Coach Pitching advice!!!

[Lazeek]

This is my first year to be the head coach in coach pitch.  I have been a assistant for a few years in tee ball.  The main question that I have is about setting your players defensively.  We have 7 players that I feel are going to be great, good or better than average.  Would you load your infield up or put a few decent players in the outfield.  Right now my weak spots are LF, RF and RCF.  I feel if I load my infield up then I will only have one better than average player in the outfield although he is our fastest player.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[westend1]

At that age, load up the infield.  You for sure want to get the easy outs(grounders to 1st, 2nd, pitcher) and outfielders at that age are usually just chasers anyway.  WW

[EAGLE07]

I would put one of the top players in CF.....especially if you have 5-6 other good players.

I certainly remember the coach pitch days.   Seems like yesterday, not 10-11 years ago.

Good luck.

[Lazeek]

We play PONY so we have 4 outfielders.  I have this one kid in LCF right now but he has nothing out there with him. :(

How important is the catcher in your opinion.  I have a kid that can play in the OF but he is better than average at catcher.  I just would not have anyone to put at catcher.

I feel based on looking at the other teams that my infield is as strong as any if not better.  I just feel inferior in the OF with what I have and was undecided on loading up the infield or trying to balance it out.

[NHS83LU87]

If I had it to do over again,  I would focus less on winning and more on developing the players than I did back then.  I would split my "best" players between the outfield and infield. Every player would play multiple positions in a game.  This will help them later on.  It's tough to get to high school and all you've ever played is infield and the coach needs an outfielder.   

[Lazeek]

I respect your post..........however I will teach them about the basics of the game, but also about winning and losing.  I am totally against just playing just to play.  Kids that are 7-8 need to know the difference between winning and losing.  I am sure that we will do plenty of both this year. ;D ;D

[NHS83LU87]

How does moving them around suggest playing just to play. ???You should teach about winning and losing.  Although, I would say they already know the difference by that age.  I just wouldn't base my success on winning alone.  All players should be expected to perform to the best of their ability.  My belief after looking back on it is the teams I coached could have won just as many games and I could have benefited the players more if I moved them around some.  We played against a coach who did move his players around and was pretty successful.  It would have made me a better coach.  My oldest son is in his 2nd and final year as the starting ss for NHS and my youngest is a sophomore LHP/1B/OF.  I have observed some pretty good senior, sophomore(my youngest son is one of them), and junior infielders having to learn to play the outfield because there are only so many infield spots.  These players would have benefited greatly had they not been strictly played in the infield and had been taught to play both infield and outfield when younger.  While playing ss all of the time worked out for my oldest son, it would have benefited him his sophomore year if he had some experience at catcher or outfield which is what the team needed at the time.  Hindsight is 20/20. 

Often times your best players at 7-8 year olds are not your best later on ..... many don't even play anymore.  More players, especially those who are pingeon-holed in the outfield due to ability, might stay around and develop into really good players.... instead of becoming just "chasers" ....... if they get to experience moving around some.  When I coached,  I also made certain every player got to start at least one game and every player played half of every complete game.  My best players, which included my sons, would be subbed for at least once during the season.  My teams won more times than not.     

[westend1]

How does moving them around suggest playing just to play. ???You should teach about winning and losing.  Although, I would say they already know the difference by that age.  I just wouldn't base my success on winning alone.  All players should be expected to perform to the best of their ability.  My belief after looking back on it is the teams I coached could have won just as many games and I could have benefited the players more if I moved them around some.  We played against a coach who did move his players around and was pretty successful.  It would have made me a better coach.  My oldest son is in his 2nd and final year as the starting ss for NHS and my youngest is a sophomore LHP/1B/OF.  I have observed some pretty good senior, sophomore(my youngest son is one of them), and junior infielders having to learn to play the outfield because there are only so many infield spots.  These players would have benefited greatly had they not been strictly played in the infield and had been taught to play both infield and outfield when younger.  While playing ss all of the time worked out for my oldest son, it would have benefited him his sophomore year if he had some experience at catcher or outfield which is what the team needed at the time.  Hindsight is 20/20. 

Often times your best players at 7-8 year olds are not your best later on ..... many don't even play anymore.  More players, especially those who are pingeon-holed in the outfield due to ability, might stay around and develop into really good players.... instead of becoming just "chasers" ....... if they get to experience moving around some.  When I coached,  I also made certain every player got to start at least one game and every player played half of every complete game.  My best players, which included my sons, would be subbed for at least once during the season.  My teams won more times than not.       

Some kids only started one game the whole season?  At West End, they have a rule.  If you didn't start the previous game, you start the next.  That's the rule until majors.

[Lazeek]

Last season as a assistant coach our team went 19-3 and we "HAD" to shuffle our players around.  They could only play 2 innings at the same position and only could play 4 innings in the infield.  These kids are getting older and getting closer to playing "real baseball" now.  T-Ball was great and fun but to me it brought most of them at least offensively onto a level playing field.  Defensively is where we won our games last year.  I agree 100% that the kids may not play ball in 5 years or so down the road, but that is our job to make it fun for them so they will want to play in 5 years.  For example on playing different positions...............last year our all-star team was comprised of players who really only played infield in the regular season and now that all-stars being played you had kids that had to play in the outfield.....It was interesting to see the kids in the outfield who had never played it before except for one inning a game.  I appreciate what you are saying NHS and best of luck to your kids at Nederland.

[NHS83LU87]

Some kids only started one game the whole season?   At West End, they have a rule.  If you didn't start the previous game, you start the next.  That's the rule until majors.

That's a good rule.  We had the basic minimum two innings defensively with one at bat rule.  Nothing about starting.  Since I was committed to playing everyone half a game through Little League, the player who didn't start usually started the next game.  Not all teams did but they were still within the rules.  My typical rotation was the player that started would play two innings and get at least their one at bat...then I would substitute for three innings and bring the starter back in to finish the game.  This made certain that each player got the required innings in a weather shortened or ten run rule game.  The next game I would rotate who started not by rule but personal preference. 

The main thing is to make it fun and enjoy it because they grow up quick.

[thetragichippy]

Last year I coached kid pitch.....7-8yo. The only issue I have with revolving players to the infield is safety. Last year I had several grass pickers and sand throwers. Those kids did not play in my infield. I couldn't trust them to pay attention when the batter was a bat or their own teammate throwing them the ball. I had one kid get hit in the head because he was playing with the grass.

[Lazeek]

That is a major concern for me.............on my team we have 7-8 kids that can pound the ball and I worry about putting someone in the infield that does not pay attention.

[westend1]

You guys still use the RIF 5's at that age?

[Lazeek]

You guys still use the RIF 5's at that age?

Is the RIF 5's a safety ball............if so we at TC do ont use it in coach pitch.......we use a hard ball.

[westend1]

We use it through the age of 8.  I hate the way it bounces, but it is safer for those who don't catch too good yet.

[Lazeek]

Yes we played Fall Ball at West End and used the Soft baseball and it is not very good for hitting or fielding.

[RuffRaider]

I respect your post..........however I will teach them about the basics of the game, but also about winning and losing.  I am totally against just playing just to play.  Kids that are 7-8 need to know the difference between winning and losing.  I am sure that we will do plenty of both this year. ;D ;D

There's just so many things wrong with your post. I PROMISE YOU, NO ONE (except maybe you) will remember whether you won or lost at 7 & 8 years old.

If you're not using equal playing time and switching kids to different positions each inning, you are doing these kids a HUGE disservice.

My opinion is formed from 10 years experience. Your #1 goal is to teach the kids the game of baseball WHILE having fun. Winning/losing should be waaaaaay down your list.

[Lazeek]

Once again I respect your opinion.  Although I partiually disagree with it!!!!!!!!!  My son ask me after every game in Little Dribblers where we do not keep score......did we win, did we lose????  He wants to know.  I have the majority of my kids who are there because they want to be and a few that are there because their parents signed them up and all they like to do is kick dirt and pull grass!!!!!!!!  They will know the difference between winning and losing when the season is over, they will have had the opportunity to learn the basics of baseball and playing different positions and more importantly they will have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!  If you choose not to treach your kids about winning and losing then that is your choice..............I will teach my kids what the difference is!!!!!  If they learn now it will benefit them down the road just as much as learning the basics of baseball will help them.

[RuffRaider]

Once again I respect your opinion.  Although I partiually disagree with it!!!!!!!!!  My son ask me after every game in Little Dribblers where we do not keep score......did we win, did we lose????  He wants to know.  I have the majority of my kids who are there because they want to be and a few that are there because their parents signed them up and all they like to do is kick dirt and pull grass!!!!!!!!  They will know the difference between winning and losing when the season is over, they will have had the opportunity to learn the basics of baseball and playing different positions and more importantly they will have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!  If you choose not to treach your kids about winning and losing then that is your choice..............I will teach my kids what the difference is!!!!!  If they learn now it will benefit them down the road just as much as learning the basics of baseball will help them.

Ask the kid that got to only play one quarter in Little Dribblers if he cares who won or lost. Ask your kid if he had the following option, which one would he prefer:

1) Win but only get to play 1 inning

2) Play the whole game as pitcher and/or shortstop

Most kids choose the option to play as opposed to winning. Everybody wants to win but in the end, they care more about the experience than the won/loss record, ESPECIALLY when they are 7 & 8. There's plenty of time for them to learn about winning and losing.

I've coached somewhere around 30 teams in baseball, softball, and basketball. Kids want to play, have fun, be with their friends, develop skills, hit the ball/score a basket. Winning is not real high on their list of things they want to accomplish.

Now when they get to high school, I'm with you. It's all about winning.

[Lazeek]

I never said it was all about winning first of all............I said that I will teach them about winning and losing.  I have 12 kids and 10 play at a time and we bat the entire line up as it comes around.  They will get at least two bats a game and play at least two innings a game.  Nothing wrong with that!!!!

[thetragichippy]

Guess I will jump right in the middle of this 

I coached basketball this year and had a wining season(7 & 8year olds).  When we could afford it, the weaker 2 kids played. My two top performers only played 1 quarter each on a few games because it gave the other kids a chance to get the ball and play 3 quarters. My son(1 of the performers  ) was not happy sitting out because he KNEW he was better. He asked, "why am I getting punished for being good"? I explained my madness and he understood. Another thing would be motivation. If you show up, try, and be serious you get to play. You all know "that kid". The one that picks fights, watches another team practice, takes a water break without asking........  He will not play as much on my team because of his attitude and work ethic.....not because of his talent. I can work with "no talent" but I cannot work with "don't care".  I also think being a good coach is being strict and teaching them good practice habits and rewarding when you see improvement. My weakest kid ended up being the most improved kid on my team. He actually made a layup in a game when he could not hit the backboard his first 3 weeks.

So in a nutshell, you guys both make good points........ but I do think that teaching winning and a winning attitude is important.

[NHS83LU87]

Just to throw another argument about the playing time out there that I heard from a coach and board member years ago was he felt an obligation to play the players more than the required two innnings because their parents paid the same as he did for his son.  It was a perspective I hadn't considered before then but has some validity.  I honestly admit and regret that I focused too much on winning.

[jpbrim]

I think the best thing you can do for the kids is set your defense up the way you should at any level.  Teach them to play baseball, teach them the fundamentals, teach them it is a game and that it should be fun and quit worrying about winning.  You want to stack your infield with 7 players. What good does that do your players for next year or the the next. They won't learn how to play a position. You end up having a handful of players chasing the runners down with the ball.  They never learn to throw or field or any other basics of the game. If you are trying to build a future for TCYB, Sour Lake and Hardin-Jefferson baseball, quit putting so much emphasis on winning and pay more attention to development.

[643]

I think the best thing you can do for the kids is set your defense up the way you should at any level.  Teach them to play baseball, teach them the fundamentals, teach them it is a game and that it should be fun and quit worrying about winning.  You want to stack your infield with 7 players. What good does that do your players for next year or the the next. They won't learn how to play a position. You end up having a handful of players chasing the runners down with the ball.  They never learn to throw or field or any other basics of the game. If you are trying to build a future for TCYB, Sour Lake and Hardin-Jefferson baseball, quit putting so much emphasis on winning and pay more attention to development.

Evidently your not from around HJ, TCYB has always pushed fundamentals along with winning, afterall competition is what drives this country. TCYB >>started this 16 yrs back when they invited Dr. Bragg Stockton to use their fields for teaching fundamentals, skill n-drills, this continues still today, is there any other youth programs that do this or have in the past>>NO. When I did coach, the first practice would be a 'sitdown talk' and I would tell both parents and kids I play to win afterall loosing is no fun, all will play, everyone will start every other game. Look around in the 7-10y/o groups most anywhere, MOST can't play >>catch>> keep looking and you can pick the ones out that play at home with dad or mom>>IMHO this is where it starts...

[Lazeek]

Very well said and I agree 100%!!!!!!!!!