How does your team handle pick up players?

Where do these pick up players come from? Don't they have their own team? How does their teams coach feel about the a player playing for another team? How long can a player be a pick up player before she has to pick a team? How does a coach explain to dues paying parents that their DD is being replaced for the weekend by a non dues paying pick up player?

KPower said:

I know the coach likes DD (she is her HS coach) and has been trying to get her to come to her team for months now. She now wants DD to come to all of their out of state tourneys.

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^^^^ Although there are many variables in guesting, in your particular situation it sounds like it was all about this ^^^^

Rolling Hard said:

Where do these pick up players come from? Don't they have their own team? How does their teams coach feel about the a player playing for another team? How long can a player be a pick up player before she has to pick a team? How does a coach explain to dues paying parents that their DD is being replaced for the weekend by a non dues paying pick up player?

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In our case DD does have her own team (that she loves) but her coach does not believe in playing in any early (preseason tourneys). DD will play whenever, wherever - but we always ask for her coaches approval. His philosophy is - if their team is not playing the girls are welcome to pick up and get some more game time experience. DD’s team has had to pick up players on occasion when we’ve had sick or injured players. They are usually friends with a girl on the team but occasionally the coach will post on our local FP board for a player. In these situations I am thankful and grateful to our pickups as otherwise the team would have to pull out of the tourney. We thought DD was going in a situation like this. Pick up play can be great - it’s also a good opportunity to see if a team might be a good option in the future - such as when half the team has to move up and half can stay.


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Rolling Hard said:

Where do these pick up players come from? Don't they have their own team? How does their teams coach feel about the a player playing for another team? How long can a player be a pick up player before she has to pick a team? How does a coach explain to dues paying parents that their DD is being replaced for the weekend by a non dues paying pick up player?

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Some players want to play more than their own teams will play, so they pick up to add in extra tournaments. Some are position players wanting reps, maybe a low level pitcher on a high level team, looking for circle time on the off weekends. When our teams have had pick up players that were needed, I felt grateful the girls were able to fill in so we could play. DD has also been on a team that picked up players they perceived as superior to their own, and took reps away from their players. I felt considerably less gracious about that. Plus, in that same case, communication was severely lacking. Occasionally, when DD has picked up with other teams, we've payed a small amount towards tournament fees. But mostly not. Mostly, the teams are glad to have a player they need where otherwise, they might not be able to play at all.

Our coach will pick up any chance he gets and it’s usually players he is trying to convince to come play for our team. There are always players that are not happy with the team they are on and looking for a new team that works better for them. Some call that stealing players but if a player is not getting playing time on her team or if she is unhappy “she is shopping” he is not stealing. That being said pick ups are usually really good. They will be playing in position of dues paying player. Some say that’s not fair well life isn’t fair. There are players on our team that obviously don’t put in enough work to keep others from taking their spots. So our team is playing best players if you are the best (position) on the team you have nothing to worry about. If not you better be working on it or you may end up on the bench. We welcome competition it creates drive. Every player is going to get playing time. Players can dictate how much by attitude and effort. “Two things every player has control over is their Attitude and Effort “

Life isn't fair? True, but this is youth sports. Just because life isn't fair isn't any reason not to be ethical. When you start paying your players an argument like life isn't fair holds more water.

Laphoneman said:

Our coach will pick up any chance he gets and it’s usually players he is trying to convince to come play for our team. There are always players that are not happy with the team they are on and looking for a new team that works better for them. Some call that stealing players but if a player is not getting playing time on her team or if she is unhappy “she is shopping” he is not stealing. That being said pick ups are usually really good. They will be playing in position of dues paying player. Some say that’s not fair well life isn’t fair. There are players on our team that obviously don’t put in enough work to keep others from taking their spots. So our team is playing best players if you are the best (position) on the team you have nothing to worry about. If not you better be working on it or you may end up on the bench. We welcome competition it creates drive. Every player is going to get playing time. Players can dictate how much by attitude and effort. “Two things every player has control over is their Attitude and Effort “

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It's one thing to bring a player onto the team, they pay like everyone else, and they earn playing time. That is completely legitimate. It's another thing to bring in pickups and play them while your regulars spend the weekend on the bench. While you say "life isn't fair", I'll tell you that is bullshit, and creates a revolving door that wrecks teams. That isn't competition; it's using people, including kids, in a very bad way. If the effort and attitude aren't good enough, and the team can't find enough regular players to put the alleged malcontents on the bench, then perhaps the coach and/or the team isn't worth very much.

I'm not sure that a pickup has to automatically go last in the batting order, but there should be some reason they're asked beyond "she's a good player". When DD picks up, I make it clear to the coach that she's there to help wherever and whenever needed. Extra reps are extra reps, and she doesn't have to play every inning to make the trip worthwhile. I also offer to pay, and if the coach refuses, I buy something to help the team. She's occasionally picked up with a team where she has friends that lacks horsepower in some areas. She's played over rostered players in positions where it was obvious that the rostered player couldn't perform. From a coaching standpoint, I understood why she played over the regular player, but it still made me uncomfortable. We'd been on the other side of that several years ago where it wasn't a case of DD's attitude or effectiveness, but the coach constantly looking for upgrades.

The best teams have stable rosters of players that regularly show for practice and tournaments. Having to routinely scramble for players isn't good thing, and routinely bringing in pickups as prospective players on a full roster creates a revolving door. Although we haven't had to shop for a new team in several years, one of the first things I look at when evaluating a coach is how many players come and go. USSSA is very good for finding out that type of information. Good teams that last have a majority of core players that stick, and you can't keep players (and parents) who don't trust the coach.

We are a pretty solid team and he gets a pick up 1 maybe 2 tournament a season our coach isn’t out there scouting they usually come to him. They would have to be a higher quality player or he would tell them no. We have a coaches kid as our catcher and she doesn’t like being catcher. So I promise you if he picks up a catcher she is celebrating. Our team carries 11 with 5 being pitchers so when you compare our team to that team who carries 18 to a tournament our bench players get a lot more playing time. It’s different strokes for different folks I guess. He picks up to try to better the team not to cut anyone’s playing time that’s a by product. Quit crying and work harder Attitude and Effort show him you can get the job done and you will play.

In our experience, it depends on the coach but overall guests seem to get treated better, especially if the coach wants her to move there permanently. Current org (which has multiple teams at each age group) won't guest unless it's from within the org. Was with another well known org nationally who would guest from outside the organization even if the team had 15-20 healthy. Guests will always make some parents angry unless they are sorely needed. It hasn't effected us much, but I have to feel for a #2 or #3 pitcher who don't get many innings in a tournament because they bring in an ace from another organization. It's frustrating.