Odds are if she is using a baseball bat the bpf is 1.15. In theory, a Fastpitch bat at 1.20 will produce better results (if everything else equal). If you're just playing independent tournaments its doubtful anyone will care if she's using a bat that isn't as productive as possible. In sanctioned tournaments the respective stamps are required. If you buy a used bat make sure it has the USSSA "thumbprint" stamp. There are tons of options for fastpitch bats (and bat /sizes/weights/prices) so you probably won't have much problem finding a drop she likes. I would suggest contacting CoreSoftball20 on this site. He is great about helping people to find the right bat (and the right price).
trying to start a tourney team in my house league
- Thread starter Hxcburrito
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Getting the catcher prepared to play with runners on is a big deal. Runner on third with a runner on first. Runner on first will take second and a lot of new catchers, with encouragement from new parents, will try throwing the ball to 2nd. This will give the runner on 3 an easy steal at home. Drop strike 3, know the count. Having the pitcher know where runners are at on base. Bunt situation defense. Force play vs non force play. I see younger girls watch a player slide in without a tag out because they don't understand a force play.
There are some similar threads on the forum - so use search... There are a lot of people on this forum who were in a similar situation so lots of good advice....
Here are some of mine:
- Research schedule and local tourneys ASAP. Try and attend at least one to get an idea of play level.
- Budget. Make a budget and add 10% extra. Get at least 50% up front so parents have a level of commitment. Make it clear - no refunds
- Finances. Get a treasurer and have open books so people know where money goes.
- Parent Code of Conduct - get one, everyone signs it.
- Parent Meeting: One on practice day one. One on day after first tournament. Newbies have NO idea what they are getting into
- Coaches coach. Players play. Parents cheer. No softball advice from the stands. No standing behind the dugout talking to your kid about her last at bat. If a parent can't abide by that, then they can watch from CF
- You are a benevolent dictator - you are willing to listen, but all decisions are yours and final.
- No idea the level of play or level of your players, but if you are playing experienced teams, LOSING can pile up quickly. There isn't a day or two to forget a loss - sometimes it is 5 minutes and back out there again. Losing 4-5 games a weekend adds up fast
- You will lose at least 2 players because their parents can't handle it. You can already name them if you are honest with yourself. This will effect your roster size
- No ONE player is worth it. Let them walk. There is always another player even if you need a guest player from another team.
- 24 hour rule. No parent talks to you about team things, their kid, playing time or anything for 24 hours after the last pitch of the tournament.
- TRY to get a scrimmage or three in before you play a tournament. Try not to go in cold.
- Get the coaches names and contact details when you run into similar to slightly better teams at tournaments. Set up scrimmages - we have had fun with 4 teams scrimmages at our park and all it costs is the umpires.
Playing:
- Hydration starts the day before tournaments. Long hot days - they need to be hydrated before they turn up and top up all day long.
- You need about 45 minutes to warm up. Everyone THERE AT THE FIELD 60 minutes before game time. Not in the parking lot - at the field.
- Pool games - bat as many as you can, work at least two positions per player, sub freely and often if you can.
- Elimination day - bat 9 or 10, lean towards playing players in their best position., You don't have to be cutthroat at 10U but you want to give your team a chance.
- If you are struggling for ANY win - go after one AGGRESSIVELY when you get the chance
- Especially early in games - if there is a runner on third and zero or one outs, she has already scored. If they give you a free out TAKE IT. Experienced teams will RUN you to DEATH on the bases. Our team can score 5 runs without breaking a sweat on bad teams and the ball will never leave the infield - then once we are up we will start trying to crush the ball to the fence - which we can also do.
- TAKE THE OUTS. Don't get fancy as you are learning. Unless you are in a tight game towards the end, take the easy outs and get back in the dugout and hit. Throw to one A LOT.
- If you have any sort of decent pitching - your 2B is your best and smartest fielder. New travel teams sometimes make the out from 3rd/SS but not always and no one says anything when your SS airmails a hard throw over 1st - it is not unexpected. However your 2B MUST make her outs both on throws to 1st and also covering 1st on bunts.
- LIMIT coaching on game days. Write it down and work on it in practice. You are not going to fix her swing during an at bat.
- The girls get better fast. They will learn the speed of the game quickly. Celebrate small victories. Be positive and encouraging.
And thank you for stepping up.
Here are some of mine:
- Research schedule and local tourneys ASAP. Try and attend at least one to get an idea of play level.
- Budget. Make a budget and add 10% extra. Get at least 50% up front so parents have a level of commitment. Make it clear - no refunds
- Finances. Get a treasurer and have open books so people know where money goes.
- Parent Code of Conduct - get one, everyone signs it.
- Parent Meeting: One on practice day one. One on day after first tournament. Newbies have NO idea what they are getting into
- Coaches coach. Players play. Parents cheer. No softball advice from the stands. No standing behind the dugout talking to your kid about her last at bat. If a parent can't abide by that, then they can watch from CF
- You are a benevolent dictator - you are willing to listen, but all decisions are yours and final.
- No idea the level of play or level of your players, but if you are playing experienced teams, LOSING can pile up quickly. There isn't a day or two to forget a loss - sometimes it is 5 minutes and back out there again. Losing 4-5 games a weekend adds up fast
- You will lose at least 2 players because their parents can't handle it. You can already name them if you are honest with yourself. This will effect your roster size
- No ONE player is worth it. Let them walk. There is always another player even if you need a guest player from another team.
- 24 hour rule. No parent talks to you about team things, their kid, playing time or anything for 24 hours after the last pitch of the tournament.
- TRY to get a scrimmage or three in before you play a tournament. Try not to go in cold.
- Get the coaches names and contact details when you run into similar to slightly better teams at tournaments. Set up scrimmages - we have had fun with 4 teams scrimmages at our park and all it costs is the umpires.
Playing:
- Hydration starts the day before tournaments. Long hot days - they need to be hydrated before they turn up and top up all day long.
- You need about 45 minutes to warm up. Everyone THERE AT THE FIELD 60 minutes before game time. Not in the parking lot - at the field.
- Pool games - bat as many as you can, work at least two positions per player, sub freely and often if you can.
- Elimination day - bat 9 or 10, lean towards playing players in their best position., You don't have to be cutthroat at 10U but you want to give your team a chance.
- If you are struggling for ANY win - go after one AGGRESSIVELY when you get the chance
- Especially early in games - if there is a runner on third and zero or one outs, she has already scored. If they give you a free out TAKE IT. Experienced teams will RUN you to DEATH on the bases. Our team can score 5 runs without breaking a sweat on bad teams and the ball will never leave the infield - then once we are up we will start trying to crush the ball to the fence - which we can also do.
- TAKE THE OUTS. Don't get fancy as you are learning. Unless you are in a tight game towards the end, take the easy outs and get back in the dugout and hit. Throw to one A LOT.
- If you have any sort of decent pitching - your 2B is your best and smartest fielder. New travel teams sometimes make the out from 3rd/SS but not always and no one says anything when your SS airmails a hard throw over 1st - it is not unexpected. However your 2B MUST make her outs both on throws to 1st and also covering 1st on bunts.
- LIMIT coaching on game days. Write it down and work on it in practice. You are not going to fix her swing during an at bat.
- The girls get better fast. They will learn the speed of the game quickly. Celebrate small victories. Be positive and encouraging.
And thank you for stepping up.
Marriard.. That's about as sound of advise as you can give anyone forming a new team...I don't do Tourney team anymore but ill say this the parents will wear you out before a kid unless you have the understandings off the bat.. When we did do 8u and 10u it was for sole purpose of more reps win or loose.. a win was a bonus game.. we played hard start to finish and kept our head high after every loss ..made an arch with girls for winning team to leave the field after they pray on the rubber.. all those girls stayed in rec ball till too old and most played on other tourney teams after 10u and all are playing high school.. its not about the cheap plastic or medals/rings it about the improvement in the girls physically and mentally that make them a better person for future endeavors.. yes its great to be a winner but if ya don't know how to loose you can never be a winner
im pretty sure i have most parents on board with this. i have a travel parent possibly willing to coach another team for me. hes helping me out with the tryout also. today is the tryout/draft.... i say draft, because i may only have enough girls to field 2 teams. we did agree that we will split up the 10 yr olds evenly. majority of the kids will be coach's kids from the house league. i have A LOT of 8 and 9 yr olds signed up though, thats for sure
i basically said....... this is what im doing. im starting a tourney team for our league, since the girls have nothing here and the boys have 2 of every age. i made it clear the teams are 8, 9 & 10 yr olds, and that we will play travel kids. made it clear about the rules, and how they are very different then house rules (which are way to lenient in my league i feel). i told them that our league is backing me on this, but, i have to do everything on my own.... so, not only am i coaching, but im getting all the info, making the schedule and everything. i also stated plenty of times that this will only help the younger girls that stick with it. if the girls really want this, then they WILL improve with the tougher challenge.
i just hope it all works out, the girls have fun, and i can keep this going through out the years.
i know that im about to get an eye opener as a coach, thats for sure. along with my own kid. im scared/excited/nervous/ and anxious
and, since i have to see all these kids in the house league, i made it very clear what these kids are about to get into.... because i sure dont want to cause any bad blood in the league. i dont need to show up to fall/spring ball with some bad attitude parents/kids/coaches
thank you all for your help and encouragment
i basically said....... this is what im doing. im starting a tourney team for our league, since the girls have nothing here and the boys have 2 of every age. i made it clear the teams are 8, 9 & 10 yr olds, and that we will play travel kids. made it clear about the rules, and how they are very different then house rules (which are way to lenient in my league i feel). i told them that our league is backing me on this, but, i have to do everything on my own.... so, not only am i coaching, but im getting all the info, making the schedule and everything. i also stated plenty of times that this will only help the younger girls that stick with it. if the girls really want this, then they WILL improve with the tougher challenge.
i just hope it all works out, the girls have fun, and i can keep this going through out the years.
i know that im about to get an eye opener as a coach, thats for sure. along with my own kid. im scared/excited/nervous/ and anxious
and, since i have to see all these kids in the house league, i made it very clear what these kids are about to get into.... because i sure dont want to cause any bad blood in the league. i dont need to show up to fall/spring ball with some bad attitude parents/kids/coaches
thank you all for your help and encouragment
Good luck...
One more piece of advice - and it may be too late. Don't let any of the other house league coaches be one of your assistant coaches.
I made that mistake... every kid on the team didn't know whether to look at me or at their 'old' head coach when they needed coaching instruction. It was a mess because what I wanted to teach just didn't fit in with what they were teaching.
And overall I will tell you this - it will be worth it. You will need thick skin because there will be some bad attitude parents and coaches (but not normally kids) at the other end, but it isn't about them. I know I am very proud of what was accomplished and continues to be accomplished because I was willing to be the person who stood up and put a team together and went exploring tougher competition and moving local players forward. In travel team terms we weren't very good that first season, but today out org fields 10 teams from 8U to 18U and we host 2-3 tournaments a year and run a travel league that we have to turn teams away from - and that is pretty cool. Most importantly - most of that first team still plays either softball or some other sport today.
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haha, yes it is too late. the only people that would back me on this were 2 other house league coaches. all 3 of us had different styles of coaching our house teams as well. my 1 assistant came in second in the championship, and 3 of his girls are on my team. the other coach butt heads with a lot of other coaches, but in his defense, it was all rule related. our house has some...... odd rules, and half the coaches were more competitive then the rules. i do have trust in both of my assistants for the tournament team..... and i think it will make house a lot aggressive, since we will all go back to the head coach role come spring. i do feel that the 3 of us to have the same attitude and plans for coaching this team...... we all just seemed to clash well when we talk about it.
it was a struggle putting this team together..... i started off with 21 to show up for tryouts with 6 that couldnt make it...... just to start shooting out emails to find out parents started dropping like flies after hearing what was involved and the commitment. my team has (3) 8 yr olds, (3) 10 yr olds and (5) 9 yr olds..... should be interesting....
but, i am excited and looking fwd to it, and the girls i have will have fun, even if we lose every game. majority of the parent signed up all said, theyre doing it for the experience and the fun.
This advice can literally save an entry-level 10U team 3-4 runs per game.
I remember coaching a second-year 10U team that was more advanced than the one you're speaking about, but still just a B team, and even then, there was the debate between myself and coaches about the value of playing your infield in and trying to cut off runs at home. When it's hard to get outs, it's very risky to chase a 50/50 chance when you have a sure thing.
Similarly, I remember that unnecessary outs on the bases decided many games at entry-level 10U. When outs are hard to get, you can't afford to give one up needlessly. But if you're too conservative, you stunt their growth. You have to make mistakes on the bases to learn. So it's hard to balance that.
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