small rant about "looking for players to fill team"

[MsDinosaur]

I'm on the other side of that argument. I don't have a problem with anybody starting their own team for whatever reason they want as long as they're organized and treat the players well and give them a good experience. Travel ball isn't about talent and skill level, IMO. It's about desire and commitment.

If players have the desire and commitment (and a reasonable level of physical ability) the talent and skill level will come with practice and game time, IMO. But if a girl wants to play TB and can't find a team, she's just going to fall further and further behind.

On the other hand, a bunch of half-filled teams is not helpful either...

 

[ConorMacleod]

Lots of cold people on this one. At what age do you start "cutting" players for travel ball then? 12U? 10U? You wonder why we lose so many girls by the high school level? Maybe because YOU decided as a 10 year old they weren't worth playing the great game of softball. Oh, I mean they weren't worth playing against YOUR high level of player. Sheesh! Isn't that why we have A ball, B ball, and C ball? So everybody can have the opportunity to play? If there's enough girls to form a team, who are any of you to decide that young girls shouldn't be allowed to play a sport?! Think about it. What are all of us coaches really teaching? Are we teaching how to just field and hit a ball, or are we teaching young females to be confident and strong and successful in life long after their playing days are over?

 

[MsDinosaur]

Lots of cold people on this one. At what age do you start "cutting" players for travel ball then? 12U? 10U? You wonder why we lose so many girls by the high school level? Maybe because YOU decided as a 10 year old they weren't worth playing the great game of softball. Oh, I mean they weren't worth playing against YOUR high level of player. Sheesh! Isn't that why we have A ball, B ball, and C ball? So everybody can have the opportunity to play? If there's enough girls to form a team, who are any of you to decide that young girls shouldn't be allowed to play a sport?! Think about it. What are all of us coaches really teaching? Are we teaching how to just field and hit a ball, or are we teaching young females to be confident and strong and successful in life long after their playing days are over?

Bingo! If there are enough girls wanting to play tb for a team, why in heaven would you prefer that they play rec rather than have a coach start up a new team? Kids get better by practicing and playing. A girl who's a C level project player could turn into an A player down the road IF she has a place to learn and develop.

 

[guero_gordo]

A few points, hopefully lucid:

A few org's are really that, a common set of standards, goals, and philosophy, with a board that takes an interest in what the "product" is that's being put out under that name. IMHO, most are not that, coaches and fully-formed teams latch onto an org's name and fly that flag, and do whatever they want. They don't share waivers and paperwork, or even a website, so if DD tries out for each of the 3-4 teams they may field in an age group, you will fill out the same forms each time and get a different handout. The coaches haven't even met, let alone talked about sharing players.

Some postings for "looking for one or two more blah..." are saying exactly that:"we have specific pieces in mind to fill gaps we know we have".
Some are saying "we'd really like to see if we can get some better girls to raise the average skill level" etc. Any number of reasons for this: improving the team to play higher, bumping off a dad or player you're stuck with, whatever.
Some are actually saying "We need 3 more checks to make good on the experience we've decided our existing girls deserve, if you get a few innings in the process, be grateful."

 

[vcackerman]

I have to agree with many of you. I'm a first year 10U manager and the only team in my village. We had 23 kids tryout for my team. I kept the best 12 and was asked if we should have a second team. I told them no. 1) Not enough coaching available in the 2nd group and 2) Out of the 11 cut from my team, I told them that only 5 would be ok in a travel season. The others were not ready to play there.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

But there aren't enough girls otherwise no one would be advertising that they need players.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

Bingo! If there are enough girls wanting to play tb for a team, why in heaven would you prefer that they play rec rather than have a coach start up a new team? Kids get better by practicing and playing. A girl who's a C level project player could turn into an A player down the road IF she has a place to learn and develop.

Because there are not enough girls to start a team that's why. Too many times I see teams constantly needing players to fill their team so in other words they don't have enough. People this thread was never about girls not playing..it was about there being too many teams and not enough players. If there are enough players to fill all these teams then no one should need more players to fill out their team. as Msdinosaur said..."if there are enough girls wanting to play TB for a team" but there never seems to be enough

 

[guero_gordo]

Bingo! If there are enough girls wanting to play tb for a team, why in heaven would you prefer that they play rec rather than have a coach start up a new team? Kids get better by practicing and playing. A girl who's a C level project player could turn into an A player down the road IF she has a place to learn and develop.

The local org is notorious for what I call tryout triage,(aka the Kevorkian School of Coaching). If you want someone to tell DD what she ISN'T, go to their tryouts and they'll tell you. "She's really not an A player","She's really not a shortstop", etc., then they expect all the girls who AREN'T to go crawl away somewhere and die so they can play. The chief inquisitor of this philosophy bears the title "Director of Player Development".
I cannot make this stuff up.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Because there are not enough girls to start a team that's why. Too many times I see teams constantly needing players to fill their team so in other words they don't have enough. People this thread was never about girls not playing..it was about there being too many teams and not enough players. If there are enough players to fill all these teams then no one should need more players to fill out their team. as Msdinosaur said..."if there are enough girls wanting to play TB for a team" but there never seems to be enough

I think you are drawing the wrong conclusions from the want-ads. Most of those teams that need players will find them. Those who don't will fold, and their orphaned players will help fill other teams. This is not a sign that there are too many teams. It's just how travel ball works. It's the free market system. Look at it this way - What are the chances that supply will meet demand perfectly? If it's not going to be equal, wouldn't you rather there be 12 teams vying for 100 girls, only the best teams survive, or have 100 girls who want to play travel ball and only 5 teams available?

 

[02Crush]

I'm on the other side of that argument. I don't have a problem with anybody starting their own team for whatever reason they want as long as they're organized and treat the players well and give them a good experience. Travel ball isn't about talent and skill level, IMO. It's about desire and commitment.

I agree. At ages under 12 no one really knows who will be the next superstar. A lot think they do and merely manage a team in an attempt to win. The true test is those who teach and balance expectations until the time comes to see the players blossom into their skill sets. Ultimately, it is a free market and as a coach you have to do more then just coach.