cut-throat travel teams

[corlay]

do they exist in your region at the 12u and/or 14u levels?

Definition: "cut-throat"; a travel team that holds tryouts every Fall, and no existing roster positions are guaranteed. Usually coached by a staff with no daughters on the team.

if you do have these, Im wondering: how are they regarded?
do kids come out of the woodwork to compete for a spot on these teams? Are they the best of the area?

I see a lot of teams where "keeping the group together" seems to be a strong priority.
I understand that aging-up and developing the same core group can result in a solid team skills-wise, and the sense of "team" can be enhanced.
But Im wondering if more of an 18U Gold model of assembling the best roster possible of 11 or 12 that can be found each season, can work at younger age groups.

either a team like this is a) regarded as the best of the best. everyone wants and tries to play for them. they attract the very best players, and perform at the highest level, year after year. OR b) everyone HATES them because they have no "player loyalty". They dont develop ANY new players, and just snipe players from other teams, after those coaches have done all the development work.

I honestly cannot predict which would be the more prevalant response. And am trutly interested in your answers.
Thank you.

 

[quincy]

If I may throw something out there is I do not like adults that treat 12 yos as adults. Point 2 is I have more of an impact on DD’s SB game then any coach she has ever had, I think that is true for almost every poster on here.

 

[JAD]

I am sure there are cutthroat teams at all age levels, but it becomes more prevalent at 14U and 16U. A lot of the coaches for these teams will tell everyone they have to try out every year, and they do this in order to "churn" the bottom 1/4 of their roster without the appearance of playing favorites. If stronger players show up for tryouts they can keep them without upsetting anyone because the expectation has been set that all positions are open. If no better players show up they just keep the ones they had.

 

[marriard]

either a team like this is a) regarded as the best of the best. everyone wants and tries to play for them. they attract the very best players, and perform at the highest level, year after year. OR b) everyone HATES them because they have no "player loyalty". They dont develop ANY new players, and just snipe players from other teams, after those coaches have done all the development work.

Both a) and b)

Well except the 'everyone wants to play for them' bit. That should read 'all the truly insane parents' want their talented DD to play for them.

The # of players who quit softball forever from these teams is really high, however they also have the success of getting the top players who stick it out into top D1 programs (which is the carrot all the nutso parents see when they push their DD this way)... They also have players with families who spent $20,000+ per year end up at Local CC as well...

There is also an element of jealousy from parents whose DD are not on these teams... I used to think this was the primary factor, but over time I have realized it is more parent driven than player.

Note: There are exceptions to the people on these teams - but they are hidden by the others who are not from my experience.

 

[marriard]

Definition: "cut-throat"; a travel team that holds tryouts every Fall, and no existing roster positions are guaranteed. Usually coached by a staff with no daughters on the team.

They are normally still coached by a 'dad' - normally on his second or third DD coming through the ranks. Oldest DD is normally in college.

do kids come out of the woodwork to compete for a spot on these teams? Are they the best of the area?

They still need the 'name brand' to make the kids come out of the woodwork. Often the best team in an age group will migrate over to a name org to help recruit the next player they need to replace someone on their team who is no longer 'cutting it' or that the new player is better than.

I see a lot of teams where "keeping the group together" seems to be a strong priority.

Only new coaches do this in younger age groups. You hope for the best, but in reality travel players in general come and go as they age through. Love to keep the players together but it is not realistic. Most teams are turning over 3-4 players per season.

I understand that aging-up and developing the same core group can result in a solid team skills-wise, and the sense of "team" can be enhanced.
But Im wondering if more of an 18U Gold model of assembling the best roster possible of 11 or 12 that can be found each season, can work at younger age groups.

It works, but generally only for a season. Then they break up. Then they get back together and so on.

 

[vdubya]

^^^^^This^^^^^

 

[Cannonball]

They exist everywhere. Heck, you didn't even list the most offensive, imo, thing that some of them do. We had a program in our area when my dd was younger that would send players to all of the various tryouts for practice and to destroy the tryouts for other teams. They would meet with the coaches of these tryout teams suggest that they will take a spot on the team and then, two weeks later call and pull their commitment. In the mean time, those players that might have made the team were either on different team or on teams in St. Louis.

 

[KCM]

There is a local 14U team that will tell the kids every practice is a try out. All practices are open to any one. He is a revolving door (or dug out) of kids.

 

[grcsftbll]

They exist everywhere. Heck, you didn't even list the most offensive, imo, thing that some of them do. We had a program in our area when my dd was younger that would send players to all of the various tryouts for practice and to destroy the tryouts for other teams. They would meet with the coaches of these tryout teams suggest that they will take a spot on the team and then, two weeks later call and pull their commitment. In the mean time, those players that might have made the team were either on different team or on teams in St. Louis.

Yikes. I don't mind the rest - I don't mind if my daughter has to tryout every year. She's solid enough I wouldn't be worried. If someone better gets her spot I guess that girl deserves it. But this is crazy unethical.

 

[marriard]

Yikes. I don't mind the rest - I don't mind if my daughter has to tryout every year. She's solid enough I wouldn't be worried. If someone better gets her spot I guess that girl deserves it. But this is crazy unethical.

You have no idea....

I have seen coaches attend other teams tryouts to make sure none of his team are there... and to intimidate those who do show up. I have seen a family drive up to a field for a tryout, see their current coach there and drive away.

I have seen coaches send their players to other teams tryouts to disrupt the tryout.

Of course as the 'best' they will run MULTI-WEEK tryouts before picking players so every other team has to wait to form their team (or form their team without players trying out for this org).

A lot of cutthroat teams will carry 16-18 players not because they need them - but so other teams can't have them. They will only play their top 9-11 and tell the remaining girls parents that 'their DD is getting better here than with another team because of practices' and because 'she is part of a winning program'. I can't believe that ever works, but it does.

And of course there is always the rumor mill to spread gossip about your former players