I'm right there with you. I try to be laid back and just enjoy watching my DD play softball and be happy. Considering it's a new team for us, the last thing I'd want to do is start out the relationship with an ultimatum. They'll end up sabotaging it for themselves eventually.
Tryout Season (aka Silly Season)
- Thread starter CMMom1740
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- Apr 16, 2013
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Responding to the multi-sport athlete, I think it's sad when coaches can't see the forest for the trees. My DD has ALWAYS been more successful the next season after playing another sport. Every summer she plays beach volleyball. Every fall she comes back faster and more agile. Thankfully, her current coach had no issues with this. When the coach continued on with practices into the summer, we said, "No, she's playing volleyball", he had zero issues with it. Some of it may be that she was heads over heels the strongest batter on the team, or it may not have. It's nice to have that luxury though. Even if she didn't, there would be other teams out there. Playing OTHER sports is one of the best things a "dedicated" softball player can do, for their softball game.
Especially something like track or cross country. Not super likely to get injured (less so than basketball at least) and they'll get faster. Where's the downside?
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
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My dd is going down from PFG 18U to 14U and will be the HC. She is all excited to do this again and start a new group. In her tryouts, she has had so many player try out. I went to 2 of the 3 to offer another set of eyes. She has offered 11 and 9 have accepted. She really wants the other two but they were offered in her first tryout so, I don't think she will get them. They have put her off for 3 weeks. IMO, if she didn't have what they wanted after a week, this is not the team for them. She has a couple of private tryouts coming up and I believe she will have to have one more open tryout. The last one had 14 girls there but almost all of them were outfielders. She needs a pitcher and catcher but who doesn't. She would like one more stud hitter. I thought I'd mention some things I noticed:
The program that my dd will coach in will have two 14U teams. One will travel 60% of the time and play local 40% of the time. The team my dd will coach will play local 60% of the time and travel 40% of the time. That was something that was requested by long time families of the organization. My dd will train both teams all year long.
- It isn't hard to recognize the players who don't want to be there. IMO, there were a couple of reasons why. Some, it seemed to me, were intimidated. Others seemed to be there because their parents made them be there and really wanted to stay on their old team.
- My dd went to players and gave them little coaching points to see how they listened. That was really telling as some immediately tried to do whatever was coached and some didn't.
- Some parents can't help themselves. They have to intervene in everything. Even simple instrucitons like getting in two lines for some drill have to be passed through the parent.
- I noticed that some parents are so relaxed at these tryouts which tells me that they know that their dds have paid the price and are ready to start this new adventure/journey.
- At each of the two tryouts there was that one parent that wanted to know whether the coaching staff had ever played and had they played at a high level. This team my dd is going to coach has a coaching staff comprised of all former college players.
The program that my dd will coach in will have two 14U teams. One will travel 60% of the time and play local 40% of the time. The team my dd will coach will play local 60% of the time and travel 40% of the time. That was something that was requested by long time families of the organization. My dd will train both teams all year long.
Just talking from the other side of the fence. As a Coach, sometimes you don't know the kid or what baggage may come with her, the kid and parents are on their best behavior for tryouts, so how can I know what potential problems it may cause unless someone speaks up?
I ran into this exact scenario, I was HC of a team, that I disbanded basically because of 1 girl and her parents. Well low and behold, after making a team 30 miles away, this same girl is also on the team. We didn't say anything to the coach about the past. After the 1st Tournament, the player started up with her "stuff" as usual. We called the HC and said us or them, of course he said he just couldn't kick her off the team so we left. We found a team about an hour away, this was 6 years ago.... Team we left, imploded following that summer never to be heard from again. The team we joined.... still going strong and many kids want to play for us. It worked out for us, but had I told the old coach about this girl prior to the season... he may have saved numerous headaches.
- Apr 16, 2013
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I wish you and your DD were within a few hours drive. I'd love to have mine play for you and yours!
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
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Thank you. I love watching my dd coach and she truly loves it. She is in a good organization and they have done well in some national tournaments. She is getting a kick out of starting again. BB is coaching middle school and TB now at the same time. She is being spread a little thin. LOL I hope your dd is doing well. Having followed your posts on a couple of sites, I know she is a hard charger!
- Jun 12, 2015
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If the girl's already on the team, I just don't see the point. It's one thing if you really KNOW something (not just "I hear her parents are crazy" or whatever), and the coach is going to offer her a spot. Then yes, I'd say give a heads up. It's kind of too late if she's already on the team though. There are some who really are just never going to be good team members, but some people do learn from their mistakes. So at this point I'd say since she's already there now, just proceed with caution where they're concerned.
OP here. We had an offer we were sitting on and yes, I know how some of you feel about sitting on offers. But DD had a private tryout with one of the Assistant coaches and we had not been able to meet the Head Coach or any of the girls. Although they are joining a solid (but not top-tier) org this year, we were just way too nervous about accepting an offer with knowing next to nothing about either the team itself or the coach. There was an Org tryout on Sunday and HC told me by text that he would not extend an offer to a catcher from that tryout until after he gives us right of first refusal. Cool, that's nice of him.
Monday night, we get a text saying he found a catcher at the Org Tryout who was willing to commit immediately, so he gave her the spot. I mean, what? It is so hard not to get disillusioned with this process. I don't know that we ultimately would have accepted the offer, but don't lie to me. Be honest and say hey, we're having an org tryout and I may offer the spot to someone else if we don't hear from you.
We have had several "you're still being considered, but we're looking at other catchers before we decide" responses from higher level teams. I'm starting to get nervous, but I think we have another week before we really have to worry and several tryouts scheduled for this weekend. Wish us luck!
Monday night, we get a text saying he found a catcher at the Org Tryout who was willing to commit immediately, so he gave her the spot. I mean, what? It is so hard not to get disillusioned with this process. I don't know that we ultimately would have accepted the offer, but don't lie to me. Be honest and say hey, we're having an org tryout and I may offer the spot to someone else if we don't hear from you.
We have had several "you're still being considered, but we're looking at other catchers before we decide" responses from higher level teams. I'm starting to get nervous, but I think we have another week before we really have to worry and several tryouts scheduled for this weekend. Wish us luck!
- Apr 16, 2013
- 1,113
- 83
Good luck!
