Bottom of the roster

[Little Angels Softball]

Sometimes it takes an adult advocate to say, ''We played four games today, and my daughter only played in one? Really?''

And sometimes it takes an adult coach to answer, "Yes, really. That is all she has earned. And if she doesn't start giving more effort, it may be less next weekend."

I always tell my families that I will answer any questions they have to the best of my ability and with complete honesty. I then tell them they need to be prepared for that honesty, or perhaps not ask questions they may not like the answers to.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I actually didn't read this before I responded but it proved my point. They don't know because they don't pay attention. They don't pay attention because it doesn't matter, they get to bat anyway.

I think you misunderstood. We were talking about a hypothetical team, and she was asking if she'd be one of the top 9 on that. She definitely knows where she stands on her real-life team.

 

[CoogansBluff]

And sometimes it takes an adult coach to answer, "Yes, really. That is all she has earned. And if she doesn't start giving more effort, it may be less next weekend."

As stated prior, I'm not talking about players who don't give enough effort. I'm talking about players that you invited on your team, those you promised to coach up and teach the fundamentals, who have done everything that has been asked, but who happen still to be the 10th best hitter on the team.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

As stated prior, I'm not talking about players who don't give enough effort. I'm talking about players that you invited on your team, those you promised to coach up and teach the fundamentals, who have done everything that has been asked, but who happen still to be the 10th best hitter on the team.

Regardless if they have done everything or not , if they are 10th or 11th best , then that is what they are. Playing time in bracket games still gets based on that. It may sound harsh , but that is just the way it works. If not , you then get another thread on here about how the coach is an idiot and is playing inferior players in bracket play costing the team a chance to advance

 

[Little Angels Softball]

As stated prior, I'm not talking about players who don't give enough effort. I'm talking about players that you invited on your team, those you promised to coach up and teach the fundamentals, who have done everything that has been asked, but who happen still to be the 10th best hitter on the team.

Fair enough. I have just found over the years that those on the bottom of the depth chart after several months of playing almost always find themselves there due to problems with attitude and/or effort. Rarely have I seen a girl who works hard and has a good attitude fall very far behind her teammates if they were somewhat close in level of talent. I've seen plenty of girls with equal (and even greater) talent fall behind due to not giving 100% or being pissed off because someone beat her out of her preferred position and she chooses to sulk over it rather than win it with effort.

 

[Easton33]

my question is if yall had already discussed the situation, why was you yelling anything.

Bad players need constant reminding, even after she explained she tried to throw it to third because she thought the runner left early!!!

 

[CoogansBluff]

Regardless if they have done everything or not , if they are 10th or 11th best , then that is what they are. Playing time in bracket games still gets based on that. It may sound harsh , but that is just the way it works.

You've provided some good arguments as to why you bat nine. But ''that is just the way it works'' is not your best effort, IMO.

If not , you then get another thread on here about how the coach is an idiot and is playing inferior players in bracket play costing the team a chance to advance

I see more threads about DD's who don't get playing time than threads about someone else's DD who plays too much. In fact, I've never seen a thread started for the sake of criticizing a coach for batting more than 9 in bracket play. My DD has played on three straight travel teams where everybody bats and I also was just a parent (not the coach who decided on this). Never heard a complaint. It might be because the coach instilled a 'no girl left behind' attitude on the team rather than 'why are these inferior players costing us the game' attitude.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Fair enough. I have just found over the years that those on the bottom of the depth chart after several months of playing almost always find themselves there due to problems with attitude and/or effort. Rarely have I seen a girl who works hard and has a good attitude fall very far behind her teammates if they were somewhat close in level of talent. I've seen plenty of girls with equal (and even greater) talent fall behind due to not giving 100% or being pissed off because someone beat her out of her preferred position and she chooses to sulk over it rather than win it with effort.

No question that that there is correlation between hard work and a player's value to the team. But I've had kids who didn't work hard and still did well because they were just that talented, and others who did everything you asked but couldn't hit .200. But if you've got a player that really isn't holding up her end (in terms of effort/attitude), then yes, pine time is justified.

 

[softballphreak]

Fair does not necessarily mean equal.

 

[Greenmonsters]

The fastest way to improve a team is to improve your weakest players. Most teams work towards peaking for one big or season-ending tournament - play the elimination games in that tournament to win using your 9 best. But the best preparation for those games is to use/develop all your players in all other games. At older ages and on better teams, the variance in skill level may not be so great and 1-12 (or whatever the roster size is) offensively is not the same as 1-12 defensively and both of those rankings will change over the course of the season if all the players are given ample opportunities.