If this seems like a rant, my apologies because it is not meant to be one. I frequently see organizations advertising that they need another pitcher or catcher or whatever type of player. When I look up those organizations, I find that they have 4 teams at one level (example four 14U teams) yet they still need another player at that level. Why not condense or have less teams so that probelm doesnt arise? Just wondering!
Too Many Teams
- Thread starter coachtucc
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
Why would you want to deny a player the chance to play?
Pitchers and catchers (especially good ones) are the toughest to find so everyone is always looking for more. Actually, when I think about it - finding somewhat average pitchers and catchers is not exactly easy either. Great SS are not exactly under every rock either.
Often it is just as simple as that.
So where are they meant to play?
It is not like the team down the road has excess pitching/catching - they are probably looking for some more of these themselves. The # of players wanting to play is just exceeding the numbers of players who can/want to pitch/catch/etc especially as you get into the older age divisions. It is a specific skill set issue rather than a number of girls issue.
For example they probably have 4 teams because there around 48 girls - but in that 48 they have less than 8 pitchers and catchers in (which is really the bare minimum required for 4 teams).
I don't see it much in softball around here, but it's really common in baseball. But lets look at softball, let's say the "Redbirds" have 4 teams ( blue, red, green, black ) that's a lot of pitching that org has monopolized. And the baseball side ALWAYS has an ad out for "more" pitching, meaning they want to consume ANY decent pitcher solely for the sake that another team doesn't pick them up, even if they already have a bullpen full. Which can make other teams finding a good pitcher very difficult, and we all know you GOTTA have good pitching to survive.
At least in BB you gotta have many multiple pitchers, in FP I can see where other local teams hate this type of politics. Because whatever team controls the pitching arsenal usually can pull the best defense and hitters too.
At least in BB you gotta have many multiple pitchers, in FP I can see where other local teams hate this type of politics. Because whatever team controls the pitching arsenal usually can pull the best defense and hitters too.
The market will decide whether there are too many teams. Competition for talent =competition for resources.
If there are truly too many teams then some teams will fold because they cannot fill their roster.
The teams that fold will have players who still want to play and move to other teams.
The teams that monopolize players have the burden of keeping all those players happy. Teams that don't will lose players.
Players that leave fill empty roster spots on other teams.
It's called the free-market and it usually works pretty well when unhindered by well-meaning bureaucratic types who wish for more control over the talent pool.
If there are truly too many teams then some teams will fold because they cannot fill their roster.
The teams that fold will have players who still want to play and move to other teams.
The teams that monopolize players have the burden of keeping all those players happy. Teams that don't will lose players.
Players that leave fill empty roster spots on other teams.
It's called the free-market and it usually works pretty well when unhindered by well-meaning bureaucratic types who wish for more control over the talent pool.
- May 17, 2012
- 2,814
- 113
If we don't have a lot of teams how else I am going to be able to get one of those stickers for the back of my car that says my daughter plays for the "Redbirds"?
Go Redbirds!
Go Redbirds!
- Apr 1, 2010
- 1,673
- 0
It makes perfect sense. Catchers have to go beyond the normal amount of practice time of regular position players to be successful, SS might too, and pitchers have to go way beyond. As they'd say in B school, there are bigger barriers to entry for the C, SS and P markets. So those positions tend to become the ones that act as limiting factors for the number of teams that an area can support.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
The apparent overabundance of TB teams is due to a calculus of causes. Influential variables include:
1. Rec programs - those with a "non-competitive and fun" approach leave few options for those who want to try to get better
2. Myopic parents - despite 10 unproductive tryouts, I know my DD has travel talent so I'll start a new team
3. Elitest parents - my DD is a travel ball players sounds better than my DD plays in a town league
3. Daddyball coaches - some leave teams because of it; others start teams because of it
4. Org Egos - the more teams an org has, the more money those teams generate to subsidize the headlining Gold/Showcase team to bring glory to the program
For the record, I do NOT believe that all rec programs, parents, daddy coaches, and orgs are poor, crazy, biased, or unscrupulous, but I have seen see shoe fit in more than one case.
1. Rec programs - those with a "non-competitive and fun" approach leave few options for those who want to try to get better
2. Myopic parents - despite 10 unproductive tryouts, I know my DD has travel talent so I'll start a new team
3. Elitest parents - my DD is a travel ball players sounds better than my DD plays in a town league
3. Daddyball coaches - some leave teams because of it; others start teams because of it
4. Org Egos - the more teams an org has, the more money those teams generate to subsidize the headlining Gold/Showcase team to bring glory to the program
For the record, I do NOT believe that all rec programs, parents, daddy coaches, and orgs are poor, crazy, biased, or unscrupulous, but I have seen see shoe fit in more than one case.
There is one "marquee" organization in my area that went from 2 teams in 14U to 5 last fall. They did this by finding an established TB team and "adding" them to their organization. The head coach of each team is responsible for their own team. I am 99% sure the organization did this as a way to increase the organizations bottom line, and I think it is going to backfire on them, since now instead of having two good teams (one '99 and one '98) that are both competitive in ASA qualifiers, they are going to have one pretty good team and several mid-high B teams that will "water down" their brand.
