Whatcha Doing for Memorial Day?

[fasterpitch92701]

Louis Park... the barbeque for coaches and kids was great. A hellava effort, a lot of logistics and very well done (IMHO). Sac State and Sonoma State coarches were there but thats about it. The play was spotty, some "18G" teams with 14U players, some "real" 18G teams, more or less a big "friendly" as no scores were posted. Magic/AA/Grapettes/etc drew the biggest crowds. I have to smile a bit on some of the "real" 18G teams as they have taken crow hopping to a new level. An 18" leap (no exaggeration), plant, push and VERY flagrant. It wasn't being called as this wasn't a tournament but that won't last too long when things get a bit more serious. Cool in the AM, HOT in the mid-day, 8PM games were damn frigid. Loooooong weekend. The power boaters were in the sloughs next door beating on their big blocks....

[wadeintothem]

I could have called about a million and half IPs. I did always let the coaches know and did make them make some corrections (especially the High School Stepping Back) on the spot and let them know on some technical things I saw they can work on before grapettes next week, which is a tourney - and it will be being called.

BBQ Was GREAT.

I think I know the crow hop pitcher you are talking about She had a very good one. I let the coach know that wouldnt last and to be working on it this week. Too bad for her its already muscle memory since she did it every pitch. The one I saw would kind of rock back, leep forward, plant on her front foot, and release. I probably could have walked the batter on 4 illegal pitches per delivery

BBQ was fantastic. I had a lot of fun.

Seems to me there were tons of coaches on Saturday. Heck, there was even an NCAA assistant coach rookie umpire working on a crew so all her buddies would come talk to her. Boy did she learn a new side of this whole game.

[fasterpitch92701]

Yes... that was "her", rocking and "crowing". As you noted, the muscle memory adjust isn't instant so addressing it now would be a "good thing". And she wasn't alone. There were multiple "she verballed here, she verballed there" girls, many of them TALL, leap/plant/pushing, and all be... adjusting... this week. When a girl is tall/big, throwing 66MPH as noted on a gun AND crowhopping, it's significant. One girl started at the far right on the rubber and ended up planting her left foot about 11 inches beyond the left side of the rubber. I was wondering why that didn't hurt as it looked very, oh... uncomforable. Oddly enough I didn't think that these hoppers were hitting their spots that well but... it's early in the season and what do I know...

Not only did the BBQ folks do well in keeping everyone fed, it was well run, clean and friendly. It's obvious that this wasn't their first rodeo.

Those that were there for the first time probably wondered why people showed up with jackets on a hot day.

[coolstuff]

Had a garage sale, celebrated a friend's 50th birthday, did a little yard work, relaxed, went to church, went to a Memorial Day party. Pretty standard stuff.

[wadeintothem]

Yes... that was "her", rocking and "crowing". As you noted, the muscle memory adjust isn't instant so addressing it now would be a "good thing". And she wasn't alone. There were multiple "she verballed here, she verballed there" girls, many of them TALL, leap/plant/pushing, and all be... adjusting... this week. When a girl is tall/big, throwing 66MPH as noted on a gun AND crowhopping, it's significant. One girl started at the far right on the rubber and ended up planting her left foot about 11 inches beyond the left side of the rubber. I was wondering why that didn't hurt as it looked very, oh... uncomforable. Oddly enough I didn't think that these hoppers were hitting their spots that well but... it's early in the season and what do I know...

Not only did the BBQ folks do well in keeping everyone fed, it was well run, clean and friendly. It's obvious that this wasn't their first rodeo.

Those that were there for the first time probably wondered why people showed up with jackets on a hot day.

No, I posted in the regional forum that the pitchers werent doing well. They werent hitting their spots at all. Some had good movement but movement lacked overall. The batter would toast one over those short fences and the coach would ask "WAS THAT OUTSIDE" .. of course catcher would say "yes"..
but it wasnt lol. Right down the middle.

By my 16th game, I was pretty much done, ankle injured.. exhausted. One time, I think Game 14, a coach said "call it both ways" and I yelled back "I am! I'm missing them for both sides" and everyone laughed. I had a good time.

[fasterpitch92701]

"both sides...".... nice reply. That was ripe and funny...