Wrecking Crew

Big game tonight! Let’s make it happen, Cougars!

VALUABLE LESSONS 🥎

Today we played a middle school game, and one thing I’ve learned about middle school softball is that the talent, skill, and overall quality can vary significantly.

You can play a team made up almost entirely of experienced travel-ball players, and the next day play a team with several 6th graders stepping onto the field for the first time.

Today, we were the team that looked significantly better—and it showed.

We controlled the plate, our pitchers made things extremely difficult on their hitters, and as the innings went on, we compiled a pretty significant lead.

Late in the game, we finally got to two outs with one of our top hitters coming to the plate.

Then the coach gave her the bunt sign.

She laid it down, they made the routine play, and the inning was over.

Immediately, I could hear some parents mumbling…

“What is she thinking?”
“Why would you bunt her?”

I actually thought it was a great coaching decision.
Have I ever had a runner step off a base intentionally to end an inning? Of course. But there’s always a little embarrassment attached to that for the other team.

This was different.
Put the ball in play. Give the other team an opportunity to make the play, record the out, and get themselves out of the inning.

But there was another lesson happening that I thought was even more important.

No player is bigger than the call.

Do I want to see one of our best hitters step into the box and absolutely rake? Of course I do.

But today wasn't about her batting average.
It wasn't about getting another hit.
It wasn't about padding stats.
It was about executing what her coach asked her to do for the team.

Because somewhere down the road, that same bunt sign might come up again.

Except next time, it might be a tie game.

It might be the bottom of the 7th.
It might be a runner on third.
It might be the biggest at-bat of the season.
And when that number flashes, we need an athlete who doesn't question it, doesn't look back at the dugout, and doesn't worry about what it does to her stats.
She just executes.

That's what impressed me the most today.
One of our top hitters got the call and executed the play without a second look.
No attitude.
No hesitation.
No concern about her individual numbers.
Coach called it. She executed it.

And every girl sitting in that dugout got to see it.

Sometimes the most valuable lessons in softball don't show up in the scorebook.

For the parents who didn't understand the decision, this is one of those moments that reminds us why coaches coach and fans watch.

There was a much bigger lesson being taught than how to bunt a softball.
Nobody is bigger than the team. Nobody is bigger than the call.

I was proud of how the coach handled it, and even more proud of the young lady who was asked to execute it.

That's team softball. 🥎

WC 2026-2027 14u

Pumped for tomorrow’s games!

Any 13-14u b/c teams interested in some double headers? We have field. Just split umpire. Looking for Sundays Aug-October

Fairview Heights IL