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I'm coaching 10U Fastpitch Softball. The girls can steal bases but they cannot lead off and they cannot steal home. How do you have your kids stand on base? If they are right handed, I have the girls put the ball of their right foot on the dirt and the heal of their right foot on the bag. She is using the base like a runners block. Opposite if they are left handed. This is how they stand on every bag. Any thoughts?
Also,
New rule for our league this year: A batter can try to "steal" first if the catcher drops the third strike. If I have a weak hitter(no real chance of hitting off this pitcher) and there are 2 strikes and the batter is batting right handed I'm thinking about having the batter bat left handed so that if the next pitch is a dropped strike the batter will be 2 steps closer to first than if they stayed batting right handed. Good idea or bad idea?
I will also have the catcher tag every batter on a strike out.
I'm coaching 10U Fastpitch Softball. The girls can steal bases but they cannot lead off and they cannot steal home. How do you have your kids stand on base? If they are right handed, I have the girls put the ball of their right foot on the dirt and the heal of their right foot on the bag. She is using the base like a runners block. Opposite if they are left handed. This is how they stand on every bag. Any thoughts?
Also,
New rule for our league this year: A batter can try to "steal" first if the catcher drops the third strike. If I have a weak hitter(no real chance of hitting off this pitcher) and there are 2 strikes and the batter is batting right handed I'm thinking about having the batter bat left handed so that if the next pitch is a dropped strike the batter will be 2 steps closer to first than if they stayed batting right handed. Good idea or bad idea?
I will also have the catcher tag every batter on a strike out.
The way you have them on the base for a steal is fine.
I have a big problem with turning someone around, just because they have two strikes. I think it puts even more pressure on them to make contact with less than two strikes. Even if the person is a poor hitter, you always have to give them the opportunity to put the ball in play. Think about it, would you want your coach to essentially say to you, "hey, you're a lousy hitter, so if you get two strikes on you, turn around and hit left handed. That way if the catcher drops the third strike, you're closer to first and might make it." As a coach, that is a terrible thought process to put in a hitter's head. You're supposed to be a teacher and encourage all of your players to do their very best. You can't take the bat out of someone's hands like that and expect maximum effort.
You don't need to have the catcher tag a hitter on a strikeout, if they don't drop the ball.
I am no expert but when I played HS ball my coach taught to launch off the foot closest to second base and do a "crossover" step with the foot on the bag. So, in other words the lead foot stays put and the trailing foot come all the way across the leading foot out front towards 2nd. This puts the weight on the leading foot and gives you a longer "launch" off the leading foot towards second. Keeping the weight on the back foot on 1st doesn't give you the launch..
On the 2nd question in my coaching experience w boys minors and pitchin machine teams (U10) we always taught the kids to swing away. I would rather see them go down swinging than stand and watch even if they are late to the pitch. So IMHO I would have them stand in and try to hit that 3rd pitch no matter if the catcher drops the ball or not.
I was asst coach last year for my son's minors team and I learned that you cannot be too aggressive baserunning the kids at this level. When that ball passes the plate have them go hard. If they see a throw to 2nd be ready to hold, if it is a good throw back to 1st, bad throw go to 2nd. It forces mistakes in the fielding and thats how runs will be scored.
Good Luck this season! Thanks for coaching!
I'm coaching 10U Fastpitch Softball. The girls can steal bases but they cannot lead off and they cannot steal home. How do you have your kids stand on base? If they are right handed, I have the girls put the ball of their right foot on the dirt and the heal of their right foot on the bag. She is using the base like a runners block. Opposite if they are left handed. This is how they stand on every bag. Any thoughts?
Always your left foot on the bag. Right foot out in front. It keeps you body (and eyes) turned toward the batter.
Quote:
Also,
New rule for our league this year: A batter can try to "steal" first if the catcher drops the third strike. If I have a weak hitter(no real chance of hitting off this pitcher) and there are 2 strikes and the batter is batting right handed I'm thinking about having the batter bat left handed so that if the next pitch is a dropped strike the batter will be 2 steps closer to first than if they stayed batting right handed. Good idea or bad idea?
Bad idea
Quote:
I will also have the catcher tag every batter on a strike out.
__________________
That is crap.
Which idiot told you that CO2 only makes up 0.039% of the atmosphere?
I saw teams in 12U do this last year and talked to the coaches about it. They're toughts were they were giving the batter a better opportunity to get on base and giving the team a better opporunity to score. Actually, I don't even know if this legal but the ump at the game I watched didn't say anything. I always thought you committed to one side of the plate or the other once you entered the batters box. And yes, I am concerned about "building" the players confidence.
As this is a new rule to our age bracket, I'm just wondering if this is common practice at this age group or was the game I was watching poorly officiated.
In our league, everytime there are new rules it seems like every team and ump has a different interpretation of the new rules.
Any reason not to tag the batter on 3rd strike when the ball is not dropped? Do umps, other teams, parents view it as overly aggressive?
I saw teams in 12U do this last year and talked to the coaches about it. They're toughts were they were giving the batter a better opportunity to get on base and giving the team a better opporunity to score. Actually, I don't even know if this legal but the ump at the game I watched didn't say anything. I always thought you committed to one side of the plate or the other once you entered the batters box. And yes, I am concerned about "building" the players confidence.
As this is a new rule to our age bracket, I'm just wondering if this is common practice at this age group or was the game I was watching poorly officiated.
In our league, everytime there are new rules it seems like every team and ump has a different interpretation of the new rules.
Any reason not to tag the batter on 3rd strike when the ball is not dropped? Do umps, other teams, parents view it as overly aggressive?
I would say those were very poor coaches who were more concerned with winning than teaching. At that level, you are there to teach. The winning part comes out of building a good team and teaching solid fundamentals. You can't teach a kid to hit with two strikes, if they're always turning around, hoping for a dropped third strike. As for the rules, I think you can turn around once during the at bat, but I'm not 100% certain on that.
If you want to do something, teach them how to bunt (don't know if that's allowed in your league, though). It's a necessary skill and if the kid is good at it, it will give them more confidence to stand in and get the job done. You don't want them to bunt all the time, obviously, but if you need a runner on, that's when you try it.
There is no reason to tag a hitter on the third strike if the catcher does not drop the ball. If the ball is in the dirt and the catcher catches it, I would have them tag the hitter. You don't techincally have to, but I always did when I caught.
My 12 yr old's starting her 7th season. I've been ass't coach for several of those.
1) I also disagree with putting the right foot on the bag. Although I know this is common in older teams, I think 10U's are still learning the game and it's more important to have them watch the action at the plate
2) Also against switching weak batters to LH on 3rd strike. Bad message to send to fragile egos - 10U is, after all, still instructional level.
3) Undecided on having catcher tag batter after every 3rd strike. Not a bad idea, but yes, it could very well be seen as overly aggressive by opponents, umps. Regardless of my previous comments concerning instructional nature of 10U, IMHO catchers usually have a pretty good grasp of the game. I guess I've talked myself into saying that I'd be comfortable telling catcher to tag the batter whenever there's any question of whether the catch was dropped or not - I'm thinking about when the catcher bobbles it somewhat but doesn't actually drop it, or a low pitch that's a "trap" catch (or close to it)
Thanks for the thoughts on changing the batter up. I've never coached this rule before and didn't know what the "norm" is.
So I guess the base stance is an "It depends" thing. But if you don't do it like I described at this age group when would you ever? At some point you can lead off and my method wouldn't apply. Maybe I should teach like you have described with the left foot on the bag. This way it would prepare them to lead off.
The reason I'm thinking to tag the batter on every 3rd strike is to make it a habit so that the catcher doesn't forget to when the ball does get dropped.
FireFly - Good suggestion on the bunting but we can't in 10U. Maybe 12U.
I'm coaching 10U Fastpitch Softball. The girls can steal bases but they cannot lead off and they cannot steal home. How do you have your kids stand on base? If they are right handed, I have the girls put the ball of their right foot on the dirt and the heal of their right foot on the bag. She is using the base like a runners block. Opposite if they are left handed. This is how they stand on every bag. Any thoughts?
I would have the left foot on the bag and the right foot out front, and then use a crossover step to take off for second. This way, the player stays square to the plate, rather than pivoting their head. One way to find out is take your five fastes players and have them do 5 steals using each mthod at practice - break out the stop watch and see which one yileds a better result.
Quote:
Also,
New rule for our league this year: A batter can try to "steal" first if the catcher drops the third strike. If I have a weak hitter(no real chance of hitting off this pitcher) and there are 2 strikes and the batter is batting right handed I'm thinking about having the batter bat left handed so that if the next pitch is a dropped strike the batter will be 2 steps closer to first than if they stayed batting right handed. Good idea or bad idea?
I will also have the catcher tag every batter on a strike out.
The rules here are that a batter can not switch sides after the first pitch to them, unless there is a pitching change. Also, (if legal) I would not be a fan of turning them with two strikes, as unless they are a true switch hitter, you are conceding the out essentially.
Aslo, please teach your own catcher the proper way to throw to first on a dropped third strike as I see many Little Leaguers completely un-coached on such a simple, yet often over looked, task.
You may draw the ire of some coaches for tagging every batter. Here, the umps will say something to your catcher about it. Also, it may have some unwanted circumstances. We had a catcher that liked to tag every called third strike (despite being told hundreds of times not to). He went to tag a kid, and that kid thought "wow, he must have dropped the ball", so he took off for first. The catcher then started chasing him (caught in the moment of his own action), leaving homw un attended. The pitcher realized the pitch was not dropped, so he walked off the mound, not thinking home needed to be covered. The runner on third practically walked home.
A five minute Blue conference took place, and the strike-out stood as an out, but the steal of home also stood.
After that, the kid that was catching became the backup catcher.
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
Also, please teach your own catcher the proper way to throw to first on a dropped third strike as I see many Little Leaguers completely un-coached on such a simple, yet often over looked, task.
True, this is important, but it is just as important to teach the first baseman the proper way to cover the bag and give the catcher a target to throw to. Sorry, but as a catcher, I had to throw that in there.
True, this is important, but it is just as important to teach the first baseman the proper way to cover the bag and give the catcher a target to throw to. Sorry, but as a catcher, I had to throw that in there.
Hadn't thought about this. Where does FB stand when the catcher is throwing the ball to her? To the left of the bag when looking at it from home?
Stealing is not allowed - so have the girls get set up as in a sprint, if the bases are anchored, use them as starting blocks.
At BP, have them try hitting from both sides, see which is their dominant eye. Some kids are better hitting from the other side but don't know it. If they can hit left handed, teach them to slap; and teach ALL of them to bunt and slide.
Try to find a travel team, one that goes to the Pony Nationals, or Asa stuff, watch their practices, you will learn a lot there.
As the kids progress, the ability to slap (especially lefties) and bunt, can be critical. It becomes really tough to hit a 55-60 mph pitch from 40 or 43 feet; especially with a curve, riser, change and a drop in the mix.
Hadn't thought about this. Where does FB stand when the catcher is throwing the ball to her? To the left of the bag when looking at it from home?
It all depends on where the ball is. If the ball gets away from the catcher to her left (up the 3rd base line), the FB covers normally. If the ball gets away to the right, the FB needs to cover outside the baseline (in foul territory). This can be tricky with a runner bearing down on the FB, but it's the best way to give the catcher a target to throw at. If the ball goes straight back, the FB should also be outside the baseline. If she isn't, the catcher will have to throw the ball over the runner, which won't work out so well. It's all about the angle the catcher has to first base. Work on it in practice and it will become easier to coach 'em up.
Originally Posted by HardLivin
Hadn't thought about this. Where does FB stand when the catcher is throwing the ball to her? To the left of the bag when looking at it from home?
Quote:
It all depends on where the ball is. If the ball gets away from the catcher to her left (up the 3rd base line), the FB covers normally. If the ball gets away to the right, the FB needs to cover outside the baseline (in foul territory). This can be tricky with a runner bearing down on the FB, but it's the best way to give the catcher a target to throw at. If the ball goes straight back, the FB should also be outside the baseline. If she isn't, the catcher will have to throw the ball over the runner, which won't work out so well. It's all about the angle the catcher has to first base. Work on it in practice and it will become easier to coach 'em up
Firefly brings up an excellent point, and as a former catcher I can't believe I missed it. The first=base girls target is equally as important. The left right scenario as indicated is the proper technique.
Two things I would add. Coach the catcher on setting their feet. Unless the ball gets wildly away, they will have more time than they think. It is important that they set their feet and throw square to the target. If the ball gets away left, have her take a step into the filed of play, set and throw (creates a straighter line). If the ball gets away right, step right, square and throw.
Finally, you have to coach that there are times to hold the ball and concede the base. Generally, if the catcher has to throw over the runner - hold the ball!
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
I have been coaching softball u-10 through u-14 for the last five years and we always have the kids with their left foot on the bag and eyes on the batter. This allows the girls to see the play and react you dont want the girls running on a pop fly or get hit by a line drive. Check the rules on switching sides I think that once you step into the batters box you have to hit from that side I think thats Cal Ripken rules. Mostly have fun the kids are great at that age it gets a little more challenging the older they get.
Don't want to hijack your thread but don't want to start a new one over my dumb question. How do yall teach a kid to field a ground ball?? Legs apart,bent at knees, and glove on ground? Or(how I was tought) take a knee, glove on ground and get your right knee kinda behind your glove, with your body.If your glove misses your body will keep ball in front of you.
Baseball / Softball Coaches 
