RJM posted:I was just reading an article about the LLWS. A coach talked about the advanced instruction kids get now before they become teens. He talked LL coaches having access to improved teaching concepts.
What was it like when you played LL?
I played LL in the late 60's. Coaches were not dads. I received no instruction at all. I'm not sure my coach played baseball past LL. But he was enthusiastic, a baseball fan and a great guy. He coached a bunch of 10-12yos even though he had a 2yo and 4yo. We loved playing for him. We hung out at his house, used his pool and ate his food. His wife was great to us.
We won the league championship when I was twelve. Anything I learned was self taught from hours at the field playing pickup games and backyard whiffle ball. My stance came from whiffle ball where I hit in the stance of each Red Sox player in their lineup. Tony Conigliaro's stance felt good to me.
The two all star coaches didn't seem to know any more than my regular season coach. The difference was they both hated my coach. They took it out on me and two teammates. We were three of the best players in the league. We batted 7, 8 and 9. I was the 3rd pitcher. My father forgot to tell me I was getting screwed and having a bad time. So I had a great time with my friends.
The only instruction I got in LL was keep my back elbow up. It was an awkward stance. I ignored the advice. It was an issue at age nine when I didn't hit well. Some of those 12yos were bringing it! I didn't get a lick of pitching instruction until high school. A former high school pitcher was released from the minors. He became our pitching coach. I had been gripping pitches incorrectly since LL.
With all this lack of instruction before high school our 12yo LL all stars and two years of BR all stars won state championships. It wouldn't happen now.
Guess you're just a stud!
On a serious note, my LL coach was a complete stranger (possibly a homeless guy from down by the river). My dad was my biggest fan in the stands and one game I literally peed my pants while playing right field...yeah, I was that kid. First pop fly I tried to catch I took right to my eye and got a shiner. I was hooked!
Second year one of the neighbor's dad's was the coach, still didn't know him or the kid that well, we lived on a big street and apparently this kid knew enough to stay away from the right fielder who pissed himself. Anyway, I was a huge Seattle Sonics fan and started playing a lot of basketball over the winter between season 1 and season 2 of LL. My best friend was our ace pitcher. I was now our second baseman and hitting about 5-6 in the lineup. I didn't even know there was such a thing as all-stars, so no pressure there. I think we won more games than we lost, but it didn't matter because I had discovered bladder control and how to field a ground ball. I gave up baseball after this season to focus on basketball.