defining the team hoppers

[radness]

Lots of posts about people wondering if they should stay or when they should leave.

How about some defining *opinions*
What is a team hopper?

 

[Vertigo]

IMO, it’s the player that moves around from team to team every year (or less) but never moves up in competition level (like from B to A, or 14 to 16/18, etc). If they are 14B, they will find other 14B teams to move to.

 

[Shiloh]

Kids whose parents can’t stand that the player has to compete for playing time on each team, ie a player whose parents lack resilience.

 

[Bullseye]

Could say 2 teams in one year does not present as an issue.
But 4 teams in 2 years does.

 

[InsidePitch]

I sort of felt that I moved DD a lot but each team was better than the last and she never moved to a team to be a starter. In fact she was always down in the depth chart and had to earn a starting position. She did stay with two orgs for two years including her last team. 10, 11 and 12 were new teams each year.

 

[Tango]

DD played for a very good Class B team for 3 years and the team decided to go different ways. No problems, the coach decided to stop coaching. Then played Class A ball for two years with the same team with two different coaches. Some parents were looking for a National team and some were happy playing in the south, so the team broke up. This fall we traveled 5 hours for practice to play on a Class A team that played in the south (not National). I didn't mind but daughter hated the travel for practice. Looking now for a summer team after HS but I don't think this is crazy.

 

[bmakj]

DD played one full year for 10u team (#1) (very good team, state runner up), was invited back, but told playing time might be an issue (10u moving to 12u), moved on on good terms all around (still sees that coach for lessons)

played one fall for a new team (#2) in respected org, coach (new to org) turned out to be a head case (at first or second tournament, after a loss, told the girls to figure out some drills on their own to do during break, walked away till next game; mid fall season he brings in another girl at DDs primary position, year older (it was mixed first and second year)).

joined new team (#3) that spring, had a great spring overall. Left after national tournament where PT was dramatically reduced from what it had been all year, with reason given that she missed mandatory, called at last minute practice, on a date we told coaches DD was unavailable months ago (DW and my girls got tickets for a concert).

played next fall and spring (2020 spring, covid) on different team (#4) but same org as #1 team, she had guested for them a bit. but she was a year ahead of most girls on team, we and coach knew going in it was only for a single year.

this year (team #5) back to same org as previous year, but different head coach (was AC previously), he specifically asked DD to come try out (needed to stabilize her primary position), only about half of families from two seasons ago still there. team was very successful in fall, looking forward to great spring (just played 3 games this past weekend ).

honestly good chance she could change teams again this summer, because current team will move up to 16U in fall, she is one of several first year 14Us on team. she might not even get invited by coach to go with them to 16U

is DD a team hopper? she has never left a team mid season (mid year once), althought with the #2 it was hard, but with encouragement, and for her teammates (and especially for HCs DD), she stuck it out.

 

[Schmick's Gloves]

Some parents want to find that right fit, it's not just playing time or what tournaments the team is going to. It can be cliques on the roster, cliques with the parents, how organized a coach is, how an assistant coach talks to players.... that may warrant parents to take their kid off a team.

If a player has been on several teams or with several organizations I might ask why they have left but I'm not prepared to call anyone a team hopper if they just went somewhere the player and parents were more comfortable. I've heard some crazy reasons why players leave teams

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Strike2]

If you change teams one or more times every year, either you've got very bad luck or you're a team hopper. The core of DD's team has been together for several years. When a new player joins who was with their previous team for more than a year, those players stick much better than someone who frequently moves around. Some people are impossible to please, or never figure out that you can spend your kid's entire playing career looking for the perfect team.

 

[Quigs10]

DD is on first 12u TB team. Been in REC/All Stars/Select,etc here in So Calif entire time so far. For us the two top things that would make us think about switching are:

1) the coach's "style" is just way too negative all the time and my daughter dreads going to practices or games for fear of getting yelled at. Or philosophy is win at all cost (just not what I believe in).

2) travel or goals of team are more than we are willing to commit to. Not really a problem if all the families and girls want that, but going out of state a LOT or driving 2-3 hours for practices, etc would probably not be a good fit for our family/finances. I know many on here travel much farther than that due to the limited options where they live. But, for us out here, we can find closer options.