First year 14U -How to pick a team?

[Filterbing]

Both Pattar and strike2 make great points. 14U is a tricky age group. My DD and I had a wild experience for her 14U's. When moving up to 14 we left a 12U team that she wasn't getting much time on and joined a new team where she settled in as SS and P2. after the fall season we had a messy divorce (posted about it here at DF) and we moved to what many considered the best team in the area, great coaching and organization. She played sparingly in the spring as an outfielder and base runner and only got to hit in situations where the win or loss was secured. The next fall, coach combined the incoming 1st yr 14U with the 2nd for a 21 girl roster. I started to make back up plans just incase but DD loved the coach and the girls and didn't want to leave. She worked her butt off and eventually by mid/end of fall took the starting 2nd base position. She didn't get much pitching time though and now at 16U ready to give up on it. Looking back there isn't anything I would have done different. We did have about 6 of girls drop off the team but most either didn't put in the home work or were a step behind. The first year 14's that did stay are now starting as second yrs and kicking some tail.

 

[Wildfire]

Find out what positions all the coaches daughters play. If it conflicts with your DD positions she better get ready for an uphill battle. Otherwise, consider the lower team.

 

[KrisHur]

Find out what positions all the coaches daughters play. If it conflicts with your DD positions she better get ready for an uphill battle. Otherwise, consider the lower team.

True, true, true. DD joined a newly formed 16U team with a great organization last July that had a mass defection right after fall ball (parent goggles on decent players in need of a little more development). Rather than look for girls to fill the roster spots they broke up the team and put girls on existing teams. There are no parent coaches after 14U but out of necessity (and because they are that good) the second year 14U was moved to 16U and has a parent coach - DD and 2 other girls were put on that team. The downside, coach is dad to 2 girls, both first basemen. My DD plays first but is finding herself in the OF - which is OK she needs a second position and is doing well there but we are concerned (and said as much to the owner of the franchise) that she will NEVER see 1st base. Coach is great and she loves him, he is taking good care of her, she is getting the best training but may have limited opportunity at 1st. DD says she's fine with it, will fight for it, but knows these are the coach's daughters and is just as good so expects some time there once in a while. At least she's primary 1st for HS and will play there exclusively for 2 months this spring. Guess we'll see what this summer brings....

 

[softball dad 6]

DD played the the first 300 games of her travel career at 1st base. She is a 6' lefty so always was slotted there. The parents of infielders loved having her there. Come freshman year of hs and to put the best 9 on the field dd needed to play outfield even though she was better at 1B than the girl playing the position. It took a lot of work on her part to finally learn the position. She even got taken out of one game when she was a hit shy of the cycle after comicly misplacing a fly ball. We spent a lot of time outside of practice working on it. It was painful. If she had at least gotten practice time in tb at the position, it would have helped. Fast forward to college, and there is an All American playing first base. If she couldn't play outfield she wouldn't see the field. There are 3 outfield positions. All the other positions only have one.

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[_MIA_]

True, true, true. DD joined a newly formed 16U team with a great organization last July that had a mass defection right after fall ball (parent goggles on decent players in need of a little more development). Rather than look for girls to fill the roster spots they broke up the team and put girls on existing teams. There are no parent coaches after 14U but out of necessity (and because they are that good) the second year 14U was moved to 16U and has a parent coach - DD and 2 other girls were put on that team. The downside, coach is dad to 2 girls, both first basemen. My DD plays first but is finding herself in the OF - which is OK she needs a second position and is doing well there but we are concerned (and said as much to the owner of the franchise) that she will NEVER see 1st base.

Coach is probably doing you a favor. Kids usually get moved to 1b in college.

 

[cnardone]

Ultimately, what is going to make her happy? Playing time will certainly play a factor in that question. It is not the only one. There are worse things than liking your coach and teammates but not playing every inning.

2 of my dd's play travel (one softball, one not). One needs to play. She is happy as long as she is on the field. The other very conciously choose the better team knowing she would not play as much.

 

[Towny9]

Coach is probably doing you a favor. Kids usually get moved to 1b in college.

I was thinking the same thing as you reading this. I would rather develop in the outfield than at first base.

 

[mel77]

DD played the the first 300 games of her travel career at 1st base. She is a 6' lefty so always was slotted there. The parents of infielders loved having her there. Come freshman year of hs and to put the best 9 on the field dd needed to play outfield even though she was better at 1B than the girl playing the position. It took a lot of work on her part to finally learn the position. She even got taken out of one game when she was a hit shy of the cycle after comicly misplacing a fly ball. We spent a lot of time outside of practice working on it. It was painful. If she had at least gotten practice time in tb at the position, it would have helped. Fast forward to college, and there is an All American playing first base. If she couldn't play outfield she wouldn't see the field. There are 3 outfield positions. All the other positions only have one.

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And my daughter is 5'1", so unless she has a huge growth spurt I don't see her getting picked over someone taller for 1B in HS? Maybe I am wrong. She is a smart player but that reach sure helps! True about the outfield, thanks!

 

[chinamigarden]

I agree, especially for a pitcher, but she is worried that she will end up getting disappointed. She is a pitcher that produces pop ups and soft contact, so when your team can't back you up (not saying they can't, just as an example) it gets frustrating after a while.

How frustrated will she be seeing her new team field well. But she is watching from the bench?

If she isn’t pitching in at least 35% of the games. She probably won’t be happy. And it won’t help her develop.

 

[Lightning]

My DD played for a 12U team whose coach believed in playing his top 9 for almost every inning, whether it was tournament play or a friendly, regardless of score. So when she moved to 14U in the fall, our #1 priority was playing time.

We found a team for her that was solid but not great, and she was able to get a ton of playing time (especially circle time). Her pitching steadily improved during the fall, even though her team could be error-prone on some days and she got frustrated when plays didn't happen. But it was more important for her to get time in the circle.

DD moved to a better team for the spring, but without her experience in the fall she would not have been ready for this team. The innings mattered more than we could have imagined.