DD's 1st tryout - from rec to A ball??

[Momo'sDad]

Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances involving our local rec league, I came to the realization it was time to let Mojo work out with a high-level TB team. One coach of a well-known team said he'd look at her, but was really only interested in finding a quality 2001 player to complete the roster, because the team will age up in the fall. A coach from another name team invited her to come to a conditioning workout. They're also primarily 2001s, but do have another 2002 on the roster already.

We went out yesterday evening, met the coach, and watched as she worked in with the team. They did some baserunning and outfield work for about 45 minutes, before the mosquitoes and darkness chased them inside for about an hour of conditioning work.

I was really impressed with the way the coach presented himself and his program and he and his staff have an excellent reputation in our area. He's got a very talented group of girls, but he was clear in letting us know that the it was important to get the right kind of people together, and not just try to cherry pick the best talent around. Mojo held her own and got along well with the other girls.

I was surprised and deeply honored on her behalf when he offered DD a spot at the end of their practice. If she accepts, she would be the 11th and final member. The team has qualified to go to TCS Nationals in Utah and will go if all the finances are in order. Every kid generally plays 2 full games on Saturdays and then the best 9 play on Sunday.

This is an awesome opportunity to be playing for and learning from a great coach again, and talent-wise, she is ready to make the jump.

The downside is that she might not pitch at all and would give up her eligibility to play with the rec All-Star team this summer. Schedule permitting, she could still pitch in rec games for my team, but she's a little sad about not being an All-Star. I already contacted the local ASA rep who informed me there was no exception for the April 1st cut-off. She would have to give up competitive soccer until at least the fall.

She would still be able to participate with the spring rec team as time permits and once the 'A' team season ended in July, she could come back to my 'B' team for fall, which is actually going to be more competitive than All-Stars would've been anyway. This would allow her to play 1 last season with her friends from rec.

Apart from soccer and all-stars, other considerations are the commute and the 4-hour practice/conditioning sessions on non-tournament weekends. Her mom doesn't want her missing too much church, but is coming to the understanding that this has to be DD's call and that we'll make a good faith effort to work in church attendance and activities around her passion, which is sports, mainly softball.

I did request that he allow us today to discuss it as a family, but we're all conflicted for different reasons, because the idea of moving to a full-time team wasn't even on the table a week ago. We honestly felt our family could hang in with the rec thing for 1 more full year (2 springs and summers), but I think the proverbial last straw did drop onto the camel's back.

I really don't know what to do. She's only 9. This is a golden opportunity. There will be others, sure, but the timing for this one is very appealing.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Boy it is a tough call MD. You seem to have all the pros & sons laid out nicely so I'm sure whichever way you go it will be a decision the whole family can live with. The only drawbacks from a pure SB perspective - the whole time issue/family commitments is a whole nother ball of wax - I see to her playing as a 9 with a bunch of A-10s is PT may become an issue and she may have to jump to a new team next year when the 10s age up to U12. Good luck with your decision.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

First of all congratulations. I think DD and you will enjoy the A level of play. We did the exact thing going from Rec to A travel at 8, the first year takes some getting use to, it's a much faster game.

Missing church is the hardest part in TB, if not impossible. Just keep a good faith on the home front, sometimes you will have time for Sunday evening worship ( and Wednesday evenings ) if the tourney is not to far from home and "winning" doesn't consume the whole day.

We always pray on the ride to tournaments to play our best and protect all the players involved. My DD prays on the way home again if we didn't win, that I don't lose my faith along that drive.

 

[KevinC]

Does she still want to be a pitcher? If so and you don't expect for her to get much circle time is this a good fit? Can you find her a spot on another team that needs a pitcher?

Are you confident she's going to get enough playing time for her to be happy? In my opinion at age 9 - 10 it's more important to play than to sit on the bench for a highly competitive team.

Last summer my DD had a chance to move from rec league to an A level program. Our plan was one more spring of 12U rec league and then look for a more competitive experience. It was a tempting opportunity but we decided it wasn't right for her at that time. By the fall another opportunity came up that was a better fit for my DD.

I suggest you take the time you need to weigh the options and ask follow up questions of the coach. If they really want your DD they should be able to give you some time to think about it. Good luck.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I am with KC - If Mojo is determined to be a pitcher I would recommend against it. Just from my personal experience with my own DD.

We went to arguably the "best" team in the state here and joined a team with mostly a 1-yr-older squad. DD was supposed to be the 3rd pitcher so we knew there was going to be some limited pitching time. It was cool for a while but when the thrill of being on a top team wore off the desire to pitch became a cancer...... Especially when DD was proving to be ez-equals of the other pitchers and still not getting 1/3 the time.

Even though that first "best" team was a great bunch of folks, I wish I had that decision back to go another way. But we too at that time wanted soooooo bad to get out from the mediocrity of rec ball and really didn't know about all the options outside of rec ball beyond this one "best" team.

Again, if Mojo is a PITCHER => Unless you are in a very small market for TB I would vote for "Look On".

 

[Momo'sDad]

RubberBiscuit, she is a pitcher and wants to pitch, but keeps going back to how much fun she'll have being on a serious team where she can be challenged and she really loves the coach already. She has said she's totally ok with not being the #1 starter on an A team. She's fine with competing for a job in the middle IF or in the OF. The team is set at P, C, and the corners. She could fill in for anyone, though.

The commitment would be for only 5 months, because this team ages up in the fall. She has already agreed to come back and play for me this fall, and she'd be 1 of the primary pitchers on the team.

Thanks for the feedback and timely counsel. Family meeting is in 10 minutes!

 

[MsDinosaur]

Since it's only a 5 month commitment, I'd go ahead and and try it. That's long enough for her to learn a lot and to learn what's really involved in being on a competitive softball team.

 

[Momo'sDad]

It was a difficult 24 hours.

For me, the decision was more about the week-to-week coaching than playing time. She actually would've been the 10th player and Coach did confirm that every player generally gets 2 games on Saturdays and then everyone usually gets in at some point on Sunday, depending on circumstances, but not guaranteed, of course. He also confirmed he would carry no more than 11. That was an important factor for us.

During the family meeting, Mojo wrote her intentions on a piece of paper and handed it to her mother: "I want to play ASA!!" It was the cutest thing.

So, we agreed that she could do it, provided there were no glaring conflicts on the schedule. I spoke with the coach last night, got the full schedule, and Mom was ok with everything except missing so much church.

Once she went to bed, though, her mother and I talked some more and a large part of the problem was my over-commitment to the rec league. I couldn't get her to all her practices on time. Plus, her rec friends were counting on her to be there this season, including 1 who came back to rec just to play All-stars with her. Just a week ago, they were all running around having fun together at the meet-n-greet.

We're thankful to have a daughter who's so mature and understanding. When we spoke to her this morning with the newer perspective, she was at peace with the decision to go back to rec. I then phoned the coach with our final answer. I wish that we'd been able to manage the whole process differently from a preparation to leave the rec family perspective, but do appreciate the opportunity that she was given. We're sure there will be many more in her future.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

MD, I personally think that the best decision has been made - on many levels...

1) Your DD is still very young and is a pitcher, to accept a position on a team where she probably wouldn't pitch could have been detrimental to her pitching career.

2) Your commitment to the rec league would have forced you to miss too many of her games. You would have hated that.

3) It sounds as if she had already committed to rec, just based on the comment that the other girls were counting on her to be there.

Your DD will play ASA, probably for many years before playing college if all goes as planned. I think that right now, especially since she gets lots of time in the circle, she is in the right place.

Before too long you will need to quit coaching softball until she goes off to college. Your time and effort is going to need to be spent on YOUR DD, HER practices, HER tournaments!

Good luck this season!

 

[mizunomp37]

From my own limited experience, at 8U DD became a pitcher and quickly had a natural ability for pitching which was a threat to the DD coach who's daughters happened to be pitchers. Needless to say she was cut by the same coach at 9U tryouts which was the best thing that ever happened to her looking back. She went on to play with a really bad 9U team which became a very close group of friends and family, but got to pitch as much as she wanted and learned something about bouncing back from adversity (and sticking it to her old team every tournament she pitched against them) Heck they made it to USSSA in Marlyland last year for 10U C ball.

Now she is a seasoned veteran pitcher at the ripe old age of 10. Point is at a young age, you don't always develop skills playing on the best teams, sometimes its better to pay your dues, get some playing time, and have some fun along the way.