Desperately need help with 12U daughter's coach re: pitching

[marriard]

I talked to my daughter and she is kind of excited about the idea of pitching for another team when her team isn't playing. Now I have another question: How do I go about finding a team to pick her up for a weekend? Do I advertise somewhere?

Look up the closest tournament to where you live on a weekend you are not playing. Find out who IS playing and at the next tournament you play in seek out their coaches to see if they need a pitcher for the weekend (starting with teams that are really struggling in games). This will also make it easier for you to find the next team for your DD as she gets a reputation and also she gets to play for a variety of coaches (and maybe she'll find the team for her that way)

I know when my DD's team is not listed as playing that weekend I get 4 or 5 messages asking whether she wants to come play.

 

[coach james]

"A" is typically about winning. Consider finding a B team to get some serious innings in. Pitchers need lots of experience to become successful, and your DD won't get that in the dugout.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[tjintx]

Sure, I may have overshot with this one But the message remains the same. My experience is that finishing a season on a team that doesn't fit the players needs is a huge waste of time and opportunity. if there is a team that needs a pitcher right now and you wait until the season is over... guess what? they may have that spot filled by the time you go looking(lost opportunity). Also, as another poster said, getting your DD out there in the community as a known pick up player has huge benefits.

I am a little cynical about this, I am not saying it doesn't happen but that's not the impression I got from the OP. If the coaches DD's are the #1 and #2 AND they are winning games (they are pitching well) what can you say? If the coaches told the OP that her daughter was the #3 pitcher before the season started than your only option is to out play them with a little hard work.

If the case was that there were better pitchers on the team than the coaches daughters AND they were losing games it would seem to me that it would be more than the #3 pitcher asking questions. Those teams don't stay together long.

I have yet to meet a TB coach that doesn't want to win.

 

[Cecelia]

Thanks again for all the advice. I have been in contact with a few teams who are playing locally this weekend, and they seem very interested. I think I will know by the end of the day whether or not she has a spot this weekend with one of them.

 

[sluggers]

It sounds like you live in a large metropolitan area. Also, it sounds like you're DD is talented.

In that situation, you have to treat this like a business. You have to have clear goals for your DD. You also have to take responsibility for your decisions.

What usually happens is that your DD plays on the other team and likes it....and then you move your DD to that team. This will cause problems for the coach of her first team, and he won't like it. You have to accept that he will be unhappy with her wanting to play for someone else.

You can't have it both ways..

 

[tjintx]

[BWhat do we do if he is against my daughter playing for someone else? I am hoping he won't be, but if he is, will it be worth pissing him off?][/B]

This is almost a certainty. you'll have to stand firm and make the coach understand that your DD's best interests are #1 and the current situation isn't working. No hard feelings! It's just as said above, "it's just a business decision".
Who knows, the coach may decide to guarantee your DD mound time to keep her on the team. Good luck

 

[crd1998]

What state are you in, I know of a website that you can search by the state for teams looking for a player?


My view on pitching is that a team needs three pitchers. In any tournament three games in a day is a common event. My youngest daughter played a tournament last weekend, on Sunday they played 5 games.

As for guest playing I have done this with my youngest daughter. Last season she was on a team that was a miserable situation to say it lightly. By the end of the season she played two tournaments with two different teams. Another benefit of picking up with another team is that when tryouts start the coaching staff is already aware of what your daughter is capable of.

I am sure there are several teams that would love to have another pitcher.

My daughters pitching coach says, "its about mound time". If she wants to pitch find a team where she can get the mound time to work on her pitching.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

In that situation, you have to treat this like a business. You have to have clear goals for your DD. You also have to take responsibility for your decisions.

I hope everyone doesn't gloss over the last sentence. I would not let my DD leave a team unless I felt the coach misled us when they offered her a position on the team.

 

[Cecelia]

Good news -- my daughter's coach was fine with her playing for another team since our team has the weekend off. He said if she can get some pitching in with another team, she should do it. Not sure exactly how to take this, but at least he's not against it. I do wonder if it means he feels off the hook and now he doesn't have to let my daughter pitch at all now. We'll see, I guess!

 

[Sftballdad1]

"I do wonder if it means he feels off the hook and now he doesn't have to let my daughter pitch at all now. We'll see, I guess!


You are spending to much of your time and effort on the what ifs. If you want her to be on a permanent team and to pitch find that team. You will what if yourself to death. Bail and find her a team where she can be a part of her team and be a pitcher. Sure he feels off the hook. Probably glad...go find another team.