dropped third strike rule explained. click on the red letters.

In Spite of the fact that most of our games have been rained out, there have been a few issues that have come up that need attention. I want to remind every one that recreation softball has 2 purposes. The number one priority is teaching. Most of the high school players got their start in our league. At some point many of them go on to play more competitive ball. NCGSA likes competitiveness, but the goal of teaching has to remain a high priority. The second goal is to create an environment where any player of any age and any skill level may come to learn this amazing sport, and continue to play regardless of her abilities. If we made rules based on competitiveness that would not be possible. All of our rules, even the more competitive ones are designed to teach the game. Every player on your team is in a different place in their learning and they should work as a team, but learn as an individual. I know it can be frustrating when the teams seem so variable in their skill levels, but unless we used a different system, such as try-outs or blind draws, there is no way for us to make things more even, in spite of our best efforts. The goal of every coach should be self esteem preservation. Any player, regardless of their skill can, if coached properly, gain confidence and self esteem from this game. All coaching must remain positive for this to occur. Find something at the end of every game that your players have improved on and make sure they walk away feeling as if they did something right. It makes all the difference in the world. If any of you feel like you would like some teaching on how to improve your coaching style, please contact us and we will happily find someone to work with you, at our expense. You have the most important job in the league and our goal is to assist you in making it a rewarding experience, not just for your players, but for yourself also.