nice kid to aggressive...

[linedrive_hitter]

My child is the same. It's both a blessing and a curse from a parent's viewpoint. However, the child doesn't know any different and won't unless it is constantly thrown in her face. We've come to let my child play on her own terms. We like having a very nice child to be around. Hey, we haven't given up on the possibility that when she matures, she'll have a little more fire. Till then, she does better than most and laughs on and off the field. Enjoy it. It doesn't mean that your child can't play at a very high level.

Agreed!! 14u plays high level ball on an above average team. Is a great athlete. Her dad and I have discussed, along with cussed on how to get the best out of her. Issue is, she plays at the level that she plays against. If its an average team.... she plays average......if its a strong team...she plays strong. Get the picture? How do you get a player to play at her potentual no matter what the compitition is like. Does a little light just finally go off like it did for my DD in basketball? After the season ended she committed " that now its over I think I get it ." Wow its all interesting!

If a player is playing strong when she needs to, I would'nt worry about! The right place and time will come

[ArmChairCoach]

I have to disagree somewhat. I believe it is a biological, physical fact that every child (athlete or not) is born with an inherent trait of aggressiveness - its in their makeup. Find a coach who not only believes this, but also knows how to pull this aggressiveness out of them.

Playing down to the competition is an age old problem. Individuals and teams "lay down" when they get up 10-0. I don't care if you are winning or losing 20-0 in the 2nd inning.... there is something you can work on. A good coach will challenge his/her players in these situations. Nothing irritates me more than for a coach to say "I just wish this game would get over - this isn't doing us any good". Then, the next practice he's complaining because he can't get a "game-like situation". For example.... tell each infielder they have less than 1 second from catch of ball to release and you'll be clocking them. Each outfielder is to work on quick hands as well. Nobody on base? Up by 20? Any fly ball is to be treated as though someone is tagging up at 3rd. Just cut the throw. I've done this before several years ago at the 10U level - where you can only go 1 base per pitch. I was coaching 3rd, had a girl on 2nd in a blowout, wild pitch was thrown to the backstop and she came and stopped at 3rd, I told her to round 3rd and find the ball and told her coming back to the bag..... "you have to do this next year, you might as well learn it now". I overheard 2 parents from the opposing team ask why they don't work on stuff like that.

Find a coach who challenges your daughter to be more aggressive. There are proven ways to do it. Those who say they either have it or they don't - - don't know how to bring it out of them.

Oh... and its ok to be "nice" between pitches.

[jag1]

Do you really need to "work on your game" when you're up by 10-20 runs..? You could work on your small ball game, and go up by 25......OR you could show some class, have your base runners leave early and end the game..! Our team is always working on their game, and we don't have to humiliate some mis-matched team in the process.

[ArmChairCoach]

Do you really need to "work on your game" when you're up by 10-20 runs..?

Seems you have missed the context of the thread. It was how to get non-aggressive players to play better and stay at a high level when playing against a lesser team. Yes, there is always something to work on no matter what the score. And you can work on any number of things without adding another run. I never implied humiliating anyone nor would we. We've held girls at 3rd on passed balls and wild pitches; gone "station-to-station" on misplayed flyballs, stepped off bases early, etc. Nonetheless, when the ball is "in play", you can work on something without humiliating anyone.

[jag1]

WHATEVER...