Sunday's are for winning Championships???

Greetings,

I am curious your thoughts. Our coach says all the time that Saturdays are for getting everyone playing time but, Sunday's are for winning championship's. Yet, coach on the past three Sunday's has played the wrong players in the wrong positions, some should not be off the bench on Sunday's. Also, coach has batted 11 players in quarter and semi-final games 3 weeks in a row. Before all you daddy goggles folks comment, know that my DD plays every inning of every game and bats in the front of the line up. So this is not a complaint about my DD's playing time, but a concern about winning on Sunday's.

Shouldn't you bat the 9 best on Sunday's so that they get up more times and have opportunity to produce, rather than batting less confident and talented hitters?

What age group are we talking about here?

Hard to comment without actually knowing the full history of the team. Obviously, the coach has his reasons.

SUNDAYS ARE FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are correct. Play the 9 that will give the girls the best chance to win.

Agree, Friday and Saturday are for playing time and Sunday's are for winning. Play the best 9.

Depends on the relative importance of the tourney. Some tourneys feed split brackets and if it was a qualifier, state, or national we might play top 9 just to make sure we get to the right bracket and or get a good seed. Other tourney's we might play everyone (maybe even specifically the bottom 9) even in elimination play if the opponet was weak enough to warrant it and/or the tourney was of minimal importance and we needed to find out what those bottom few can and cannot do for us when we need them later.

Pitching is a seperate issue. The decision to pitch #2, #3, or #4 vs #1 can be a decision made for many reasons (i.e. need to develop pitcher, #1 needs rest or saving for bigger game). Maybe even pitch #3 in a game against an opponent becuase you don't want them to see your #1 until you face them in a game that really matters. Or could be #1 has already faced them recently and you don't want the other team to have that advantage of having already seen the pitcher.

I guess I think it is a hard choice whether to always play the best 9. First, if you don't give your number 10 and 11 some Sunday play, you are much much more likely to lose them during the season (it's happened to us for low PT even when there was some Sunday play involved). Can you afford to lose players that protect against injury/sickness/vacation absences? Especially in our case, since the organization understandably does not allow poaching from other teams, you have to wonder weather the stars will be aligned so you can find a suitable replacement. Also, now that we apparently are well into the high heat/high humidity season, if you ride, say, your best catcher for all the Sunday games, does that mean you will do better, or does the catcher need a break from being in all that gear in the heat?

The best nine play should be the rule but it is not without its exceptions.

Rec ball is for playing time, friday, saturday and sunday you play the best nine in their best positions to win.

I think whatever works for any team to WIN - as this is the primary goal on Sunday's of course... - so maybe a tenth player is warranted if she can bunt, hit, slap, etc... but fielding skills is need of work... especially a younger DD in 10u and 12u.

This doesn't sound like what you are explaining... I know ... but there are many different combos to win and the coach has his/her thoughts on it.

As a coach though, if my tenth player is not a hitter, bunter, etc... and her defensive skill is not better than the nine I have on the field... then I am playing with 9.

If her defense is better than another but can't hit.... you as a coach have to work with the girl on hitting, bunting slapping..whatever... to make a reason for your decision to play 10 players on Sunday.

As a coach, I feel, you can't allow not putting you best 9 on the field on Sunday...without reason for the main purpose of the tournament and that being to WIN..... and base that reason on Playing Time.

I was never a coach as an adult.. but grew up in a family of them. My Dad put the best nine out there and scheduled scrimmages with other coaches during the week and some Sunday ( Friendlies type of thing - just double headers) just for the sole purpose of getting playing time for the boys who wasn't a starter normally. I can't tell you how many Sunday's I set the bench for the WHOLE double header as a coach's son. Humbling actually. But, it's a experience every kid should endure.. as when it comes time to play the next time as your normal team line-up... hunger is within your soul as a player to show WHY you are a starter.

So, it not only helps the girl who normally doesn't play with PT ( Playing Time) .. it helps the starter understand her fellow teammates who cheer her on when SHE is in the field. Team Concept 101 !!!!

As a coach, you are required to work with the girls to make them better. God given commandment actually (in my world..LOL).... and you do whatever it takes to get PT for every player.. and if it takes weeknight friendlies to put that 10th, 11th or 12th player.. then do it !!!!! Schedule the locals. There are leagues of course.. but are you going into the leagues with instructional thoughts on your mind or are you going in to WIN the league.

Personally, I'm going in as an instructional type setting.. and if you disagree with that concept.. then we don't have a good fit between parent and coach. Because I have a duty as a coach to give everything I have in knowledge to the whole team's DD and not just one or two.

ohioquakerman said:

So, it not only helps the girl who normally doesn't play with PT..

As a coach, you are required to work with the girls to make them better. God given commandment actually (in my world..LOL).... and you do whatever it takes to get PT for every player.. and if it takes weeknight friendlies to put that 10th, 11th or 12th player.. then do it !!!!!

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Sorry for the stupid question, but what is PT? Playing time?

yes......maybe....I dunno

Too many variables here to say as it is just tee'd up for a "yes" the best nine should be on the field type reply. It is easy to gamble with another man's (or woman's...kind of chips or Monday morning quarterback. What is hard is to make these decisions and have to own the loss. My Opinion, if you can not support your coach find another team or start your own where you get to make the decisions and have the responsibility for them.

JMO

We have the same/similar philosophy of everyone plays in Pool, Sunday is for winning. We have a deep commitment to development though, and try to use everyone, based on matchups, strengths & weaknesses, situational, etc.

We have found the players get better, and enjoy the confidence. We have also found that we win more, because the team is a full team, nobody is bringing the team down with sulking, and the beer cans have stopped flying from the stands at the coaches.

There are different philosophies from organization to organization, age to age, and team to team. Ours is one of promoting and developing, and a commitment to that, and an all-for-one & one-for-all commitment among the players. Truly amazing to watch when it rally clicks like that.

For the purposes of this topic, we are stronger as a team, and win more this way, than going 150% in the direction of "win at all costs" softball.

Kinda like slowing your golf or softball swing down just a bit to find good form, and hitting it on the screws farther than you imagined .... rather than swinging out of your shoes and popping up or not getting past the ladies tees.

FWIW .... chemistry & commitment can be powerful forces.

Well said pickle.

I agree as well with pickle.

Here's a text pictorial...

this game is like an11 sided teeter-totter (if you can picture that). Now once you have that in your head...(Kat... you got a pic for that??)... picture this... all the girls getting along, similar in talent, and you have awesome chemistry. Then begin to have a win at all costs mentality (which I'm for a against and changes "per the team I have")...now we challenge the "team balance" and throw in something called trade-offs. These trade-offs are like hornets (which can be cleverly called parents, attitudes, DD's being DD's, and parents) flying around that 11 sided teeter-totter... boooy watch the balance... fun-fun and hopefully you remembered your objective to grow, develop, and win which every shook that heads to in agreement after they signed on in August.

Was that a confusing but colorful picture of how it is??:cap:

Lester said:

I agree as well with pickle.

Here's a text pictorial...

this game is like an11 sided teeter-totter (if you can picture that). Now once you have that in your head...(Kat... you got a pic for that??)... picture this... all the girls getting along, similar in talent, and you have awesome chemistry. Then begin to have a win at all costs mentality (which I'm for a against and changes "per the team I have")...now we challenge the "team balance" and throw in something called trade-offs. These trade-offs are like hornets (which can be cleverly called parents, attitudes, DD's being DD's, and parents) flying around that 11 sided teeter-totter... boooy watch the balance... fun-fun and hopefully you remembered your objective to grow, develop, and win which every shook that heads to in agreement after they signed on in August.

Was that a confusing but colorful picture of how it is??:cap:

Click to expand...

I "get" that, I think! ..... especially, the hornets

.... and at the center of our teeter totter is a big Teddy Bear of a coach who protects, balances, and ... teaches physical skills, leadership, responsibility, and fun. I honestly think we learn as much from the players as they do from us, but it all starts with a philosophy, and commitment. Oh, and a willingness to take some lumps on the way to the final product, lol.

pickledad said:

I "get" that, I think! ..... especially, the hornets

.... and at the center of our teeter totter is a big Teddy Bear of a coach who protects, balances, and ... teaches physical skills, leadership, responsibility, and fun. I honestly think we learn as much from the players as they do from us, but it all starts with a philosophy, and commitment. Oh, and a willingness to take some lumps on the way to the final product, lol.

Click to expand...

He/she isnt at the center, the coach is the fulcrum or point of balance. It a a tricky place to be. The programs that win are good at holding the team up with one hand and chaising away the hornets with the other.

A little off topic but I have to agree serious sunday is the best nine for the team to win, in the spots that will make the win possable. You may have a better shortstop if you put them side by side, but the better SS is a great centerfielder too. The girl you have playing short has the intangables that help you win. You go with the best player for the team that day. JMHO

jsoftballdad said:

Rec ball is for playing time, friday, saturday and sunday you play the best nine in their best positions to win.

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I heard that...couldnt be more true.