Help this softball stuff is hard

Ok I need help, so far I have screwed this up twice. DD moved from rec to TB last fall and she picked a team that she liked, I had my doubts because they seemed a bit disorganized. The team imploded by the time fall ball was over so it was back looking for another team. This time we settled on a team I felt good about we were assured that time behind the plate would be evenly split between my daughter and another catcher. I should have seen the signs I didn’t know it at the time but the team only returned three players from the fall of which one was the coaches daughter who is also the other catcher. In addition, the 50/50 split has become more like a 70/30 spilt. My DD likes the other girls on the team but is ready to move on. First, am I wrong for her to leave due to catching time? Second, what is your advice on finding a new team?

How is the quality of the coaching? Is your DD getting time at other positions when she's not catching? Have you talked to the coach about how your DD can get more time behind the plate? Is your DD a better catcher than the coach's DD? Is the team's defense better overall with the coach's DD behind the plate and your DD at another spot? Is there another team where it is more likely that your DD will get the playing time etc. that you want for her?

Exactly what Eric is saying!

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I will try to answer each question as best I can, also keep in my I don't want to bash anyone. As far as coaching we get beat by a lot a lot, and some moves that are made don't seem to make sense to me. When not catching my DD has played 3rd where she is decent, this past weekend she played 1st for the first time all weekend except the six innings she caught and did great. Last night she played left, center, and right. My parent bias wants me to say yes my DD is better but they are close, my DD is the better techincal catcher and is the one that constantly works to be a better catcher including lessons. Oh and has thrown out more baserunners. I think it is the opposite the coach's DD plays her secondary positions better than my DD which I think is slightly reflected in that they when more games when my DD catches and the one's they lose are closer. I have not talked to the coach not sure if it would be a good idea or not, because I am not sure how much performance plays into decesions. I don't know if there is another team or not so far my track record has not been steller in finding teams. Just for the record I'm not looking for a team where my DD is the only catcher, what I'm looking for is a team where the catching duties are shared between two girls.

IME - The kids who spend greater than 50% of the time behind the plate are not heavily recruited for college. One trick ponies are a huge risk so you have to bring more to the table than just catching. Expand her skill set.

How old is your DD? She is playing almost every inning of every game, right?

If she is playing almost every inning of every game, I would be reluctant to move her. Since she moved from rec to TB recently, she needs at bats against good pitching a whole lot more than she needs time behind the plate.

She should continue working on her catching and her hitting, and next fall find a team where she gets more time as catcher.

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I looked at some of your DD's hitting videos. She definitely needs to be playing a position in addition to catcher. How fast is she?

She turned 12 last weekend. The only reason we are thinking of making the move now is that this is really the last tournament that I know of about before August that she will be able to play. There would be one league game that she won't be able to play in and one tournament in July she won't be able to play. Yes she has played all but about 5 innings in about 24 games. Thought was pull the band aid off now and maybe guest play some before fall, again new at this so don't even know if there would be an opportunity to guest play.

SMS90 said:

I will try to answer each question as best I can, also keep in my I don't want to bash anyone. As far as coaching we get beat by a lot a lot, and some moves that are made don't seem to make sense to me. When not catching my DD has played 3rd where she is decent, this past weekend she played 1st for the first time all weekend except the six innings she caught and did great. Last night she played left, center, and right. My parent bias wants me to say yes my DD is better but they are close, my DD is the better techincal catcher and is the one that constantly works to be a better catcher including lessons. Oh and has thrown out more baserunners. I think it is the opposite the coach's DD plays her secondary positions better than my DD which I think is slightly reflected in that they when more games when my DD catches and the one's they lose are closer. I have not talked to the coach not sure if it would be a good idea or not, because I am not sure how much performance plays into decesions. I don't know if there is another team or not so far my track record has not been steller in finding teams. Just for the record I'm not looking for a team where my DD is the only catcher, what I'm looking for is a team where the catching duties are shared between two girls.

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For quality of coaching, I was speaking more towards skill development instruction rather than game management. Especially for younger players, good skill development is critical to future success in the game. I see far too many very talented young athletes with poor fundamentals and weak game knowledge.

I've had this conversation with quite a few parents who wonder why their kid isn't playing more at a certain spot, even though they are "just as good" as the current #1...You need to be better. Being equal isn't enough. There is little motivation for a coach to replace the current #1 with another player that is equal. If you want to be the #1, you need to be so much better that the coach can't ignore you. Typically, it's even more challenging if the #1 is the coach's kid.

I'm glad to hear that you don't want your DD to be the only catcher. That's not a situation you want to be in. Riseball's advice about one-trick ponies is spot on. The goal should be to develop a ballplayer, not a catcher (or any other single position). As a coach, I love having a team full of girls that can competently play multiple positions. It gives me flexibility - especially if someone gets hurt, or is just having a bad day. Since making the move to TB 2 years ago, my DD has played every position on the field (except P). Some she does better at some than others, but every spot has helped her build a better understanding of the game and become a better overall ballplayer.

My only advice is to remember that the TB life is a long distance process. Keep her on teams where the coaches are always
trying to make them better. As long as she plays somewhere most of the innings it will work it's way out in the long run.

SMS90 said:

I will try to answer each question as best I can, also keep in my I don't want to bash anyone. As far as coaching we get beat by a lot a lot, and some moves that are made don't seem to make sense to me. When not catching my DD has played 3rd where she is decent, this past weekend she played 1st for the first time all weekend except the six innings she caught and did great. Last night she played left, center, and right. My parent bias wants me to say yes my DD is better but they are close, my DD is the better techincal catcher and is the one that constantly works to be a better catcher including lessons. Oh and has thrown out more baserunners. I think it is the opposite the coach's DD plays her secondary positions better than my DD which I think is slightly reflected in that they when more games when my DD catches and the one's they lose are closer. I have not talked to the coach not sure if it would be a good idea or not, because I am not sure how much performance plays into decesions. I don't know if there is another team or not so far my track record has not been steller in finding teams. Just for the record I'm not looking for a team where my DD is the only catcher, what I'm looking for is a team where the catching duties are shared between two girls.

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Which catcher is working with the pitcher outside of practice and going to pitching lessons with her? The catcher the pitcher(s) are most comfortable with can play a big role.