Thanks for the replies. The core group from this team has played together for the last few years and have been very committed. We had a solid, committed 11. Now the problem is he invited the bottom 4 and their parents are probably not willing to move to the B team, as they now think their kid is A team talent. It is gonna be a rough summer. One of the parents who had issues with their kid's play time and threatened to leave before is back too. Either way there are going to be mad parents. The top 11 are gonna be mad they sit while the other 4 play, or the bottom 4 are mad because they don't get even play time. Of course everyone thinks their kid is the best on the team. I know he hasn't explained anything to the bottom 4 yet. I'm gonna try to talk to him this weekend to at least let parents know his intentions and if it means the bottom 4 aren't going to play much, give them the choice to play B team.
15 on a roster?
- Thread starter Red504
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All I can say is Good Luck! Sounds to me as if you guys are going to need all the help you can get whether it's a 15 or 12 girl roster. Every parent expects their kid to play in All-Stars and to be honest, I can't blame them considering the fact that that's what rec league is for. If the parents complain about playing time or the fact that the team has lost more games than they are used to, refer them to the HC or League BOD.
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Yeah I don't feel like it will fall on my shoulders, but we usually at least make it to the championship at tournaments. I'm not sure it will be the case if we don't make the right decision on roster and play time. It IS about the girls learning to love the game and having fun in the process, but it isn't fun to always lose either. Time will tell.
Are you saying that the ''right decision'' on play time is to ride the best 11 and get in the other 4 when and if possible?
The opinions you've received on this thread have been consistent -- That a 15-girl roster is too big, but playing time should be roughly equal if you're stuck with 15. If you disagree with that philosophy on playing time, that's OK, as you are the one at ground zero, but I would want to hear your defense of that position in the face of such unanimous disagreement. I've counted 8 posters who've supported the idea of equal playing time, either in a post, or a 'thanks' to a post. I've counted 0 in support the idea of riding the top 11 in a 10U rec all-star setting.
You say that you usually make it to the championship at tournaments. But you also say that it's not fun to always lose. Are you saying that if you play the 15 players roughly equally that you'll go from a perennial tournament finalist to always losing? Hard to believe that players 12-15 in the league would take you from first to worst. It certainly will make it harder win, though. Can't deny that.
But is your mind already made up on this? Sounds like you want an 11-player roster (I don't blame you), but if given a 15-player roster, you want to be ride the best 11, and you're looking for ways to feel good about benching four girls who are excited to play all-star tournaments this summer ("it isn't fun to always lose'' and ''the top 11 are gonna be mad'').
I don't think it is fair to have the other four riding the bench. I think he should have let them play blue. I do think the other 4 will be the difference in winning championships. If they were pretty close in skill it wouldn't matter, but some of them haven't hit all year against rec pitching, much less tournament pitching. We face ASA travel teams as well as pony all stars. The decision wasn't up to me, so I am going to make the best of it and try to improve on what we have to work with. Either way, I am saying parents are not gonna be unhappy. I have been on the other side of the coin and daughter got less play time, so I understand that also.
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Also, it doesn't matter if my mind is made up. I don't make roster decisions.
Not trying to be a pain, but I'm confused on what you were seeking. You asked for advice on what to do, but you say you can't do anything.
