Toughest position to play in softball??

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I think if you ask this of the young ladies that play the game they would say the position that they play, and thats enough for me.

 

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The seated position in the car where there's no escape where dad says why didn't you do this? Or why did you that?

 

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The seated position in the car where there's no escape where dad says why didn't you do this? Or why did you that?

How true that is....
BTW scorekeeper is the hardest...LOL

 

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Catcher are the best :yahho:
then a pitcher because i'm both

 

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I agree -- Catcher --

 

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I dont believe anyones mentioned 1st base. One of my daughters pitch, one catches and one plays shortstop. I believe all are important. But how many times does a short hop get misfielded or a young lady stretches the wrong way or not at all. Also, she has to field the bunt. 1st base can also be a very tough position.

 

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I think second base is tough to play, and they don't usually get a lot of the credit.
Knowing when to cover your base, when to cover first base, turning double plays, taking cuts from the outfield.

 

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The toughest position to play without a doubt is pitcher, the second toughest would be catcher.

 

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totally agree.....but would like to add on more....catchers never get any recognition....the toughest job on the field and the pitcher is always praised for what a good game she had.....i think everyone should have to catch at least once to see how hard it is to catch......then they can come back to me and decide wether or not i deserve any recognition.....just my 2 cents

I agree that catching is toughest, but don't forget the blame that the pitchers receive when things are not going well.

 

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catcher with out a doubt

 

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Toughest position is Catcher. I tell all my ladies they gotta work three times harder for me, if they want a shot at playin' Catcher...

 

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I agree that catching is toughest, but don't forget the blame that the pitchers receive when things are not going well.

Pitchers might get the blame, but they also get the glory - catchers get blame, but rarely get any glory.

 

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The hardest position on the field is wherever the coach's dd is at the moment. Then catcher....lol

Mike

For the psychological part of the game I would have to agree with shock here. So much is riding on the game and her preformance is always under the microscope. If she fails she has to listen to dad for the next week, and carry the weight of the failure on her shoulders bearing the weight for her father also who she knows in also under the knife with his decision and knows that the other parents players parents are blaming father and daughter and using that terrible phrase "daddy ball". This player has to have nerves of steel and very tough skin or she will crumble in an instant. This girl is also in a tough position as to what role does she play in the team leader or follower. And just think about this at the next practice "Who does the coach yell at the most and send to the fence the most, there is no sympathy for the daughter if she is bleeding out her eyes she better get up and dive for the next line drive if she has too."

As for the phyical end for all the prementioned reasons Catcher, Pitcher, Middle infield then the corners then the outfield.

 

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Coaching...

You have to be an expert juggler
You have to be a great politician
You have to be a commuicator
You have to be a teacher
You have to be a psychologist
You have to be a miracle worker
You have to have all the answers
You have to know the game of softball
You have to be amazing patient
You have to be perfect
last, but not least,
You have to have really thick skin or this game will drive you crazy.

 

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Great pitchers make it look so easy but the amount of time one has to put in to get to that point i think is lost on alot of parents who do not have hardcore pitchers around them.Year round workouts 2-3-4-5 days a week for years on end to learn and develope the pitches needed to make it as a great pitcher.Great pitchers they say have to work 10 times harder than anyone else just to get there and the ones that do stand out......

 

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Pitcher,
They go to team practice, they go to a pitching coach, they work at home every night.
They work on hitting, they work on their fielding skills. In the games all eyes are on them, they have to adjust to umps that have narrow vision, adjust to the batter, and correct the pitch that is not working, and its their fault as soon as a pop up is dropped - they let it get hit....
Get put on the mound in the last inng, bases loaded, 2 outs...talk about pressure!
And I am NOT taking away anything from the catcher, very thing said above is true, but try pitching your 121st pitch in a tight game in 94 degrees, talk about sweat.

 

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Catcher,
They go to team practice, they go to a catching coach, they work at home every night.
They work on hitting, they work on their fielding skills. They have to adjust to umps that have narrow vision, adjust to the batter, and they catch the pitch that is not working, and its their fault when a ball gets past them....
Behind the plate, runner on third, 0 outs...talk about pressure!
And I am NOT taking away anything from the pitcher, very thing said above is true, but try catching your 121st pitch in a tight game in 94 degrees dressed in full catcher's gear, talk about sweat.

Sorry Andy, couldn't resist

Honestly, One DD is a pitcher, one is a catcher, Both work hard & must be the most durable (IMO) The pitcher feels more pressure & often carries the game. Very mentally demanding & physically challenging. A good catcher can & should make a pitcher look good and gets less recognition when it goes well (JMHO). Needs to be mentally focused & needs allot of endurance.

I think we should call it a draw

Joe

 

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What about the batter ? It is the only position on the field we accept failure on a regular basis.

 

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Lets face it, everyone, the game can't be played without ALL nine players being there mentally and physically, offense and defense!!

 

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Not gonna break any new ground here.

I think we all agree there are different definitions of "toughness" involved here. Not trying to slight any other positions, (if you're good---none are easy), but catchers and pitchers are under unique pressures.

To me, there's no doubt about it---catcher has the most physically difficult position on the field. As many have already said: wearing specialty equipment, heat issues, crouched position, most likely to take a hit from wildly swinging batters, takes the lion's share of tackles from runners trying to make it home, trying to stop the ball when the pitcher can't find the plate, etc.

There's a different kind of toughness at work when it comes to pitchers. Again, as many others have mentioned---no other position requires as much outside practice and instruction, just to maintain ~ much less to try and excel. I truly don't think parents and players who don't pitch really have any idea the time and money involved, and the years it can take to get to the point where your dd can get out in the circle and pretty much put the ball where she wants it, when she wants it. (Pitchers' parents die a thousand deaths the first few years, lol. It can be agonizing to see the ball sail right over the backstop. )