Play at the plate

[sbcoach555]

How do I coach my kids not to bulldoze the catcher over. This was a close play at the plate. Catcher was at least a foot in front in the plate, my runner slides under her - a second later catcher catches the ball and tags her at the hip. Runners foot was inches short from the plate therefore the ump called her out. Thought this was obstruction but ump said No it was too close of a play- its judgement call. Not sure if other coaches teach their players to do this but I definitely dont want to see any players get hurt. Last yr 2nd baseman fielder was in basepath in which my runner had to sidestep on a steal which caused her to be out. When I spoke with ump he said if my runner bumped into her than obstruction will be called. This is not what I want to teach my girls. They all know slide or surrender - not knock the fielder over to get to the base.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Umpire was wrong, no contact is necessary for an OBS call ... And in practice I set up obsticles in front of the bag in a variety of configurations and teach my base runners slide around them ... Also, we discuss and drill how to 'read' a defenders actions and adjust your base path or slide accordingly ... A defender being in the base path or blocking a base without the ball is not OBS unless they impede the base runner ...

[HugoTafurst]

How do I coach my kids not to bulldoze the catcher over. This was a close play at the plate. Catcher was at least a foot in front in the plate, my runner slides under her - a second later catcher catches the ball and tags her at the hip. Runners foot was inches short from the plate therefore the ump called her out. Thought this was obstruction but ump said No it was too close of a play- its judgement call. Not sure if other coaches teach their players to do this but I definitely dont want to see any players get hurt. Last yr 2nd baseman fielder was in basepath in which my runner had to sidestep on a steal which caused her to be out. When I spoke with ump he said if my runner bumped into her than obstruction will be called. This is not what I want to teach my girls. They all know slide or surrender - not knock the fielder over to get to the base.

Get new umpires....

[tcannizzo]

How do I coach my kids not to bulldoze the catcher over. This was a close play at the plate. Catcher was at least a foot in front in the plate, my runner slides under her - a second later catcher catches the ball and tags her at the hip. Runners foot was inches short from the plate therefore the ump called her out. Thought this was obstruction but ump said No it was too close of a play- its judgement call. Not sure if other coaches teach their players to do this but I definitely dont want to see any players get hurt. Last yr 2nd baseman fielder was in basepath in which my runner had to sidestep on a steal which caused her to be out. When I spoke with ump he said if my runner bumped into her than obstruction will be called. This is not what I want to teach my girls. They all know slide or surrender - not knock the fielder over to get to the base.

Get new umpires....

but they can be old....

[Pale Rider]

Keep in mind, un-necessary malicious contact negates an obstruction call...No sense trying hurt someone over a ball game...

ART. 13 . . . The runner does not legally slide and causes illegal contact and/or
Rule 8-6 2010 NFHS Softball Rules Page 66
illegally alters the actions of the fielder in the immediate act of making a play on
her. Runners are never required to slide but, if the runner elects to slide, the slide
shall be legal.
ART. 14 . . . She remains on her feet and maliciously crashes into a defensive
player. Malicious contact supersedes obstruction.

[Anti-Clone]

Keep in mind, un-necessary malicious contact negates an obstruction call...No sense trying hurt someone over a ball game...

ART. 13 . . . The runner does not legally slide and causes illegal contact and/or
illegally alters the actions of the fielder in the immediate act of making a play on
her. Runners are never required to slide but, if the runner elects to slide, the slide
shall be legal.
ART. 14 . . . She remains on her feet and maliciously crashes into a defensive
player. Malicious contact supersedes obstruction.

This is rather unique to Federation. Other codes keep the obstruction, grant whatever award there may be and eject the player. Base awards are not negated in most other codes.