Team hopping and recruiting

[CoogansBluff]

I've got a couple of friends whose daughters are not fully happy on their TB teams. These DD's are very good players, so there have been opposing coaches and parents who've come to them with unsolicited invitations.

Just made me curious to get the board's view on this --

And what are the ethics of recruiting by other teams, IYHO?

What are the ethics of leaving a team mid-season, IYHO?


One of the parents told me that the head coach isn't recruiting him, but the parents on that team are, so ''that's how they get around that.'' ... Is it wrong for coaches or parents to recruit players to leave their current teams mid-season? Or is it no different than some guy knocking on my door to say he can make my grass greener than the guy I've hired?

And what are valid reasons to leave a team at mid-season?

 

[Slappers]

I am only trying to actively recruit one girl. The caveat with her though is that her team has tryouts for the fall and then has them in the spring as well so they aren't the same team. Her family are also longtime friends of mine so it is semi serious recruiting to take her for the spring but my team is well set so I don't need her.

I am just hoping to have her nailed down for the fall.

My theory on coaching is the same as managing people at work. My job as a coach and a manager is to make people better as well as get the job done. I'm not going to hold anyone back from bettering themselves regardless of the lurch in doing so may leave me in. If I don't have players or employees that want to excel and be their best at what they do and move on into better roles, I don't want them.

I know my limitations in both roles.

To answer your questions, every situation is different. As I said, if they have an opportunity to grow as a player AND they have reached the limit of what I can do for them, please move on. I did what I can for you and what I wanted to do for you. Loyalty and commitment are great qualities to have but we have to understand that we don't know everything. Get the ego out of the way and let the kids flourish. That is what we are supposed to do. The opportunity may not be there come next season. If they just don't like the coach or have drama issues, suck it up til the end of the season.

I won't recruit during the season other than girls not playing for another team or the special circumstance above.

 

[cuzmail]

You do what is best for your DD while taking into account all the parameters such as coaching, exposure, playing time, perception by others and coaches if DD leaves mid season, ...etc.

 

[Coach JV]

Once a player enters High School and she is interested in playing
college ball her family needs to realize that the window of opportunity for
exposure is small thus emphasizing that she is indeed on a team that is established and
has some experience in placing girls in front of college coaches. This is a big reason that many
teams disband after 14U and there is movement/hopping going forward.
These 'established' teams generally have a reputation in their respective softball communities
be it good or bad. It is of utmost importance at this stage that you ask plenty of detailed questions
regarding your prospective team. The very good teams rarely recruit as players seek
out these teams and coaches through their reputation.

When a player is in a 'good spot' it can be a very exciting and rewarding experience
for her and her family.

 

[InsidePitch]

There are things about DD's org I am less than happy with but they get on the good fields and put kids in college. I wouldn't move her mid-season now out of fear she get a rep of jumping ship whenever things don't go her or my way.

I would be leery of a coach that would replace a current player with a new mid-season player. How long before it's DD that gets replaced.

I don't think there is anything wrong with a coach or parent exploring other opportunities for upcoming seasons. Since the tryout season is so short you kind of have to have a pretty good idea of what your plan is.

 

[cuzmail]

Once a player enters High School and she is interested in playing
college ball her family needs to realize that the window of opportunity for
exposure is small

I would add this:
It is happening before high school. You should have a plan before your DD enters HS. We receive information from colleges showing their recruiting needs by year to our 14U '00 team. All of the girls on our team are in either 7th or 8th grade. They commonly list out to 2019. One yesterday listed out to 2020!

 

[SlapHitter]

Cuz,

How do you learn college recruiting needs, how do you get that info? Thanks

 

[FP26]

Jumpimg - not a fan of this midseason unless there is a very good reason. Both sides made a commitment. Provided both sides are abiding by that commitment there is no reason to change. Once the season is over find the best fit.

Recruiting - not a fan of this but I am not naive enough to not realize it happens at every single tournament we go to. I was accused of recruiting during the fall as several girls left their 2013 team to join our 2014 team. The truth of the matter is the parents contacted me, I didnt contact them. But to be honest, I was very happy that they contacted me. We currently have 12 players and dont plan to make any changes unless someone leaves or gets injured. We had a young lady contact us last week about joining, but explained that we are full even though she is more talented than some on the team. She plans to come to our next tryouts and we will call her if we need a pickup player.

I realize that things work differently with college exposure but I still think the commitment is important on both sides. If you do your homework before joining a team you will typically not need to switch. There are always exceptions.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

I don't think there are any written rules about recruiting other teams' players or about leaving teams mid-season.

However, I think most of the established organizations tend to follow an unwritten protocol more or less to varying degrees.

I do not actively recruit another team's players during a season. I will invite girls we are interested in to our next tryouts, though, in the hope that we may secure them for the following season. This doesn't seem to be looked down on and most teams feel this is OK and do the same.

Of course, there are ways to make overtures that aren't "technically" recruiting and I think most if not all the big orgs make use of them. I certainly do. All you really need to do (as the head coach of another, well-known team) is watch one of the girl's games in her team's stands then ask any parent there, "Do you happen to know how old the Moss girl is?" Word will get out within minutes to the girl's parents.

Also, parents of players who are looking to maybe join a different team the following year can be quite brazen in making their intentions known. I have had parents from other teams come up to me during tourneys and straight out ask me when my tryouts are going to be held and then telling me their DD will be there. I've also had them volunteer their DDs as pick up players, knowing full well that I do not use them. I know some coaches take these things as permission to begin recruiting that girl but I do not and leave it at giving out the tryout information.

Each org may be a little different when it comes to team jumpers, but mine is quite against taking these kinds of girls. Any girl who jumps ship mid-season is looked at as highly suspect (read: her parents are highly suspect, as well) and I almost will not take one unless I know the story and feel that leaving the team mid-season was the only solution. That is extremely rare, though, and we mostly just give a "Thanks, but no thanks" to any girl who has left a team mid-season no matter how good she is. It never is worth the worry and those types of families/girls are never missed. Almost invariably, the girl leaves another team somewhere down the road to validate the decision.

I even balk at taking players who have changed teams more than one time in the last three seasons during the normal tryout process, unless it is a clear path of upgrade each time. Playing on three similar teams in two years is a red flag for me and if I like a girl who has done so, you can bet your butt I am on the phone with her previous coaches and finding out why before I make an offer.

 

[ConorMacleod]

Why wouldn't you recruit if you're the coach of a high level team? Why wouldn't you seek out the best opportunity for your daughter each season? But...why would a coach take somebody mid season, or why would you switch teams mid season? If I'm a coach, I'm thinking; "she may just leave my team mid season". And that's beside the point that it's just not the right thing to do. I believe a player can give 100% to her own team, while also thinking she might switch teams the following season. What's the best way to get recruited? Playing your best for your current team!