Daily Archives: September 7, 2007
Now is the time to start preparing for 2008
But we’re not in-season now are we? At least not in much of the country. Sure, there’s fall ball, but that’s more like a restaurant serving up some meals before the grand opening, just to see how well the kitchen works.
This is an ideal time for players to start preparing themselves for the next campaign through weight training, plyometrics, conditioning, and yes, distance running. Building a solid aerobic base provides the conditioning and longevity that helps players last through the hot and humid days of the summer season, and perform at their best through all the games in a day in the cooler weather.
Building strength, especially the right kind of strength, is important. Pitchers who are looking for a few more miles an hour, hitters who want to get the ball to go over the fence instead of to it, catchers who want to cut time off their throws to second, baserunners who want to shave a little time off their first to second runs, and players at every other position can benefit through an intelligent, sport-specific conditioning program.
There are all kinds of places to obtain an intelligent workout program. Believe it or not, the local HS football or wrestling coach are a couple of good options. They’re used to developing weight training programs that combine endurance with explosive strength. Wrestlers in particular are less concerned with muscle bulk than they are with being solid and surprisingly strong, so the wrestling coach is a good option. Besides, after working with smelly, surly boys all the time he’d probably get a kick out of helping a female athlete for a change. Just watch out, because he’ll probably try to recruit you to keep stats for the wrestling team in return.
However you go about it, the important thing is to get off the couch and start working now to get ready. I know 2008 seems like a long ways away, but quality change in conditioning, just like all your other skills, doesn’t happen overnight. Get moving now and you might even amaze yourself.
My compliments to the umpires
Our Mundelein Thunder 16U fastpitch softball team played at the Northern Nationals in Owensboro, Kentucky. It was our first experience with Nationals of any sort for a number of reasons, and I have to say it was an enjoyable one.
During the coaches’ meeting the organizers talked about how their umpires had earned the right to be at this event, just as the teams had. Yada, yada, yada I figured. But when we got out to the games I changed my tune. This was an extraordinary group of individuals.
The most telling event occurred during our first game. We had runners on second and third with fewer than two outs. A ground ball was hit to the opposing shortstop, and as per our standing orders my runner on third broke for home. The shortstop got the ball and threw to the plate, a little too late from where I was standing. But the HP blue called my runner out. It looked to me like he’d blown the call, but it’s not the kind of thing you can argue very effectively. Since we had a lead I didn’t want to go “work him for the next call” either. That’s when an amazing thing happened.
The HP umpire with no prompting from anyone called time, and went out to confer with the field blue. After a brief conference the umpire actually reversed his call! He said the runner was safe. And she must’ve been because the opposing coach didn’t argue it either.
My assistant coach talked to the field umpire later and asked about the play. He thought maybe the HP umpire had been confused about whether there was a force on or something. But no, the field ump said the HP ump told him that he hadn’t seen the play and asked what the field ump saw. The field ump saw what I saw and that’s why the run counted.
It’s pretty amazing when you think about it. I’ve run into plenty of umps who won’t reverse a call when it’s clearly a rules issue. This one changed a judgement call.
That’s pretty much the caliber of officiating we saw all week. If all the blues were as conscientious and well-trained as this group us coaches would definitely be able to cut back on the Maalox. Kudos to them for learning their kraft so well.
Life in the Fastpitch Lane 