Why no outfielders?

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If a player says she wants to play outfield during a tryout and shows they know the position, they are almost guaranteed place on the team.

YEP. Couldn't agree more.

Stress to your position players the importance of working on their offense (hitting) more than anything.

 

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no outfielders because many that introduce the players to the game don't explain how cool it is to be there.

I've seen some teach OF last because it's hard (by choice and time commitments that have been spend on it) to do amongst all the other priorities at younger ages so that approach trickles into where the kids want to play. That then conditions players/parents to push them towards positions 1-6 and that makes outfield "ugly" as you stated. Just a generalized reason why kids don't go there at the same time it gets less action as previously stated in the younger years.

Speed, natural reactions to contact, and tracking are hard to find!!! And key to success as many stated. We love our outfielders... they are called upon many times while having little action when compared to the infielders.

This question is a good one... makes you say hmmmm....

 

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Parents who think less of OF's must play on a team where the infield never misses a ball or the pitcher does all the work. If you have bad outfielders it can make or break a game just as much as having poor pitching. Especially 14u and up. But I know a lot of 12U girls that can crank it to the fence and if you have silly sally out there picking daisies who can't or won't run to save her life you are in deep trouble. Or if they don't know when and how to back up other players. A bad throw down to second is easily another stolen base if your center fielder isn't coming in to cover the throw. And actually I have seen a CF take a throwdown at second-kinda sneaky most runners don't watch the outfield when stealing My dd is proud to be an outfielder. She had college OFs teach her techniques the way they learn in college. Its not a simple as it looks (then again nothing is). Never had a desire to be anything but catcher and OF...but is learning infield now just to round out her versitility.

 

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Parents who think less of OF's must play on a team where the infield never misses a ball or the pitcher does all the work. If you have bad outfielders it can make or break a game just as much as having poor pitching. Especially 14u and up. But I know a lot of 12U girls that can crank it to the fence and if you have silly sally out there picking daisies who can't or won't run to save her life you are in deep trouble. Or if they don't know when and how to back up other players. A bad throw down to second is easily another stolen base if your center fielder isn't coming in to cover the throw. And actually I have seen a CF take a throwdown at second-kinda sneaky most runners don't watch the outfield when stealing My dd is proud to be an outfielder. She had college OFs teach her techniques the way they learn in college. Its not a simple as it looks (then again nothing is). Never had a desire to be anything but catcher and OF...but is learning infield now just to round out her versitility.

How old and is she looking for a team;&;&;&

 

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My DD was a 1st baseman from 12U until she reached high school. 10 seniors on the high school team and the coach wants to bring her up as a freshman to play centerfield. To play a s a frosh at our high school is a ough task and you take the opportunity given you. She played all four years in center earning honorable mention all state her sophomore year, 2nd team all state as a junior and first team all state as a senior. She played outfield for a great summer team and eventually earned a scholarship to a D1 school. It didn't hurt she had a great stick and was a 4.0 student, but to let parents know, don't be afraid to let your DD's play outfield. It is a difficult position. Outfielders have to be able to judge a ball from many different angles, possess great speed to put themselves in a position to make the catch and in the correct position to make the ensuing throw and have tremendous arm strength to make a long throw accurately. There is even correct footwork when making outfield plays, same as infield. The older they get, the more the outfield comes into play. If a shortstop misses a grounder its usually a single. If an outfielder misses a ball it's usually a double. Our summer team called the outfielders "grazers." I'm a proud parent of a grazer!

 

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How old and is she looking for a team;&;&;&

LOL....She is 16 and no she is not looking. Haha...

 

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I've told this story more than once on OFC, so I apologize to those who have already heard it. But the story seems so appropriate given the initial post.

At one of the very first NFCA Coaches College courses that we attended, the great Donna Newberry (Muskingham's NFCA Hall of Fame coach whom fastpitch lost last November to cancer) attended as a student (which kind of freaked out the instructors). John Tschida, head coach of the then Division III National Championship St. Thomas squad, laid out an imaginary softball diamond in the room and asked all the coach students to go stand at the positions that they felt were most important. So there was the predictable cluster of people in the pitching circle, at catcher, and at short stop. Donna Newberry went directly to the outfield. When Tschida asked her about that, she said "infielders often can cost or save a run, outfielders more often can cost or save games."

Newberry was well known for recruiting the best athletes and turning them into outfielders. But I suspect she was quite happy when her most athletic recruits also had quality experience as outfielders.

 

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CGS, I use that same story when talking to parents. With my players I change it up to if infielders misplay a ball they have outfielders. If outfielders misplay a ball they have fence and fence equals runs for our competition.

Once you hit 12u a TB team better have a solid outfield or you just can't compete. I think once you get to the level that the OF is getting action it is easier to show a player how important their contribution to the teams success is. We now have 6 kids who can play outfield well but as in an earlier post we make outfield play and practice a priority. It takes work on thier part and coaching on ours but the results are starting to show!

 

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Why is it that there are never posts for rightfielders, leftfielders or even centerfielders looking for a team. Is it still the "ugly position" as when i was a kid. How do Universities pick up outfielders? If a "sub-par" infielder turns into an outfielder, wouldnt that make them a "sub-par" outfielder? As my kid is playing up a couple age groups this fall, i'm seeing alot more balls being hit in the outfield and cant figure out why at 10 and 12u outfield is a dirty word but somehow at 16 and 18u its semi acceptable (i said semi acceptable).

In my opinion at the younger ages its mostly the coaches that make kids feel that OF is less important. Practices are spent on hitting and infield practice and when time is spent on OF the skills being taught are lacking. I don't agree that its looked at as only semi-important at 16 and 18u- If you don't have skilled athletes in OF at 14u your in for a rough time. How many times have you seen a game saving catch (diving or sliding) or a throw to the plate or bag in order to save a game-?