Finding a team when blackballed

[Lance Steckler]

Thanks. I only say D1 to illustrate the dreams she has, and I absolutely think she has the drive to make it happen. I am a realist and accept that so few athletes get to play college ball, let alone make it to a division 1 team. But that's my daughter's desire and I stand behind her 100% to do everything I can to give her every opportunity possible.

i hear you and support your decision. I have witnessed entirely too many solid players get trapped in the D1 whirlpool and end up with no schools interested come senior year. Music stopping and no chair syndrome.

 

[Rolling Hard]

I don't know how small the softball world is in NE but I have a hard time thinking that one coach could get one blackballed specially if he is a known hot head with dysfunction on his team. If she is very good (and she can hit) somebody would take her.

 

[Orange Socks]

Assuming this is 12U age division. You have lots of time and I bet that team y'all just left won't be around in the next year or so based on what I'm hearing. At this point, try to find a halfway decent team for the summer, so your kid can get reps. Commit to that team for only the summer. Reassess at the end of summer. Make contacts with coaches of teams that you could see trying out for the fall. At 12u EVERY SINGLE kid has a dream of playing D1. Best goal is to have your kid love the game enough to play another season. Rinse and Repeat. Since you are new hear. Take some time to read the old posts. Lots of experienced folks on here at different stages in the journey. Rec ball, All stars, TB, HIGH level TB, and all divisions of college ball. Current and former coaches as well. Been there and Done it.

 

[cmarquis88]

D1 only means they have more money. It doesn't mean anything beyond that.

As for your conundrum ... find a place she can play and have fun. Sounds like you were done a favor.

LOL, Love the Mando addition. Thank you for that!

 

[cmarquis88]

I don't know how small the softball world is in NE but I have a hard time thinking that one coach could get one blackballed specially if he is a known hot head with dysfunction on his team. If she is very good (and she can hit) somebody would take her.

Thank you. I had thought that too, until I found out from a teammate that was trying out for a different org and the coaches were aware of us, asking if it was a player problem or a parent problem. Luckily that teammates parents stood up for us. Just was shocked how far this guy's reach was.

 

[Lance Steckler]

Thank you. I had thought that too, until I found out from a teammate that was trying out for a different org and the coaches were aware of us, asking if it was a player problem or a parent problem. Luckily that teammates parents stood up for us. Just was shocked how far this guy's reach was.

reach is one thing.... spreading BS rumors is another. take the high ground until you can't. then go scorched earth.

 

[joe720]

Hard to find a team at this point in the year. As said before most teams are set going into the summer season. Luckily enough for you, it seems tryouts now start the first week of July so will be here before you know it. If your kid has talent, she'll be picked up.

But since we're only getting one side of the story and it might not be exactly what happened. If you are that person be careful as you can ruin your dd's opportunity to play. I've seen those parents, kids got talent, but no one will take them because of the parent. Never was a one time occurrence but history tends to repeat itself.

Best of luck.

 

[rozhak]

I need some advice. I'm so disheartened right now that I wish we could just walk away from this sport entirely.

The problem is, my 2011 daughter is very good at it and has aspirations of playing D1 college softball someday.

So, back story... the atmosphere on our team had become very toxic. It mostly stemmed from the head coach and another of his assistants. They were both extremely negative and fed off each other when things were not going right, to the point they would argue in the dugout in front of the team. Several of the parents had begun to voice their displeasure amongst each other, with most of the voices being against the assistant. When it reached a boiling point, they reached out to me, as I was an assistant coach, to see if I could help. I went to the HC with the intent on discussing the situation. As we were discussing, he immediately texted the other assistant at which point she resigned on the spot. Afterward, he immediately did an investigation into what happened. The problem is, everyone was so afraid of him retaliating against their kids, they didn't stand up to him. As such, he decided it was me that was the problem and I made it all up. Now, we are no longer members of the team, and he has reinstated her. The remaining girls are distraught, but that cannot be my problem anymore as I stuck my neck out for them, and they cowered away.

He has since blackballed us to all of the other major organizations in our town. He even went to a parent he knew that would be on her future high school team. As we all know, softball is a very small community. We are not a big name in that world. I can't even seem to get my foot in the door for a tryout for next year for my daughter. There are several smaller orgs we could look at, but they are not going to push my girl to get her to where she ultimately wants to be.

Suffice it to say, I'm kind of in a dark place about the whole sport right now. I need to figure out something to do for my daughter though. She really wants to play. Do I suck it up and put her on a one of those smaller orgs and ride it out for a few years, likely at the risk of her development? Or how do I get it so we can at least get in the door for a tryout for a big team? She would be a huge asset for any team. I think if we could just get to a tryout, her skill would make some coach be greedy enough to pick her up.

Thanks all!

Why don't you start your own team?

 

[RADcatcher]

Hard to find a team at this point in the year. As said before most teams are set going into the summer season. Luckily enough for you, it seems tryouts now start the first week of July so will be here before you know it. If your kid has talent, she'll be picked up.

But since we're only getting one side of the story and it might not be exactly what happened. If you are that person be careful as you can ruin your dd's opportunity to play. I've seen those parents, kids got talent, but no one will take them because of the parent. Never was a one time occurrence but history tends to repeat itself.

Best of luck.

Like the both sides of the coin perspectives!

 

[Gtrips07]

i hear you and support your decision. I have witnessed entirely too many solid players get trapped in the D1 whirlpool and end up with no schools interested come senior year. Music stopping and no chair syndrome.

I know of a Juco that last fall played at team still in the WCWS to a tie. There's great athletes at all divisions.

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