Tryouts, breaking the news: "You didn't make it"

[fastpitch5]

I'm going thru a very similar situation now - my experience has been that cutting this player will effectively ruin your relationship with the family in question. I lost what I thought was a VERY good friend because I had to cut his DD mid-season for blatantly disregarding team rules and expecting special treatment because he was "tight with the coach". In my case it was just the immaturity of the dad that ruined things.

My big take away this summer - the head coach can't be buddies with only certain parents because the others will cry foul and in the end you will lose.

 

[SoCalDad]

Went through similar situation two years ago. Approached the parents and was very straightforward and honest about their DD and the direction the team was going. Gave them these options: she could tryout and possibly not make the team, tryout for another team or become a practice player. Practice players do not pay dues and do not play in tournaments unless a roster player gets injured or cannot make the tournament. They may get limited play time in friendlies but no guarantees. The parents choose the practice player option as they recognized the skill level of their DD and that options on other teams would likely be limited as well. Turned out to be a great decision. This player worked harder than ever on her skills and over the year you could see leap and bound improvements. A couple of injuries to roster players and she got an opportunity to play again in tourneys. Did well enough that come the following year tryouts she earned a spot. May not work in your situation but an option to consider.

 

[Daddylawman]

I see a couple of things. First, you say you are a B team. If that is the case your team is a stepping stone for the best players. By the time they get to 12U any serious player should be playing A ball if at all possible. That doesn't mean you aren't doing something great for these girls, but it seems to me that none of them are so good that they can look down on this girl.
Second, why can't you just increase your roster size? I know it means some bench time, probably mostly for this girl. But if you tell them up front that there will be 13 (or whatever) girls on the team it then becomes THEIR decision whether to keep her with you.
And, third, why not hand out your policies at tryouts in writing - include a requirement that all girls take outside hitting lessons and work outside of practice. Talk to her directly about this requirement and whether she will abide by it if you keep her on the team.

FWIW

 

[#10]

Neglected to answer this question. ...

Here's the dilemma, as I see it:

If we adopt (or maintain) the 'family team' approach, we slowly lose our better, more serious players, who want something more competitive. I'd say all of our current players want to play at a higher level. We've already experienced some players looking for 'more serious' teams when in fact I'm trying to be serious. With this 'family/loyalty' approach, we may get good players looking for a stepping stone, but it's hard to attract and maintain really good players if you're just a 'family team'. There's nothing wrong w/ a 'family' team that essentially is entry level travel travel, but some girls are going to outgrow it and want to move ahead. It's not that this one girl holds you back, per se, but it's the philosophy of not seeking out the best players and trying to get better that can hold you back.

Also - and I want to be tactful here - this girls does work and has a good attitude, but I'd still describe it as a rec attitude. She does what she's asked at practice and she listens and she hustles - at practice and in games - but she doesn't practice outside of practice, she doesn't take hitting lessons (which she really needs), she doesn't have a burning desire to improve. I don't want people to misconstrue what I mean by work ethic. For example, she has major flaws in her throwing motion that I constantly correct, and she tries to fix it -- in practice. But she needs to throw EVERY DAY to fix it, and that's not going to happen. Personally, I think she'd be better in rec ball, where she'd be better than average, maybe make the all-star team, play a few tournaments, let that be that.

Thanks for the clarification. I'm only a few months in to the travel scene, but here's what I've observed thus far: players continually come and go. The families who come in specifically looking for higher levels of competition eventually bail for the next best thing. If you do make the cut, I'd be sure that every remaining family is crystal clear on the concept of you aspiring to be a top-tier squad, especially if some of the new additions end up taking positions from the originals.

 

[starsnuffer]

You're a B team, the best players will move on, you need to make sure you have strong roots in the community and the understanding that your travel program exists to give back to the community and the rec league that your B team represents. The point of B ball is to give girls a taste of travel ball and play at a higher level, so they can then go back to their rec teams and help bring up the overall quality of play in your league.

Another way of looking at this is "Who on my team is good enough to move on to A ball, so we can make room for more players to build up?"

It sounds like this may not be a player issue as much as it is an identity issue.

-W

 

[mradosevic]

You're a 12U B team, you are absolutely right that it's more about the girls than winning. She and her family have been loyal to you, they deserve the same. Carry 13 players if you have to. Explain to all your girls that every player has a role, and you can only play 9 at a time. Explain there are times, such as in tournaments, the best 9 that give the team the best chance to win get the start. Explain to the that is what the difference is between Rec and Travel ball. If she is an original, and wants to stay on the team, she deserves a spot. Besides, I know quit a few players that while in 12u, didn't stand out as players, but they loved the game and kept working. They are now very solid 16U and 18U players... Don't give up on her!

 

[CoogansBluff]

I see a couple of things. First, you say you are a B team. If that is the case your team is a stepping stone for the best players. By the time they get to 12U any serious player should be playing A ball if at all possible. That doesn't mean you aren't doing something great for these girls, but it seems to me that none of them are so good that they can look down on this girl.
Second, why can't you just increase your roster size? I know it means some bench time, probably mostly for this girl. But if you tell them up front that there will be 13 (or whatever) girls on the team it then becomes THEIR decision whether to keep her with you.
And, third, why not hand out your policies at tryouts in writing - include a requirement that all girls take outside hitting lessons and work outside of practice. Talk to her directly about this requirement and whether she will abide by it if you keep her on the team.

FWIW

Good stuff to think about. ...

First of all, thanks for the recommendation on the hitting coach. He's in my vicinity so probably will give a call.

What I'd say about your first point here is that I agree we're a steppingstone and that you don't want to hold players back. But I don't think players and teams are so clearly defined as A and B. Most kids and parents want to be on the best team they can find, and there are all shades in between B- and A+. If I lose a true A player, I'm proud to have played a role in her development because I don't have a true A team (legitimate contender to make ASA nationals). But I don't want to lose B+ players when that's the kind of team we're aspiring to be. This fall, if I take the best at tryouts, I will have a B+ team. If I'm too loyal to B-/C+ players, then I'm a B team, and I risk losing players who want to play a higher level than that.

Your third point is probably a great idea. Maybe what I want to demand in performance doesn't match what I should demand in commitment and dedication. That's something to think about.

 

[starsnuffer]

Whatever decision you make, you should know that you are going to make someone upset. If you keep the kid you will have to deal with players and parents who feel she doesn't deserve to be on the team. If you cut her, you'll upset the player and family and show the other families that ability comes first on your team.

There are no wrong answers, just choices. You are going to have to deal with the consequences of your choices either way. Just like in softball.

-W

 

[CoogansBluff]

You're a B team, the best players will move on, you need to make sure you have strong roots in the community and the understanding that your travel program exists to give back to the community and the rec league that your B team represents. The point of B ball is to give girls a taste of travel ball and play at a higher level, so they can then go back to their rec teams and help bring up the overall quality of play in your league.

Another way of looking at this is "Who on my team is good enough to move on to A ball, so we can make room for more players to build up?"

It sounds like this may not be a player issue as much as it is an identity issue.

-W

Your last sentence could be right on. ... We do need to be clearer on what our objectives are. I have to take responsibility for that.

I also want to make sure that you and others understand what I mean by a 'B' team, however. How you described a 'B' team doesn't match us, which doesn't mean one's right and another's wrong. Definitions of 'B' team vary widely across the nation. But we don't represent a rec program. We're not entry-level travel. Our objective is not to improve the skills of rec players so they can return to rec as better players or decide they want something more competitive. We are that ''something more competitive.'' We've got girls who have played at ASA 10U nationals, but they weren't their team's star players, so they decided to step back and play a more prominent role on a lesser team.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Don't give up on her!

You're not making this easier!! And I didn't ask you to. Thanks!

It's hard to do the right thing when doing either thing can be rationalized and defended so well. That's what makes these particular decisions so difficult.