Frustration with lack of JV games

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

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

Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
I think 10u is about right. Starting too early can be worse than starting too late. My older dd didn't play organized sb until second year 12's and while I can't recommend that is a best practice, it worked out fine for her. (She is a college sophomore playing sb at the only school she ever wanted to attend.)
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
Today's JV game was canceled because the field is too wet. Of course the other school waited until the girls bused all the way over there instead of making the decision earlier in the day. This is the last week so I doubt they'll make it up. So they'll have played 4 of 9 scheduled games, one of which was called in the 2nd for darkness. :( But at least they got to play a few games, better than sitting on the bench with varsity.

The HC said he's not going to do a summer league team next year and they should find a team to play on. I'm sure most of them will have a hard time finding teams (I know DD will) so I am thinking I'll ask HC if I could run a team of the JV players (who want to play) in a local rec league. I know people here aren't fans of rec leagues, but most of these girls came in with little or no experience at all, and they would really benefit from game experience.
 
Last edited:
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Today's JV game was canceled because the field is too wet. Of course the other school waited until the girls bused all the way over there instead of making the decision earlier in the day. This is the last week so I doubt they'll make it up. So they'll have played 4 of 9 scheduled games, one of which was called in the 2nd for darkness. :( But at least they got to play a few games, better than sitting on the bench with varsity.

The HC said he's not going to do a summer league team next year and they should find a team to play on. I'm sure most of them will have a hard time finding teams (I know DD will) so I am thinking I'll ask HC if I could run a team of the JV players (who want to play) in a local rec league. I know people here aren't fans of rec leagues, but most of these girls came in with little or no experience at all, and they would really benefit from game experience.

That sucks about the busing. Sometimes it can't be helped, but if the field was wet at noon or 1 PM, you know if you can get it ready in time for the game. Four games isn't great, but I do know that's pretty common in Chicago (because, for some reason, we have softball in the spring when it's 45 degrees and rainy the whole time).

There's really nothing wrong with rec leagues. I don't think people here have a problem with them. They're just not all that useful for the high level TB players, and you have lots of parents/coaches of TB players here. A rec league can be great for teaching them how to play the game (if they have a good coach).

If the HC isn't running a team, you should do it as long as doing so doesn't jeopardize the eligibility of any of the girls (check your state rules; some states have tricky rules about how many players can be on the same non-school team). I don't think you even need to ask his permission in this case since he's not doing one. Grab all the JV players you can, then if you need a few extras the rec league might have a few girls who need a team.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I would be worried about DD playing varsity.

Agree people complain about rec., SB would not survive without rec. Parent coache what not.
 
Last edited:
Apr 26, 2015
704
43
That sucks about the busing. Sometimes it can't be helped, but if the field was wet at noon or 1 PM, you know if you can get it ready in time for the game. Four games isn't great, but I do know that's pretty common in Chicago (because, for some reason, we have softball in the spring when it's 45 degrees and rainy the whole time).

There's really nothing wrong with rec leagues. I don't think people here have a problem with them. They're just not all that useful for the high level TB players, and you have lots of parents/coaches of TB players here. A rec league can be great for teaching them how to play the game (if they have a good coach).

If the HC isn't running a team, you should do it as long as doing so doesn't jeopardize the eligibility of any of the girls (check your state rules; some states have tricky rules about how many players can be on the same non-school team). I don't think you even need to ask his permission in this case since he's not doing one. Grab all the JV players you can, then if you need a few extras the rec league might have a few girls who need a team.

So incredibly frustrating!! I'm so sorry. It was freezing cold out there today though!
I would think the girls could all find teams still - there are lots of teams still looking for players! But on the other hand I think it's great that you are willing to coach them! That is very cool!
 
Last edited:
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Today's JV game was canceled because the field is too wet. Of course the other school waited until the girls bused all the way over there instead of making the decision earlier in the day. This is the last week so I doubt they'll make it up. So they'll have played 4 of 9 scheduled games, one of which was called in the 2nd for darkness. :( But at least they got to play a few games, better than sitting on the bench with varsity.

The HC said he's not going to do a summer league team next year and they should find a team to play on. I'm sure most of them will have a hard time finding teams (I know DD will) so I am thinking I'll ask HC if I could run a team of the JV players (who want to play) in a local rec league. I know people here aren't fans of rec leagues, but most of these girls came in with little or no experience at all, and they would really benefit from game experience.

Yep, goes back to the the lack of communication between coaches and AD's in my opinion. Our Varsity game got rescheduled from yesterday to day and relocated almost an hour away to a school with turf fields. That move caused the JV game for today to be cancelled. Same thing will probably happen to tomorrow's final regular seasn game. Mother nature has not been kind to us this season!

Go for it with the Rec team of JV players, I think it's a great idea. A bunch of our Varsity & JV players played for the HS head coach in a comp league this past year and suffered greatly at her hands (they unanimously told her they would not play for her next year). Having a coach that cares about the girls and gives them an opportunity to improve is what it's all about!
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
If the HC isn't running a team, you should do it as long as doing so doesn't jeopardize the eligibility of any of the girls (check your state rules; some states have tricky rules about how many players can be on the same non-school team). I don't think you even need to ask his permission in this case since he's not doing one. Grab all the JV players you can, then if you need a few extras the rec league might have a few girls who need a team.

Considering HC coached a team of their players in a league last summer and it didn't affect anyone's eligibility, so I can't imagine playing on a team with a different coach would be an issue. We have parent-teacher conferences this week and he's DD's Spanish teacher, so I'll ask him about it then. I don't think he'll mind, but I don't want to step on his toes. DD said she asked the other players and they are all interested. That doesn't mean they'll all do it when the time comes, of course.

And they actually rescheduled yesterday's game for tomorrow, so they'll get one more game in. Hopefully they won't get run ruled again :)
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
The rescheduled game got rescheduled two more times, and amazingly they actually played it today. They got run-ruled in the 5th, but that's about what we expected. So out of 9 scheduled games, they played five - one was called in the second inning for darkness, they got run ruled three times, and lost the other in a full 7 innings. But it's the first time in four years the school even had enough players for a JV team, and only three of them had any significant experience. And most importantly, DD had a blast (it seemed like they all did) and made a bunch of friends. :)

The varsity is losing 7 players to graduation, so DD will have a good chance to move up next year if she's willing to put the work in. She's already asking about starting back with pitching and hitting coaches.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,477
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top