Coaches: Using strategy vs talent?

[jbolt_2000]

OK, Our games are starting next week and I do not feel confident that we are in a great position to win yet. Our players are getting there talent wise, but not there yet.

I have a 14 man roster (LL 9-10u). About 6 are above average players that can take care of business, but the other 8 are really struggling (mainly due to inexperience and maturity). I have a few kids that have never played before and one or two that have played but have no understanding of the game whatsoever (one kid is in his third year at 9 y.o. and did not know what a ball and stike was or which base was home plate). These slower learning players will get their eventually, but I am afraid (for the games sake) not soon enough.

I do feel that the coaches and I have been working with the kids to the best of their ability, but I have a bad feeling that it isn't going to be enough to pull out the win. I have also heard that a few teams have some real excellent talent on their roster and are expected to go to TOCs. I believe that we can get to that level by mid-season, but I want to figure something out to help us win until then.

Does anyone have any coaching strategies to share? If you know that your team is not very strong with hitting, do you bunt more often? Do you get more aggressive with base running and stealing?

If you have kids that cannot catch or throw more than 15 feet, where do you put them? Do you put them in right field and move the CF to right-center to help out?

I'm not necessarily looking for trick plays or anything like that, but something as a coach I can help with to help these kids win when they may not have the talent yet.

[Drill]

Coaches: Using strategy vs talent? .

At this age level its important to pick the kids that have top notch cooks and pretty mothers.

Fathers that own BBQ Huts are a great addition also. Also ice cream parlors owners are good to have on your team.

That would be my strategy looking for the best talent.



Drill

[Jake Patterson]

OK, Our games are starting next week and I do not feel confident that we are in a great position to win yet. Our players are getting there talent wise, but not there yet.

I have a 14 man roster (LL 9-10u). About 6 are above average players that can take care of business, but the other 8 are really struggling (mainly due to inexperience and maturity). I have a few kids that have never played before and one or two that have played but have no understanding of the game whatsoever (one kid is in his third year at 9 y.o. and did not know what a ball and stike was or which base was home plate). These slower learning players will get their eventually, but I am afraid (for the games sake) not soon enough.

I do feel that the coaches and I have been working with the kids to the best of their ability, but I have a bad feeling that it isn't going to be enough to pull out the win. I have also heard that a few teams have some real excellent talent on their roster and are expected to go to TOCs. I believe that we can get to that level by mid-season, but I want to figure something out to help us win until then.

Does anyone have any coaching strategies to share? If you know that your team is not very strong with hitting, do you bunt more often? Do you get more aggressive with base running and stealing?

If you have kids that cannot catch or throw more than 15 feet, where do you put them? Do you put them in right field and move the CF to right-center to help out?

I'm not necessarily looking for trick plays or anything like that, but something as a coach I can help with to help these kids win when they may not have the talent yet.

You are too worried about the wrong things. At this age winning should be a very low priority. Your job is to teach and develop. If you do this well winning will follow. Move the kids arounds - teach them all the positions - let them have fun. Winning is about the parents and coaches - Playing, having fun, and learning is about the kids.

[jbolt_2000]

You are too worried about the wrong things. At this age winning should be a very low priority. Your job is to teach and develop. If you do this well winning will follow. Move the kids arounds - teach them all the positions - let them have fun. Winning is about the parents and coaches - Playing, having fun, and learning is about the kids.

I was afraid of that. Sometimes I do have to catch myself thinking about winning vs teaching.

I do emphasize the teaching part for sure, but is there any room in there for me to look towards winning? Or should that not even be on the agenda?

I know the kids want to win at this age. Should I just let them do what they can and not worry about the coaching aspect of it and focus on the teaching?

[jbolt_2000]

At this age level its important to pick the kids that have top notch cooks and pretty mothers.

Fathers that own BBQ Huts are a great addition also. Also ice cream parlors owners are good to have on your team.

That would be my strategy looking for the best talent.



Drill

Drill - We have the best BBQ dad in the league on our team and some very nice looking mothers for sure!!! The only thing we're missing the the ice cream parlor owner.


- When I drafted this year I chose about 6 players off the bat that had asked to be on my team. 6 more were pretty even draw as I had no clue about them or who they were. Then I was given 2 more after late registrations.

I think that I am focusing on teaching the game more than winning, but admittedly I do have to catch myself sometimes.

I plan on teaching the kids all the positions, and plan on playing them there. But if I look at the games, I can see us winning against 3 teams no matter where I play my kids. Two other teams are very competetive and are good teams. These would be games that I used strategy (placing players in certain positions specifically on talent level).... Or should I still just play everyone everywhere?

As I asked Jake, is there no room for winning at this level and just worry about the development of players?

[Jake Patterson]

I was afraid of that. Sometimes I do have to catch myself thinking about winning vs teaching.

I do emphasize the teaching part for sure, but is there any room in there for me to look towards winning? Or should that not even be on the agenda?

I know the kids want to win at this age. Should I just let them do what they can and not worry about the coaching aspect of it and focus on the teaching?

Nobody coaches or plays to lose. Once you make winning a priority however, you WILL lose the teaching and developing perspective, it can't be avoided. Once this happens the way in which you make your decisions will become age-inappropriate. I have a background in youth counseling and the need to win in youngsters is short lived. They won't remember whether or not they won last month, they will however remember if they played.

[jbolt_2000]

Nobody coaches or plays to lose. Once you make winning a priority however, you WILL lose the teaching and developing perspective, it can't be avoided. Once this happens the way in which you make your decisions will become age-inappropriate. I have a background in youth counseling and the need to win in youngsters is short lived. They won't remember whether or not they won last month, they will however remember if they played.

Fair enough - I understand.

Am I doing all I can as a coach if I do not take winning into consideration? I suppose it all depends on the age level and at 9-10 it is about learning 100%, not winning. Right?

I agree with you Jake, I think I need to reevaluate how I look at coaching within myself. My ultimate goal is to teach these kids, but there is a piece of me that wants to win (and beat that one coach that wins every year). I truly do want to be a good coach, for all of the kids - how do I remove that want for winning? Or, does it need to be removed?

[SimiBaseball]

PC Alert - PC Alert - PC Alert

Gag me. There is plenty of time to teach the kids to the best of your ability, to let the kids have fun, AND to think about how to give your team the best chance to win games. These things are not mutually exclusive and you should not feel guilty about thinking about it. This notion that kids don't care about winning is nothing but PC-BS. What kids want to do is to be successful helping their team be successful. I tell my #9 hitter that he is not competing against his stronger teammates but against the other team's #9 hitter. If he can put the ball in play, draw a walk, hit his relay man, or keep a ball in the infield with a runner on 2B, he is helping his team win. Just watch the body language of the team that starts the season 0-6 to see how much fun it is not caring about winning.

Now, for some strategy. Don't make the mistake of putting your weakest IF at 2B and your weakest OF in right field. In my experience, most balls at the 9/10u level are hit to the right side. Your 2B should have the surest hands in the IF. Your RF should be able to execute the ol' 9-3 . Play him/them medium shallow in between the 1B and 2B and work on this play every practice. It's like having an extra infielder. If the ball gets over his head, then the batter earned the double. Do lots of pitchers defense in practice - make sure they instinctively cover 1B on a ball hit to the right side. Encourage your 1B to be aggressive to his right. Have your pitchers concentrate on working RH hitters away. In PONY ball I concentrate on defending and exploiting the running game, but this isn't as much of a factor in LL. Do work on bunting and use it often if your team isn't hitting, especially with runners on and less than 2 out.

Concentrate on playing catch in practice. Start every practice with 4 corners or the star drill. Time them and challenge them to get better every time. Always stay positive!

[Jake Patterson]

Fair enough - I understand.

Am I doing all I can as a coach if I do not take winning into consideration? I suppose it all depends on the age level and at 9-10 it is about learning 100%, not winning. Right?

I agree with you Jake, I think I need to reevaluate how I look at coaching within myself. My ultimate goal is to teach these kids, but there is a piece of me that wants to win (and beat that one coach that wins every year). I truly do want to be a good coach, for all of the kids - how do I remove that want for winning? Or, does it need to be removed?

At this age... Playing and teaching should be the priority. As you grow as a coach this will change. How I recommend you coach you 9 y/o team is NOT the way I coached high school.

SIMI - your opinion is shared by many youth coaches who do not necessarily have the proper perspective, education nor hindsight (experience) to understand the ramfications of their choices both as it applies to child development or athletic development. The "Winning is a priority" discussion is usually conducted with a dad who is coaching their son's team.

[Jake Patterson]

Concentrate on playing catch in practice. Start every practice with 4 corners or the star drill. Time them and challenge them to get better every time. Always stay positive!

I agre with this - It looks like it came directly from my book.

[Chris O'Leary]

OK, Our games are starting next week and I do not feel confident that we are in a great position to win yet. Our players are getting there talent wise, but not there yet.

Some thoughts...

1. Development is fine, but you have to win 1/3 to 1/2 your games or you'll start turning people off the game. Once you're there, you're good.

2. Pitching is key. Walks are death. Teach pitchers to pitch to contact and to trust the infield. That helps you hide guys in the OF.

3. Put your best arm/glove at SS and best gloves at 1B. Put guys with good gloves but weak arms at 2B.

4. C is an important position if stealing is allowed.

5. I structure my BOs by on-base percentage. I don't care how kids get on base (e.g. hit, BB, HBP) as long as they get on base.

6. Depending on the speed of pitching, 2B/RF may well get more action than SS/LF.

[TG Coach]

I do feel that the coaches and I have been working with the kids to the best of their ability, but I have a bad feeling that it isn't going to be enough to pull out the win. I have also heard that a few teams have some real excellent talent on their roster and are expected to go to TOCs. I believe that we can get to that level by mid-season, but I want to figure something out to help us win until then.

If you have kids that cannot catch or throw more than 15 feet, where do you put them? Do you put them in right field and move the CF to right-center to help out?

OP's post edited to comment on certain points:

You don't play to win at 9/10. You play to develop talent. Then winning takes care of itself.

If you have kids who have difficulty playing the game you don't hide them. You teach them. When the bottom half of the talent succeeds, you win. At that age I loved to hear, "We would have beat you if we had come around to the top of the order." I made sure my bottom end developed enough to contribute. This is the most challenging aspect of coaching preteen youth ball.

[TG Coach]

I know the kids want to win at this age. Should I just let them do what they can and not worry about the coaching aspect of it and focus on the teaching?

Teach and coach. You can do both.

[Jake Patterson]

4. C is an important position if stealing is allowed.

Solution here - call CatchingCoach

[rubriva]

Nothing wrong with wanting to win

I was in a similar situation last fall with a 10U team. We had a core of 5 or 6good players with a supporting cast that was hit or miss. Unfortunately we ended up losing 3 of the best players to a rival 10U team because we weren't winning.

Now let me clarify one thing. I also feel that teaching is THE most important thing that we're tasked with as coaches. I would never change my coaching style just to try to win a game and please the parents BUT you can't forget that winning is the goal "on game day". You do the bulk of your teaching during practice and hope that it sticks during the games.

That being said, all of the previous suggestions are good. I would add baserunning... be agressive. We won a handful of games on just being aggressive. Make the other team throw the ball. You'll be surprised at how often even good AU kids make mistakes under pressure...