Changing Teams? Use GameChanger (et. al.) As A Research Tool

[Ken Krause]

So, the new travel team you joined after July/August tryouts isn’t working out quite the way you hoped and now you’re considering other options. But, of course, after being burned once you are worried that you may jump from the frying pan into the fire. How do you make sure that whatever issues caused your […]

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[Westwind]

This is a super good idea!

I’ll add, if you are a coach and ESPECIALLY if you are a young local team, make sure your gamechanger operator is putting NAMES in the other teams lineup.

You then know how the kids that show up at your tryout the next year really hit, and you know what kind of pitching they were facing (because it was yours.)

Tried out for and played for a coach that didn’t insist on this. We had played him before, and you could tell he had no idea how other players performed against his team. It hurt him at tryouts and it hurt him trying to get his lineup sorted out that fall. Everything was “eye test” with that guy and he was not good at it.

 

[Strike2]

If it's a USSSA team, much can also be gleaned from the team/manager history. Not only the manager's record from year to year, but how much turnover there is and the history of current players. A couple of long-time coaches in my area have a terrible W/L record and routinely cycle through 20+ players per year. I don't know how/why anyone signs up for that, but they do.

 

[JayW]

If your DD is elite, you’re going to be able to pick and choose a team. If not, you sometimes have to pick between the lesser of several evils.

 

[Westwind]

Jay, I think this is more valuable at younger ages, before all the Super Platinum Select b.s. starts.

 

[Ken Krause]

This is a super good idea!

I’ll add, if you are a coach and ESPECIALLY if you are a young local team, make sure your gamechanger operator is putting NAMES in the other teams lineup.

You then know how the kids that show up at your tryout the next year really hit, and you know what kind of pitching they were facing (because it was yours.)

Tried out for and played for a coach that didn’t insist on this. We had played him before, and you could tell he had no idea how other players performed against his team. It hurt him at tryouts and it hurt him trying to get his lineup sorted out that fall. Everything was “eye test” with that guy and he was not good at it.

That is a great idea! Might just have to steal this.

 

[Ken Krause]

If it's a USSSA team, much can also be gleaned from the team/manager history. Not only the manager's record from year to year, but how much turnover there is and the history of current players. A couple of long-time coaches in my area have a terrible W/L record and routinely cycle through 20+ players per year. I don't know how/why anyone signs up for that, but they do.

That's a great idea too. Yes, if a coach isn't retaining players there is probably a good reason...