Team Batting Average Question

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Based on your experience, what's the typical drop (or is there typically a drop) in team batting average/offense when a travel team moves from 12U to 14U? Pitching and defense are holding up, but offensive numbers are way down--more than I would have expected. Just wondering whether to start questioning my coaching ability.

 

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Don't question you ability, maybe look at areas, but definately question your players on how much work they are putting in on their own. Pitchers are getting better as you get older, working on different pitches and starting to spot locations better, and most are throwing everyday. If your hitters are not working as hard as the pitchers you will see some falling off. If the frustration of failure is not motivating them, then push them to work harder, if not, find some that will.

 

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Thanks LK,

The coaching ability comment was a bit of a joke (I know jokes don't always come across on the forum). My question is more, how much of a drop is to be expected from the better pitching and how much of it is the girls' approach?

 

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I would say it is about 50/50, as the girls get older they stop working as hard, but the pitchers keep on getting better, otherwise they won't be pitching. Very few teams have hitters 1-9 just clobbering the ball, the result of not working enough.

If a hitter is not hitting well its because of a slump or a mechanics issue and the coach moves them down in the lineup. If a pitcher is struggling, for whatever reason, she's not pitching.....so who do you think is working harder...the pitcher riding the pine....or the hitter who moved from # 3 to #7 in the lineup, and still playing her position.;&

 

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Golden advice, Knights.

IMO, age group has nothing to do with it. However, HARD WORK has EVERYTHING to do with it. It's not that the hitting is getting worse, it's usually a case of hitting skills not keeping up with all the other skills. Hitting, like pitching, takes a lot of time to master. As kids get older, we ALL know about the other "interests" that sometimes steal the focus from softball - just at the time when they should be working very hard - IF they want to extend their play to the college level. Granted, that's simply not for every kid. Recreational level suits a lot of families just fine.

Along about 14u - 16u, priorities for kids start to become a little more focused, and sometimes take the unexpected fork in the road. So, I wouldn't blame a team coach at all. As a matter of fact, I RARELY blame a coach for the kids performance and skill level. I put the responsiblilty for skill improvement squarely on the shoulders of the player. "Ask NOT what your team can do for you, but rather ask what YOU can do for your team!"

 

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As a team that moved up from 12u to 14u and has played against the best 12u and now 14u teams, our team batting average is down by about 15-20 points compared to where we finished the season last year (approx 350). I attribute this to an increase in movement pitches and improved defensive range.

However, my approach to the game has also changed. We are playing a lot more small ball (twice as many SACs at this point last year), getting runners into scoring position and putting increased pressure on the defense.

 

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Great Advice. We hitting coaches and coaches get way too much credit. It is all about the kids. If you have a group of kids that want to learn and practice what you teach them, then great things happen. The group I'm currently working with are a great bunch of young ladies that practice and really want to learn. I have never been on a team that has hit so many HR's from so many different girls . Plus everyone can hit from top to bottom in the line up! That is hard work by them.