- Jun 21, 2012
- 74
- 0
Like the title suggests, there are some things about travel/select softball teams and programs that I don't quite understand.
Let's make some clarifications to help keep the discussion on track. This is mainly for parents and coaches, and it is about players who have communicated to an adult that they want to play college softball. It is about teams of 12U, 14U, and/or 16U. It is about the summer season, which, on average consists of 9 -11 tournaments with 5 games per, for about 45 - 55 games. And when discussing game scenarios, both teams are of equal skill and talent.
I don't understand... why travel/select teams only have 10 - 12 players (on average) when college teams have 19.
I have read many posts where parents and coaches were upset with having to, or seeing other teams, use pick up players. If your roster is deep enough, this would not need to happen. Pick-up players or subs are not allowed at the collegiate, or high school level. Why not have a Varsity and a JV travel/select team?
I don't understand... why travel/select teams only practice, on average, 12 times for a 45 - 55 game season. We can even add in winter workouts, so prior to the summer season, we have about 24 practices to prepare for 45 - 55 games.
First, let's clarify that during a game, a player demonstrates habits. So, a player demonstrates what they reinforced in practice. There is really no "new" learning in a game. They may understand a specific situation better, but it wasn't anything new to them. A game doesn't offer a player the opportunity to perfect a skill, only to demonstrate its application. In a typical 75 minute game (why they are timed is beyond me also) a player on average may see three balls hit to their defensive position. Hitting, for the top of the line-up, will see three plate appearances, for 3 - 25 pitches. A practice can offer more repetitions with corrections in the same time period as one game offers. This correlates to practice being where an athlete learns, and perfects their skills, not in games. Players don't get better at running, hitting, catching, or throwing during a game. the numbers just don't offer the repetitions needed to form the habit. So, practice is where improvement happens, games are where this is tested.
So, I ask... Why not join a team that practices more and has more players. Again, the purpose is to get the player to college softball. Below are two webpages that got me to this thinking.
http://www.azdesertswarm.com/other-...ol-athletes-softball-baseball-candrea-johnson
Softball Scholarships & Chances of Playing College Softball
Let's make some clarifications to help keep the discussion on track. This is mainly for parents and coaches, and it is about players who have communicated to an adult that they want to play college softball. It is about teams of 12U, 14U, and/or 16U. It is about the summer season, which, on average consists of 9 -11 tournaments with 5 games per, for about 45 - 55 games. And when discussing game scenarios, both teams are of equal skill and talent.
I don't understand... why travel/select teams only have 10 - 12 players (on average) when college teams have 19.
I have read many posts where parents and coaches were upset with having to, or seeing other teams, use pick up players. If your roster is deep enough, this would not need to happen. Pick-up players or subs are not allowed at the collegiate, or high school level. Why not have a Varsity and a JV travel/select team?
I don't understand... why travel/select teams only practice, on average, 12 times for a 45 - 55 game season. We can even add in winter workouts, so prior to the summer season, we have about 24 practices to prepare for 45 - 55 games.
First, let's clarify that during a game, a player demonstrates habits. So, a player demonstrates what they reinforced in practice. There is really no "new" learning in a game. They may understand a specific situation better, but it wasn't anything new to them. A game doesn't offer a player the opportunity to perfect a skill, only to demonstrate its application. In a typical 75 minute game (why they are timed is beyond me also) a player on average may see three balls hit to their defensive position. Hitting, for the top of the line-up, will see three plate appearances, for 3 - 25 pitches. A practice can offer more repetitions with corrections in the same time period as one game offers. This correlates to practice being where an athlete learns, and perfects their skills, not in games. Players don't get better at running, hitting, catching, or throwing during a game. the numbers just don't offer the repetitions needed to form the habit. So, practice is where improvement happens, games are where this is tested.
So, I ask... Why not join a team that practices more and has more players. Again, the purpose is to get the player to college softball. Below are two webpages that got me to this thinking.
http://www.azdesertswarm.com/other-...ol-athletes-softball-baseball-candrea-johnson
Softball Scholarships & Chances of Playing College Softball