What would you do?

[Proudmumof2]

My youngest has worked out with her team now for 3 months in winter workouts. She has been the sole catcher that entire time. Her fielding is good, her bat is hot. A new pitcher just came in, the star of the team. They have been recruiting her for two years now. She thinks my daughter is too small to catch for her.

Now my daughter has not only been removed as catcher for that team but has been placed on the rec league travel team instead, as the catcher. When coach was asked why, he said she just wasn't working out with the new direction the team was heading.

Should I pull her off the rec team and find her somewhere else to play or should I leave her on it incase they need to pull her back up as their new catcher is afraid of the ball (her dad's words, not mine)?

 

[Osric]

Age level might be helpful. Is she old enough to make tough decisions like this on her own?

No matter what direction you take, I really think that you should probably not go back to the previous team. The coach made the decision to drop her (based on the view of the pitcher?) which tells me that he is going to be influenced by other people rather than by performance. Going back and being his second choice isn't going to do your daughter much good, and at that point you'll be leaving the rec team short-handed (pretty much screwing them over.)

Either play the season on the rec team all-stars, or find another team altogether. Going back to the team that dropped her shouldn't be an option, imo.

 

[riseball]

They just walked all over your DD. I can't believe you would consider going back under any circumstances. Sounds like the inmates are in charge of the asylum. Go find another team in another organization and never look back.

 

[Phathead]

I would find her a travel team where she can compete for playing time in a competitive environment. Former team using other words has already said she is not going to catch for them and they are going to cater to there two yr objective pitcher that will destroy all she faces.

 

[Proudmumof2]

I guess that would have helped, she is 10 playing up in 12. I am a bit irritated but thought I was over reacting. My worry is that most teams will already have their teams and no room to add another player, especially a main player like a catcher. I know she's good, we turned down three other teams to join this one as her sister plays for the same league but an older division.

 

[marriard]

I guess that would have helped, she is 10 playing up in 12. I am a bit irritated but thought I was over reacting. My worry is that most teams will already have their teams and no room to add another player, especially a main player like a catcher. I know she's good, we turned down three other teams to join this one as her sister plays for the same league but an older division.

Please.... I've never turned down a player who can play catcher. Just like pitching, you can never have enough catching. If they are a capable catcher there is plenty of other places I will be able to play her when she isn't.

I feel like we are only getting some of the story though. No one dumps a catcher who can hit unless there is more to it than the new pitcher thinks she is small.

What ever really is going on, I would never go back to the original team. Why would you?

 

[Cannonball]

As long as you stay with this team, you will always play at the whim of that pitcher. So, I'd start looking for another team.

 

[Proudmumof2]

If there is something else going on, I don't know about it. The 2nd pitchers dad is mad, said my daughter needs to catch. He flipped on the coach earlier and said while the catcher/pitcher relationship is important, there is more than one pitcher on the team. Only other thing I can think of, is the other catcher, has a sister on the team as well. But considering her dad was not happy with the fact my daughter was being removed, I can't see them being the issue :-(

My daughter is tiny but she is good. I will just look for another team. I wonder if any of the ones I turned down will still let her try out.

 

[grcsftbll]

Our coach is constantly wanting to recruit pitchers, despite having 3 solid ones already, and seems to never give catching much thought. Our catcher has never caught before this year but she's awesome. However, she moves up next year. We've got 3 girls who are kind of learning to catch but none of them are good yet, and he never gives them any play time in games so they can learn. All this to say, why do some coaches under-rate the importance of catching??? I do not get it. It seems to my amateur eye to be just as important as the pitching.

Anyway, I agree with everyone else, I would never go back to that team. If they don't appreciate your daughter find a team that will. I'd consider finding a really solid 10U team rather than playing up. If she's good, you won't have any trouble finding her a spot on a team that will appreciate what they've got.

 

[chinamigarden]

A team with one catcher is setting themselves up to fail. A team that lets another player dictate who plays on the team and where, is setting themselves up to fail.

It doesn't feel like it right now, but this team did you a favor by doing this now. Move on and be happy about it, you found out the coaches character before it got too late. Teams are always looking for catchers, you will be able to find a team this late. Try to find the best team that your dd will play regularly on, even if that means a 10u team.