T-Ball

[SFlonghorngirl]

Am I off base to complain about coaches of other teams playing their entire team in the infield?  

Asking a 4 - 6 year old to throw and catch is like watching The Bad News Bears.  Getting 1 out is very hard already.  In most cases, teams switch batting after 5 runs instead of 3 outs.  

But recently, instead of playing normal 4 man infield, teams have staggered players 2 deep in each position throughout the infield.  I raise concern to this because:

1) Too many players on base path.  I've seen on many occasions, our base runners running into opposing fielders.  

2) I understand that this is a smart move to win a t-ball game, but it's hindering player development.  Instead of teaching players to field and throw to get an out, they're basically taught to grab ball and sprinting to base to tag out.  

Perhaps I'm just a bit competitive and want my nephew and his team to do well, but am I complaining about nothing?  Just let it be?

Sincerely,

Disgruntled Auntie 

 

[streettopeschel]

if you're worrying about player development in t-ball you're over thinking it. t-ball is an excuse to wear a uniform and have a pizza party in two months. that's about it.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

if you're worrying about player development in t-ball you're over thinking it. t-ball is an excuse to wear a uniform and have a pizza party in two months. that's about it.

Ok, so I should just chill. Got it.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

Honestly, the competitive nature of little league coaches is really getting out of hand. I've read stories of elementary ages football teams scouting other teams, etc.

I'm not as worried about developing kids as I am about them having fun.

 

[streettopeschel]

Ok, so I should just chill. Got it.

to each his/her own. my boys left t-ball behind long ago, so hell, i probably had similar thoughts back in the day. either thru the wisdom of aging or the onset of dementia, i've forgotten most of those days.

i will say my youngest is competing in the HS track meet tomorrow night for a chance to go to regionals and i'll be grinding like a sumbitch all day and all night. so hang around...you'll have plenty of time to grip over competition and coaching.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

to each his/her own. my boys left t-ball behind long ago, so hell, i probably had similar thoughts back in the day. either thru the wisdom of aging or the onset of dementia, i've forgotten most of those days.

i will say my youngest is competing in the HS track meet tomorrow night for a chance to go to regionals and i'll be grinding like a sumbitch all day and all night. so hang around...you'll have plenty of time to grip over competition and coaching.

I was wondering if I was over-reacting. The kids are having fun so that's what important. They are more stoked about getting their snacks after each game.

 

[PeteA422]

For my two cents, I never played t-ball.  I do remember asking about it once or twice, but as I recall, my dad didn't want us to start with t-ball.  I remember he told me that if I wanted to play baseball when I was old enough for the real deal, he would sign me up.  Until that time, any time I wanted to play catch or anything like that he was more than willing to go throw the ball around.  Once I was old enough and I wanted to play, he signed me up.  Of course his only caveat was that I had to stick with it the whole season, there was no option to quit.  If I didn't want to come back the next season, that was fine, but quitting was never an option.  Taught me some valuable lessons as a youngster and I didn't learn any bad t-ball habits or get involved with anything too competitive when I didn't need to. 

Now that's not to say I am against t-ball.  But I do think the adults take it much more seriously than the kids do.  In my opinion, at the t-ball age, it is more about social interaction than anything else.  While I didn't play t-ball, I think the times just playing catch with dad and my brother were much more beneficial than being involved with the stress of having to make scheduled practices and make games, when really I wouldn't have cared less, at that age, about it.  As stated above, I think the kids care more about the pizza party and getting the snacks after the games than they do about the actual games themselves.  Let the kids have fun, there will be time in the coming years to worry about the competition and development.  And that argument goes both ways.  For the coaches trying to stack the infield and for the one's who get irritated by it.  I guarantee the kids could care less.  They probably have more fun chasing each other around, and having a race to the ball with the three other kids next to them than they care about fielding a grounder cleanly and making a throw on target for the out.  Just my two cents.

 

[BigPhil76]

Shortly after college, I was recruited to coach Little League football. After 2 weeks of practice, we had our first game. A parent climbed the fence and assaulted me for not playing his child every down. He was a small guy and apparently drunk. I was about 6'4 300. Somebody called the cops but I refused to press charges. After that the league had parents sign waivers giving us permission to Direct the children over the course of the game.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Thanks for your opinions.  After pondering your responses, you're right, the kids don't care.  They rather roll in dirt, drink mouth first from the water cooler, than pay attention to what's going on.  

I'll chill out and let it go.   B)

 

[JimR]

thank goodness neither of my kids played t-ball. it is totally for the parents.

 

[JTD79]

Talk your nephew into playing Soccer.  It's far more fun to watch than T-ball at that age anyways.  We call it "bunch ball" because they all tend to just bunch up running around behind whoever has the ball but at least it's exciting and the kids tend not to get bored as fast ;-)  We are just finishing up the season with my 4 year old and he will definitely be back in the fall.  On the other hand, my 4 year old niece is playing T-ball (Blastball) and I would rather watch paint dry....