Playing Time

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jul 16, 2008
1,520
48
Oregon
There are always gray areas when it comes to practice to me. A couple of years ago we had a player that was pretty late to almost every practice. Eventually I started hearing some of the players complaining about it. I had to tell them, "You know she lives about 70 miles away, her mother works until 4:30 about 30 miles from their house. She has to go home, pick up the player, and head here (in traffic) to make practice".
Sometimes there are circumstances that players and parents don't know about.
 
Oct 5, 2015
91
18
I think much depends on the age group. If we are speaking of 18U, 15 seems a really nice number. You'll need depth because invariably girls will be missing in the fall for school visits, camps and other planned activities. Parents in 18U should understand this and to the extent you can balance playing time, great.

My comment to those parents who are frustrated is to ensure their kids are writing and talking to coaches to get them to the games as they won't be sitting if a prospective coach is in the stands.

Of course, the lower the age group, I can certainly see a roster off 13-14 otherwise there simply aren't enough innings especially for pitchers and growth goals are different at lower levels
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
Thanks so far...yeah unfortunately I didnt have a choice in how many i carried in the fall (arghh). Will have some tough conversations for next summer

You didn't say what age level you're coaching, but a decent metric that I've seen on here many times is that the number of players on a roster shouldn't exceed the age level -- 12 players at 12U, 14 at 14U, etc. As they get older, kids have other obligations that they have to juggle, and many are taking lessons on their own so missing some practices and game is expected. The parents on the team should expect this as well.

Offseason is almost here -- raise a glass at the Cull House for me!!
 
Jul 16, 2018
120
18
A. What are the circumstances of them missing?
B. who is complaining - parents of girls who dont miss and have to sit, parents of girls or a combination of both?
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Regardless of age group, if you're carrying 15, you'd better hope that no more than 11-12 show up on any given day.

People don't pay for all that goes with travel ball to see their kid play one out of three games in the field and be a hitter in one more. This is especially true if their kid is a decent player. There are usually teams without as big of a roster, and those you sit will inevitably start looking around.

The notion of "role players" works in college, HS, and where there's no other option for the youth-level player. However, even in college, we see players routinely moving around to find better playing opportunities. Those who call that "selfish" usually aren't the ones on the bench.

You should be tracking attendance closely, and keeping notes about progress and attitude. Let the players know you're doing this. Those who show up, compete, and progress should get most of the time, with the understanding that you'll eventually lose a few who aren't doing as well.
 
May 16, 2016
1,024
113
Illinois
Why not? Players should know where they stand. They also know who has been there and who hasn’t. This just gives everybody a reality check.

I would not provide attendance records to parents because the parents will use that info to try and justify that their daughter should be getting more playing time than a player that is better than their child.

This is how providing attendance records to parents could backfire.

Parent- Betty should not have sat that many innings in bracket play because she has not missed any practices all month. Jill did not sit any innings in bracket play but she missed two practices in the last two weeks.

Coach- Jill had strep throat last week so her absence was excused that day. The week before she had a grade school basketball game. I discussed this issue with her parents before she joined the team, and I agreed that she could miss practice for school basketball games. Jill also does weekly hitting lessons in addition to team practices.

As a coach, I would prefer not to discuss playing time issues with the parents. I am going to play the best players at their best positions during bracket play regardless if the kid missed a couple of practices.
 
Jan 5, 2018
385
63
PNW
I would not provide attendance records to parents because the parents will use that info to try and justify that their daughter should be getting more playing time than a player that is better than their child.....


As a coach, I would prefer not to discuss playing time issues with the parents. I am going to play the best players at their best positions during bracket play regardless if the kid missed a couple of practices.

GB good point. Using attendance can be beneficial to the coach to explain to a player and possibly parents the lower amount of playing time. Example Susie has made 30% of practices but playing 50% of innings...Susie and her parents shouldn't have much of a complaint with that information. Sharing attendance with the whole team "could" back fire. but as MIB pointed out it puts it out there for everyone to see who's showing up and who isn't (excused or not). This topic is just like stats. So many choices, completely open and available all the time, released at certain times in the season, only at the end of season, allowing only family to see their players stats etc. There's probably no wrong way. I believe the key is to set the expectations early, follow those expectations with consistency.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
I agree that it could be very valuable or very problematic ... @Chris8 nailed the key though ... set the expectations, be very clear about the expectations, and stick to the expectations. If that is done, it won’t backfire. If the expectation is to attend practice, fine. If the expectation is that the “good” kids don’t have to be a part of the team, that’s fine too. Just be upfront.

As a coach, I would prefer not to discuss playing time issues with the parents. I missed the age level you are coaching, but unless it is 18+ you are being rather naive. You are asking them to pay big bucks, you do owe it to them to talk to them. Do it on your terms, but refusing is problematic at best.

I am going to play the best players at their best positions during bracket play regardless if the kid missed a couple of practices. If you are only playing the best players regardless of their attendance or behaviors, why expect anybody to show up at practice?

I’m not trying to sound stand-offish, but just trying to get you to challenge your own thinking.
 
Aug 13, 2013
344
28
Sayville
1) I only share with individual players their attendance
2) I had a full team practice only once this fall so...
3) At 18U, players are the ones who need to discuss playing time. because if I discuss playing time with a parent then I play that daughter a lot, that parent will think all they have to do is say something to me and boom...playing time
And all expectations and how I do things are laid out at beginning of season.
Thanks all for the thoughts but really was just venting!!
 
Last edited:

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,831
Messages
679,491
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top