Guest Players

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Sep 30, 2015
23
0
Florida
How do you all treat guest players? Are they just like a roster player on the team or do you sub them in sparingly? I had a parent come to me with concerns about the amount of playing time that a guest player got over the weekend. IMO, If you need the girl for the weekend treat here just as you would any other regular member of the team. Anytime my DD has guested it has been a positive experience for her and she was granted a fair a bit of playing time. Just wondering how everyone out there handles this situation.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
2 threads down is one called 10U strategy that I started that has some input about this plus the parents' perspective (that's me, parent not coach - and we had some upset parents this weekend when girls who are actually on the team had to sit but the guest player didn't sit at all).
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
How do you all treat guest players? Are they just like a roster player on the team or do you sub them in sparingly? I had a parent come to me with concerns about the amount of playing time that a guest player got over the weekend. IMO, If you need the girl for the weekend treat here just as you would any other regular member of the team. Anytime my DD has guested it has been a positive experience for her and she was granted a fair a bit of playing time. Just wondering how everyone out there handles this situation.

We treat guest players as regular members of the team...because when another team calls you for a guest player or you guest play that is how you want to be treated.

The secret is to only use guest players when you REALLY need them. So we don't use guest players unless we are 1) below 10 players or 2) down a pitcher or catcher for a weekend tournament or longer.
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
When I have a guest player, I play them just like I do anyone else on the team. They sub in and out with the rest of my players on Saturdays. On Sundays, I play the best 9...from my team. The guest player as well as the lesser player/players will sub in and out with each other. If a parent complains, it's usually one of these. When they do, I remind them that their DD would be playing the same amount of time whether they split PT with the guest player or with player X on our roster. I then explain that if I didn't treat guest players as well as the rostered players, then we wouldn't get anybody to guest play when we needed them. I also put the shoe on their foot and ask them how they would feel to be asked to guest play for a team and have their DD ride the pine all weekend long. Would they ever go back and help out again? They usually see the point by then. If they don't, I pretty much tell them when the season's over, they're welcome to explore other options as far as teams go.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
All drama surrounding guest players comes down to this:

Was the guest player (and her parents) told how she would be used, and was she used that way?

Were the regular players (and their parents) told how she would be used, and was this communicated well in advance, preferably when team rules were being stated in preseason?

If 'yes' to all those questions, you should be fine.

If 'no' to any of those questions, you might have trouble.
 
Mar 20, 2014
918
28
Northwest
My DD has guested a lot. We always talk to the coach ahead of time so that we know what to expect. I think that the coach should also do the same with his own players/parents so everyone is on the same page. Because of where we live, if DD guests it almost always involves travel and lodging costs so we need to know up front about playing time before we make the commitment. Playing time has never really been an issue when DD guests but that may be because she is a catcher and if she guests it is because they need a catcher...
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
DD has guest played a few times and would say she was treated slightly better than the regular rostered players. If they do not get to play a fair amount they will not come back so you are searching for another quest player.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
All drama surrounding guest players comes down to this:

Was the guest player (and her parents) told how she would be used, and was she used that way?

Were the regular players (and their parents) told how she would be used, and was this communicated well in advance, preferably when team rules were being stated in preseason?

If 'yes' to all those questions, you should be fine.

If 'no' to any of those questions, you might have trouble.

ITA. Good communication can prevent soooo much drama.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
The best thing a coach can do is set expectations for the guest player and their regular players up front. A good coach will try to rotate players evenly.
 

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