Big organizations.

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jul 28, 2016
18
3
Most talent (please don't take that the wrong way, it's just reality) consolidates to the big orgs. My only regret is that I didn't move my DD sooner. In my opinion, it depends on your kids talent level. You don't really want your kid to be the best player on the team in 12u/14u imo. Moving to bigger orgs in general also leads to your DD and you as parents being around more like minded players/parents.
 
Aug 27, 2019
640
93
Lakewood CA.
Most talent (please don't take that the wrong way, it's just reality) consolidates to the big orgs. My only regret is that I didn't move my DD sooner. In my opinion, it depends on your kids talent level. You don't really want your kid to be the best player on the team in 12u/14u imo. Moving to bigger orgs in general also leads to your DD and you as parents being around more like minded players/parents.

This is true to a point. Some big orgs are so big ( 10+ 18U teams 10+ 16U teams ) that they may only have one or two “elite” teams and a bunch of so so teams.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jun 23, 2018
222
63
Texas
If you look at a big org, make sure to verify that the team you join has the org's support. We just left a glorious big org team here in Texas that was part of the org in name only. Never heard from or saw a single member of the org. Heck, we were with the team for a year and a half and HC couldn't even get them to update the pic and roster on their website to include DD. Not a huge deal at 10U and 12U, but would have been nice. Our team was a monthly pay check and for that they supplied an easy way to buy overpriced uniforms and swag.

IMO, the coaches who work with your DD on a daily/weekly basis are more important than the name on the jersey at the younger ages. As they get older, big name is a benefit if the team is one with the orgs support and not just a cash cow to support the bigger kids.
 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
In theory the big orgs could provide benefit, especially in the past. In reality, anyone willing to write a check can bring their kid and/or an entire team to a big organization. Online recruiting sites and the ability to share video so easily have somewhat nullified the advantages of the big organizations. The only exception I see is for the very top tier teams of the big orgs, as in 1 to 3 top teams for each group. In the past there was a recruiting advantage for the big orgs, but now the work is really done by parents and players since it is so easy to share entire recruiting profiles, videos, and stream games for coaches to see. It really comes down to the work a family is willing to do and the relationships the team's coaches have.
 
Jul 28, 2016
18
3
This is true to a point. Some big orgs are so big ( 10+ 18U teams 10+ 16U teams ) that they may only have one or two “elite” teams and a bunch of so so teams.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
right and talent gets pulled from those so-so teams to the elite teams over time..ie the talent consolidates generally speaking..at least that is what I see..
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,409
113
Texas
DD was part of a small "boutique" organization for her last 4 years. They were one of the pillar softball organization years ago and where highly ranked nationally. Well...top 30. When I look back at the alumni and where they went, it was a lot of D1's. The Head Coach has been coaching for many many years and finally had to retire. He was well respected in the softball community and got his players ready for the next level. In the past 4 years these shiny organizations started getting bigger and bigger and they drew better talent across the area. They did a great job with their social media and created pipelines to their flagship teams. Our organization did not do social media well, they didn't make the parents spend money on uniforms every year, they didn't grow and the HC only focused on his team and did most of his recruiting himself.

DD played on the Gold team for 3 years, and got to play the best teams across the country in the the bigger tournaments(Boulder IDT, TCS Nats, Jo Cup, etc), on the good fields, good pools, etc. But the draw of the shiny teams was too strong for many parents that would have had a chance at playing at the highest level, but end up on the 4th 18U team with no chance of getting on the Gold team. I guess it depends on what you want to do. There have been several small organizations across the country that have made some noise at some of the bigger tourneys that didn't 4 teams for each age divisions. I like to hear those stories.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Seems like three out of every four teams I see are Batbusters, Bombers, Athletics, or some flavor of Texas Glory. Some move from one org name to another...those uniforms must get expensive!

Before 14U, the value these bring is dubious. Before 12U, it's pretty much worthless. There is a guy in my area who has run a large organization for many years. He charges exorbitant fees, and his younger age teams historically suck. In recent years, his older teams also suck, and he's changed his "big org" name three times in as many years. I guess he's running out of people to cheat, but if you want that big org name on the jersey, he can set you up.
 
Jun 4, 2019
134
43
I want my daughter to play so she gets to play with girls she knows, girl she’ll hopefully play in high school with one day and build relationships. I’ve never understood being on these regional teams where are you don’t even know your teammates. But I guess to each their own.

I see teams where they have some girls from the area where I live when they pull in a pitcher from three states away and two other players from a different region. That’s not a team, that’s mercenaries - i don’t see the point of it. Kind of make me sad when I think about the girls on those teams.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top