Select Team

[1bucketmom]

Interested in hearing how different leagues instituted the " select" team.

How do you select the players?
When do you select the players?
Are they automatically an all star team?
The good, the bad and the ugly......

 

[Eric F]

Our league was unable to get their ducks lined up (league policy changes, etc.) fast enough, and we are looking into it for next year. So Cal ASA's timing for announcing the Select team made it impossible for us. Having slow-moving influential board members didn't help. Unfortunately, this resulted in a large chunk of our highly-talented 10U players leaving the league to pursue travel ball. We will be following them after the Spring season.

As for your specific questions, here's what I know...

Selection criteria is up to each league.

The final 12-player Select roster must be determined by March 31.

The Select team is roughly the equivalent of the "gold" all-star team from previous years, but has the advantage of additional practice time and games with other Select teams. If there is enough talent in the league to form additional all-star teams, those teams will follow the standard all-star policies and timing (team selection after May 1).

I am also curious to hear from leagues who have been able to get a Select program running for this year.

 

[CPEM]

I am also curious to hear from leagues who have been able to get a Select program running for this year.

I've heard very few leagues have set it up. It didn't make much sense for our league to do it, so we opted not to do it. We had a few reasons for doing so:

1) We are a C league. All select teams would be required to go to the B district tournaments. We don't have the players for that.
2) Think there's drama in selecting an all-star team at the end of the season? At least by doing it at the end, you only have to deal with the drama for that one day (we announce our all-star teams at closing ceremonies). Form that select team at the beginning of the season and deal with the drama all season long!
3) Same drama applies to selecting the manager.
4) League field time, resources, and money will now be funneled to support these "select" teams.
5) Who takes precedence on coaching decisions? For example, Suzy B. Flamethrower is a pitcher on my regular season team, and also on the select team. It is her turn in the circle this Saturday for my team. Her select team coach wants to use her on Sunday and doesn't want her to throw for my team on Saturday because, in his opinion, the "select" team is more important. So rather than come to me, he enlists the parents to request that she not pitch that day to "save" her for Sunday. There's going to be conflicts like this.
6) The financial burden of these additional games, as well as the additional time burden on these girls, would be far more than what their families can afford. I think this was key for me. We have talented players, and, with enough practice and coaching, they could be competitive in B-level play, but they don't all have the same commitment level, be it financial, familial, or motivational.
7) Do you really think the leagues will abide by the rules and have these girls play on different teams? As it is now, I know of at least 2 leagues that do sham drafts and miraculously one team in each age division consists of all the favorites to make the all-star team in that age division.

I personally think this "select" team stuff is something that will hurt the smaller leagues and benefit the bigger leagues. Rec-league softball should be for everyone, and the focus should be on helping everyone improve their skills and knowledge, not just top players. We've already introduced an element of travelball with the all-star program. If this continues, I think we'll see the death of the rec-softball "everybody plays" spirit.

An interesting side-affect of other leagues implementing the "select" idea is that we had a few players register with us from leagues that did implement. These were competitive and talented girls whose parents felt that the leagues who did this are turning away from what makes rec-league softball so great here in So-Cal, and basically selling out and focusing on solely on the top players. That's what travel teams are for.

I'm fortunate enough to be a part of a league in which the board believes that the regular season comes first, and that the newest of the newest players is just as important as any other player. This has sometimes worked to our detriment as sometimes our players are not as prepared for all-stars as other leagues. But year after year, those newer players return and aren't so new anymore. If doing that means we lose a few talented players to the larger leagues with "select" teams, then so be it. It just creates an opportunity for another girl to rise to the challenge.

 

[Rmc1981]

In my area, the ASA director has had a long standing rule that a girl CANNOT play league and be on a select/travel team. Not sure if ASA has changed any rules, but this has forced parents who would play both to make a decision they don't want to make.

This year, ASA director has agreed to let some of the select girls play in a league; however, they cannot miss an ASA league invitational tournament to play select tournaments. Problem is that there are ASA tournaments most weekends. That makes playing both mostly impossible.

The result of all this...parents are choosing select. There is little to no talent left in our leagues. If your DD is decent, she has to move to select even if she's not ready. There are simply no girls in league that can throw strikes until 14U. A friend on our league board told me this week that unless they get a bunch of sponsorships, this spring season will be their last. Just can't pay the bills. I really hate to hear this. Wish there was a solution.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

Our leagues in SAC ASA were allowed to essentially form a new tournament team that will compete amongst other leagues in a few tournaments. In other words, age groups 10U, 12U, and 14U each form what we call a "B team" (as opposed to the normal Travel ball team each league fields), who will compete against the other B teams in the area. The players on the B team are only on the B team, meaning that it seems to be siphoning off even more talent from the rec league but it is giving girls who don't want to commit to "full" travel ball something more than standard rec ball. It generated a lot of interest, but the girls who tried out were not nearly as numerous as expected. Nobody expects the program to be run the same way next year, but who knows what they will come up with.

 

[Eric F]

In my area, the ASA director has had a long standing rule that a girl CANNOT play league and be on a select/travel team. Not sure if ASA has changed any rules, but this has forced parents who would play both to make a decision they don't want to make.

This year, ASA director has agreed to let some of the select girls play in a league; however, they cannot miss an ASA league invitational tournament to play select tournaments. Problem is that there are ASA tournaments most weekends. That makes playing both mostly impossible.

The result of all this...parents are choosing select. There is little to no talent left in our leagues. If your DD is decent, she has to move to select even if she's not ready. There are simply no girls in league that can throw strikes until 14U. A friend on our league board told me this week that unless they get a bunch of sponsorships, this spring season will be their last. Just can't pay the bills. I really hate to hear this. Wish there was a solution.

In CA, Select is a part of the rec league. All players are drafted to regular teams. The players chosen for Select will still have to play a minimum of 50% of their draft team games, which (theoretically) keeps the talent in the mix with the general population.

 

[nicelag]

I agree with Eric F as to the late timing of it all which is one of the reasons our league chose not to participate as well. Also the powers that be said leagues could try it, and drop out if they found it didn't work for them. They then said if a lot of teams drop for what we feel are the wrong reasons we can deny your request to drop. I think this scared some people off as well.

I was surprised at one of the meetings at how many "C" teams said they couldn't compete at the "B" level, and when asked why they thought that way they said "their league didn't have the numbers". Funny thing is that though some leagues are pretty small a lot of leagues have numbers that aren't far from ours and we are plenty competitive! There are smaller leagues that are good, and plenty of larger ones that are not. Though, league size obviously has an effect, it's easier to get 12 from a division of 125 than 75, but it's not only the numbers people.

Building a better league starts with building better teams. It's a tradition, a culture, an environment and most of all an attitude. The biggest difference I see is a lot of leagues don't teach their younger players (8U) the game. Do they eventually learn it yes, but at 12U it's too late from a league standpoint IMHO. Leagues are not built for long term success based on the success of their 12U teams because those players are most likely gone next year. Long term league success comes with successful 8U teams, as those girls will be with your league for several years. I always tell my 9year old DD "enjoy the ride but never be satisfied with where you are at". Winning is contagious but so is losing!

 

[Bchbum54]

Our league is putting together a select team this spring. A tryout is being held this coming up weekend. Our league is strongly emphasizing that regular rec is the priority and the select team comes second. Parents of the select team will cover all expenses, the league will not pay for anything including extra lights for select practices. Our board has implemented measures to best insure the rec teams have priority. If a select player misses a regular rec game, she will be ineligible to play a select game that week.it's a total process that our board has put together to be as fair and transparent as humanely possible. We hope it is received well by our general membership but we are aware that there will always be some opposition from the nay sayers. DD is gearing up for tryouts, being that she is the top catcher in her division and one of the best if not the best hitters in her division we are feeling good about her chances. But I have seen some really bad things go down in the past with All-stars and drafts so I can never be to certain. At that point I might end up becoming one of "those" nay sayers, lol.

 

[Easton33]

You guys encourage keeping kids at lower level ball for the sake of the other players. I recently had a tryout with a girl from CA. She was a 4 hole hitter and was one of the best in her league (per her parents). No doubt the girl has the athletic ability but she has played at a low level too long and has not made the progression to a good TB player. She probably was a real good rec player but at some point good ball players outgrow rec/league and when they do you guys should be there to promote that progression. Instead it sounds like you are more worried about the lower level ball players having the opportunity to chase butterflies and still be competitive with the stronger players carrying the load. Why not make your rec/league more competitive so these players don't need to go somewhere else for competition or quality instruction. Don't focus too much on local standards, see what other kids in different parts of the country are doing.
This poor girl was at the top of her league and before they moved were invited to the select team. She will be lucky to catch on to a middle of the road C team here and her disappointment was obvious. She has a long way to go to catch up with the girls her age. Promote their progression, don't hold a kid back so the others can have a place to play. There are plenty of girls in CA for the butterfly league. Question your motives for keeping a girl from playing higher level ball. Is it because your dd can't make select and you want her league team to be as good as possible? You guys are openly discussing holding kids back from getting better. Whether you realize it or not, the views and opinions expressed here is why rec ball is so god awful from TB perspective. It is not the kids talent, it is the mentality of the coaches, parents, and directors of the league. End of rant.

 

[1bucketmom]

I understand what you are saying but respectfully disagree. This post is about understand how different leagues implemented the select.

If it is truly a bridge to travel then the implementation should support that while ensuring the rec league concept stay intact.
For example, one poster stated that select members are not on a rec team. Others are not but will miss rec games. Some leagues will have the select team be the gold all star team thus not leaving an opportunity for a rec league player work up to that level during the season.

Yes, my DD has benefitted from playing with more competitive players. Would I want someone that is not being challenged being held back - no. This is about making it work for all players.

But, you said something right.....the mentality of the coaches, parents and directors. In the 10 years of rec league, I've seen too many decisions that were not about the talent or what is best for the player. And, that had nothing to do with select.