Are you coaching the team or individuals?

[GOBulls!]

How important is individuals in a team? Would you rather coach a team of All-stars or develop a team of youngsters into a winning team? I personally like the challenge to take a team and develop the players to create a winning team.

 

[OsDad]

... I personally like the challenge to take a team and develop the players to create a winning team.

I've never personally met a coach who didn't make this exact statement. I can also count on one hand the number of coaches I've seen actually follow through with it.

 

[GOBulls!]

Well worth it for the ones who follow through.

 

[Orange Socks]

If you can keep your players long enough to actually develop them and team. Parents are looking for the next best team and coaches are looking for shiny new stars. Most don't want to the time to develop, they just want to be on a team that wins and gets seen at showcases. Most development (hitting/pitching/catching) is done on their own time, especially 14U and up.

 

[radness]

Goooood question!

Wonder how the top tier & and top D1coaches would answer that!

How about you'all top t.b. coaches
Mercado
Stith
Richardson
Rico
Tyson
AND the other top tier travel coaches in your area's?
Whats their 'real' answer?!


My goal~ Beat the Best!
Okay develop & CONQUER!!!

 

[GOBulls!]

Agree I love the challenge to beat the best but even more the journey of getting there,

 

[quincy]

DD had a stacked team 1 year, not fun blowing everyone out, 0-22 year was not much fun either. There is a balance in there somewhere.

When you try to get things going your better players tend to bolt while the other players are still catching up. At least around our area they have lot of choices within close driving distance.

 

[YOCOACH]

@Orange Socks Exactly right. Last year I had a split age 12U team. Out of 12 players, 3 had former TB experience and the rest came from various rec leagues. My coaching staff and I developed them from maybe a high level "C" team at the beginning to a Solid high level "B" team by the end of the season. We went just under .500 for the year though. At the end of the year, I decided to move up with the older girls. The only problem was that all of them decided to move on to bigger organizations since they made their "A" level teams. However, I did receive 6 very nice texts though saying, 'Sorry coach but [insert player's name] is going to play for organization X's "A" team. We just wanted to thank you for all of the time, knowledge and hard work you've put in with our DD. She never would have been able to make this team without it. '

There's no loyalty anymore. There's also serious lack of ability, knowledge and work ethic on most coach's parts to develop players in my area. Most will go out of their way to recruit the next best player to replace one they currently have on their roster...even if it's mid-season. They have no ethics and are nothing more than managers of talent. Oftentimes these types of teams win by sheer superior athleticism and training developed by other coaches despite the lack of coaching by their current staff.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Since it isn't a team sport it's best to focus on the individuals.

 

[cvsoftball]

the problem begins with ill-prepared 10U coaches and parents. the years from start of 10U to end of 12U are the best and most important. actually Tball is the best