DD was cut again for 3rd year in a row

[maksoftball]

I am growing increasingly frustrated. DD is a damned good player defensively (and I'm not biased...she made more plays than any other at Nationals...jaw dropping plays); but she was struggling at the plate (AGAIN). We changed HC in July in hopes of figuring out what's going on. She pops/flies out a lot...and I'm talking the ball almost touches the damned clouds. She knows what's she is doing...and the HC will help her...it will take time. HOwever, when she does hit well, it's to the fence. UGH. Also, this team that cut her is huge on cohesiveness. The girls just didn't bring her into their "fold" well. DD is very mature for her age, and really doesn't socialize well. One girl that came on after DD, she meshed very well...and did poorly offensively as well. She made the team. So is being best friend's with each other really the way to go? I didn't think so, but these guys apparently do. Whatever. Just angers me that just because DD doesn't mesh well in a best friend sort of way, she is cut.

Ugh...I'll stop now. Just angry and frustrated. Trying to move on, but DD is hurt too, and that pisses me off. She did NOTHING wrong, and it's hard to think that it's not somehow your fault after being cut 3 years in a row.

 

[1010]

Hmmm,, well it happens in travel ball.. I can say this, when almost the same thing happened to us, we went on to find another team where the fit was much better.

Morale in my player went through the roof..Much more fun for us!! I'll bet the same will happen for you also!!
You will look back at this day soon and LOL..

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Sorry for your frustrations.

I'm a little lost. She played for a team at nationals, correct? So the Nationals team cut her? Is this the same team cutting her 3 times?

What age group in Houston?

 

[JAD]

We never make player decisions based solely on how a girl 'interacts' with other girls on the team, but it can sway our decision when trying to decide between two players of equal ability. Team chemistry is important as we want make softball as enjoyable as possible for the girls on our team.

I know of several very good players who have been cut from teams solely because of their parents. Being a head coach requires a lot of time and effort, and since 95% of coaches for TB teams are doing it for the love of the game or their DD, it is NOT worth the headaches of putting up with a psycho softball parent unless their kid is an absolute STUD!

I would also like to point out that in my 5 years of coaching, I have found that is it a lot easier to 'coach up' a girl on defense than it is to teach a girl to hit. Therefore, I would take a girl with a big bat over a great defensive player with a weak bat. The exception being a STUD pitcher......

 

[southwestsoftball]

Sorry to hear that. Keep her head up and she will be fine. Just set the example.

Truth is, that you are too biased to give a fair assesment. More than likely she just isnt good enough or just doesnt fit what this team needs. No other reason then that. More than likely she is a borderline keep or cut type player for this particular team. When you are on the cusp, every little difference matters. Still, at the end of the day more than likely your too bias to she she doesnt belong in tis team.

Thats ok. Find her a team where she is wanted and where she will have a chance to be a good player on the team instead of the last person who made the cut. She will enjoy it more and so will you.

Im a pitching/defense first kind of guy. However, I feel like I can bring along fielding much much faster than brining along a batter. More than likely most other coaches feel the same way. Theres always room on the roster for an outstanding hitter. For a girl who isnt a good hitter but good on defense.......they will occupy the last roster spots every single time after picthers and the big bats.

 

[maksoftball]

Sorry for your frustrations.

I'm a little lost. She played for a team at nationals, correct? So the Nationals team cut her? Is this the same team cutting her 3 times?

What age group in Houston?

She got on this team in April. She took off with a good start April/May, but June wasn't so hot offensively. July - we didn't play much because we were drowning in rain; then we were in Florida for Nationals (ASA Southern "A"). Her biggest issues in hitting are: timing (her motor runs too fast), dropping her barrell and HC says she needs to work on timing of her swing (sometimes she loses power in her swing because her hips move too late/fast to put that extra power behind the swing...not sure if that's the right verbiage). And no, not same team...3 different teams (they are top tier teams too). I think we are going to step down in our pursuit for top tier teams and work on her hitting on a "B" team for this year. It may be frustrating at times because she's a good player and she's used to playing on "A" level, but I think this is what we'll have to do in terms of getting her development up to speed (in regards to hitting/pitching). We may have found a team already (we already know 60% of the girls and ALL of the coaches...she likes them all).

Oh and it's 12U...she's going up to 14U this Fall (she's a 99).

 

[maksoftball]

Sorry to hear that. Keep her head up and she will be fine. Just set the example.

Truth is, that you are too biased to give a fair assesment. More than likely she just isnt good enough or just doesnt fit what this team needs. No other reason then that. More than likely she is a borderline keep or cut type player for this particular team. When you are on the cusp, every little difference matters. Still, at the end of the day more than likely your too bias to she she doesnt belong in tis team.

Sorry but it's not biased. Her fielding % was pretty high compared to others (don't have access to GameChanger account any more so I can't give figures off top of head). She did have some errors but she wasn't the only one. She was better than the one they brought on (who didn't get much playing time at all because she couldn't play OF that well and couldn't hit offensively...she leaned forward too much in her swings). Ah never mind. Not going to analyze this any more. It is what it is. I have already been told it's not us, but it's them...what they wanted strategically for this next year, and she didn't fit in their plans.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I think we are going to step down in our pursuit for top tier teams and work on her hitting on a "B" team for this year. It may be frustrating at times because she's a good player and she's used to playing on "A" level, but I think this is what we'll have to do in terms of getting her development up to speed (in regards to hitting/pitching). We may have found a team already (we already know 60% of the girls and ALL of the coaches...she likes them all).

I will echo SB, as long as you don't tell anyone, that a great deal of confidence is needed in hitting. You don't want to go to the plate with all these worries and training tips running through your head. You want to step in cool calm and collected and devote your time to the pitch.

Nothing wrong either with switching for the fall to B. And X's two if you are working on a particular skill that may need a little polishing. I know you got lots of teams to choose from in Houston. I was talking to a guy at the gas station a couple of months ago whos DD played for Houston Powers ( if i remember correctly ) and he said there are 12U teams on every corner. ( do you know them, he said they were pretty good )

I told the guy too bad they didn't live in Austin, they could have been Austin Powers!!

 

[rdbass]

It may not be the problem in your DD case,but I'll second what screwball said about "getting the eyes checked" I never gave it much thought untill ''seeing'' it suggested on this site.Made the difference with my DD.After seeing my DD wearing her glasses and doing well hitting,you should see how many other girls on my DD's team wear their glasses now.Don't get to hung up on "A" or "B" teams.You need a team that is a good fit for your DD.It's better to play for a "B" team than to sit for a "A" team.Wish you luck in what ever you guys decide to do.

 

[maksoftball]

I was talking to a guy at the gas station a couple of months ago whos DD played for Houston Powers ( if i remember correctly ) and he said there are 12U teams on every corner. ( do you know them, he said they were pretty good )

I told the guy too bad they didn't live in Austin, they could have been Austin Powers!!

Houston Power is top tier in Houston. Very hard to get onto...that team and TPS, I think, are some of the harder ones to get onto. DD has played for Sudden Impact, Texas Peppers and just now SK IMpact.

And LOL about the Austin Powers comment...but they are known as Houston Power (not plural).