Advice on DD choosing next season's TB team

[Bob516]

There are a lot of unknowns here. The coaches might have used the last tourney to give girls other opportunities in preparation for next year. How did your DD do in the big tourney? They trusted her to play 2.5, did she play well and keep that trust? Are they confident in her, or do they need to look for depth at the position? How much catching did she do over the season? Thinking about leaving the team is a lot to read into a single weekend.

Talk to the coaches about next year. Get a realistic assessment of your DD, and where they think she is in her development, and what they intend next year. If they are good coaches, and it's a strong TB team, I would think twice about leaving so quickly. If your DD wants to play D1, she's going to need to beat out a lot of girls to get there. Why not start here? Going to a weaker team where she can have the #1 catcher position is not going to make her a stronger competitor.

I wasn't at the big tourney, my DW took her, and my wife doesn't know the game to make any reasonable statement. My DD said in one game she threw out the first baserunner who was trying to steal and they did not try to steal again. That is all I know about the big tourney. The team has three catchers, and my DD had gotten most of the game time through the season until her mid-June slump.

The team is not very strong. It is a small organization, it doesn't get the top local players for tryouts. The little I know about softball training, it seems like the team's training is very solid. I imagine the best training is not going to produce a very strong team if the talent on the team is below par. There are stronger teams very close to us, but my daughter really wants to play for a team with all female coaches.

Tryouts start this weekend. DD says a lot of girls are going to be trying out this year, and she is just a little worried she is not going to make it. If she does, I will have that conversation with the coaches you suggest. Thanks.

 

[Strike2]

MY 12 y/o DD has been the starting catcher for her LL team two years ago, then a town team, and finally to a serious TB team this season. She had a brief time not being the 1st catcher in the middle of June, when her mechanics were off. She corrected the problem and caught 2 1/2 games out of the four games they played at their big out-of-state tournament two weeks ago. This past weekend, at a local tournament, last one of the season, she played left field for three games and third base for the fourth game. Third base was her secondary position all season when she wasn't catching. She said her coach told her she is very strong playing left field and that is why she put in left so much this past weekend.

She loves her current team, all female coaches, most of whom have played college ball. I thought it was very important that she is coached by women who have played the game on the college level. She has been dreaming of being a catcher for a D1 team for years. She says she is enjoying the out field and playing third, but catching still seems like her favorite. She is going to two of her friend's pitching lessons this week to catch for their lesson, to get more catching time in.

Here is my question, would it be a disadvantage for her to stay on her current team if she is getting minimal catching time, for the sake a training with college experienced coaches, or should she look for another team that is going to give her more time behind the plate? Is overall training worth losing out on game time catching?

Thanks.

Two weeks ago, she caught 2 1/2 out four games. Last week, she played Left and 3B. Perhaps I'm missing something, but we're talking about ONE tournament?

How often did she catch throughout the season?

Were there any players missing last week? Outfielders, perhaps?

Does the coaching staff routinely move players around?

I would answer these questions before drawing any conclusion or having ANY discussion with coaches. Further, I would recommend having your DD approach the coaches with questions about playing time and positions. If she gets an answer that you don't like, then talk to them.

 

[Bob516]

Thanks for the perspective, I have to avoid overreacting.