TBR Callenge

This is what I am talking about... most excellent. I think coaching a team that your daughter is NOT on is the best thing that can be done for this sport. Many of us learned and became interested in the sport because we coached our daughters team but everyone has to admit that a dad coaching leads to friction where a non-dad(or non-mom) coaching cant be argued with.

When my daughter is finished playing ball in college, I want to go back to LL and start over again WITHOUT a daughter in the program.

 

Way to go cmmguy!!!! This is a great way to give back to the sport

 

It's what is all about...

Once our girls get to the high school level and make the varsity team, we take the whole team out on a Saturday in March and do a 1 day clinic with all of the rec league from 8u to 16u. The varsity team all wear their uniforms and we have t-shirts printed for all of the rec girls as a gift. The "big" girls run around with the younger girls and demonstrate skills specific to positions, hitting, pitching, etc.

It is a great time for the younger girls and their coaches and the high school girls get a chance to give back to the program that, in many cases, is where they got their start. We have a good time in the mornings with skills, break for a hotdog lunch prepared by the rec league and then the day ends with a pickup game with the older girls in the league.

All of us that have been blessed by the sport of Fastpitch should take every opportunity to give back as much as we can. I got a call from a former player, who is in her freshman year in college, last night thanking me for everything that I had taught her over the years and how much she is enjoying the college experience...that makes all of the years of hard work, all of the money spent on equipment and all of the aches and pains worth it!!

 

Our high school has been doing this for years. But would you like to guess how many of these "little girls" showed up this year? The rec program has been shrinking, and at times the rec league has had to try drum up coaches, but the situation (i.e. having more girls/teams than coaches) is no where nearly as bad as it is in the local rec soccer program.

 

real effort by adults

I think that interest and numbers in rec ball kinda goes in cycles. if you have several coaches / parents (and yes daddy or mommy coaches ) that are really gung-ho about organizing the league, fixing the field, concessions, teaching fundamentals, scheduling for all-star tryouts, talking it up, promoting it, scheduling clinics or bringing in experts to teach and instruct, hauling kids here and there , etc, etc and all this and more for a number of years not just one or two...........then you can have adequate numbers for a worthwhile experience.

But if you happen to have a bunch of lazy parents / coaches that want it all handed to them by some rec organization or athletic association, then the numbers may dwindle during cycles. That's what I have seen at times.

 

This is the league that I have been working with since '95. WindMllr has been great and his Peace team makes a great impact on the young girls in our league.

 

Nothing like...

...coaching a team that your DD is not on. I have done it twice (well really the first time, my youngest DD was a manager because she was in 6th grade). Last year was the first time I coached a team that neither of my DDs had anything to do with. It was SOOOOOO much fun just coaching and teaching the girls. No worries about 'daddy ball' or any of that other garbage. We had a great time and won (tied) for the conference chanpionship for the first time in school history!

This is a great thread!

 

TeeBall.....

.....is sooooo cool. All the kids in the field chasing the ball no matter where its hit. And by seasons end, the kids have learned to "kinda" hang out in the position area. TeeBall is for me.


And......it doesn't hurt my feelings one bit when a 30 yr old mama brings her kid to practice a little late.

And....to you Wndmllr, stop right now, and don't even go there......on your playing time approach. lol!man.

 

Way ahead of ya Kris. Dragged Morgan and Ashley back up to South LL this spring and summer and put them to work coaching. Ironically working w/ 12 to 15 year olds. Ashley ran practice and Morgan worked w/ pitchers and catchers. Main pitcher was 12 and fell in love w/ Morgan and soaked in every word she said. Not just ball, but what the right and wrong way to handle yourself on the ball field was. How many rec teams you seen w/ their shirts tucked in and their socks pulled up. Don't even see too many travel teams carry themselves that well any more. Great idea, get to it TBR, back up all those words. GO SOUTH!!!