Trying Out the Split Squad Thing
Alright, so we gave this ‘split squad’ idea a shot a little while back. Heard about the pros doing it in spring training and thought, why not? We had a big roster this season, lots of guys needing reps.
First thing was figuring out how to actually split everyone up. That was a headache. I spent a good evening just staring at the player list. Didn’t want one team stacked and the other looking weak. Tried to balance the pitching, get enough catchers on both sides, spread out the big hitters. Then you gotta think about personalities too, who works well together. Moved names around on paper like a hundred times.
Logistics were the next hurdle. We needed two fields, obviously. Managed to book our usual spot and borrow one from the league across town for the same afternoon. Then coaches. I couldn’t be in two places at once, right? Pulled in one of the dads who helps out, gave him a crash course on the lineup and what I wanted him to look for with his group.
- Divided players – aimed for balance.
- Found two fields for the same day.
- Assigned coaching staff to each squad.
- Packed two sets of gear – balls, bats, helmets, the works.
Game day was… well, kinda nuts. I was managing the ‘home’ squad. My phone kept buzzing with updates from the other game. Trying to focus on my guys, make substitutions, watch their mechanics, while also getting bits and pieces from the other field. Felt like my brain was split in two, just like the squad.
We had a few hiccups. Forgot the extra bases for the away team, had to scramble. One kid showed up to the wrong field. Communication wasn’t perfect between the coaches; couple of crossed signals on who was pitching when in the other game. Definitely chaotic for a bit there.
Was It Worth It?
Yeah, looking back, I think it was. Despite the scramble. The biggest plus? Everyone played. A lot. Guys who usually only get an inning or two got to play almost a full game. Saw some of the younger guys step up when they had more responsibility. Got some real good looks at players in different situations than usual.
It really forced us coaches to evaluate deeper down the roster. You see who takes initiative when the usual leaders are on the other field. Found a couple of surprises, guys who performed better than expected with more consistent playing time.
Would I do it again? Probably. But I’d plan the communication better. Maybe set up specific check-in times instead of constant texts. Need a clearer plan for equipment transport too. It’s a ton of work, requires good help, but the payoff in player development and evaluation was pretty clear. Gave us a much better picture of what we had across the whole team.
