quote:However, it always bothers me when I see youth baseball doing things that are not done that way at the next level.
I hope you don't think I'm a hypocrite but I agree with this statement. I get young kids who are taught certain things and sometimes they are difficult to change while others pick up what you are teaching easily.
In this situation - if I teach freeze and react I believe it would be an easy fix if they leave my program and then go on to college. To me this is a strategy issue and not a physical one. Physical problems are the ones that are difficult to overcome.
quote:I guess the thought is that young kids aren't as likely to turn the DP.
I think that youth league and not so good HS coaches think this. We work on double plays from the IF everyday in practice. MIF moving to the bag, away from the bag and creating momentum for a feed. It's one of our IF practice blocks to turn DP from everywhere on the IF. Then we got another block where we have PFP - get over / cover 1B, double play (1B only and 1B & 2B), check runners 2B / 3B.
Youth league and not so good HS coaches just do the ol' "let's turn two boys" and hit one groundball to each player. I think that's why when players get around good coaches they are surprised to find out that there's more to DP than what they have done so far.
Anyway, getting back to the situation - I agree with what you are saying but I think I can back up what I am teaching. Then again I may be the only one to teach the freeze and react.