How many players are too many?

[Coach C-Dub]

I coach a 14u team with 13 players, 4 pitchers, with 3 of the 4 having a primary position at a different spot. There are rare times when they are all 'on' and it can be a challenge, but most days I have a couple that separate themselves during pool play and will be the pitchers when we head into elimination.

They all know and understand this and it works. It also helps that they all play other positions well, and know they can help the team in other ways that day if their pitching happens to be off.

Having said that, I would not want more than 13 on my team, but having 4 pitchers- even 4 quality pitchers- should not be a problem if the coach has a plan and the girls understand and accept their role(s).

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[southalabamajaguar20]

Age level?

3 pitchers is perfect. As long as they're relatively "good". A 4th can only be a 4th if she's learning and accepts she's only going to get minimal mound time.

13-14 is fine for an 18u team. Not so much for 10u.

Just.... not to be picky. The area where a pitcher in softball stands is not a mound, it's a circle.

 

[southalabamajaguar20]

I coach a 14u team with 13 players, 4 pitchers, with 3 of the 4 having a primary position at a different spot. There are rare times when they are all 'on' and it can be a challenge, but most days I have a couple that separate themselves during pool play and will be the pitchers when we head into elimination.

They all know and understand this and it works. It also helps that they all play other positions well, and know they can help the team in other ways that day if their pitching happens to be off.

Having said that, I would not want more than 13 on my team, but having 4 pitchers- even 4 quality pitchers- should not be a problem if the coach has a plan and the girls understand and accept their role(s).

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If you have one or two good pitchers, then there's no problem. I would teach the other 2 another position so that they are still part of the team.

 

[radness]

Cindy Bird
Joyce Lyman
Michelle Phillips
Julie Carpenter

These were our 4 pitchers for several years on our Batbuster team. 14u & up.
Only one of those played a secondary position.
Not because they werent trained at other positions, they were,
rather...
Simply because they were at the top ability levels in pitching, but defensive positions others were better at.

Needed everyone
Every tournament!

Their talents complimented eachother in that they each had something to offer that was unique to each and contributed to a diversity of strategy.

*team was highly competitive

 

[JoannaC]

13-14 on a roster is fine. Injuries tend to creep in at 16U much more than the younger ages along with more mid-year team hopping. 13 can easily vaporize into 11 by tournament season.


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[nixxy311]

Our full team is 14 which I used to think was a lot and worried about DD's playing time. The only time it's ever really been an issue is for showcases since our coach will bat everyone and play everyone. DD's been lucky that she almost always starts. I always feel for the pitchers as they usually sit when they aren't pitching but ours tend to either play 1B or RF - no idea why those always seem to be their positions. But we have had injuries take a few girls out and so the extra has helped. We had 4 pitchers to start and lost one in May. Had to pick up a pitcher for our last tourney since another one couldn't make it. So 4 pitchers seems better esp if one has a bad day.