thoughts on team selection

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Aug 7, 2018
50
8
Hi all - just interested in your thoughts. I have always heard 2 philosophies on choosing a team for your daughter or in my daughter's case at 16U letting her choose. I have heard "choose playing time over the better team" or have heard the exact opposite.

I would love to get opinions on this. My daughter had options to play for teams where she would definitely play all the time OR to go back to her team which is a powerhouse team and while my daughter is awesome, so is everyone else - so everyone fighting for playing time. She decided to go back to her team and fight for playing time rather than be a total standout on another team. She works VERY hard, goes to camps, clinics and communicates with college coaches already but I feel like what if a college coach comes to see her and she is not playing that game. Would love to hear thoughts and opinions.
 
May 1, 2018
659
63
I have no experience in this at all, so my opinion is pretty much garbage...but I'll give it anyways. Two things: The smaller org might not have the recruiting experience that the larger one does, or play in as many showcase or large tourneys.
2. If a college coach is specifically coming to watch you DD, as a coach I would play her. If there are college coaches just coming to watch and not your DD specifically then play whoever I feel. But I would chance losing a game if it got the right exposure for the girls. imo.
 
Apr 12, 2016
316
28
Minnesota
Hi all - just interested in your thoughts. I have always heard 2 philosophies on choosing a team for your daughter or in my daughter's case at 16U letting her choose. I have heard "choose playing time over the better team" or have heard the exact opposite.

I would love to get opinions on this. My daughter had options to play for teams where she would definitely play all the time OR to go back to her team which is a powerhouse team and while my daughter is awesome, so is everyone else - so everyone fighting for playing time. She decided to go back to her team and fight for playing time rather than be a total standout on another team. She works VERY hard, goes to camps, clinics and communicates with college coaches already but I feel like what if a college coach comes to see her and she is not playing that game. Would love to hear thoughts and opinions.

Your DD made her choice and wants to compete. That tells you a lot about her. As far as college coaches showing up to watch her play, that is up to her to communicate to her TB coaches. As a parent and a coach I have not seen that be an issue. If coaches know a college coach is there to see a specific player, I have always seen them get that player into a game. If a TB coaching staff has a player on their team and won't put them in the game when a college coach specifically comes to see that player there is something wrong with those coaches.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk
 
Jul 16, 2018
120
18
Good question and Im going to follow to see what everyone says.

for mine (and this goes for both son and daughter) we've always tried to put them with the best competition possible. We we're lucky to find high level coaching for my son that also keeps him very competitive but so far the coaching level in softball has been very subpar. So we have her working with my sons baseball coach who knows a whole helluva lot about softball as it seems. So my next move is to ask him to coach LOL
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Hi all - just interested in your thoughts. I have always heard 2 philosophies on choosing a team for your daughter or in my daughter's case at 16U letting her choose. I have heard "choose playing time over the better team" or have heard the exact opposite.

I would love to get opinions on this. My daughter had options to play for teams where she would definitely play all the time OR to go back to her team which is a powerhouse team and while my daughter is awesome, so is everyone else - so everyone fighting for playing time. She decided to go back to her team and fight for playing time rather than be a total standout on another team. She works VERY hard, goes to camps, clinics and communicates with college coaches already but I feel like what if a college coach comes to see her and she is not playing that game. Would love to hear thoughts and opinions.

It is a different journey for everyone especially in the 16U world. The team goals needs to line up somewhat with the individual goals. Team issues often are caused by team goals and individual goals being way out of whack. And by 2nd year 16U your DD should have a pretty clear idea of who she is as a player and her goals as a player.

If you want to play college locally, spending $$$$ going across the country to get someone elses kid recruited may not be for you (or at least not more than once). If you don't want to play in college why spend the $$$ on showcases - why not play with friends. Some are looking for D1 exposure - some have different goals. Are we looking to qualify for some national? How is the schedule? Competition level if important - no one want it to easy or too impossible. None of these things are right or wrong - everyone's journey is different.


My DD is playing on a team that is playing a LOT against great competition within our state and a couple of others - but she is also guesting for teams at showcases in her desired college location where frankly the level of competition every week if just not as strong. it is the right mix for her.

ADDING: Any coach not putting a player in IMMEDIATELY if a college coach is there to see her is a coach who doesn't understand what is happening at this age group. 99% of the time this happens at showcases anyway so it can't be an issue - and frankly if a coach is debating whether the player is or isn't good enough to put onto the field during a bracket game (even if it is a drop in talent to the current player) then the player is probably on the wrong team for them.
 
Last edited:
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
You need to play on the best team that gives you the most playing time.

16u teams on a typical showcase/tournament weekend are carrying 12-13 kids which includes at least 2 pitchers, 2 catchers and 7 position players. Some carry a third pitcher so we are up to 12 players already. If your daughter isn't one of those 12 you are on the wrong team.
 
Aug 7, 2018
50
8
It is a different journey for everyone especially in the 16U world. The team goals needs to line up somewhat with the individual goals. Team issues often are caused by team goals and individual goals being way out of whack. And by 2nd year 16U your DD should have a pretty clear idea of who she is as a player and her goals as a player.

If you want to play college locally, spending $$$$ going across the country to get someone elses kid recruited may not be for you (or at least not more than once). If you don't want to play in college why spend the $$$ on showcases - why not play with friends. Some are looking for D1 exposure - some have different goals. Are we looking to qualify for some national? How is the schedule? Competition level if important - no one want it to easy or too impossible. None of these things are right or wrong - everyone's journey is different.


My DD is playing on a team that is playing a LOT against great competition within our state and a couple of others - but she is also guesting for teams at showcases in her desired college location where frankly the level of competition every week if just not as strong. it is the right mix for her.

ADDING: Any coach not putting a player in IMMEDIATELY if a college coach is there to see her is a coach who doesn't understand what is happening at this age group. 99% of the time this happens at showcases anyway so it can't be an issue - and frankly if a coach is debating whether the player is or isn't good enough to put onto the field during a bracket game (even if it is a drop in talent to the current player) then the player is probably on the wrong team for them.

Thanks for sharing - I agree with you. I think this year we will see how it goes and if it does not align with her goals she will need to go elsewhere for next season. She wants to play college ball but honestly are not sure of what level she should be going for. She is interested in a mix of D2/D3 schools with dreams of some big D1 schools like everyone else. :)
 
Jun 4, 2014
159
28
If a TB coaching staff has a player on their team and won't put them in the game when a college coach specifically comes to see that player there is something wrong with those coaches.

We had that experience this past season. Coach from my daughter's #1 school came specifically to watch her play, and the coach didn't play her. The college coach had told her earlier in the day he would come back later to watch her play. We both notified the travel coach, and confirmed with him prior to the start of the game that he was indeed there. He didn't play her at all, and she is not an end of the bench player if you know what I mean. There were no other coaches there to see any other player. He gave no explanation, no apology, nothing. Obviously we've moved on to another (better) team.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
We had that experience this past season. Coach from my daughter's #1 school came specifically to watch her play, and the coach didn't play her. The college coach had told her earlier in the day he would come back later to watch her play. We both notified the travel coach, and confirmed with him prior to the start of the game that he was indeed there. He didn't play her at all, and she is not an end of the bench player if you know what I mean. There were no other coaches there to see any other player. He gave no explanation, no apology, nothing. Obviously we've moved on to another (better) team.

Wow... What a complete idiot. He should not be coaching at that age group. He is the type of coach families and players need to be made aware of.

Did the coaches daughter play the position as yours?
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
We had that experience this past season. Coach from my daughter's #1 school came specifically to watch her play, and the coach didn't play her. The college coach had told her earlier in the day he would come back later to watch her play. We both notified the travel coach, and confirmed with him prior to the start of the game that he was indeed there. He didn't play her at all, and she is not an end of the bench player if you know what I mean. There were no other coaches there to see any other player. He gave no explanation, no apology, nothing. Obviously we've moved on to another (better) team.

The only thing that can explain this is complete BS jealousy... and potentially sitting your DD so one of his favorites has the opportunity to make an impression. Good job moving to another team.. this coach was a selfish idiot.
 

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