Bringing in new players mid season

[Tide_will_Roll]

This may not seem like a typical coaching softball question. However, I am interested in perspective from coaches. Of course, parents and players as well.

Daughter has been playing on a 12U C level team. The team has started the Spring on fire. They've had five tournaments, won 3 of them and came in third place twice. Over this time they've had a winning streak of 13 games lost a game then had a 10 game winning streak before losing again.

The team was notified they are being moved up to 12U B level. No problem. The girls know they won't be winning every game but it will be good for them growth wise.

Until now, the team has only carried ten players but it has worked well.
All the girls have gotten good playing time and with it a lot of experience. At the last tournament, the HC was walking around to the parents crowing about "When you are winning as much as I am you get a lot of people calling you asking if they can be on your team!"

Come Tuesday at practice, he tells the team he has two girls from a current 12U B team that want to be on the team. They aren't happy on their current team. (Their team suuuuccckkksss). They will "try out" beginning this coming Tuesday. The stated reason for bringing the girls into the team is it will give our team "leadership and intensity".

The two new girls are a pitcher and a catcher. Both also play middle infield. Though they won't on our team. HC's daughter plays SS. Not because she is the best suited for it but because it is "her position." 2B is a player who's parents alternately kiss HC's ace or dress him down through the dugout fence if their daughter sits for an inning. There are other girls who would also be better at 2B. We currently have four pitchers and two catchers.

The background is long. However, I wanted to give an idea of the situation. This just seems to be a recipe that will disrupt a team full of girls , bar 2 or 3, who are all friends and work well together as a team. If these two other girls can't stick it out for four or five more weeks on their current team because they are "unhappy " what will happen here if they have to sit on the bench for some reason?

Does this seem like a good idea? I kind of don't think so. Perhaps I am looking at looking at a half empty glass?

 

[Orange Socks]

Only 10 girls on a team is recipe for disaster as well. At 12U, 12-13 players is about right. As your team moves up the division ladder, they will face more adversity, and will need those extra players. Right now, many parents are feeling pretty comfortable in their cozy team bubble and feel confident where the kids are. Adding 2 more players will require players to take innings off, which in the grand scheme of things is very healthy. If the coach starts sitting players entire games in a row, there will be problems. If these players are who this coach thinks they are, it can elevate the play of all the players unless he does the daddy ball thing. The new parents will not tolerate it and will leave at the end of your summer run. If everything goes as planned, I predict 2 or 3 of the bottom players will leave because their playing time will be cut by 20-30%.

Back in the day, we would always add players along the way that we felt would help the team. If these players weren't any better than our bottom 5-6 players, we would not bring them on. You want to get better right? It sounds as though your team was mowing through the C class and the sanction is right for moving you up. I had an Allstar team that had great success, very similar to yours. Looking back we should have played more open tournaments, but I didn't think we were good enough to compete. Parents were happy, players were happy, us coaches were happy. All was well, when we were winning.

I'd like to revisit this in the middle of summer. Keep us updated. Remember, be cool like Fonzie and let it all unfold.

 

[Tide_will_Roll]

Only 10 girls on a team is recipe for disaster as well. At 12U, 12-13 players is about right. As your team moves up the division ladder, they will face more adversity, and will need those extra players. Right now, many parents are feeling pretty comfortable in their cozy team bubble and feel confident where the kids are. Adding 2 more players will require players to take innings off, which in the grand scheme of things is very healthy. If the coach starts sitting players entire games in a row, there will be problems. If these players are who this coach thinks they are, it can elevate the play of all the players unless he does the daddy ball thing. The new parents will not tolerate it and will leave at the end of your summer run. If everything goes as planned, I predict 2 or 3 of the bottom players will leave because their playing time will be cut by 20-30%.

Back in the day, we would always add players along the way that we felt would help the team. If these players weren't any better than our bottom 5-6 players, we would not bring them on. You want to get better right? It sounds as though your team was mowing through the C class and the sanction is right for moving you up. I had an Allstar team that had great success, very similar to yours. Looking back we should have played more open tournaments, but I didn't think we were good enough to compete. Parents were happy, players were happy, us coaches were happy. All was well, when we were winning.

I'd like to revisit this in the middle of summer. Keep us updated. Remember, be cool like Fonzie and let it all unfold.

Hi! Thanks for the well thought out reply. It is appreciated.

They definitely need to be moved up. Some of the girls were beginning to believe winning every tournament (almost) was their birthright. lol

You are correct on people leaving. The two new girls will be ineligible next season for 12U. One girl already on the team is moving away and just from bleacher talk seven kids' parents are looking for new teams in the summer. (This was before any talk of new players coming in)

Totally cool here. It just seemed odd to me that leadership and intensity were being brought from 2 girls that are unknown and weren't willing to fulfil their commitment to their current team. My daughter loves playing and is playing well. We will finish out this season and see what we want to do after it is over. Frankly, we would likely move top, As that was what was being considered before the kovan's situation.

Thank you again.

 

[Orange Socks]

Maybe the coach heard the rumblings in the stands with more than half of his already looking at leaving. That's tough to overcome. If those 2 girls are 14U eligible after the season, I would consider moving the whole team up. Assuming these kids will be 7th and 8th graders in the fall right? Might as well move up.

 

[Strike2]

You are correct on people leaving. The two new girls will be ineligible next season for 12U. One girl already on the team is moving away and just from bleacher talk seven kids' parents are looking for new teams in the summer. (This was before any talk of new players coming in)

With the success you described, it is strange for that kind of talk to openly exist mid-season.

If managed half-way decently, bringing a couple of players (12 total) shouldn't be a problem. It's when new players show up, earn nothing, and then replace existing ones (who are doing fine) is where people get irritated.

From what you say, your coach talks too much and parents are a bit nuts. I'm not sure your team will last to the end of the season.

 

[radness]

The daddy ball & kizz azz middle infielder situation stands out as an
'issue' in the works.
And already have 4 pitchers and 2 catchers then bringing more in?
....who's secondary positions are already assigned by dna & a brown nose. Lol
But
The coach said bringing the 2 in for intensity and leadership?!

Not certain exactly what differenciates 'C' level players/team are compaired to B level...
But this is a good description of what a 'C' level coach is!!!

if what you say about existing players is accurate and the coach wanted to bring a new players for intensity and Leadership that sounds like a conflict of interest.
magic 8 ball says
'Get what you can out of the situation for your daughter's playing time and enjoyment and learning development.
Focus on her. This mid-season decision will provoke more changes on the team within 2 months end summer.'

 

[bmakj]

it is the positions that bother me, with four Ps already, adding a fifth is going to make it tough to get them all enough circle time. also, three Cs, unless one is truly an emergency catcher (ie maybe a couple of innings every weekend just to try and keep skills sharp) is tough as well.

that said, with 10, and winning like you say, if there are alot of grumblings, I'd start looking at options as well. keep it low key, but watch the other teams at your tournaments, make lists of teams that are good fits, possibles, and absolute no's. honestly team sounds ready to explode when they start losing a few.

 

[Tide_will_Roll]

With the success you described, it is strange for that kind of talk to openly exist mid-season.

If managed half-way decently, bringing a couple of players (12 total) shouldn't be a problem. It's when new players show up, earn nothing, and then replace existing ones (who are doing fine) is where people get irritated.

From what you say, your coach talks too much and parents are a bit nuts. I'm not sure your team will last to the end of the season.

I was wondering if anyone would pick up on him saying people start calling when "he" is winning so much.


Most of the parents are pretty great to fine. The issues go deeper, really and I think some parents are seeing this not ending well.

 

[Orange Socks]

honestly team sounds ready to explode when they start losing a few.

This right here. Parents will start losing their minds when they start getting run ruled because like OP said they are so used to their "success" and winning ways. Seen it happen all the time. Once you get you get to 16U and above winning tournaments take a back seat to getting showcased. Instead of talking about who they are playing next, the parents start talking about who is watching who in the stands.

You also tend to play the same 15 teams in your region and you know which of the top 3 will win if there is an elimination bracket.

 

[Tide_will_Roll]

The daddy ball & kizz azz middle infielder situation stands out as an
'issue' in the works.
And already have 4 pitchers and 2 catchers then bringing more in?
....who's secondary positions are already assigned by dna & a brown nose. Lol
But
The coach said bringing the 2 in for intensity and leadership?!

Not certain exactly what differenciates 'C' level players/team are compaired to B level...
But this is a good description of what a 'C' level coach is!!!

if what you say about existing players is accurate and the coach wanted to bring a new players for intensity and Leadership that sounds like a conflict of interest.
magic 8 ball says
'Get what you can out of the situation for your daughter's playing time and enjoyment and learning development.
Focus on her. This mid-season decision will provoke more changes on the team within 2 months end summer.'

He would be known to screen shot the U Triple S website and send it parents and tell them how he has the #1 rated C team in the state...

The AC's run the team. He literally sits on a bucket. They both played college ball, they develop practice plans and game plans. If they leave with their kids and I'm certain they are leaving after the season the team would be an E level team if it was was thing..

One of them, I overhead saying to the other at practice one day, "Have you ever had a coach that did absolutely nothing at all when you played?" The other answered "No . Never." I didn't play softball but did other sports and my answer would also be nope.