Post by 44 on Jan 17, 2009 17:34:04 GMT 10
After halfway through my first U14 season as a parent/coach/ump I have some ideas for discussion in the younger age groups.
To backtrack age group a bit, I think we are not encouraging enough Pitching in the 2nd year U10 Rookieball age group. YES, I know it's a balancing act between U10 kids who can throw strikes and batting/fielding development... Most U10 Coach Pitchers I've seen struggle to throw decent strikes anyway, a balloon looped ball does nothing for an U10 batters development.
Some years back I was very upset to see an U10 Coach actually NOT let his 2nd year U10 kids pitch just so he could get an easy win by himself throwing easy hits to his team... Absolutely ridiculous and considering U10 results are not even maintained.
For both U12's / LL / U14's I really think we need more game time than just once a week. Even if it is only the more dedicated kids who wish to do it in a composite team, we should add a midweek game also to the Saturday schedule. Whether it be just the intra-region comp or midweek Superleague style comp, from what I have seen the last 5 years, our Junior development curve is at least 18 months behind kids in the USA.
Being more familiar with the Northside I'll comment on that to begin with:
My understanding is that both Pine Hills and Padres will now have suitable lights along with Rapids, Narangba and Windsor next season.
That's 5 Northside fields with suitable Lights which will present an ideal opportunity to look at an expanded U12 and U14 comp next season.
I'd leave Little League as only post Xmas games and Tournament selection and stay with the U12-U14 BQ Dec 31 cut-offs as this year but add another weekly game within the Region for U12's and add another weekly game for U14's either Inter-Region or another midweek Northside and Southside Comp.
Gold Coast are playing more midweek games but closer to home, maybe it's time both North and South look at a Super region concept also.
What's your Opinion?
To backtrack age group a bit, I think we are not encouraging enough Pitching in the 2nd year U10 Rookieball age group. YES, I know it's a balancing act between U10 kids who can throw strikes and batting/fielding development... Most U10 Coach Pitchers I've seen struggle to throw decent strikes anyway, a balloon looped ball does nothing for an U10 batters development.
Some years back I was very upset to see an U10 Coach actually NOT let his 2nd year U10 kids pitch just so he could get an easy win by himself throwing easy hits to his team... Absolutely ridiculous and considering U10 results are not even maintained.
For both U12's / LL / U14's I really think we need more game time than just once a week. Even if it is only the more dedicated kids who wish to do it in a composite team, we should add a midweek game also to the Saturday schedule. Whether it be just the intra-region comp or midweek Superleague style comp, from what I have seen the last 5 years, our Junior development curve is at least 18 months behind kids in the USA.
Being more familiar with the Northside I'll comment on that to begin with:
My understanding is that both Pine Hills and Padres will now have suitable lights along with Rapids, Narangba and Windsor next season.
That's 5 Northside fields with suitable Lights which will present an ideal opportunity to look at an expanded U12 and U14 comp next season.
I'd leave Little League as only post Xmas games and Tournament selection and stay with the U12-U14 BQ Dec 31 cut-offs as this year but add another weekly game within the Region for U12's and add another weekly game for U14's either Inter-Region or another midweek Northside and Southside Comp.
Gold Coast are playing more midweek games but closer to home, maybe it's time both North and South look at a Super region concept also.
What's your Opinion?
