Batting the best 9 in pool play

[sluggers]

Coach was smoking wacky weed.

 

[Langeswelding]

A little background. Had a 11U team that played all "A" per say tournaments at 12U this year. I was assistant coach for last three years. We challenged our team last year to gear up for our 12U season this year and played .500 ball against the the best teams in our area in the best tournaments we could find. At 10U we were very good so we wanted to challenge ourselves. Head coach stepped down to be assistant and I was taking over as head coach. Both of our daughters were getting offers from the best teams in our area " this is Wisconsin northern Illinois" so I understand this isn't top level travel ball. We agreed to stay one more year with the area team we had been developing for the last three years. The new assistant coach and I as head coach conducted our tryouts. We settled on basically the same team. Added one catcher and a girl who held off because of Covid. Fine all done. Our tryouts were later than usual.Our team looks good and even better. I get a call two days after tryouts from my now assistant that her daughter is leaving for one of the other teams that wanted us and they wanted us to defect also.I said I can't desert these girls after tryouts. They then proceeded to take three of my other girls to other team. At this point I had to have a very late tryout. I can put a solid 9 on the field but the girls I had to bring on are not in the same league. I was upfront with the girls I added. The best 9 will play bracket games, this is not rec softball. During most pool play and friendlies everyone will play. Work hard on your skills outside of practice. The girls know and the parents know how I feel. I don't think it's fair to the girls who are better and or work harder to play less than girls who don't and aren't.
I'm almost 50 years old . Growing up we never had an issue with this if you were better you played. Whether I had the defections or not this is the way I was going to run this team. Every practice is is more intense and all the girls our working hard for playing time.

 

[BrianTx01]

On my DD 12U team we cut down to 10 to make this less of an issue. Generally, I suggest not keeping players you don't want to bat. Pick up players are a dime a dozen at 12U if you need one.