Sharing Bats

I teach my kids to do whatever is best for the team. That includes allowing others to use their gear.

If my kids bat is better than a teammate, the team will have more success by allowing teammates to use the bat. If someone is abusing the bat, deal with it accordingly.

How can you teach someone to be a team player but not share their gear? Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork - but not with my bat! What is that? Share the bat!

 

I guess one thing I was looking for is would anyone consider buying the team bats and then making everyone use the team bats. It is 30 miles to the closest "bat" store for some of my girls. And that one don't sell used bats. I just hate the "its mine you can't use it" attitude on a team. I just see so much "I,I,I, mine, mine, mine" today as compared to the team work when I played. Maybe I just played with a bunch of special guys, Oh yeah I already knew that. Thanks for all the responses.

 

Absolutely!

I plan to continue coaching after my DDs are done playing and our oldest wants to be a coach so I will help her as well. If the team needs bats, I will buy them. Not sure I would make them use the bats but I would strongly encourage it. That usually works itself out when they see how much harder they hit the ball just because of the new bat.

By the way, I think what you are doing is GREAT!

Oh, and I am with you on the I, I, I, mine, mine, mine. I had the same experience as you when I was playing. Teamwork and teammates were everything.

 

true story: we had a MS coach who would use my DD's 2004 rocket tech to hit batting practice with! But she was so fractious that we were afraid of being "punished" if we said anything...

 

then as a team...take up some money from each girl and buy a few bats that are team bats. i work hard for my money and i spend that money on my child some equipment....i would prefer is only she used it. call me an ass if you would like but 300 bucks for a bat is not something that i am buying for your kid or someone elses kid to use.

 

CF4

I think you a talking about the CF4. It is a great bat my DD got it last fall and she loves it 33/23

 

I hope no one takes this personal but what is next. "I don't like hitting the cheap practice balls the school bought. MY daddy bought me 2 dozen game balls so I can hit the same balls in practice as a game. He said he will buy me 2 dozen each week so I am constantly hitting nice clean balls just like a game but no one else can use them." I know this may seem silly but the way things are going it really would not surprise me. Not trying to stir an arguement it just seems more and more is done to drive the team out of most team sports. My father would have "tore my tail up" if I had told one of my teammates they could not use anything I had. Just the difference in time I guess. Thanks to all for responding and being honest.

 

I believe respecting someone's right to their property is also important. With some bats sharing isn't an issue as far as wear and tear but other bats are an issue. The Stealth I mentioned earlier is one of those that are more susceptible to wear than, say, a one-piece bat. The '04 RT is one that won't last as long as a team bat, for example. Some warranties used to state that the warranty was void if used as a team bat.

If a kid has sincere reasons for not sharing her bat that doesn't necessarily make her any less a team player.

I like the suggestion in a previous post that a collection could be taken to buy a good quality team bat. That's when you might find out that the one who doesn't want to share her bat might be one who doesn't mind donating to get a team bat.

Thou shalt not covet thou player's bat.

 

I started this thread to get coach's opinions about how they handle things. Really not looking to here from parents but thankful for all post. Let me fill in the rest of the story. The girl that wanted to borrow the bat is the hardest working, guttiest player on our team. Everyone on the team will tell you that. Not most talented. Her parents are probably some of the wealthiest parents in our school. So there was never an issue of this kid abusing anything or breaking it and not replacing it. It is a Demarini CF4 so replacing it would not have been an issue. The reason the girl does not have her own bat is that her parents don't want her to think that their wealth or position in the community is something to be used. She shows up every day with cleats and a glove ready to go to work. And for those who think they are cheap, check this out. I mentioned to the father about some of the girls swinging low quality bats. Nothing about the issue that happened. Remember I was wanting to see how hard my girls worked before purchasing bats. The father's reply "Go get what you need. Don't worry about the cost get what you need. These girls deserve it. Only one condition." I replied "What is that?" His response "Whatever you get stays here at school. It does not go to my house and it is not my daughter's. It is to be a team bat. Just let me know what it cost". The issue was never about the bat or price. I simply wanted to know how other coach's worked with an issue to me that could be very divisive to a team. I may be just too "old school" after all.

 

....nice thread TPal.

All I can say is that I leaned to not allowing my DD to lend out her bat a few years ago, and then said to myself,..."self, you're a dumbass in the very name of supporting the kids".....and I was right , again for being wrong.

I came to this conclusion.....I'm not money bags and momma and I are certainly not the wealthiest parents in the HS, but I'll see to it one way or another that any kid who wants to play and wants to have the best opportunity to succeed, will have my back brother. If that means lending a bat, then swing away. If that means calling Charlie for help, he'll be there too.
What goes around, comes around....for sure. Thanks bro.

Fish