games to play later today.
On the middle school front, they played one of the perennial powers Wednesday evening. That coach hung 54 runs on us in two games back in 2021. He ghosted me last year while we were discussing dates and I didn't bother trying to reach him again. Why schedule a team who doesn't have the class to end the inning after 15 runs? He also didn't contact me this season to schedule, and seeing as how our last meeting with them had resulted in them putting up 30 runs on us in 3 innings, I didn't bother to reach out.
But, MS had an open date and we heard that team was struggling this year, so we got together. Our kids came out and beat that team 17-2. Unfortunately I didn't get to go watch. Regardless, that's the most satisfying win the MS has had since restarting the team three years ago and I don't think I could have been happier had I actually been coaching in the game. I think they're 6-6 now. Not too shabby.
HS got two wins today. Game 1 was a team that beat us by about 10 runs several weeks ago. One of those "How in the world did they beat us?" situations. The girls got a 4-0 victory today. Only one defensive error.
The second game was against a weaker team and our girls came out flat. Maybe it was the victory adrenaline tapering off, rhe nachos, etc, but they were lethargic and mostly ineffective for about 5 innings. Finally got something going and won 6-3. That second game of the days always seems to have the kids pretty sluggish.
Anyway...record now stands at 13-13
The second game was against a weaker team and our girls came out flat. Maybe it was the victory adrenaline tapering off, rhe nachos, etc, but they were lethargic and mostly ineffective for about 5 innings. Finally got something going and won 6-3. That second game of the days always seems to have the kids pretty sluggish.
Anyway...record now stands at 13-13
Two more wins since the last post. I mis-posted the record last time. The current record is 14-13. The girls have played well overall. DD2 had a great JV outing last night. Only walked one, took a smokin hitback for the out, and overall kept the ball in the zone and in play. Despite some ups and downs with her pitching, as best I can recall she's only made one fielding error and it was a rocket line drive that bounced off her glove.
Had a couple of her 8th grade buddies playing up. It was nice to see them out there. Catcher was a freshman I had coached before as well so it was like looking at my old middle school team.
Tonight is one of the top 3 teams in the region. They're 19-5 including a national tournament, and the only team who has beat them by more than 4 runs is another team in this region who has a D1 caliber pitcher who had 431 strikeouts last season. I expect a bloodbath. We're also down #2 pitcher (who is a fantastic 1B) and cheerleader, who is a top tier SS. Those are also our top 2 hitters. We did fine without them last night but tonight's team is a whole other level. They run-ruled us early in the season. Their pitching is solid but nothing special, but their 1 through 10 all smash the ball. Missing pitcher #2 means it's #1 and DD2, both of whom pitched yesterday, so I'm guessing if the game lasts very long they'll both see time. None of our girls has enough endurance to pitch a complete game two days in a row.
My goal (which obviously means nothing) for teams like these is a complete game. We've had a couple complete games this year that I was really happy with. We have to be realistic. The girls have won 25% more games than last year and have won almost every game with teams that are at our level and have beaten us the past couple seasons. So, always improving, and the girls are fighting back where in previous seasons when things went south they would deflate more often than not. Overall, in my worthless opinion, this has been a great season.
Had a couple of her 8th grade buddies playing up. It was nice to see them out there. Catcher was a freshman I had coached before as well so it was like looking at my old middle school team.
Tonight is one of the top 3 teams in the region. They're 19-5 including a national tournament, and the only team who has beat them by more than 4 runs is another team in this region who has a D1 caliber pitcher who had 431 strikeouts last season. I expect a bloodbath. We're also down #2 pitcher (who is a fantastic 1B) and cheerleader, who is a top tier SS. Those are also our top 2 hitters. We did fine without them last night but tonight's team is a whole other level. They run-ruled us early in the season. Their pitching is solid but nothing special, but their 1 through 10 all smash the ball. Missing pitcher #2 means it's #1 and DD2, both of whom pitched yesterday, so I'm guessing if the game lasts very long they'll both see time. None of our girls has enough endurance to pitch a complete game two days in a row.
My goal (which obviously means nothing) for teams like these is a complete game. We've had a couple complete games this year that I was really happy with. We have to be realistic. The girls have won 25% more games than last year and have won almost every game with teams that are at our level and have beaten us the past couple seasons. So, always improving, and the girls are fighting back where in previous seasons when things went south they would deflate more often than not. Overall, in my worthless opinion, this has been a great season.
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,107
- 113
I need to see video of this kid who mashes and is a "top-tier SS" and only has been playing softball since HS (I think that is what you said). Like are we talking Sis Bates top-tier here or what...
I've been working with my kid since she was like 5 and I would put her in the top-tier of Rec Ball/Class C 14U ball in terms of SS play.. 
- Feb 3, 2023
- 67
- 18
Our local high school starting SS received a scholarship to compete on both the competition and Gameday cheerleading squads at a SEC school.
So it’s very possible.
As a SS she is all over the field. Incredible athlete. Complete hustle player with great glove and solid arm. Lead off hitter also.
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- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,107
- 113
It ain't the cheerleader part I am talking about..it's the only started playing ball in HS part. There is a lot that goes into
playing SS well that typically takes some time to learn. Then again she has a bunch of HR in HS ball so she obviously figured
out how to hit in a short time and this isn't easy either..
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