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Should outfielders layout for balls? Do you encourage them to or tell them don't do it?
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Layout!!!!
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Generally, yes, dive. But on balls down the line that are more of a line drive type of ball, if you dive, you better get a glove on it or else we are looking at a triple or inside the park HR.
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What would you think of a coach that tells his players...."outfielders should NEVER dive for a ball?"
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Don't think he wants to win. We went to Ok for the HOF tourney and that was the biggest eye opener.. how the OF'rs would lay out and slide for balls... we can back determined to learn that... today in our Champ game with the Nitro our CF dove straight ahead for a ball (sinking liner) - caught it and from her belly rolled it to 2nd base to double up the runner.. it was a game changer!
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Glad someone else said that!!!!!
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If they can master a dive and pop up slides, it makes them a defensive threat....
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it is all in the context of the game... you take the risk when it makes sense ... 2 outs, no one on.. do it... sometimes puilling up is the smart choice... but it takes the heart of of the other team when it is pulled off.. shrinks the entire OF for the batter...
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Dive, 110% all the time
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I agree Doug.... sometimes it is a smart choice to stay up but a coach should NEVER tell a player "don't ever lay out for the ball." If the player feels that she should dive to try and stop the ball... then thats exactly what I would want her to do. It takes alot of heart for players to dive out for a ball.... why wouldn't you want her to? If the other players in the outfield are doing their job (backing up) then there shouldn't be an issue.
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agreed!!!!!
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I agree with Joe. As he said, if you commit to diving and miss in this situation, the ball rolls clear into the corner, and by the time the center fielder retrieves the ball and throws it in, there are a LOT of extra bases.
There are things to consider: What is needed on this particular play? Is it "do or die time"? If the coaches mantra is "dive for every ball" your team is in for a lot of losses. Same deal if the coach says to never dive. What kind of teaching is that??
If you dive, is there a backup fielder? Like with a hit to right center, where the right fielder can curl behind for backup. I think in most cases there will (or should) be a backup fielder, except in those dead corners.
As kids get older, if they have played aggressive ball, they figure out what their range is. Diving "for diving's sake" is just plain stupid. It's similar to a great infielder knowing how to play a hop. They see the ball off the bat, and know when to charge, or let the ball hop. They play the ball, and don't let the ball play them. Nothing wrong with encouraging aggressive play, but not at the expense of SMART play. Knowing when the odds are in your favor you absolutely should make the dive.
There are things to consider: What is needed on this particular play? Is it "do or die time"? If the coaches mantra is "dive for every ball" your team is in for a lot of losses. Same deal if the coach says to never dive. What kind of teaching is that??
If you dive, is there a backup fielder? Like with a hit to right center, where the right fielder can curl behind for backup. I think in most cases there will (or should) be a backup fielder, except in those dead corners.
As kids get older, if they have played aggressive ball, they figure out what their range is. Diving "for diving's sake" is just plain stupid. It's similar to a great infielder knowing how to play a hop. They see the ball off the bat, and know when to charge, or let the ball hop. They play the ball, and don't let the ball play them. Nothing wrong with encouraging aggressive play, but not at the expense of SMART play. Knowing when the odds are in your favor you absolutely should make the dive.
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Win or lose being aggressive, don't lose being tentative....
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Exactly right - it is a risk/return decision that is dictated by the situation...
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But they have to have freedom to do it... in our Champ game, 4th inning?, 1 out, 2-0 us, runner on 2nd. Line drive to CF .. if she pulls up it is 1st, 3rd 1 out... if it gets by her on the dive - we would be lucky to have 2-1 lead and runner on thrid 1 out... she makes a diving catch and from the ground rolls the ball to 2nd for a DP .. out of inning... had I thought about it before hand would have told her to hold up and play it conservative.. but man did it ever work out for us that she did... it was a ... noo no no no no... wow! great catch! moment for me...
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DIVE!!! My daughter is an outfielder, and loves to make those diving catches!
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Tell them to layout!!! They will learn when it matters. They need to play ALL OUT for anything to the center of 20' off the lines and anything foul imo. Inside the '20s' you should have at least 2 fielders on every ball, one can play aggressive and the other needs to be hustling to cover her back. There are no plays off 
regardless of where the ball is hit. A good outfielder will learn what is too risky in the gutters, first 10'-15' along the sidelines. I would start by telling them to play line drives in the gutters conservative and layout on fly balls. Let them learn the happy medium. They learn fast with plenty of practice. Can't just send them onto the game field with high expectations. IMO you need to expose them to great play first so they know it can be done and then put them in that situation in practice.
OMG what a confidence builder when they learn they can STEAL a well hit ball from a batter and start deflating the other team's moral. As in the rest of the game, you have to play aggressive but smart.
I'm nobody, Just my 2 cents.
regardless of where the ball is hit. A good outfielder will learn what is too risky in the gutters, first 10'-15' along the sidelines. I would start by telling them to play line drives in the gutters conservative and layout on fly balls. Let them learn the happy medium. They learn fast with plenty of practice. Can't just send them onto the game field with high expectations. IMO you need to expose them to great play first so they know it can be done and then put them in that situation in practice. OMG what a confidence builder when they learn they can STEAL a well hit ball from a batter and start deflating the other team's moral. As in the rest of the game, you have to play aggressive but smart.
I'm nobody, Just my 2 cents.
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Diving in the outfield is great to see!! It shows the girls are aggressive and willing to do whatever is necessary to make the play. But it isn't ALWAYS a good idea to make that dive for the ball. Ask any outfielder who knows her position well and she will tell you there are always a few situations where you should NOT dive for a ball. If you have a tight game and cannot let the runner score you are risking ALOT by diving for the line shots, if you miss it it will ensure the run scores. If you stop it on the hop you are in throwing position to hold the runner on 3. There are always exceptions, but for the most part I agree the outfielder should dive for the balls.....just not 100% of the time.
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A little surprised by all the "100%" comments. It just isn't smart to do in certain situations, especially on balls hit down the lines. And on balls deep in gaps, you need to have a reasonable chance of catching or at least stopping them. This is like saying ... pitches, swing or not ... depends if you have a good chance to hit them, what the count is, score, etc.
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