How Many is too many?

[amakaa]

When joining a showcase team, how many players is too many on the roster?

 

[sluggers]

Age level?

 

[radness]

thought this was going to be about gloves and bats...

 

[marriard]

When joining a showcase team, how many players is too many on the roster?

It really depends on the expected level of showcase team and the goal of the team and the number of players already commited and so on....

But in general, in HS age groups - especially if you have lots of upperclass age players - you never want less than 14 and you want 4 pitchers (and 3 girls who can catch) or you are always going to be looking for a guest pitcher most weekends.

They have so much going on, some weekends with 14 you still will be struggling to get 9 available especially on ACT/SAT weekends plus collage camps, school functions, etc.

If you are one of the insane D1-commit level teams trying to win PGF Nationals - 20 is normal

 

[amakaa]

16u - team is moving from local regional to larger tournaments and showcases for 2023. Team is mainly 2025's

 

[amakaa]

It really depends on the expected level of showcase team and the goal of the team and the number of players already commited and so on....

But in general, in HS age groups - especially if you have lots of upperclass age players - you never want less than 14 and you want 4 pitchers (and 3 girls who can catch) or you are always going to be looking for a guest pitcher most weekends.

They have so much going on, some weekends with 14 you still will be struggling to get 9 available especially on ACT/SAT weekends plus collage camps, school functions, etc.

If you are one of the insane D1-commit level teams trying to win PGF Nationals - 20 is normal

thx!

 

[LEsoftballdad]

We played a Corona Angels Tyson team at PGF this fall, and they had 22 girls in the dugout all weekend long.

 

[_MIA_]

16u - team is moving from local regional to larger tournaments and showcases for 2023. Team is mainly 2025's

Considering where you are coming from you are probably going to have to “break in” the parents so I would start with 14..

 

[Lance Steckler]

rule of thumb is 1 player per year of age. 16u= 16 on roster, etc. HOWEVER, it becomes encumbent on the coach to make sure and get all players into games, roster batting etc. AND make sure parents know this during tryout season.

The older the players get the more other things pull them away, both softball and non softball related. Camps, lessons, work, schools, tests, band, etc. etc. Parents easily control their DD at 10 and 12u..... players start having other priorities come 16u, as well as the ability to drive themselves.

 

[Traps71]

rule of thumb is 1 player per year of age. 16u= 16 on roster, etc. HOWEVER, it becomes encumbent on the coach to make sure and get all players into games, roster batting etc. AND make sure parents know this during tryout season.

The older the players get the more other things pull them away, both softball and non softball related. Camps, lessons, work, schools, tests, band, etc. etc. Parents easily control their DD at 10 and 12u..... players start having other priorities come 16u, as well as the ability to drive themselves.

I think this higher number of players creates parent/player instability on the team…unless perhaps the 3 or 4 pitchers are Pitcher Only and accept that role. Even if parents say they accept that it is a competitive team at the outset, eventually there will be drama when they realize they’ve just burned a week of vacation and spent a couple thousand dollars for their kid to play a few innings and get a couple at bats in Colorado. I think with committed players, @marriard’s numbers make more sense, even if one or two of them don’t make a particular tournament.