What you should see at a youth baseball trial session… Points talked about by active coaches and senior moms
With spring upon us, we recommend that parents and children who are thinking of trying out baseball for the first time or wanting to give it a try include visiting a youth baseball team or participating in a trial session. However, it is often difficult to know what to look for and to choose a team. Therefore, we have summarized the key points from the trial session based on the answers received from the directors and senior mothers as well as interviews we have conducted so far.
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“Do you want to play baseball freely, or do you want to master it?The way you choose a team will depend on what your child is looking for.At the trial session, why not ask the coach about the goals of the team? I feel it’s important for parents to understand that their child is working toward a goal, and to choose a team that matches their child’s wishes.”
The person who answered this question was Masayuki Tenami, the manager of the Tokiwa Softball Baseball Boys’ Team in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. The team, which has participated in national tournaments 35 times, has a clear goal of “going to the national tournament.” Both children and parents join with an understanding of the goals.
If you’re a child who wants to have fun playing baseball with everyone, a softball after-school team is suitable for you, with its “let’s get familiar with baseball first” stance.
If you ask around a bit in the area, you can get a sense of the characteristics of the youth baseball teams within your area, but in many cases you can only get a feel for the atmosphere if you try it for yourself. Many softball school children belong to the school zone of their elementary school, but recently there are also schools where children pay a monthly fee to learn baseball as a so-called “lesson.” Other than the cost, there is almost no burden on parents, as there are no guardians involved and shuttle buses are used throughout the area. If you experience multiple teams with different team colors and management methods, it will be easier to make comparisons.
“How to ask” to understand your child’s feelings
So how can we assess a child’s feelings? First, let’s discuss with your child and parent what kind of stance you want to take in playing baseball.
One mother said, “I went to the batting center, bought a softball and threw it against the wall, and gave my child a chance to experience baseball a little with his father.” While watching how seriously the children are working on it and how excited they are, he said, “There are all kinds of baseball teams.There are many teams that aim to compete nationally, with full-fledged coaching, and they have a lot of members, so it’s tough, but I’m sure they’ll like baseball as well. The children will improve a lot.On the other hand, it would be nice to have friends from school and play baseball on a fun team,” he said, giving concrete suggestions and listening to the children’s feelings.
This mom went to watch the three teams she could afford to attend with her parents. My child said, “I just want to try baseball, but I don’t want it to be scary.”
・Does not only my child but other children seem to be having fun?
・Is the instructor’s explanation easy to understand and the policy clear?
It seems that he observed the team based on these two things.
If your child has a strong desire to become a professional baseball player or play an active role in a major tournament, try participating in a trial session with a team that is said to be one of the strongest in the region or a team that has set high goals. Therefore, if a child feels energized by aiming high, it can be said that this team is suitable for that child.
At the trial session, it is important to listen to the coach and carefully listen to the coach’s comments and instructions to determine whether the child is likely to fit in and continue with the program.
Let’s ask about “helping parents” at the trial session.
Mr. Miyazaki, whose eldest son is on a junior high school team and his second son on an after-school team, said in an interview with First-Pitch, “At the trial session, listen carefully to the role of parents and get a feel for the overall atmosphere.” Currently, I am in the role of a manager who takes care of the mothers who come to the trial session, but one of the things that many parents ask me about is “on duty.” As a practical matter, I am concerned about how much of a burden this places on parents.
There are still many people who say they are fed up with the large number of roles played by parents in youth baseball. However, some teams have kept the on-duty system to a minimum, and others are working on improvements to address these concerns.
For example, Osaka’s Shinke Stars, which won the national triple crown in after-school baseball last year, has stopped requiring regular parents on duty for about 10 years. Similarly, Osaka’s “Resilience Soul” is a style that does not require parents to pay. At the Nerima Arcs Junior Baseball Club in Tokyo, there is no parent-teacher association, practices are limited to four hours once a week, and there are no on-duty or staff members. These teams are also featured on First-Pitch, a site that solves baseball training problems, and although the burden on parents has not been completely eliminated, the number of teams that are reducing it is gradually increasing.
However, although it may be a burden to parents, it is important to note that there are positive aspects to playing baseball for local after-school children. Although some say that the relationships between parents are “troublesome”, Miyazaki said, “There is also the benefit of participating in a new community” through the children. It is important to keep in mind that, although it was difficult during youth baseball, there are many parents who look back and say that they were able to spend a lot of time with their children.
A trial session is a good opportunity if there is no one around you to ask about the burden on parents. The key to avoiding the situation of “I’m tired of my parents having to play baseball so much and I want them to quit” is to make sure that parents need to cooperate with each other, and to join only after agreeing to it.
Watching practice games is also recommended: “It’s easy to understand the relationship between parents.”
In summary, there are five points you should see and hear at youth baseball experience sessions.
1. Atmosphere of the entire team
2. Team goals
3. Instruction method/instruction policy
4. Parents and helpers
5. Atmosphere between parents
“In addition to trial sessions, it’s a good idea to watch practice games.You can get a good idea of the team’s thinking by seeing how the children approach the game, and if you see the parents cheering, you can watch the practice games. “It’s easy to understand relationships between people,” said one mother.
Seeing is believing. I would like to start with a tour, try out the experience, and choose a team that will make my child lively and passionate about baseball.
(Rei Ohashi)
2024-02-19 13:45:02
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