Red Flags from Prospective Pitcher's Parents

[riseball]

Well I guess they can tryout at the regular tryout time with everyone else then. I am just naturally wary of the player who wants to jump teams in the middle of the season. There have been a couple of times when my DDs have felt like the teams they were on were not the right fit after a few tournaments. In those cases they played the season out with their current team and then went somewhere else. I know there can be cases of legitimate harmful environments on teams but from my experience when a girl wants to jump ship it is usually about playing time or the parents want to get her on a "better" team.

The stay and finish your commitment is all fine and good providing a valuable life lesson. However, once you get to 16U-18U and into the recruiting process staying with a team that is a poor fit is not an option. If you are not getting the exposure and/or the coach is not holding up their end, which is quite common you need to find a new home ASAP.

 

[55dad]

I concur Riseball, there are circumstances where the team is not the right place for the player for various reasons. "Exposure" in itself is a great topic but I don't want to thread-bend too much.

 

[Sparky Guy]

If you were looking for a new job would you give notice/quit before you started interviewing for the new position? How is this any different? I do not approach players that are already on a team. But if they come to me I will take a look and if it appears to be a fit we move forward in the process. How they manage their relationship with the other team is not and should not be my concern.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!! Words of experience from someone who has been through the process on multiple occasions.

In all the years I've been coaching I've only had one player show up who had already quit her team looking for a roster spot. All the others are looking before jumping.

Went through it last night. Dad contacts the HC and is very vague on details. HC gives him the time and place for practice. He's a no show and did not respond to any attempts at contacting him. He would not give the HC his phone number.

 

[YOCOACH]

If you were looking for a new job would you give notice/quit before you started interviewing for the new position? How is this any different? I do not approach players that are already on a team. But if they come to me I will take a look and if it appears to be a fit we move forward in the process. How they manage their relationship with the other team is not and should not be my concern.

I agree with everything you've said. However, in this particular case, the players and the parents are running the team she "supposedly" wants to jump from and I refuse to be used in that way. She was the starting SS for her team. Another player wanted the position and threatened to leave so the coach offered the position to this player in order to keep her. The team, and the organization are a mess. If they want to come over, they'll do it on our terms or wait until the season ends.

 

[riseball]

I agree with everything you've said. However, in this particular case, the players and the parents are running the team she "supposedly" wants to jump from and I refuse to be used in that way. She was the starting SS for her team. Another player wanted the position and threatened to leave so the coach offered the position to this player in order to keep her. The team, and the organization are a mess. If they want to come over, they'll do it on our terms or wait until the season ends.

Tell me again why you would even consider letting this cancer come to your team?

 

[Momo'sDad]

We've recently had a player from another organization/team texting and asking to come and try out for us. She's an outstanding player and I would love to get my hands on her. The response to the parents texts, "Bring copies of signed releases for all rosters and we'll try her out." They're still texting about tryouts but I haven't seen signed releases. Hmmm.

Don't these "releases" apply only to players who've begun ASA Championship play with a team and then wish to move to another that will be continuing in ASA Championship play?

I have yet to understand why TB coaches or teams feel they have ownership of any players as if they're under professional contracts. In my area, there are maybe 3 programs that have that much cachet, and none of them are even entered in Metros to qualify for ASA Nationals, because they're going to PGF instead.

edited to add: I agree with dj's post. Leaving a team in the middle of a season is different. There may be legitimate reasons for doing it, but I would want to make sure I have a good understanding of the situation before I would commit a roster spot. Again, each situation is different.

Exactly. If 6 players have left a team in 6 weeks, I'm not going to be at all suspicious of the 7th.

 

[YOCOACH]

Don't these "releases" apply only to players who've begun ASA Championship play with a team and then wish to move to another that will be continuing in ASA Championship play?
I have yet to understand why TB coaches or teams feel they have ownership of any players as if they're under professional contracts. In my area, there are maybe 3 programs that have that much cachet, and none of them are even entered in Metros to qualify for ASA Nationals, because they're going to PGF instead.


Exactly. If 6 players have left a team in 6 weeks, I'm not going to be at all suspicious of the 7th.

It's not just limited to ASA. NSA, USSSA, PGF and Pony are still active in our area although NSA, USSSA and Pony are on the wane. However, less than 75 miles away, NSA and USSSA still rule while PGF is almost non-existent and ASA is very weak. Many teams in our area will chase ASA, NSA, USSSA and PGF berths and go to whichever one they get. If they win multiples, they'll attend whatever is considered the most prestigious of them. So it's not uncommon for the team to register 4 rosters.

As a matter of fact, this players current team is playing the same ASA/USA qualifier that we're in this weekend. Next weekend the same 2 teams will be attending a PGF qualifier and the following weekend both will be attending an NSA qualifier.

 

[Cannonball]

Tell me again why you would even consider letting this cancer come to your team?

I'd like to add to this but won't for now. I will say that there are reasons some people are available even with that skill level. Often that reason(s) is sitting on their fat A^% in the stands.

 

[YOCOACH]

Tell me again why you would even consider letting this cancer come to your team?

I think you misunderstood. This player is the one who was the starter and was replaced by the player that threatened to leave. This player has been with the same team for the past 5 years and the coach has done nothing but treat her like dirt. On that team, you have to earn your spot unless you threaten to leave, then you can have anything you want to stay as long as it's at the expense of the players the coach thinks will never leave. She and her parents have had enough after 5years and I don't blame them one bit.

 

[slugger3]

I agree.

With riseball too. Try before you buy as often as possible. When we were looking for a new team in the spring we decided we'd not even consider a team that wouldn't let us pick up for a tournament before deciding. You really don't know how someone coaches until you see them either losing big and/or winning big. Ideally I want to see both. I want my kiddo to learn graceful losing and humble winning. And I don't want her on a team with certain styles of coaching. You just can't find these things out reliably at practice. And some people are great salesmen, but masters of the bait & switch. That seems to happen a lot. I would at the very least want to observe a game or two but really, the ideal is pick up first, IMO.

"Some people are great salesman, but masters of the bait and switch"...

That is one of the most truthful statements I've read about travel ball....great post!