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Apr 6, 2017
328
28
If we were to pay TB prices I'd want to know position and
play time. They can have 10 coaches but my kid better play or what's the point.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
If we were to pay TB prices I'd want to know position and
play time. They can have 10 coaches but my kid better play or what's the point.

A lot of travel teams don't work that way though. You're not going to go into it with a set position and set amount of playing time. Some kids may excel more quickly and earn a spot, thus booting another who may be falling behind. Our line up changes frequently as some girls have things click and others start to slump. One of our always-subs in bracket when she first joined just a couple of months ago is now starting 9. Things change as kids develop, as the coaches get to know their strengths and weaknesses, etc. The key, IMO, isn't finding a coach who will lay out specifics. I'd be suspicious of a coach who did that. They key is finding a coach who's fair about how the playing time is allocated. In travel that's not usually fair as in equal playing time (go to rec for equal time), but fair as in the girls play positions they've earned and there's not favoritism.
 
Feb 21, 2017
198
28
I love teams with lots of coaches. Like the old saying about too many cooks and soup, same applies. Too many voices in the kids head. Three coaches max (first, third, book/dugout). It was the first lesson I learned.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
If we were to pay TB prices I'd want to know position and
play time. They can have 10 coaches but my kid better play or what's the point.

For the most part, that's not how it works in TB. Your payment of team dues doesn't buy playing time or a guaranteed position for your DD. It buys better coaching and the OPPORTUNITY to play at a higher level. I can't tell you how many times we've had parents pull their kid from my DD's team due to a failure to understand this concept. You want a position? Earn it. You want to bat every game? Earn it. Being as good as the other player isn't enough. You earn it by being better.

That said, daddy ball can mess things all up.
 
Jul 14, 2017
181
28
If we were to pay TB prices I'd want to know position and
play time. They can have 10 coaches but my kid better play or what's the point.

I think your sentiment echoes a lot of the attitude in TB- that payment should guarantee playing time. However, even with paying dues, my DD needs to earn a spot/playing time by showing up to practices and giving it 100%

I would have issue with a team taking our money, but the level of players are so much higher, that she wouldn’t have a chance to break into the line up. Don’t offer empty/nonsense spots!


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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
I think your sentiment echoes a lot of the attitude in TB- that payment should guarantee playing time. However, even with paying dues, my DD needs to earn a spot/playing time by showing up to practices and giving it 100%

Showing up to practices and giving it 100% isn't enough to earn a spot. Those things are expected by EVERY player. Any player that doesn't will LOSE their spot. Practices are the time to show the coaches that you deserve an opportunity. Earning the spot means taking that opportunity and proving yourself in a game situation.


I would have issue with a team taking our money, but the level of players are so much higher, that she wouldn’t have a chance to break into the line up. Don’t offer empty/nonsense spots!

IMO, if my DD is on a team where the level of all the other players is out of her reach, we picked the wrong team for her. The fault is just as much ours as it is the coach's for offering a spot to a player won't be able to contribute. That said, I've seen it where parents are happy their kid is on a team that wins a lot, even though she rarely - if ever - plays in tournament games.
 
Last edited:
Jul 14, 2017
181
28
[MENTION=8854]Eric F[/MENTION].- I wasn’t trying to imply that JUST showing up to practice earns your spot. I was trying to make a point to the OP that paying $ to join a team doesn’t guarantee you playing time or position.

And yes, if there is such a discrepancy between a player and her team mates, part of the blame is on the parents. However, most of us don’t really know what we are getting our DD’s into during tryout season. Everyone is on their best behavior during this honeymoon season— not until payments are made and you are a few tournaments in that you see the real story. There are plenty of teams out there that will gladly take your $, with no intention of playing your DD or taking the time to develop her into a better player.


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