The Saga of Rebuilding a School Program: A parent-coach's journal

[PJR202]

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..

I mean top tier locally. She's not destined for D1 or something. Just very solid and a significant loss for us. A (very) small college did offer her a spot though. Still, I probably should keep in mind that the membership here are likely more involved in softball and at a deeper level. Seems like everyone posting here has a kid playing D1 or on some kind of diamond platinum unobtanium level team.

I will add, to her credit. you will not see a lot of shortstops track and catch a fly ball into shallow RF. We basically expect to see that at this point.

 

[_MIA_]

I mean top tier locally.

I was being sarcastic with the Sis Bates comment...there is only one of those. If she really is a top-tier local SS that is pretty dang good for a kid who only has played ball for 4 years. Like I said, learning how to play the right angle,hop,etc, making throws from the proper arm slots, etc, e.g. things which a good SS has to do, usually takes a kid a while to figure out. Or maybe none of the other local SS have figured that out either..either one

 

[_MIA_]

I will add, to her credit. you will not see a lot of shortstops track and catch a fly ball into shallow RF.

That is true..most teams have a second baseman for that.

 

[PJR202]

I was being sarcastic with the Sis Bates comment...there is only one of those. If she really is a top-tier local SS that is pretty dang good for a kid who only has played ball for 4 years. Like I said, learning how to play the right angle,hop,etc, making throws from the proper arm slots, etc, e.g. things which a good SS has to do, usually takes a kid a while to figure out.

2.75 seasons of softball actually...lol. A senior who showed up in 10th grade with 0 experience. Doesn't work a whole lot in the offseason. By about halfway through that 10th grade season we all just expected to see something exciting happen.

Being a great natural athlete who is fearless and willing to run through a brick wall to make the catch, dive for everything, not worried about a bad hop, and takes a throw-down from the catcher without flinching can take a kid a long way. As far as hitting? I don't know. She doesn't have a textbook swing but can find the ball well and obviously transfers power. I watched her take 6 slow pitch tosses one day and send two OTF and another bounce off it. I think she's batting .480. Last year ended at .540. Our book keeper is a stickler, too. But that obviously has a lot to do with the teams we play. Against the better pitchers in the area (that we've faced) I'd say she's at .300-.350. I'm pretty sure she's only gone hitless once, which was off the kid we had discussed before, and has 12 strikeouts. And 103 hits in 2.75 seasons ain't too shabby.


I'd love to know the difference between an identical kid who isn't afraid of the ball in any capacity and one who is afraid of the ball at the normal level most kids are. When my own kid takes a normal throw back from the catcher and looks completely relaxed and normal, I still think back to two years ago when she stabbed at it and it just bounced off her palm, or she would be completely pushed out to the side while reaching for a popup that I only tossed 20ft in the air. Just getting comfortable with throw and catch can take months if not longer. It used to drive me bonkers trying to teach the newer MS kid how to catch a basic popup.

 

[PJR202]

That is true..most teams have a second baseman for that.

You ain't kiddin. I think she probably subscribes to the "you want it, you gotta beat me to it" philosophy.

 

[_MIA_]

2.75 seasons of softball actually...lol. A senior who showed up in 10th grade with 0 experience. Doesn't work a whole lot in the offseason. By about halfway through that 10th grade season we all just expected to see something exciting happen.

Being a great natural athlete who is fearless and willing to run through a brick wall to make the catch, dive for everything, not worried about a bad hop, and takes a throw-down from the catcher without flinching can take a kid a long way. As far as hitting? I don't know. She doesn't have a textbook swing but can find the ball well and obviously transfers power. I watched her take 6 slow pitch tosses one day and send two OTF and another bounce off it. I think she's batting .480. Last year ended at .540. Our book keeper is a stickler, too. But that obviously has a lot to do with the teams we play. Against the better pitchers in the area (that we've faced) I'd say she's at .300-.350. I'm pretty sure she's only gone hitless once, which was off the kid we had discussed before, and has 12 strikeouts. And 103 hits in 2.75 seasons ain't too shabby.


I'd love to know the difference between an identical kid who isn't afraid of the ball in any capacity and one who is afraid of the ball at the normal level most kids are. When my own kid takes a normal throw back from the catcher and looks completely relaxed and normal, I still think back to two years ago when she stabbed at it and it just bounced off her palm, or she would be completely pushed out to the side while reaching for a popup that I only tossed 20ft in the air. Just getting comfortable with throw and catch can take months if not longer. It used to drive me bonkers trying to teach the newer MS kid how to catch a basic popup.

I still want to see a video of her fielding a ground ball straight at her..all I would need is one ?

 

[PJR202]

@Northball I don't know if we have a limit, but we've had maybe three cancelations that won't be made up, and if we play two games in the tournament I think that'll put us at 31. It's a grind--at least for me..lol

 

[PJR202]

I still want to see a video of her fielding a ground ball straight at her..all I would need is one ?

Looks pretty textbook to me. Charge it, low and wide, turn and throw from a low position. As textbook as I know, at least. You get into nuances, I have no idea. Again we're talking about local/regional level stuff here. I should probably choose my descriptive words more carefully.

 

[_MIA_]

Looks pretty textbook to me. Charge it, low and wide, turn and throw from a low position. As textbook as I know, at least. You get into nuances, I have no idea. Again we're talking about local/regional level stuff here. I should probably choose my descriptive words more carefully.

I see 14u players (8th or 9th graders) that play on National level TB teams who have been playing for 7+ years who have shady fielding mechanics so I want to see if you have a unicorn on your hands..they do exist. Heck 9 out of 10 times I can point out at least 1 thing my kid did wrong on a ball she fielded cleanly and got the out on and she is a decent SS.

 

[PJR202]

I see 14u players (8th or 9th graders) that play on National level TB teams who have been playing for 7+ years who have shady fielding mechanics so I want to see if you have a unicorn on your hands..they do exist. Heck 9 out of 10 times I can point out at least 1 thing my kid did wrong on a ball she fielded cleanly and got the out on and she is a decent SS.

I won't even most my own kid here, much less someone else's. hahaha.

I'm sure it's not textbook. Effective? Sure. And certainly not perfect. One squeaks through here and there.