Advice from experienced TB parents needed.

[Dave619]

DDs current 12u team has about 4-5 tournaments left until we have our break for part of Dec, Jan, and part Feb. I see this as probably the end of this team for many reasons....some girls need to go up to 14u...some need to stay down at 12u...one coach is leaving....and some are probably going to go elsewhere.

Here is my concern/question...

DD has an offer to go play for an organization that is well established in our state and has been around for may years...they want her as a 12u pitcher. She can also go play with the team she picks up with frequently. She also has an offer to play with another good team/organization. This is not a case where DD is so awesome she has all these offers...it just seems everyone is looking for quality bracket pitchers.

Mostly they all want her as a pitcher...of course, I want her to develop as a player. She needs some work at the plate and in the field. I would like for her to be on a team where they can teach her the strategies of the game and help her improve on fielding and hitting mechanics.

Here is my question...all of the teams that are offering her to come play are about 1 1/2 hours away from our house so making any practice on the weekdays is impossible. I believe as girls get older it may be typical for them to only see the players on their team when they play, but my DD still needs the practice time. Also, the highly regarded organization will only let her pitch/play 12u and does not allow you to pick up with other teams and IMO they don't play enough and take too many breaks. I would like DD to play up once in a while at 14u just to get a taste and see how she handles pitching at that level.

I believe I could find another local team for her to play with...maybe just not the quality of the organizations above. I can practice her at home, but it would be difficult to teach game strategies with just her.

How many of you have dealt with something like this and what were your experiences...is it typical for a 12u to play for a team that far away or would you recommend something like that? Any advice for those of you that have gone through this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SCDad]

The key here is to maneuver for the best team, get the best deal for DD, while at the same time keeping options open.

For an aspiring pitcher, who may or may not be dominate, the team which regularly plays pitchers in the field when they are not pitching, and always try to put the pitchers in the batting line-up is crucial. This should lead your decision making, as many of the big org's have a tendency to slot the pitchers to just that, pitchers. Few AB's, little field play. Even outfield is better than the bench.

Don't give up on the local teams. You are still young and college aspirations are a few years away. Playing local with many of the same can and will increase her repetitions. At her age it is mostly about getting as many repetitions as possible. In the circle, in the field, and at the plate. Traveling long distances for a big org can work great, but being young remember there will be other opportunities down the road for this. It is not unusual to see a great prospect at 2nd year 14U, or early 16U, get recruited by a big org, take the offer then and get all the exposure needed to land a quality college scholarship. Then back away, playing local again.

Also consider very soon the girls in your age group will be playing high school softball (I think, but do not know). What happens then is players can and will elevate during high school softball and there is a 2nd silly season right after high school ball and teams reshuffle again. So, soon for you (if your state plays spring HS softball) the decisions you make right now in October mean very little in late April or May.

Try the long distance travel stuff sure. But it also can wait for another day down the road. It is grueling, cost more money, and can burn a player out. Especially if you are limiting your D's reps. At 12 or 13, it is about maximizing repetitions for the game gets very serious soon and the more looks, the better.

You are young, and I will get blasted for saying this, but it is the truth. At 12U players and parents want to join an organization for life. A couple years later, it becomes for a year or so. A couple years later, it becomes for that particular season only. So what is frowned upon at 12U (moving around) becomes so commonplace at 18U, everyone does it, do not speak about it to telegraph their moves, but do exactly what is best for their DD and let the teams figure it out.

Before the teams want to argue. They themselves will be the first to pick-up a true stud, displacing a loyal player. It happens all the time, is not talked about, and you will thank me in a few years.

Always be friendly. Go out of your way to not make enemies. The travel softball world gets very small quickly. Make allies, and you will be rewarded sooner rather than later.

 

[Greenmonsters]

PP - Not enough info in the OP to advise. If I understand your concerns, the question is where your DD is going to get the coaching/instruction to improve her hitting/fielding. Reps and game play alone won't do it. If a team or org can't offer quality instruction/practice, an outside instructor may be a workable solution.

 

[YOCOACH]

DD started playing TB at age 11. This year is the closest team she has played for and it is an hour drive each way. We have some players that live over a 2 hour drive each way. During weekday practices, DD and her teammates study in the car on the way to and from practices and dinner is usually a quick in and out place like Subway. They all have aspirations of playing in college and so they were, and are, willing to make the sacrifice of taking the time away from socializing to practice with and play on the best team they can make.

As parents, we decided before going to the TB world that our support would be whatever was necessary for our DD to succeed at softball with the caveat being she has to remain on the honor roll at school. If her grades slip, her practice and playing time become limited which for her, is a real punishment since she lives for softball.

In order to develop your DD as a pitcher, you will have to find the best team she can make and will give her the maximum amount of circle time. In order for your DD to develop her secondary position skills, softball knowledge, strategies, etc. etc., you will have to find a team that believes in player development as opposed to one that just recruits the best players to win at all costs. You may find the right fit next door or they may be 2 hours away. The question you need to ask your DD is what is her softball plans/dreams. Does she want to play in MS, in HS, continue through college or does she just want to play for fun? The question you need to ask yourself is how much support you are going to give her to fulfill these dreams. The answers to these will determine how far you may need to drive. Good Luck!

 

[JAD]

I am a firm believer in joining the best team your DD can make where she will be in the starting line up. I would NEVER put my DD on a team where she was not the #1 or #2 pitcher. In a competitive TB environment the #3 and #4 pitchers will see significantly less circle time. If you have to, play on a lower level team where your DD will be the #1 or #2 pitcher. At 12U, you still have a couple of years before you have to worry about recruiting, assuming your DD has aspirations of playing in college.

 

[BadMonkeys]

my DD still needs the practice time. Also, the highly regarded organization will only let her pitch/play 12u and does not allow you to pick up with other teams and IMO they don't play enough and take too many breaks. I would like DD to play up once in a while at 14u just to get a taste and see how she handles pitching at that level.

I believe I could find another local team for her to play with...maybe just not the quality of the organizations above.

I think you already know what is best for you and your DD. I ask, what makes the organizations "quality" ones if you find so many flaws or incompatibilities?

 

[Dave619]

I think you already know what is best for you and your DD. I ask, what makes the organizations "quality" ones if you find so many flaws or incompatibilities?

I guess the "quality" part depends on which team I am referring to..for example, with one team the coaching appears to be very good and it appears the girls have been taught the game well. Another team/organization is well known for taking their kids to the showcase tournaments and working to connect them with college recruitment.

The reality is my DD is 12 and can play one more year at 12u and she has a lot of things to learn and areas to improve. I'm just trying to figure out the best route to go to help her. Thanks!

 

[BadMonkeys]

Quality coaching will help any player. Playing time helps too. It's a tough call. Keep her involved in the decisions. That is something I often failed to realize over the years.

 

[Westwind]

Even within good organizations you will find coaches who can hide their lack of coaching ability with the recruiting power that comes with the reputation of the org.

Our family is very lucky. Both dd's play for coaches that have developed both physical skills and the mental side of the game. I always lean toward picking teams by the coaches, not the org. The coaches that take the kids and teach them to play beyond what they thought their limitations were before are the coaches to look for. I find little appeal in teams that recruit the best team instead of build the best team through practice and hard work. Slow and steady usually wins the softball race for a lot of reasons.