Player Cuts for Middle School Team

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Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
It would seem that I am going to be coaching a middle school club team (much to my dismay). It pretty much came down to me coaching or there would be no team because there is nobody willing to coach. I have coached rec league for several years and the way it goes is you get assigned your players and everyone plays. Last year I had 14 on my team which was way too many. From what I understand this year is that I am looking at 14 to 16 girls in grades 6, 7, and 8 being signed up. I am told by the club president that I can make cuts. My question is, do I make cuts at this age or just bear having a large roster and trying to get everyone playing time. I'm not even sure at this point if I'm going to be able to find an assistant coach. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!


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Not real clear on what a "middle school club team" is, but I gather that it's at least a notch above rec league.

IMO, 14 players is at the top end of manageable, but it really depends on the team's skill level and the level of individual commitment. If you're going to have absences every week for whatever reason, then you may NEED that many. If everyone on the team is already reasonably skilled, then practices are easy (and fun), and distributing the playing time isn't as problematic.

If you have mix of experienced and new players, then steering those less skilled towards the local rec league might be best for everyone. It's really tough to run an effective practice for the more experienced when you have some players who can't even throw and catch. It's even TOUGHER when you're running that kind of practice by yourself.

Tryouts for competitive or school ball are typical regardless of age. That's the way I'd characterize it. Run a "tryout" for the first couple of practices, and let everyone know up front what you're looking for. If a some need to go play rec ball to get experience, let them know that.

Best of luck!
 
Feb 12, 2014
648
43
Had a similar situation last year and did not make cuts and came to regret it.

I played every kid in every game including a young lady who was very clearly a good distance behind everyone on the team both skill-wise and in knowledge of the game. She was improving and seemed to enjoy being on the team until her parents decided that she needed to play more and became a cancer on the whole team. The young lady was clearly influenced and became an issue and games and practices. Thankfully, the situation was perfectly clear to everyone except the one family.

Making cuts is a tough decision but it's most likely that many of your problems and issues will come from those you would have cut. It's a bad spot.
 
Jun 21, 2012
74
0
I would try this...
Recruit two more and go to 18. Give every position two players.

During practices, Team A will be on defense, Team B will be on offense. Next day, switch. You can do a lot of live situation, and game speed practicing. If you have an assistant, you can do infield/outfield fundamentals then bring them together for team practice. 18 allows six stations of three for easy management. If you need to be creative, have 9 come in to practice early, leave early, bring the other 9 in half-way, and have them stay longer. Train the girls early on how to work stations without the coach being over the top, so you can roam and correct. 18 is not hard to manage if you keep them busy. On offense day, you have one hitting off a T into the field, a runner prepositioned at a specific base, and your defense defends the situation. Put two runners on..etc.

For games, you are allowed to substitute twice. Starting nine for two innings, next nine for two innings, return the starting nine for two innings. Doubt you'll see 7 innings regularly at that level.

Communicate with the parents, that this is how we shall develop the girls. Rotate the starting nine. One game Team A starts, next game Team B starts. Don't worry at all about the record at that level.

18 is easily manageable. I would also consider not using the Team A and Team B, but rather, use your school colors, so you have a Team Blue and a Team White, this way parents don't get hung up in an A/B who's better deal.
 
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JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I would only recommend cutting a player if it is for her safety and you are genuinely concerned she may get hurt if she plays.
 
Feb 3, 2011
1,880
48
Big rosters are tough for games, but awesome for practices. This is a golden opportunity for you to help a lot of your community's girls prepare for the chance to play competitively in high school. Embrace it. And good luck.
 
May 18, 2009
1,314
38
Is there a way to keep everyone but tell them 11 go to the games. Rotate your bottom third of players. Let parents and players know some players are developmemental. School ball may be more difficult than travel ball in this regard. It's easier to play and develop girls on Saturday and use your starters on Sunday.
 
May 16, 2016
1,024
113
Illinois
I am going to go against the majority on this topic. Trying to keep 12-13 players happy with playing time is hard enough, I could not imagine trying to keep 15-18 players and parents happy with playing time.

If you only keep 12-13 players your going to have your top 6 players that should be playing nearly every inning and they are the easy ones to keep happy. Then you only have the bottom 6 players and parents that you have to deal with, which is not too bad. If you go and keep 18 players on the roster I don't think anyone on the team will be happy with playing time.

Is this a team where everyone bats on the roster? Going in to a game with 18 girls on the roster that all need to bat would be a terrible idea. Half the team would only get one at bat in most games. If I was a good player on a team like that I would be thinking this is a waste of time to be on this team.

Good luck.
 
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marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I am going to go against the majority on this topic. Trying to keep 12-13 players happy with playing time is hard enough, I could not imagine trying to keep 15-18 players and parents happy with playing time.

We can - and do - keep up to 15-18 happy(ish) but certainly getting playing time in practice, scrimmages and games.

Some secrets:

- SUBSTITUTE ALL THE TIME. Pinch run slightly faster girls who don't play as much for someone who gets on base. Always courtesy run for your P & C. Don't wait until the last inning - get them in and burn them as much as possible. Softball coaches (especially those who grew up or coach baseball) always forget that they can reenter players and don't substitute anywhere near as much as they should.
- Especially if they play travel and get plenty of other time through the year - PITCHERS pitch and maybe hit, but when they are not pitching they sit
- Run full games at practice with live pitching
- Organize scrimmages or declare certain games scrimmages
- If you are winning or losing by a lot, SUBSTITUTE even more. If you are up or down 10+ does it REALLY matter who is playing what position?
- You should ALWAYS have a DP/Flex. Learn how the rule works
- There are bench roles - warming up the pitcher between innings, helping the catcher gear up, stats keepers, lineup tracking, sign-stealer, etc, etc. If they are on the bench, give them a role for the team. Whatever you want.

ADDING ONE: BE BRAVE AS A COACH. Make brave decisions that may or may not make you look like an idiot in hindsight. Pinch hit. Field someone who you think is going to be ok for someone who is. Steal against good catching. Run a suicide squeeze. And so on.

I agree with JAD - don't cut anyone unless there is a real chance of them getting hurt.

And in the end, forget making parents happy. Middle School ball tends to be a short season, so it is about them even less than normal.

Good luck.
 
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