The "Hissy-Quit"

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Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
I would guess that the odds of this happening if it WASN'T PGF Premier with Patty Gasso watching would actually probably be lower.

Think about it. The parents spends all kind of money on lessons,TB,etc. etc. under the illusion that it will be their ticket to a scholarship at a P5 school. Well now the opportunity to play in front of all kinds of D1 coaches is there but little Susie is sitting on the bench and said P5 coaches cannot see how great Susie is and it causes them to flip.

I am surprised it doesn't happen more often tbh (or maybe it does and we are just flip your lid novices :LOL: ).

OR.....

Coach Glasso has little Suzie at the top of her recruiting list, has seen her play and loves her. She wants to see if the stud is also a team player so asks the coach to sit her for the game to see what kind of teammate she is...
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
This is a hard issue for everyone and there aren't any easy solutions. Thinking outside the box, maybe you don't charge the kids on the end of the bench as much as those starting, at least for the national tournaments? Maybe tell the kids who are being pushed down the depth chart due to pickup players that they probably will sit most of the national tournament before they spend vacation funds on a trip? I don't know if either would work but they might not be worse than what goes on now.

Sorry...pushing kids "down the depth chart due to pickup players" for any tournament is bullsh!t. As the coach, you picked them...that means you train them, and you win and lose with them. Nothing wrong with forming a new team with your chosen players the next season. I can also see exceptions for bad attitudes and chronically not showing up to practice, but those are reasons to not invite someone back or simply cut them, not bring in pick-ups so your rostered players can watch from the bench.
 
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
Sorry...pushing kids "down the depth chart due to pickup players" for any tournament is bullsh!t. As the coach, you picked them...that means you train them, and you win and lose with them. Nothing wrong with forming a new team with your chosen players the next season. I can also see exceptions for bad attitudes and chronically not showing up to practice, but those are reasons to not invite someone back or simply cut them, not bring in pick-ups so your rostered players can watch from the bench.

In my mind, pickup players should be used when the rostered player at that position is unable to play/absent. Or, for example, if it's a 7 guaranteed game tourney and HC feels he needs another pitcher in case they go far into brackets. NOT when all the rostered players will be there and you just want to bring in a ringer in order to win games. That is bush league and unfair to rostered players who paid full fare.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
In my mind, pickup players should be used when the rostered player at that position is unable to play/absent. Or, for example, if it's a 7 guaranteed game tourney and HC feels he needs another pitcher in case they go far into brackets. NOT when all the rostered players will be there and you just want to bring in a ringer in order to win games. That is bush league and unfair to rostered players who paid full fare.
What if the coach is using this pick up player as a tryout for that player? Coach: Hey kid I really like what you have to offer our team and would like to offer you a spot. Player: Coach I'd like to play with the team in a tourney to see if it would be a good fit.

Player plays in the tourney and realizes that the parents and players are not receptive to her presence. Player moves on and the team loses the chance to bring on a ringer.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
The pick up issue is too complicated to have one rule across the board. Let's say you need a catcher for a tournament. You pick up a catcher who's also a big hitter. You hit her 9th or sub her even though she could help the team, which is what she's there to do? That makes no sense to me. I don't think pick ups should be used unless they are NEEDED. But if they are needed, use them! If DD was on a team that got a pick up with a huge bat, and my kid got bumped down the lineup, I'm cool with that.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
my issue is the lack of communication . . . all season long they pretty much split time fairly equally, and no forewarning of this. at very least, if team wanted only as insurance policy, they should pay the premiums (ie travel costs), not me. do you ask your insurance agent to pay your premiums, because hey you really dont need the insurance unless you file a claim?

and that this clearly was not a matter of putting best field on team (DDs bat is indisputably better by a couple of orders of magnitude, and behind the plate she keeps more balls in front of her, quicker release, arm strength itself the other C is a little stronger). team was 3-0 with her behind the plate at this tournament. this was petty BS to please his core group from their superstar undefeated rec team of a year ago. god I really feel for the 7-12 kids that were on that roster.

Something to keep in mind...A player's playing time can be directly affected by their parent's attitude. It's not unheard of for a coach to squeeze a player's time in order to get a parent to pull themselves from a team, rather than just out-right cut the player. Sometimes, even good players aren't worth the drama.
 
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Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
What if the coach is using this pick up player as a tryout for that player? Coach: Hey kid I really like what you have to offer our team and would like to offer you a spot. Player: Coach I'd like to play with the team in a tourney to see if it would be a good fit.

Player plays in the tourney and realizes that the parents and players are not receptive to her presence. Player moves on and the team loses the chance to bring on a ringer.

Well, if the team is down a player or has a hole in the roster (needing a second player at a certain position), that's one thing. Cool, let her come and we'll welcome her with open arms because we need her. If we already have four good pitchers and he wants everyone to move a notch down the pecking order to accommodate Suzie Stud, that might not go over so well, at least with the other pitchers' families.
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
coaching staff had no issues from myself or DW until Nationals, and even then we never yelled, made a scene, etc. we did call HC about 1/3 of the way into season, had a reasonable discussion, DD had not caught in a few games, but he explained that he could not trust other C in OF (believable), and injuries had us with no other subs for a few games. we accepted his explanation (but did ask that he explain this to DD, which he did). we knew we were leaving, we had our issues with the team, but we discussed them only with each other.

we just want honesty and transparency. we were after previous spring season and summer tryouts, HC calls us, tells us it is difficult, but that DD is welcome to come back, but might see less PT than she had the just ended season, and they would understand if we moved her to get more PT (which we did, but we still have a great relationship with that coach, whom DD loves to this day, even helped us find other teams). It is about honest and transparent communication, or lack thereof.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
OR.....

Coach Glasso has little Suzie at the top of her recruiting list, has seen her play and loves her. She wants to see if the stud is also a team player so asks the coach to sit her for the game to see what kind of teammate she is...
I suppose that is possible but I doubt Gasso is going to ask a coach to sit his/her best player (if she is on Gasso's radar that is probably the case) in a PGF bracket game...that is what showcases are (partly) for as I understand it. My DD is 9..only thing her team showcases is a lack of ability to catch fly balls that are not hit 2 feet in front of them ( I say 2 feet in front of them since if it was right at them they would take 2 steps in first and then miss it. :LOL:)
 
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