Big organizations.

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Jul 22, 2015
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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.
Don't knock it until you try it. There is a certain freedom for a kid to just go play ball and have fun when they don't have to worry about seeing those same girls at school on Monday. All of the cliques and drama that go along with the typical junior high/high school experience have their way of making it into the dugout as well when several (or all) of the players go to school together. It has been such a blessing for my daughter to have an entirely different set of friends on her select teams and it has really broadened her worldview since we are from a small school district where she would normally only see the same handful of friends year after year. I've heard very similar things from many of our players and parents over the years.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
Don't knock it until you try it. There is a certain freedom for a kid to just go play ball and have fun when they don't have to worry about seeing those same girls at school on Monday. All of the cliques and drama that go along with the typical junior high/high school experience have their way of making it into the dugout as well when several (or all) of the players go to school together. It has been such a blessing for my daughter to have an entirely different set of friends on her select teams and it has really broadened her worldview since we are from a small school district where she would normally only see the same handful of friends year after year. I've heard very similar things from many of our players and parents over the years.
Right!......The only time my DD played TB with her school friends was first year 12U when the local rec league formed a team. After that team broke up after that year, she's never played with anyone from her school. (she 18U now) It's fun to play against her schoolmates in TB games, and against her TB teammates in school games......Although, she seems to have more of an allegiance to the TB team, since we play way more games than School ball.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,409
113
Texas
Right!......The only time my DD played TB with her school friends was first year 12U when the local rec league formed a team. After that team broke up after that year, she's never played with anyone from her school. (she 18U now) It's fun to play against her schoolmates in TB games, and against her TB teammates in school games......Although, she seems to have more of an allegiance to the TB team, since we play way more games than School ball.
DD had a very similar experience. The last time she played with a school mate was the fall of 8th grade, and it was a PITA for me. I was the one who had to drive out of my to pick up the other kid, because mom couldn't do it. Once you get to 14U, at least in the Houston area all the teams become regional with players driving in for practices and games from hours away. Some teams might have several players from the same high school, but they are pretty much scattered throughout the area. Those families that live in smaller towns just don't have many quality choices, so they have to travel to be on the better teams. I think that's true for most softball hotbeds.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
:) What is considered a BIG org?
Over 20 teams?
Over 50? 100 plus?

in calif
The org names do not mean the team will be competitive.
Its just a name on a jersey.
Not a certificate of coaching or talent ability.

In actuality, there are sooo many not the greatest performing coaches and teams wearing the same name on there shirt,
its HARDER to recognize where a well coached team is!

There are a few lessor known names that dont fizzle by 14u.
Only a few = these named teams have maybe 3 teams'ish total.


Thats in calif...
 
Last edited:
Dec 2, 2013
3,409
113
Texas
:) What is considered a BIG org?
Over 20 teams?
Over 50? 100 plus?

in calif
The org names do not mean the team will be competitive.
Its just a name on a jersey.
Not a certificate of coaching or talent ability.

In actuality, there are sooo many not the greatest performing coaches and teams wearing the same name on there shirt,
its HARDER to recognize where a well coached team is!

There are a few lessor known names that dont fizzle by 14u.
Only a few = these named teams have maybe 3 teams'ish total.


Thats in calif...
Once you've been in and around TB for 4 years, you should have a pretty good idea of what teams are the "real deal" teams and the ones who are imposters in your area. At 14u and above, when you really start traveling to the bigger tourneys you start to recognize the "real deal" teams from other states.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Once you've been in and around TB for 4 years, you should have a pretty good idea of what teams are the "real deal" teams and the ones who are imposters in your area. At 14u and above, when you really start traveling to the bigger tourneys you start to recognize the "real deal" teams from other states.
Hmmm...4 years long learning curve!

Heres more of the fog people have to find there way threw...

With actual better coaches names blanketing over several teams in the same org.
Aka~ attaching a name but with no actual coaching of said team~ (overseeing team by name only doing nothing)

Confuses people into a false sense of
'we're on this status team'
...by name association only.

Not coached by.
Not upper level at all.

Happens too frequently now
watered down the organization and also watered down those names that blanket groups of teams within orgs.
 
Apr 16, 2010
924
43
Alabama
DD is a senior so we are on our last go around in TB. We have played for two of the best orgs in the SE. One has faded from their glory years due to "lets see how much I can put in my pocket leadership" and the other is still going strong. The only advantages of playing for big orgs were thew opportunities we were given for organizational practices and being on a team coaches would follow.

The one that is going strong had practices during the week. They would have 8U-12U one night and 14U-18U the next. This was awesome to have my at the time young DD getting to work out with older talented girls. The other org would combine teams for practices to offer the same thing. This was a great benefit for my DD and would make me jump back in if I had a younger player.

As far as having coaches follow them you have nothing to worry about for several years. My point is just because they have a name doesn't mean they are in with college coaches. When I see an EC Bullets, Impact, Athletics, Hot Shots, Firecrackers, or any other number of teams on our schedule I have no idea if they are decent or basically a rec team. Many of these orgs are adding teams just to charge monthly or yearly fees. I have a lot of respect for the Bolts organization because they will not do this. They have one team per birth year throughout the org. It's not watered down and you know they will put a good product out their.

Her current org will add teams pretty much every year. They are well known to all of the small schools in the our state and the neighboring ones. The head of the org charges a flat $385 per player to join. For that the team comes in and each player gets all brand new Adidas uni's, practice jerseys, cleats, and helmets. He basically has just a little left that he will turn around and give the girls a one off jersey for breast cancer awareness or some other special event.

Good luck to your DD. Enjoy the heck out of the ride and just be careful and know the hype isn't always worth it when it comes to team names.
 

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