Biases in All Star Selections Park Ball

[starsnuffer]

There usually aren't any rules on how all-stars are selected, only the number of selections that come from each team. Some managers let the players vote, some pick themselves. Criteria may or may not be based on actual playing ability. Attitude and effort are attributes that may be used for selection as well.

My suggestion to parents upset by coaches kids always getting picked is to coach themselves. Some coaches may view their child being on the all star team payment for all the hours of time they have given up babysitting the kids of other parents and all the emotional stress they've had to endure putting up with said parents.

It's rec ball, no one said it would be fair.

-W

 

[HollowMan]

In my experience selecting rec all-stars, the top 4 or 5 kids (or thereabouts) were pretty obvious, and no one would question their selection. After that, you could pretty much choose any 7 out of the next best 15 or so, and the team wouldn't be impacted much one way or the other - their skill levels weren't very different. When the coaches' kids get preference for those spots, that's just the way it goes. They've put in the time, and they get some benefit from it.

 

[shockcoach]

We modified our local LL rules about 5 years ago to combat this. Everyone on a majors team got a vote. All of the coaches also voted for their top players from the league. None were allowed to vote for players on their own team. I believe the top 6-7 got automatic bids. At the all-star tryouts the player agents, VP, a couple of neutral people and coaches ranked the kids. The next 3-4 took those spots. The manager, who's team finished 1st in league play, then got to fill in the roster with his own 2-3 picks. It seemed to make everyone happy and nobody could claim biased.

I'm not sure of the exact wording, but I know they worked very hard to try and make it as fair as possible that the teams weren't pre-picked.

 

[24softballmom]

Lots of you have good points but I don't think you are fully understanding the situation.

First of all this is a small park and the board members double as coaches. You can't just say I want to coach this year and be given a team. There are only 4 teams on the league. With that being said each team has at least 2 asst coaches. Three of the four of these coaches are on the board.

The way the allstars draft is SUPPOSED to work at this park is each coach submits a ballot of 12 girls (their picks for a team). There is supposed to be no discussion but there always is. Then someone from the board tallies the votes and the girls with the most votes are on the team. If there is a tie then the coaches come back in and vote on the girls in the tie.

As to the person who said its sometimes based on effort and good attitude.....doesn't apply here either, lol. The girl who didn't get picked is younger yes but has twice the experience, better hitting and fielding stats, better attitude, wants to practice (attended every practice and practiced on days the team didn't), and didn't cry if she struck out or was put in another position. The girl who got picked was older, taller, bigger, but cried when she struck out (which was often), missed balls on numerous occassions during games, has half the experience, and frequently missed practice.

Again, I'd like to point out that this is just one example but the same thing happens every year. Yes maybe the coach of the allstar team thinks its their reward for coaching the team but in reality there are 3 coaches and 12 girls. That is only 25% of the team and in this instance 11 of the 12 girls were either coaches or asst coaches kids. That is no way to run a program.

There is no system of checks and balances in place on the board so you can't complain to anyone to get your point across! You are talking to the same people who you are complaining about! lol

We will not be back at this park needless to say. Year after year they lose numerous girls and can't understand why their numbers are dwindling. The same people hold the board positions each year because guess who votes on the positions????? You guessed it.......THE BOARD! lol

 

[SoftSocDad]

Yes 11 out of the 12 players picked were coaches or asst coaches kids. Also when I said form I was referring to batting, as in a girl who was picked chops, steps all over the plate, and lets the bat swing her around and has struck out several more times that a kids who wasnt picked, has great form, and a better batting average.

Is this a younger age group?

Usually, the coaches' kids are the better players, because they're the ones putting in the most time to develop their skills. Politics are an issue, but no all-star coach wants a weak team. They want to get the best 9 players possible. If there's no clear best 9-10 players in your league, then after the 'locks', things are going to get murky. If the player who you're concerned about here was the 11th or 12th selection, it's really a coin flip.

The best way for a kid to make the all-star team is to remove all doubt by crushing the ball almost every time up to bat.

Add: Based on what you've posted, it sounds like your DD was not a no questions asked all-star. It's unfortunate this time around, but this experience will make her that much hungrier in the future.

 

[24softballmom]

Is this a younger age group?

Usually, the coaches' kids are the better players, because they're the ones putting in the most time to develop their skills. Politics are an issue, but no all-star coach wants a weak team. They want to get the best 9 players possible. If there's no clear best 9-10 players in your league, then after the 'locks', things are going to get murky. If the player who you're concerned about here was the 11th or 12th selection, it's really a coin flip.

The best way for a kid to make the all-star team is to remove all doubt by crushing the ball almost every time up to bat.

Read the post right above yours for more details. But crushing the ball is hard to do when the coach puts you first in the lineup and its the first year doing girl pitch so basically the girls can't pitch and you get walked everytime. After x number of walks, the coach comes in to pitch.

 

[fastpitch]

Softball isn't fair. All stars isn't fair. Life isn't fair. Coaches kids get to play even though they suck. That's just how it us. Parents always want their kid picked. If their kid doesn't get picked or is overlooked they rationalize why. Not everyone is going to be happy. Even if they are picked the 10-11-12 players or parents won't be happy because they aren't playing every inning. You can't make everyone happy all the time. It just sucks if you are that unhappy person.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Read the post right above yours for more details. But crushing the ball is hard to do when the coach puts you first in the lineup and its the first year doing girl pitch so basically the girls can't pitch and you get walked everytime. After x number of walks, the coach comes in to pitch.

That changes things. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but there's no real 'all-stars' program in coach pitch softball. I know you're angry, but in the real softball world, glorified t-ball 'all-stars' don't really count.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I would take my DD and send her to the best college summer camp, that you can. She will learn more there, than at All Stars.

 

[24softballmom]

That changes things. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but there's no real 'all-stars' program in coach pitch softball. I know you're angry, but in the real softball world, glorified t-ball 'all-stars' don't really count.

Its not so much that I'm angry. Its that year after year its the same stuff. Its also the same in the older leagues. This is 8u. They only ever get to play two games really because its best of 3. So actually we are better off not spending that extra money on uniforms, bags, socks, etc. for just 2 games. Just wanted to see what others opinions were and if it was on ongoing problem at other parks.