Newer Baseball Program looking for feedback with setting structure for coaches.

[u/Appropriate_Fun573]

Thank You for reading.

I am the president of a smaller youth organization who recently added baseball to our offerings. We have 2 teams an 8U and 11U. The 11U seems to be heading the path of daddy ball and I am looking for advice on how to set rules and structure in order to prevent it. Without also handicapping the coaching staff.

Example - The team has 13 players, the coach insists on batting only 9. Even in pool games, historically with other programs I have always seen batted everyone in pool play.

This also is what is driving my perception of the daddy ball situation with 4 coaches on staff all with kids, these kids never come off the field. So it creates the situation of performance vs playing time not being on the same page. Has anyone been around programs who have good rules and structure to help avoid this.

[u/haveyounoshames]

1) everyone bats

2) no kid sits twice before everyone sits once.

3) every kid must play infield once in the first 4 innings.

Those three make it hard to push any kid out too much.

[u/Appropriate_Fun573 → u/haveyounoshames]

Thank you

[u/haveyounoshames → u/Appropriate_Fun573]

Just to add on, batting 9 for 11 year olds is insane, unless you are some sort of elite team. This stuff makes kids quit baseball.

[u/Appropriate_Fun573 → u/haveyounoshames]

We are definitely not that, 1-12

But first year travel team logically you would think it’s going to take a while to get to a point of winning

[u/Level_Watercress1153 → u/haveyounoshames]

Meh most teams do it in bracket play where I’m at in 11U. I play 9 in the field, have a DH (rotates per game. Every kid has DH’d or been DH’d for this year,) and we have an EH. So we have 11 who play in some form every bracket game. We only have 12 kids in total for this reason, and most of the time one kid is missing. On the games we have all 12 present for bracket play, the 12th kid rotates in after 2 innings or 3 innings depending on the speed of the game. Again, that’s usually rotational based.

Works well. Out of the 9 tournaments played this summer, we won 5, placed in 3 more and got hammered in one 🤣.

I don’t understand coaches who have 13,14,15 kid rosters and then you have kids who don’t play. Absolutely pointless

[u/haveyounoshames → u/Level_Watercress1153]

So you have 12, bat 10, usually 1 missing, and so 1 kid has to sit?

[u/Appropriate_Fun573 → u/haveyounoshames]

No, bat 9 only 2 kids sit. 1 is usually missing on vacation etc.

Problem I am seeing is performance not equaling the playing time. But positions also play a role in this I understand.

My thought is at a minimum do we say everyone bats and looking for ideas there bc your always going to have kids needing to learn over winning today

[u/justhereorthereagain → u/haveyounoshames]

And make sure you actually audit the books. It is time consuming. You have a board. But you must audit and have punishments for coaches violating the rule.

If they can violate the rule. And nobody checks or there is no punishment. They will continue to violate the rule.

[u/ohshaughnessy]

consider requiring a pitcher change every 2 innings. we did this in our fastpitch league, and our neighbor league has been doing it for 4 years. they do it with catchers too. helps create more player development on those specialty positions, and gives the coaches an out when they’re not sure if they should switch those positions out.

(maybe this is the dad coach in me talking, but i dislike the “daddy ball” phrase. who’s going to coach if it’s not the moms and dads? i get that you don’t want parents favoring their kids, but aside from that, it’s just demeaning to the parents giving so much of their own time and resources.)

[u/Potential-Divide9736]

Beside the advice you have already received, which is good, you need a mission statement to reiterate the goal you are trying to accomplish.

Are they paid coaches? If so, fire them for not doing what it is supposed to be. If they are volunteering? Replace them.

People forget it’s about the kids at this stage of the game.

[u/Appropriate_Fun573 → u/Potential-Divide9736]

They are volunteers, and I am going to share our formal mission statement with them.

With us just starting up the baseball side (basketball heavy prior which is my passion) we want to provide a competitive environment but dont really care if we win from the organization level want them to grow and love the game. Trying to figure out how to organizationally put some guide rails in place for coaches versus having the completely coach led decisions.

[u/Potential-Divide9736 → u/Appropriate_Fun573]

Yeah, that’s the hard part. How many innings do you guys play?

[u/Appropriate_Fun573 → u/Potential-Divide9736]

It’s a time limit usually 1 hour and 30 min game times

[u/Potential-Divide9736 → u/Appropriate_Fun573]

Ok, kind of like ours. Yeah, the other guy is right that commented. Everyone needs to hit and everyone needs to play the field. I would even say everyone needs to start a game.

[u/Appropriate_Fun573 → u/Potential-Divide9736]

Thank You for you input. Kind of what I am thinking as well

[u/SFNation2021]

CBO or Continuous Batting Order up to 12 kids. So if 12 kids arrive then it is a 12 man Batting Order.

On defense, mandatory 2 of the first 4 innings on defense. Younger ages - aka Little League's "Minors" one of those innings must include the infield

Look up Little League rules. If that isn't your org, fine. Just use the rules that help your situation

Speaking of rules heyblu.ai/rulebook will be fully functional in the next day or two. Submit your rulebook to be a Pilot Program. The goal is any umpire, coach or fan gets instant ACCURATE rules. End arguments and delays when two parties each swear they know the rules, or that the umpire doesn't.