Originally Posted by jhutches

Hello,

I have a 10 Year old, who has only played three seasons. He is in minors and is on a very good team for Minor LL. He has a great coach and the assistants are good also.

I work with him in the yard and we go to the batting cage about once a week and to a batting session with a very good trainer almost once a week. He has improved tremendously and is now batting number 2 in the lineup. His on base average is very very good, even though he does not hit the ball far in the games as he does in practice.

I have noticed that the coach is now starting to play him less in the field and only in the outfield (there are 12 players on the team).

This has been a great disappointment to him. And he is getting a little dejected. He works very hard always hustles, he has a great attitude, but I will admit he is not the best player on the team, more like in the middle. And more importantly he does not look like a ball player, poor eye contact when talking, throwing style is a little akward, but he can throw (he has hit a target at up to 84' away) in the field, very very shy. But he does make good plays most of the time, and he always backs up his teammates.

I told him to keep working hard and to show the coach you are working hard and you are serious, and don't complain. Can you think of anything else I should be doing? I am concerned that if he does not get to play more he is not going to grow and improve. And isn't that what little league is for? I know this brings up another subject but is little league for learning or just winning games?

Thanks,

Jerry