Since when did DH-ing become "Not Playing"?

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Yeah I do have a short attention span, that's why I don't read....

No other kids can take a turn there rather than one being pigeon holed into it 3 of 4 games? That's 5 hrs of bench sitting.... maybe not enough players on the roster could be the issue too?

AGAIN!!!! its 3 out of 7 games, not 3 out of 4.

 

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Glad you took the comment in the spirit it was intended, Joe *smiles*

I think you are a firm but fair guy and I'm pleased to see you admit to at times giving some girls a little more of a chance to prove themselves.

Probably explains why you have advanced so far in the sport.

Thanks, but a definite fault of mine is trying to be too "fair" and winding up indecisive. There are probably some out there who know me and are reading that and disagreeing, but I end up all the time looking for ways to justify putting someone different in the lineup. We have a junior with a great attitude who is a solid player, but who has definitely been beaten out of a lineup spot this year. I told my main asst. coach on Sunday in the last game of the weekend that I was thinking of giving her a start, despite her .125 (or so) average. He laughed and asked me if I was crazy. I have sat the bench in my career and know what it feels like to have a coach give you no shot from Day One. Meanwhile you're sitting there thinking, "I think I'm better than the person you keep running out there who is hitting .200." So if a girl is at least reasonably close to someone starting in front of her, I like to give her some starts to allow her to prove herself, and to keep the starter from getting too comfortable. Until someone has absolutely established herself beyond any doubt, I like the competition for playing time.

 

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I wouldn't want my dd to be satisfied with DPing or Flexing. But in the perfect world of sports/life the responsibility to do what's necessary to change the coach's view of her abilities to contribute to the team on a more broad basis lies squarely on her shoulders - not the coach's. In my mind, as soon as she becomes satisfied with being a DP/Flex, she has lost the drive to improve on the other part of her game.

Two additional thoughts:

Unfortunately, I think there are a lot of coaches who use the DP/Flex as way to appeasing 10 families vs 9 instead of its main purpose - a strategic tool. If a coach is doing that, then in my mind he/she deserves the critisism.

On the flip side, if you want to build a team with 12 really good players vs a team with 9 really good players and 3 'role players' then you need to figure out a rotation and get those 12 really good players to buy into being a slightly smaller piece but of a much bigger pie. Because when all is said and done most of the time winning = more games to be played and more hitting/fielding opportunities + its generally a lot more fun.

 

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Thanks, but a definite fault of mine is trying to be too "fair" and winding up indecisive. There are probably some out there who know me and are reading that and disagreeing, but I end up all the time looking for ways to justify putting someone different in the lineup. We have a junior with a great attitude who is a solid player, but who has definitely been beaten out of a lineup spot this year. I told my main asst. coach on Sunday in the last game of the weekend that I was thinking of giving her a start, despite her .125 (or so) average. He laughed and asked me if I was crazy. I have sat the bench in my career and know what it feels like to have a coach give you no shot from Day One. Meanwhile you're sitting there thinking, "I think I'm better than the person you keep running out there who is hitting .200." So if a girl is at least reasonably close to someone starting in front of her, I like to give her some starts to allow her to prove herself, and to keep the starter from getting too comfortable. Until someone has absolutely established herself beyond any doubt, I like the competition for playing time.

Joe, the key message in everything you've said - the players must prove that they can be a contributor to the team. That proof happens in practice and games. I respect your approach very much.

 

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Joe, the key message in everything you've said - the players must prove that they can be a contributor to the team. That proof happens in practice and games. I respect your approach very much.

Agree with ^this^

 

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You are correct ButK...

Must have been too late looking at too many numbers. Meant to say she still DH'd the 3 games she didn't play the field and isn't there another one who could that's all, nothing more than that.

Truthfully I don't really care, just discussing a topic is all.... This time of year the games aren't as critical. Heck our coach last year moved the girls like a merry go round until the fit felt good and took em to the final four.

Summer time, the most talented girls can play almost any position on the field when asked, and that is how most kids should be taught the game, not what most parents think their kid is only going to play. The coaches should be teaching that to the young ladies and getting them experience at whatever position they can take on, because if they play in college, 80% or more won't be playing the position they play in HS.

 

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Last year I had a girl come in late. All I had her do for the first 2 tourneys was be a dh. Her dad came up to me and asked why she isn't getting any defense time. I told him up front and told him that she needs to stop shot-putting the ball, get her glove dirty, and a couple other reasons. I don't think he liked what he heard, but he didn't pull his dd. I was lucky, he was a great parent who handled it nicely, though with a grunt.

 

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I think now days alot of the parents also think......hey I paid the same amount of money as everyone else, my kid deserves the same amount of playing time as all the other kids. Our coach up front tells the girls why the may not be getting playing time, and what they need to work on to get playing time etc.......I think some parents also have higher opinions of their DD's playing abilities, than what they really are. I know I do from time to time.....guess that's part of being a parent. But I dont think I have ever went off on a coach about playing time for any of my 3 DD's who have played. Might have talked to them about the reasons and that has been the extent of it. The way it should be, and decide from there if they will continue to play or leave.