New team not working out

Hi Frustrated...I know EXACTLY the situation you speak of. We left our last year's 14U travel team for this very reason. My daughter was not the top player on the team by any means, but she did have the highest slugging % and was a solid center fielder. BUT, I did not get the coach's ear after every game, I was not a wealthy business owner who provided team sponsorship, I was not in the drinking clique after a long tournament day -- and guess what -- my daughter played 1 Saturday game, sat for the other 2 and sat on Sunday. The "favorites" played all the other times. A pitcher who they'd put at first who was afraid to run in for the bunt, a center fielder who would throw the ball in the dirt rather than the glove every time. The third baseman who didn't have but 2 hits all season and a catcher who didn't hit at all! When and if my daughter got in as the DH for the 3rd baseman or catcher, those parents would pitch a fit and back to the bench my daughter would go. One time our pitcher had an off game, and was asked to go to Center, my daughter went to 1st (she is pretty good there to but better at center). The pitcher threw the ball in the dirt on the mound, and stood out in center with her arms wrapped around her waist and had a hissy fit...guess what -- they let her pitch again next inning WTH!!! I thought gettting on a team with "NON PARENT" coaches was a good thing. On top of it all -- the Manager (who never was on the field but did indoor hitting lessons for the team, is a batting coach at the D1 college level. Because of the NCAA rules he wasn't able to actually coach the team, so he had a relative do it. Was a long painful season. Daughter switched to another team and it is 100% better. SO if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. I understand your concerns and if you think there is something better for her - ask around.

Mudbug the kids in your area are very fortunate to have such dedicated coaches for the elite players. I hope they have dedicated coaches for the average kids also.

My daughter and I attended a speech by Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy one thing he advised that he told his players was. Do you want to play or do you want to win? I think he meant if you want to play on this team you need to work hard enough to help us win.

No, that is now what he meant.

What he means is that winning takes 15 players, not 9. The only way you can develop 15 players is for 15 players to get playing time on the field. Therefore, everyone's playing time is reduced. If you are the clean up hitter on the team, you have to accept that you will be taken out so that another players gets experience. If you are the #1 pitcher, you won't pitch to the patsy "Little Sisters of the Poor" team to inflate your strikeout total.

One of my DD's played on a national championship bball team. There was a kid on the team who was by far one of the top 2 or 3 players in the country. She was the MVP of the championship game, but she was *not* an All-American. Why? Because her playing time was reduced so much during the regular season that her stats were good, but not great. Her PT was reduced so that other players could get experience on the court. She never complained about it, and she never whined. Neither did her Dad.

The reason that team won it all was because it had so many experienced, skill players that they rolled over the other teams.

Not sure where you're from, but if you move on and make sure you're not on the official spring 2010 roster.

softballmom said:

Hi Frustrated...I know EXACTLY the situation you speak of. We left our last year's 14U travel team for this very reason.

On top of it all -- the Manager (who never was on the field but did indoor hitting lessons for the team, is a batting coach at the D1 college level. Because of the NCAA rules he wasn't able to actually coach the team, so he had a relative do it.

Click to expand...

If this team is 14U, unless it's 12 Doogie Howsers, there is no one attending higher than 9th grade on the team and might not have any above 7th grade.

IMU NCAA restrictions don't apply to kids younger than HS and 9th grade isn't considered HS. Sounds like you bought a pig in a poke.