Does a player improve by training or a strong team ????

[PAcoach]

There is no doubt that a player will not improve without proper training and dedication.
But it looks like some say you need to be on a competative team to improve and some say not.

How about a different scenario ;

So if you are on a competative team but you are
the 12th player and dont see alot of game time experience how then does that benefit a player ?
Some would say hang in there and wait your time will come? But how much time does a player really have at a 14/16 u level?

I would rather my daughter be the 12th player on a competitive team, well coached team, then be the #1 player on a weak B team. A player will play to the level of competition they are in. Having said that, we do not put numbers on kids. Depending on the day and or game, determines the individual players role for that game. They may not be in the field, but they could be a courtesy runnner, or DH. Maybe the starting pitcher for the next game is sitting on the bench in the shade resting...We are a team and our team is only as strong as the players coming of the bench. Every player on our team trains/practices at least 2 positions and they know them. Something happens to a player or players, we are feeling pretty comfortable.

 

[sluggers]

There is no doubt that a player will not improve without proper training and dedication.
But it looks like some say you need to be on a competative team to improve and some say not.

How about a different scenario ;

So if you are on a competative team but you are
the 12th player and dont see alot of game time experience how then does that benefit a player ?
Some would say hang in there and wait your time will come? But how much time does a player really have at a 14/16 u level?

No, that wouldn't be good for a child, but in that situation the child cannot compete at the level of the team.

Putting a child on a team where she will start at SS every game and bat 4th every game isn't good either. A parent has to find a team where the child can compete for positions, and that has a coach who will be honest with everyone.

If you have a player who you want to be "good"--good meaning someone who might be a star on a college team--the player has to learn how to compete for a position. "Competing for a position" involves (1) finding out what the coach wants; (2) training to be able to perform the way the coach wants and needs, (3) showing the coach at practice that you can do what she wants and (4) perform during a game. Competing for a position often involves pushing a teammate out of the way for PT.

The only thing a child knows is, "Am I playing?" If she is, then, as far as she is concerned, the world is perfect. If she isn't, she will want to know "Why?" If the answer to "Why" is that she isn't good enough, she will either (A) quit [which might be a good thing for everyone concerned] or (B) push herself to new heights.

If you take a kid and put her on a team without another player pushing her, she has no incentive to improve. She will be sloppy at practice and during the games. She will stagnate.

Osterman is as good as she is because Abbott is trying to take her job. Osterman got as good as she is because she wanted Finch's job.

 

[mrslug01]

I agree with the sentiment that much of the skill higher level players have is developed outside of the team at private lessons or with Moms/Dads that know how to teach fundamentals. Coaches on a travel team only have so much time. We can try improve fundamentals by correcting bad mechanics but good mechanics need to become muscle memory which takes along time to develope. I'll give one quick example. My 14 year old DD has great hands and fields her position (pitcher) or any other infield position very well. It came from many years of pitching with me and my bouncing the ball back to her in the basement and teaching her how to field a ground ball correctly. You couldnt hit that many grounders to a kid in a lifetime lol.

 

[constancemarie]

I wanted to say thank you for the book recommendation Bounce. It was a great read that I hope my kids will read someday, too. We learn from our mistakes. Reading about others' is just as effective.

 

[Ken Krause]

Interesting that many of the posters here assume that the better team on the field is also has the better coaches. That's not always the case. Sometimes the better teams have coaches who are good assemblers of talent, but don't necessarily know squat about teaching the game. As long as their teams are more talented than the others they're fine. But when they run into teams with equal (or close to equal) levels of talent they don't look so hot.

I also think a lot of people equate competitive with wins a lot. Again, that's not always true. The softball world is full of teams that win a lot by playing a lower level of competition than they ought to.

The ideal is a well-coached team with highly competitive players. But if you can't get both, go for where she'll get the best training. A good coach will help his/her players become more competitive and push them to their limit. A weak coach with talented players won't necessarily do the same. Just my opinion.

 

[jaguars2010]

Interesting replies. As a high school coach and a summer travel team coach, I believe training (development) out weighs winning tournaments. It is my opinion that travel teams should be working on skills to help players develop to the best of their ability. To many "coaches" stress winning over the development of the players. A couple of posts stated that it is important to play on a championship team or that they would rather have their daughter be the 12th or 13th player on a championship team. Have any of you asked your daughter what she wants? Winning a tournament is for the short term, development of the player is for a lifetime. Some people have lost focus of priorities. (my opinion) Summer ball is a time to work on skills to prepare for playing for your school, not the other way around. I have experienced to many times that players playing tournaments on the weekend during the HS season expecting to play at a Varsity level on a Monday. It doesn't happen!
I recommend going with the better coaching and training but it isn't up to me or you. Ask your daughter what she wants and live with her decision (not yours). Just my opinion.

 

[SouthernGirls]

We as parents are trying ourselves to figure this out right now. DD is playing 12U, is a good pitcher and a good hitter. Signed up for fall rec ball in a neighboring town and the first comment made was "It is quite obvious she doesn't sit at home and not practice". I hope that was a compliment. She loves the sport and puts in several hours a week with pitching lessons from a pitching coach and then pitching and hitting in our own back yard. So I do think personal commitment and practice is a Key component to the overall development. And as someone else posted a great team and a great coach teaches you far more than winning is everything.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I just gave all of my students a calendar to fill out to show me how much they are practicing. I look at softball as I did my music lessons. You can't get past Twinkle without practicing 30 minutes 5 days a week.

I printed out a calendar and color coded how they can fill in the squares (games, pitching, practice, hitting and nothing.) I haven't decided what their prize will be at the end of the 30 days, but it can be as little as a $2.00 coupon from Dairy Queen.

So, perfect practice is what I am looking for. I would rather have a girl sit out a season and just practice, instead of receive poor coaching.

 

[SouthernGirls]

So, perfect practice is what I am looking for. I would rather have a girl sit out a season and just practice, instead of receive poor coaching.

I have heard these exact words from my DD's pitching coach.

 

[sluggers]

I would rather have a girl sit out a season and just practice, instead of receive poor coaching.

Of course, the girl might prefer playing rather than practicing. But, who cares about her anyway?