Does size Always Matter?

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Dynamite in small packages. The beauty of softball is that you can be heavy, tall, short, skinny, whatever, but if you are dedicated you can be good.

 

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99% of coaches do not pick out a SS or 3B by vertical fielding ability or height. For SS especially it's horizontal range, fielding, and the ability to throw quickly and hard a long way. I really am trying to help you see something here, again when you say she can make the throw but uses her whole body that sounds like she needs to step into a crow hop to throw from the hole to 1B. The premium is on glove to glove time if takes an extra 2 seconds for her to go from fielding to delivery because she has to make an outfield style throw from SS then she has an arm strength issue and agility training and 3 more inches of vertical jump won't make it go away. It may look like a good throw when it's in the air, but if the wind up takes to long she won't throw anyone out. Having a bigger arm probably opens up 6 of the 7 normal positions to her (coaches do like tall 1B and vertical range there is a need) Pitcher or Catcher need other skill development obviously. Right now she's limited to the 2 positions that everyone who can play at all can play and that is why coach is giving you the "I wish she was bigger" I'm telling you that a bigger arm makes that comment go away and I'm guessing coach is already probably happy with her speed and range but just wants to be able to utilize her more freely in other spots.

Personally I'd prefer to put a shorter infielder on the left side all other things being equal because second base ends up covering 1B on bunts and that's one time where being a bigger target and being able to field a higher wild throw is a real advantage.

Thank you for your honesty. The good news is, we took her to several tryouts, and she was given an offer by everyone of them. Three of the six said she was first pick based on her athleticism, speed and arm. Maybe I don't need to worry about her as much as I thought I did. This is a kid that wants it bad and I couldn't be more proud. Guess who is the starting SS, for her new TT team? Thanks again for your candid comments. I like people who don't just tell me what I want to hear.

 

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Thank you for your honesty. The good news is, we took her to several tryouts, and she was given an offer by everyone of them. Three of the six said she was first pick based on her athleticism, speed and arm. Maybe I don't need to worry about her as much as I thought I did. This is a kid that wants it bad and I couldn't be more proud. Guess who is the starting SS, for her new TT team? Thanks again for your candid comments. I like people who don't just tell me what I want to hear.

outstanding!! :yahoo:

 

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And she is always in the front row in those championship team pictures.

I don't care who you are.. that's funny. :lmao::lmao:

(Because all the smaller girls are in the front row in pictures... but championship pictures just takes it to a whole different level )

I spit my coffee out on that one... Thanks for the laugh.

That's just too funny.

 

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BUT DON'T STOP THERE!!! Spend a LOT of time this fall/winter working with a qualified coach on high level footwork, glove transfer, throwing technique, etc. Softball is a game of quickness. Drawing on Snocatzdad's points - using techniques from Howard Kobata will make a huge difference in her middle infield skills. Just having a qualified coach work with her on throwing form and technique over the winter can make a HUGE difference.

Congrats! Keep up the hard work! Remember... "The best never rest".

 

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You take what the game will give you. Luckily for the vertically challenged girls, softball offers plenty for them too. I do believe that my 5'1" dd has to work harder to receive the same recognition as girls of average or taller heights but that pretty much applies to most everything else in life. She hasn't been a power hitter to this point and most of her focus is slapping and bunting. There's a girl on her HS team at the same height who absolutely hammers the ball. I'm told this girl has spent more time then most working at it (to the tune of 10,000 swings each off season) but she has proved to me and many others that the little girls can swing big. She gives my dd hope that there's more than small ball in her future.

 

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Power comes from proper mechanics and core strength, not size. In my experience, there are just as many small girls who are bashers as there are big girls...plus the smaller girls are usually much faster.

 

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My niece is 5' 1/2", 106 lbs. She is simply amazing. She is strong, runs like a jack rabbit, and practices for hours on her own. I haven't seen a kid yet who loves the sport more than her. She is a serious joy to watch. Her opponents are rarely ready for her, especially when she switch hits right & drops one in deep left field. She started 3B for Varsity her freshman year and has played every single inning since then (she's a Junior this year). She is determined to play D1...I tell her "Don't you let anyone tell you that you can't. If you want it, go after it." I personally think her size is actually her advantage.

 

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If you can hit you can play!!! Size is a number!!!