Starting A/B team..? on several tgings..plz help

Ok...i have been coaching for 8 yrs and my DD is 14 and she has far exceeded the level she is at now. I know the sport inside and out but really need help in how to start a true highly competitive team.
I will be holding tryouts in early November and wanna make sure I have my ducks in a row.
My goal is for spring summer to play 5 regional tournaments 3 college exposure and a couple local.
My question is.. What is a reasonable fee to ask of parents for this type of team?
Do you include lodging in your team fees when you travel or do you let the parents handle that on their own?
I know I can get a few thousand in sponsorships and another few in fundraisers..but from what I know it cost a ton to have a highly comp true travel team.
I was thinking of asking my parents for $1000 in fees to be split up in 5 payments of $200...is that out of line?
Any input would be great..thx

I wouldn't as a parent, even consider paying $1000 to an on proven org., team or sorry even a coach that's say he has been coaching 8 years. The first year is not easy. Get some games under your belt and if as a parent I like what I see, then I would be more willing to pay the $1000.

Are you going to be joining an already existing organization, and just have a new team? If you are just starting a brand new team, you may have a hard time getting girls that are good enough for a "true highly competitive team" to leave their current team and sign on to an unproven team. That being said, if you get enough girls/parents to commit to the team, $1000 is not outrageous. In my area of Illinois (metro st louis) I have seen teams from 550 to 2500, just depending on the organization.

We're paying 1500 this year. It's with an existing organization though. It includes a lot, too.

If you told me $1000 for start up fees I would laugh and walk away. For a new team I would NOT charge any start up fees. Give them a layout on what uniforms, cages, helmets, facilities, park fees, lights, bags, etc are going to cost. When I mean layout a hard copy printout on a sheet of paper.

That way they have a visual. People like visuals, especially us guys. Then have them come up with money and do fundraisers. Play scrimmage games in white tshirts and black softball pants and go smack around a few teams. Make the girls appreciate where they came from and how it started.


What do I know? You probably already have a plan and think mine sounds lame. Keep us posted. Good luck to you ........

Most independent teams will make a budget based on what they plan to do and divide the costs among the players. The more transparent the better. The cost for everything you are talking about can be reasonably estimated.

Why would you attempt to just up with a number out of the air? I would never give someone a $1000 unless they could tell me what it was paying for.

Even with a good organization, you probably won't get your solid team until your 2nd year and your 2nd tryout. There will be players/parents you want rid of so I would be prepared to tell them that this first go around is for 1 year only and then they have to re-tryout. That's when you usually get a good core. I don't think $750 to $1000 is too much. It will probably be more with unis and bags and such.

To answer now question, No, you do not include lodging fees. Some people will have relatives that they can stay with, some will camp and then, there are always those tournaments that require your o stay at a specific hotel.

A start up fee of $100 per child, is common here and then, $50 - $75.00 a month.

Are you planning on purchasing the uniforms, t-shirts and ball bags and will those belong to the team?

The teams that I work with locally (Tucson) that fail, are always short of money. There has to be a dad or mom that can step up and help when the funds are low. I am guess that you are looking for experienced players, so the parents are all going to know what the costs are going to run.

Make up a business plan and show people, on paper, what the needs are going to be.

Good points.....
It would be an existing organization
The fee would include..uniforms
2 jerseys..2 pants..jackets..bat bags..helmets
Also include winter and spring practice facilities
All tourney entries...lodging when needed.
I will def break it all down to the penny..get my sponsors...figure out how much we can make on fundraising then split it.
I always hand out monthly statements to my parents. I hide nothing

westcentralforce said:

Good points.....
It would be an existing organization
The fee would include..uniforms
2 jerseys..2 pants..jackets..bat bags..helmets
Also include winter and spring practice facilities
All tourney entries...lodging when needed.

Click to expand...

Ok...

This is 14U which is different to 10U/12U teams started by some dad which is easier....14U has high school girls, mature girls and players with a lengthy history of playing. Putting a new team together and expecting it to be a highly competitive travel team out of the gate is going to be tough. 14U means the highly competitive talent is somewhat defined. A lot of the players you need will already be on highly competitive teams or minimally you will be competing with them for the same talent.

So is the existing org well known enough to attract top talent by name? If not then how are you going to differentiate? I.e. why would one of these highly competitive players and parents take a risk on joining your team over their existing team or a more established team? If a player is good enough to play on 'ASA Nationals Most Years' 14U team, why would she not just go play for them as a sure thing over coming to your new team?

There are two core ways to do this at the start if you don't have the name - cost (probably not happening) and already committed talent. You need to be able to tell people you have 2 top level pitchers, one elite or very good catcher, one decent SS and some big bats. That is not easy to do and for a lot of people your daughter doesn't count in this group of players you have because she is your daughter. You achieve 5 committed known core players, then you may have the chance to get 5-7 more to have a team which will come by you recruiting aggressively (to a point where you burn bridges with many people) or more specifically from the committed players recruiting girls they want on the team. If you have a tryout looking to fill 5 spots you are in a lot of trouble for the kind of level you are likely talking about.

Even then you are going to be in trouble. There is often a reason some of these girls are 'available' - 95% of the time it is because the parents are issues. There is a 14U team locally where all the 'talented but come with issues' players are gathered. That is not a team you want to be the coach of.

Another way to get players is to provide something no one else does - Asst Coach from local D1 college on staff for example. High profile name coach to do hitting/pitching/run practices etc. Priority access to facilities no one else can get to. Training from local high performance organization - and some of these extra incentives you are likely already competing against.

Honestly, it is much easier for a talented 14U player to join an existing highly competitive team than for her dad to start a new team she will be on and expect it to be competitive. Not saying it can't be done, just what is easier and you will want to have some very good reasons why you are not going to simply go down this path.

Everything above are just some of the questions you are going to need answers for.