Playing them all over the place-Comments?

Mark,

I appreciate your post and I think I understand where you are coming from. However, I think it is neccessary for players to understand whatever postion they play. And I don't expect the young guys to understand all the positions up front. With pateince, they eventually learn the positions one by one.

As for competition, I think you were talking about coaches being competative and passing it along to their players (if I assumed correctly). I would point out that the players, at whatever age, are naturally competative to some extent. And their level of competativeness is almost always appropriate for their age. Most at least. I have never heard one kid suggest to another that they should jog up to the corner and back together. One always says, "Let's race!", and then both tear off at top speed.

Competativeness is not something a coach really needs to create. The coach has to figure out a way to channel a player's natural competative streak toward a constructive end. Except in extreme cases, a coach should not try to eliminate a kid's tendancy toward competition.

To clarify my earlier posts, every kid on my team gets at least one infield and one outfield position to start the season. He focuses on those positions in practice but rotates through drills in every position. When that player "masters" their primary position, I move them on to learning another (usually related).

I instituted the "challenge" rule on my team allowing kids to try out for any new position at any practice. Because I do not have just one SS (or any other position) they are not competing for the "starting" position. I am simply giving them the opportunity to show me, or any of their future coaches, their abilities. My goal during the course of the season is to get every kid comfortable with playing as many positions as possible.

If they pass their tests for a new position, they get playing time there. If they do not pass the initial test, we talk about what they did well and about where their skills are CURRENTLY lacking for that position. We then determine together what WE need to do to get them ready to play it.

No kid on my team gets shut out of any position based on my opinion of their ability to play a given position. They determine what positions they will play. If they truly want to play a certain position and they have more than a snowball's chance, we work on getting them ready to play that position.

I don't know. I personally have never figured out a way to rotate young players through 4,5, or 6 different positions in a game right from the start. I could do it, and I did originally, but they get confused and their confidence in their abilities suffers. I preach patience to my kids and their parents. The things they cannot do today they may be able to do tomorrow or the next day with some work. I don't want to make them take a step backwards by shoving them into a position where they have no hope of success.

With that in mind, I had a great chat with my son today concerning a bumble bee that buzzed his head. I explained to him that bumble bees cannot fly and when he pointed out that I was wrong and questioned my eyesight, I clarified. Bumble bees are not (to my knowldge) supposed to be able to fly. They are too fat and their wings are too small. However, no one has ever told the bumble bees about this, so they DO fly. (Hey, if I am wrong about bumble bee aerodynamics, everyone please leave me to my stupidity. This example I gave to my son was too good to let reality stand in my way. I actually felt like Bill Cosby for a second:)

I treat my kids like bumble bees because I realize I am too ignorant to pass judgement on what they are capable of accomplishing.

Just my opinions,
Splitter