5 Things the Scorebook Misses | Softball is For Girls

We know how important a score book is. We know that coaches rely on it to make game improvements, and get a snapshot of who is doing what well and who isn’t so they can prepare the lineup for the next game. But the truth is that there are some things that all the stats in the world, and the score book just miss the mark on reporting. And our hope is that coaches, parents, and players will look beyond the numbers and the stats.

Today, we share just a few things that the score book leaves out.

And these are just one reason we urge you to check out “The Brick Dust Diary” recently released. The Brick Dusty Diary is a fastpitch keepsake journal that you will WANT to keep and give to your daughter once the season is over, and it doesn’t leave ANY of the important moments out.

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1. The Girl that Finally Figured out Her Swing. She may not have gotten on base with her hard hit line drive (at least not yet) through the 5/6 hole and to the left fielder who made a great play to make the catch. BUT….she saw her hard work in the cages and with her hitting coach pay off, because she didn’t pop-up, and she hit the ball HARD and she didn’t strike out, and boy did it FEEL GOOD. It still records in the book as an OUT, it doesn’t improve her on base percentage, but it DOES IMPROVE her mentality and confidence at the plate, and THAT IS HUGE! A large part of hitting is mental, and these types of breakthroughs are GAME CHANGERS! And when she figures out her swing, big things are coming her way offensively. Good coaches SEE THIS!
2. The Player That Backs UP Everyone! When you watch a game, you get a good idea of who knows the game, who understands the logistics of softball and who is always, always keeping their eye on the ball and on the play. While some players just seem to stand there and guard their position, some of the best players are always MOVING toward the ball, toward the play. They may not make the play every time..but they are always there to back it up, and back up their teammates catches and throws. These are the girls that have their mental game on point, and who typically are relied upon by their teammates to be a leader.
3. The Fact that Gramma Rose got to finally come and watch you play. At the end of the day, this game – our sport, the tournaments and hard work and time spent on the field is about relationships. If softball teaches us anything, it should be that softball (and life) are not a one-woman sport. And while many players may take it for granted right now that their family is there cheering them on (and possibly embarrassing them), there is a time when these memories will mean the most! (And yes OF COURSE, the Brick Dust Diary has a place for family memories – because we thought of everything!)
4. Wins & Losses! In the scorebook, one team is going to win and another is going to lose. Either way, the win and loss doesnt come close to telling the whole story. What ‘good’ coaches rely upon is growth. Even if your team loses, the reality is that what coaches and players want to see is growth. Did they make less mistakes this game than they did last time? Did they execute that play they have been working on in practice? Did each player do a little more? Did they play at their 100%, did they play as a team? You can lose a game and still make improvements that will lead to winning. The takeaway is always there. Softball is a process, and it is not all about a win or lose record. Sometimes your team is going to get beat, and sometimes other teams will just be better.
5. What Your Player did to Reach her Goals? We believe that each individual player should set clear goals for themselves every game day. Before each game, they should come up with a list of the things they want to improve upon, and the things they want to do better to be a better teammate. These individual goals show an investment to the team. And the scorebook, or the game changer app – doesn’t always recognize these. Did you player have more first pitch strikes than before? Did your pitcher hold her composure on the mound? Did your catcher do a better job blocking those low in the dirt pitches? Did you hitter battle at the plate, and not feel defeated by a great pitcher? Did your daughters defense improve, did she make little tweaks in her performance to be a more solid player? Each game offers something more to learn, and something more to give, and these are extremely important things that players (and parents and coaches) need to be able to recognize. Slow and steady wins the battle. And these are the attributes during a game that truly prepare these young athletes for life on and off the softball field!

We designed the Brick Dust Diary for you and your player with all these things (and much more) in mind. Create a scorebook that truly and genuinely shows the heart and soul of the game, as played by your daughter. This book is about making memories and creating something for your daughter that you can give to her one day so she never loses the memories and feelings that come from a day at the ballpark!