Hopefully all of you can give me some advice. My daughter plays on a 10&U traveling team. She tried out last year and didn't make it, but made the team this year. She had a really good season on regular league last year at the catcher position and many felt she should have made the travel team. She's not a natural athlete, but she is tall, lean and very strong. She's definitely not the best player on the team, nor the worst. At the risk of sounding like a whinning parent complaining about her child's playing time, that is the issue. She plays one inning a game, if she's lucky, in right field. They have 13 girls on the team, so 3 girls sit out each game. It just seems like she sits the most. With the limited playing time, some of her bad habits are returning. She has become a streaky player. My husband tries to work with her, but they tend to be like oil and water. Nonetheless, we go to her games and watch the starters who play the entire game, drop balls, miss plays and make multiple mistakes while DD sits on the bench. Our son also plays on a traveling team too, so we are doing double duty trying to support and watch both kids. Because of this, we are between fields many times, so we haven't really bonded with the other parents as some of them have. The regular league just started, on opening day she had a fairly decent game. She played 1B, catcher and LC making several outs and good plays. She batted so-so, she had one strikeout, a single(not sure if out at 1st) and a triple. Both kids played at the same time, and I had to help in dugout of son's team. Her traveling team coach was at that game too. At her last travel team game, I let everything get the best of me. I had a stressful day at work, my hormones seemed to be raging, it was raining, the starters were making their usual mistakes and my daughter was on the bench until the 4th inning. To add insult to injury, she struck out twice and got out on 1st. She has clearly stopped trying to do her best. I was quiet during the game, but I'm sure a conversation between my husband and I might have been heard, or was attempted to be heard. I am not very good at hiding my feelings, so I am sure my body language showed my displeasure. Also during the course of the evening, I was talking to another coach, and he commented on how DD didn't seem to be doing as well this year. My response was that she is only playing one inning a game, the practices have been scarce due to the weather, and even in my limited knowledge, I felt she is not playing enough to not backslide and when she does play she's going out cold due to sitting until the 4th. I made sure to say I wasn't trying to criticize anyone, but to me baseball/softball seems to be a game where repetition is important. This was overheard by one of the coach's best friends, so I'm sure it will get back to her. Many people have asked us why she's not catching. We simply answer that we don't know, it's up to the coach. The coach also has a rep of having favorites, picking kids based on friendship, etc. My husband has gone back and forth on the issue telling DD to ask for more playing time, to catch, only to change his mind telling her not to ask. Should we approach the coach, ask what she can do to improve or why she isn't catching or playing much? Should we let DD ask? There are only about 4more regular season games prior to tournaments, so there doesn't seem to be anything to loose. I don't think she can sit out any more than she already does. Am I all wrong in thinking this is not right? I have also had a major discussion with DD, asking her if she wants to play, if she wants to do other things. I would never let her quit in the middle of a season, but if her interests are going in other areas, I definitely would not get into a possible confrontation for nothing. But she says she wants to play, so we discussed practicing at home more, harder, working on bad habits, etc. Sorry this is so long, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Coach issue
- Thread starter ahcme
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- Oct 19, 2009
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Is this really a travel team? With thirteen players there should actually be four on the bench because we play with three outfielders, not four in travel. Regardless you should have a civil conversation with the coach about your concerns. Coach hearing about it third hand will be ten times worse for you and dd and it may already be too late.
As a Travel Ball coach I have a different perspective on your post. There is a reason why the coach is not playing your DD as much as the other players. Her skills are regressing. Travel ball is not instructional ball. That is one of the biggest mistakes parents make. Since your DD is regressing you have two choices: 1) pull her out of travel ball and put her back in rec ball so she can build her skills and grow as a player. 2) Higher private coaches. My DD has a Pitching Coach, Batting Coach and Fielding Coach. Her TB team has only 2 practices a week and those focus on game strategy and teamwork. It is expected that each of the players will have individual practices outside of the team practices. Before you speak with the coach take a serious look at your DD and decide if you and her are truly ready for the time and financial commitment required of TB players.
Travel teams do not have leagues, or regular season games. So Im confused.
In travel ball, if you are unhappy with coaching, playing time, etc you go find a team where your DD is a better fit. At 10U, it sounds like there is a problem, unless they were a national contender they should be playing everyone a fair amount.
Skills are built in practice, not games. Poor game performance is not due to lack of playing time, its more likely due to lack of practice time and lack of fundamentals.
Contrary to SoCalDad's input , many travel programs are indeed highly instructional, and very successful too. It is different in different areas of the country.
I doubt she will ever build skills needed in rec ball, but that too is different in different areas.
In travel ball, if you are unhappy with coaching, playing time, etc you go find a team where your DD is a better fit. At 10U, it sounds like there is a problem, unless they were a national contender they should be playing everyone a fair amount.
Skills are built in practice, not games. Poor game performance is not due to lack of playing time, its more likely due to lack of practice time and lack of fundamentals.
Contrary to SoCalDad's input , many travel programs are indeed highly instructional, and very successful too. It is different in different areas of the country.
I doubt she will ever build skills needed in rec ball, but that too is different in different areas.
I should have been clearer in my original reply. My TB team has a clearly defined player development plan for each player. When they join the team we perform an initial assessment and identify areas where the player needs to focus on for improvement. Team practices, however, is not the time where we work on these improvements. The expectation is they will work on improvements on their own time. When a player regresses from their initial baseline it is indicative of a player not committing to their development plan. As a result their playing time will decrease.
- May 25, 2010
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Although there are many programs in this region, I've only had contact with 3 TB teams in our local area. All are into short- and long-term player development, but practices - even at 10u - are more about strategy and teamwork, as SoCalDad noted. In other words, when your kid tries out for a travel team, she's expected to know how to play softball and to make fewer mistakes than the typical 'good' rec player.
Teams typically practice twice a week here and expect that a third weekday will be used by the child to take hitting/pitching/fielding lessons. Our DD wants to try out this winter, but her mother has already told us that we are not at all ready for that sort of time commitment, even in the unlikely event she was invited to join the team.
Teams typically practice twice a week here and expect that a third weekday will be used by the child to take hitting/pitching/fielding lessons. Our DD wants to try out this winter, but her mother has already told us that we are not at all ready for that sort of time commitment, even in the unlikely event she was invited to join the team.
I was just saying, there are areas (SoCal) where a majority of players have private instruction, and team managers are paid, and there are areas where there is little private instruction , and the coaches teach and develop the girls.
Southern Cal is really the exception, because of the sheer number of people, wealthy families, and competitive softball legacy. Not quite the same thing in other areas of the country. That said, it is also the standard for high level competition, and why teams from around the country look forward to playing the socal teams at nationals.
There is fortunately (or unfortunately, not sure which) ,in most areas of the country, a travel team out there for almost any reasonable caliber of player today (B, etc) and can help her be a better player than rec ever would. Practices may be more frequent and often to include advanced skill development too. Hard to find any time to practice outside of team practices if you practice 3-4 times per week for 3 hrs during summer.
Southern Cal is really the exception, because of the sheer number of people, wealthy families, and competitive softball legacy. Not quite the same thing in other areas of the country. That said, it is also the standard for high level competition, and why teams from around the country look forward to playing the socal teams at nationals.
There is fortunately (or unfortunately, not sure which) ,in most areas of the country, a travel team out there for almost any reasonable caliber of player today (B, etc) and can help her be a better player than rec ever would. Practices may be more frequent and often to include advanced skill development too. Hard to find any time to practice outside of team practices if you practice 3-4 times per week for 3 hrs during summer.
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Interesting that some travel teams don't teach skills. Most college teams do. They work on them every day.
Going back to the original post, it sounds like the team is a poor fit for her daughter. At 10U the goal should be to get the girls on the field so they can improve. One inning a game is not acceptable in my book. Even if you're going for a national championship, because nobody but the coach and a few parents care who wins the 10U national championship. At least at this point. In a few years, who knows?
Personally, I don't think you have much to lose talking to the coach about it. What's she going to do -- bench your daughter for that one extra inning?
Going back to the original post, it sounds like the team is a poor fit for her daughter. At 10U the goal should be to get the girls on the field so they can improve. One inning a game is not acceptable in my book. Even if you're going for a national championship, because nobody but the coach and a few parents care who wins the 10U national championship. At least at this point. In a few years, who knows?
Personally, I don't think you have much to lose talking to the coach about it. What's she going to do -- bench your daughter for that one extra inning?
- Sep 3, 2009
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Like SoCalDad, individual skills are worked out outside of team practice. Team practice is where the team takes their existing skills, and puts them together. 13 kids at 10u is a bit much. It's really a bit late to get worked up about it now. Tryouts are only a few weeks away, I'd ride it out and then look elsewhere. But you REALLY need to work with her, outside of team practices.
Without a doubt. Interesting to note that when watching UCLA vs ULL the other day, commentators noted that one girl on ULL had never even played fastpitch before ULL, only slowpitch in HS. Im pretty sure they taught her a alot, esp how to slap.
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