Opposing Coaches

[Guest Ken in St. Louis]

I have a coach in my 3rd grade boys baseball league who is ######-bent on winning! He ignores the standard rules regarding taking bases on overthrows, and basically has his guys doing "anything" to score runs. This is our first year pitching, and he will even have his players stand at the plate with the bat on their shoulders and take pitches until they walk...just to get on base. There's not enough daylight hours to play the game this way! The umps are young and intimidated by this guy, and typically let him run the show. I want my kids to win, but mainly I want them to have fun and learn. How can I explain to them (and their parents) that we should not imploy the same tactics when playing against this team? Thanks in advance for your responses

kdj6762@msn.com

[Guest Schann]

Coach Ken,

I ran into the same thing when my daughter was playing and unfortunately sometimes I was that guy who was overbearing and forgot what the game was about.

One particular team we played the coaches daughter was their pitcher and that's really all they had. When we played them the scores were always high because our girls were aggressive at the plate and could hit the ball well. Their girls would come up, look for the walk to get on base and then wait for the passed ball to advance.

For them it had to be a boring game, for us, we always had a good time and are girls were much better off because they knew how to hit. Our girls always had the green light, even if the count was 3-0.

I think you just stick with your philosophy and everything else will follow. I know as a parent, win or lose, I don't want to see my child stand up at the plate and never take a cut, they are never going to learn to hit if they aren't aggressive batters.

What is that coach going to have as the kids get older and gain more control of their pitches. They won't be prepared to hit the ball and they are going to have a difficult time getting on base.

Good luck and God Bless!

Schann

[hoops4kids 0]

Go to the committee in charge of the league. This coach's priorities are in the wrong place. I'll bet his "winning coach" reputation, with the parents, is more important than his own players. He should be thrown out of your league.

Teach your kids to have fun. I'll bet more of your kids return to play next year. I'll bet he's ignoring some of his lesser kids in the interest of winning.

At the 3rd grade level "all the kids stink," to quote a prominent ex pro-athlete, youth sports reformer. The one's we think are great, are just "less worse" than the others. Very few will become high school players. Your job is to create a fun learning environment where kids develop a love for the game and return to play next year.

I once learned a valuable lesson from my son. After a "must win" (if there is such a thing in youth sports), against the first place, previously undefeated team, I asked my son how he felt. His response, "Dad, what's for lunch." Don't take these games more seriously than the kids.

I've coached 24 seasons (soccer, basketball, baseball, softball) of youth sports. You will get more respect from parents if their kids love playing. Along the way you'll win some championships.

My daughter "stunk" the most in 3-4th grade basketball. She now plays high school basketball and softball. Her younger brother "stinks the least" in three sports. He's too young to call a star. I cut people off when they try.

[Coach Seitz 0]

I have a coach in my 3rd grade boys baseball league who is ######-bent on winning! He ignores the standard rules regarding taking bases on overthrows, and basically has his guys doing "anything" to score runs. This is our first year pitching, and he will even have his players stand at the plate with the bat on their shoulders and take pitches until they walk...just to get on base. There's not enough daylight hours to play the game this way! The umps are young and intimidated by this guy, and typically let him run the show. I want my kids to win, but mainly I want them to have fun and learn. How can I explain to them (and their parents) that we should not imploy the same tactics when playing against this team? Thanks in advance for your responses

kdj6762@msn.com

I've coached youth baseball for many years and it's been very rare that I have come across opposing coaches who were unreasonable, overly-aggressive, or so "gung ho" if you will at such an early age. There have been a few, but not many. However, what typically happens in these cases is that the organiztion receives so many complaints from his team parents that the guy ends up without an equipment bag the next year. That doesn't help you this year, but here are a few tips for you and your team: The important thing is that YOU coach your game and YOUR team. De-emphasize winning at this age. Place your emphasis on learning the fundamentals and having FUN. Communicate these objectives to your parents right from the first practice so they are on the same page and you share a common goal. Keep your cool and set a good example for your players and your parents when this type of situation comes up. You have to be having fun for your players and parents to have fun. A few tips for your organization: Try using a machine pitch/kid pitch format at such a young age. Let the kids pitch every other inning. It speeds up the game. It forces kids to stay in the box and swing because every pitch is a strike when the machine is throwing. It produces better fielders because kids actually see balls hit to them in the field instead of watching walk after walk. When kids pitch, WIDEN that strike zone. If it's reachable, lets be hacking away. Use coaches evalution forms for the parents to rate the coaches so the organiztion has a way weed out the obvious problems. Many times the problems we experience on the field can be solved by the organiztions governing body. Good luck to you my friend. Don't let one bad apple discourage you from enjoying your time on the field with your team and your son. Don't let him deprive you of the tremendous satisfaction you will get from being a GOOD coach, teacher, and father. God Bless.

[synwave7 0]

KISL,

I would do just that. Explain to your parents your philosaphys on baseball and winning. What a shame this coach is treating his team this way. Leave the bat on your shoulder and wait for a walk, steal more than one base on overthrow, just run and run and run on anything and everybody. Maybe if someone tried to speak w/him he would ease up and follow the rules.

I think we all here agree it's about the kids having fun, learning the proper techniques and coming back next year. Certainly there comes a time in Little League when (an) emphasis should be on winning, after all baseball is healthy competition and in any competition there is a winner and a loser. I however never have and never will manage a team where I field a team strictly trying to win.

I would go to the Board of your Little League and explain the situation. I would make an attempt to at least talk to this coach first and let him know of his rules infractions and try to get him to see the light on de-emphasizing the winning and emphasizing the fun and proper techniques at this age. If talking with him doesn't work then I would certainly high tail it to a board meeting and let them know what is going on.

I would maybe go anyway and make sure they know whats going on with this guy. As far as your team, stick with teaching them technique and try to learn the game the best you can so you give your team the best shot at continuing to play next year and years beyond that. If the players are coached well they will have lot's of fun because they will know the game and maybe win a few while there at it. Sounds like your the right guy for the job good luck!

Syn

[wwjdwithca 0]

Hey, don't forget, there is another answer!!!

Out- Coach the guy!! Teach your kids how to combat a team like that. If he's telling his kids not to swing, then strike them out! Teach your kids to throw strikes for Pete's sake. If he's telling his kids not to swing because he knows your kids can't pitch. Teach your kids to pitch.

Don't complain to the league or the Parents. Beat him at his own game. If he tries to take two bases on an overthrow, throw them out!

So how do you do this. You as the manager need to think your strategies through before the games. You need to have well organized practices. Practice things that will help you in the games. If your playing a team that runs too much, you need to teach your kids to throw back to the pitcher immediatly on EVERY play. Once the Pitcher is on the rubber he can call time-out. If the runner tries to take another base teach the Pitcher to take two or three steps towards the base he's trying to steal and make a nice throw tothe base, and teach your infielders to tag the runner by sweeping the ground. OUT! That's how you take care of that.

The problem is the ball get's by the Catcher, and everyone yells "He's stealing 2nd, throw to second." So he throws to second (late) and the ball get's by the 2nd baseman, etc, etc. etc. Run scores.

Don't even teach the Catcher to throw to 2nd (EVER). Throw to the Pitcher. Let him have 2nd. If he tries to take third, let the pitcher throw him out by 4 steps. When he tries to steal 3rd on the next pitch, throw him out stealing. Make sure the Left Fielder is backing the 3rd baseman up on the play.

Teach your Pitchers to throw strikes,your Catchers to block the ball, to only throw out runners going to third (make sure the left fielder is taught to backup, make him aware during the game situation), for every infielder to always throw back to the Pitcher after every play, immediatly.

Then when you hit. RUN until the cows come home. He may not know how to solve the problem himself.

Then after you've taken him to school, the next time you play him you go up to him before the game and say, "Hey Coach how ya' doing? Today, my philosphy is to only make proper running advancements, not to run until you get thrown out type of thing, but I really let the opposing manager take the lead there. I'll just follow what he does. Have a great game, and let's have a great time. Good luck!"

Cause the fact of the matter is that his type of Managing is not effective if it's defensed properly. In fact he'll run himself right out of an inning every time. Let him. But you have to teach your kids to play. If it only bothers you enough to complain, than it doesn't really bother you that much. Do something about it, much more fun and gratifiying.

Good luck!

[mdanderson2 0]

Isn't it remarkable how sports mirrors society? It is unfortunate when adults take the

fun out of playing. A very famous psychologist has offered a bribe to any recreation

group that has the kids run the games. He believes the only adults to be on the field

are the officials. It is something to think about as many of us know from our youth

that it is entirely possible to run a baseball game with no adults around!

[preacherman 0]

I have to disagree with many of you. I understand some of the complaints but some of them are not legit. WWJDCA hit it on the head. In some ways, this coach is outcoaching you. He is saying if they can't throw strikes don't swing at bad pitches. That preaches guys.

He is saying if you are going to second and they overthrow go to third. That preaches.

Sounds like in some ways, maybe not attitude but not there, he is teaching his players good baserunning and batting skills.

I have been that coach. I told mine don't swing at bad pitches but don't stand there trying to walk. I am convinced that we as coaches must do our best. We must prepare our kids. There are also coaches who do not teach basics and get mad at other coaches and retaliate with bad coaching. We had a guy whose catcher could not throw to third with accuracy so he would walk our runners back to third every pitch until the umpire called time.

I have seen the good, the bad,and the ugly.

[pckidcoach 0]

Take the high road! Do what's right for the kids. Later on down the road, they will appreciate it, and remember it. It may take some time, but you will have the last laugh.

[Saugussoftball 0]

I'm "one of those" who advised one of my kids to wait for the walk........she was all of "a minute high" the pitches always went over her head, she was so little that a 17oz bat drooped down her back....BUT she had great speed and instincts. All she needed was to get on base and we were guaranteed a run! When they finally learned to lower the pitches, I taught her how to bunt! Have fun that's what it's about!

[Peacemaker 0]

Gonna throw my 2 cents in as well.

I think you just had a gift thrown your way. If someone is trying to score more runs in a game, is this wrong? If he is teaching patience at the plate is this wrong?

What he was doing was showing you HIS strengths, and using them agaisnt YOUR weaknesses, and this is what seperates good teams from bad, regardless of how much fun the kids are intended to have. If you have a lot of PB's or your catcher doesn't hustle or have an arm.... is this his fault? No, it merely shows you that you need to work on all of these and possibley reconsider your position assignments.

Baseball is a competitive game. It is a team game as well. Teaching your kids to succeed should not be misconstrued as being unsportsmanlike. I did not see mention of him stopping or continuing after a large lead was built up. Me personally, I would do it till you countered it, or I had a decent lead. If you the do same to me, it teaches me what I need to work on. Games such as these teach us the most, and along with that comes my motto "we learn our best lessons from the worst mistakes we make in life".

You haven't worked enough (or previous coaches haven't) on some aspects. Big deal, we all got things to work on. At least you know what some of yours are. Make corrections, find some of his weaknesses, and beat him next time you play him.

Coach Will