How to approach the situation

[Amy in AZ.]

OK. We need to answer the question. I think that a call is order to the coach. I would tell him that your daughter loves to play softball and all she got to do is watch it. Give him a chance to say how he will correct the situation and if he doesn't, you need to move on.

A good coach will play everyone.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

8u is very competitive in our area. Our team won 1st place in points with the state tournament organization that we play in (IFA). My DD started playing softball through the YMCA & her team won the Dixie Youth District Tournament & advanced to the State. After that she still wanted to play & in our area TB is the only other option until the next spring. We don't have fall ball in our county. The TB that she was on had 2 of her best friends on it & she has learned a lot & improved tremendously from Y ball. If it hadn't been for the poor coaching we wouldn't have left so that she could move up with her friends. I never said she was struggling @ 8u ... she will be 10 in February so she is NOW playing with a 10u team. I'm NOT a nutty parent nor am I going to complain about playing time as long as there is consistency & reasoning IF I paying.

That's what we started at in 6u, Dixie Youth. Played Dixie during the week and TB on the weekends. Our last year in Dixie ( our first year as 10's ) we came in second in the world series down in Texas ( we are from TN ).

I always enjoyed Dixie, it was a play to advance series in playoffs, that's what I liked the most. We went undefeated in district and state, lost the world series championship game to a team from North Carolina. Special times for that age, but we then moved full time to travel ball.

I'd recommend Dixie to anyone starting out, if available in your area.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Your daughter will want to find a team where she plays most all the time. I don't think 10U teams need to be in tournaments where only 9 bat. ... I'd have a talk w/ the coach. Don't tell the coach how you think it should be, or criticize what he is doing. Just explain that your daughter needs a team where she plays most all the time and ask if this is a team where she realistically can get that playing time. IMO, of course.

 

[Coachmom]

Then maybe you can let this Mom enjoy her time with her DD, no matter what age, like you have done with your DD.

Sorry, From the sound of this post I didn't hear much enjoyment. I heard stress.

But you are correct, to each their own. Good luck to your DD in her softball.

 

[MsDinosaur]

Your daughter will want to find a team where she plays most all the time. I don't think 10U teams need to be in tournaments where only 9 bat. ... I'd have a talk w/ the coach. Don't tell the coach how you think it should be, or criticize what he is doing. Just explain that your daughter needs a team where she plays most all the time and ask if this is a team where she realistically can get that playing time. IMO, of course.

I agree. It's 10U! And it's fall ball!!! Shouldn't the coach be working on player development? If not now, when will he ever?

 

[softballmama2x]

I agree. It's 10U! And it's fall ball!!! Shouldn't the coach be working on player development? If not now, when will he ever?

It's TB FALL Season ... This coach has 2 teams ... A Fall Ball team (that plays during the week in a different county as us) & a TB team (that plays weekend tournaments in various cities in our state).

Thanks everyone for the advice ... An email is definitely in order & I will let everyone know how that goes.

 

[SoftSocDad]

My daughter has been playing TB for a year now (8U) with the same team ... outside of that team I'm completely new to the whole TB world.
We parted ways with her old team when it was time for the girls to age up (subject for a completely different thread) & started looking for a new team. I went on the message board for a local TB tournament outfit & started looking ... I found 2 tryouts that were coming up & signed her up & then found just a team looking for players. I emailed the HC & we talked back & forth through email ... he invited DD to a practice to see how she liked it & then asked her to play with them in their next tournament. We went to practice ... she fell right into place with the other girls, seemed to be taken in with open arms & wanted to play with them in the next tourney. After talking with the coach he asked what number DD wore & was having her a uniform shirt printed. At that time I also found out that he had recently left a team that had some of the same issues as we did & was forming this new 10u team through this organization. He told me that there was a few girls that was playing Fall Ball together & he had brought them over to this team. He didn't have enough girls to fill the roster so he was planning to use some 12u girls that could play down for that weekend. We had all agreed that for the fall season we would just split the entry fee for each tourney & then first of the year we would start fresh with full uniforms & equipment & things. All sounded good to me ... DD was happy & seemed to have met a few new friends. We played the first weekend with some players from the 12u playing down ... DD played 2B/OF & only struck out once (which I thought was good considering she had never hit against a live pitcher). This past weekend we played ... 11 players he picked up some new girls (I have no clue from where or what their background was). It was a 1 day tourney with a 3gg ... my DD bat twice & played 1 inning all weekend. He benched the 2 same girls the whole day. The other girl was his #2 hitter. I asked my DD did he tell her why he sat her on the bench & she said he didn't & she told me that for the bracket game he told her she was a sub so she would hit or play in. ??? 2 pool games we got 4th seed out of 14. So here is my issue ... I understand he's going to play his Top 9 in the bracket games ... BUT he picked up 2 more players than he needed, sat 2 of his "original" girls on the bench all day. We all paid the same amount of money Saturday morning. I feel like mine should have gotten a little more time on the field (at least in pool games). I more or less sat there all day watching strangers play ball while my kid sat on the bench.
How should I approach this? Should I email the HC & what should I say? I don't want to start off on a bad note with the HC but I want him to understand how I feel. I'm not one of those parents that think that my child should start every game & always on the field. I believe that if you are going to rotate them be consistent & have a reason. We've had practices & he's told her after each one how good she done ... if she is struggling I would think he should tell me ... especially if she's struggling so much that he's not going to play her @ all. Please help ... am I right or am I wrong?

8u is very competitive in our area. Our team won 1st place in points with the state tournament organization that we play in (IFA). My DD started playing softball through the YMCA & her team won the Dixie Youth District Tournament & advanced to the State. After that she still wanted to play & in our area TB is the only other option until the next spring. We don't have fall ball in our county. The TB that she was on had 2 of her best friends on it & she has learned a lot & improved tremendously from Y ball. If it hadn't been for the poor coaching we wouldn't have left so that she could move up with her friends. I never said she was struggling @ 8u ... she will be 10 in February so she is NOW playing with a 10u team. I'm NOT a nutty parent nor am I going to complain about playing time as long as there is consistency & reasoning IF I paying.

Yeah, uh, ok, the reference to 'competitive 8u' is too good not to highlight. But instead of poking my usual brand of fun at the OP, I'll just leave the above posts intact as a cautionary tale and fade quietly into the shadows.

 

[rdbass]

fade quietly into the shadows Who was that stranger? lol

 

[joeman39]

I feel you should find a person that wants to teach the game instead of worrying about winning. Did someone say something about it's easier to recruit??? Recruit what a 8 yo or 10 yo?? lol What the... just give me some young ladies... Give me what you think are the worse players in the area and we will have fun and learn the game and watch how they improve. To me the reward is improving. Make them better than they were at the beginning. Even if it's only one skill they improve on. Coaches who care about winning can keep all there trophies and recognition because that's all they care about is themselves. I could go on and on but I guess I'll stop... I'm like Amy they all should be playing. Every girl should be hitting and taking turns in the field.

 

[softballmama2x]

I feel you should find a person that wants to teach the game instead of worrying about winning. Did someone say something about it's easier to recruit??? Recruit what a 8 yo or 10 yo?? lol What the... just give me some young ladies... Give me what you think are the worse players in the area and we will have fun and learn the game and watch how they improve. To me the reward is improving. Make them better than they were at the beginning. Even if it's only one skill they improve on. Coaches who care about winning can keep all there trophies and recognition because that's all they care about is themselves. I could go on and on but I guess I'll stop... I'm like Amy they all should be playing. Every girl should be hitting and taking turns in the field.

I agree 110% ... I pay a whole bunch of $ for my child to LEARN this sport & have fun. I'm not concerned about the winning aspect of it as much as I am about my DD learning the fundamentals of the game. Winning is great but I want her to learn more!

**BTW ... Why is there so many rude people on this forum? If you don't have anything nice to say just save the energy of even typing a stupid reply. That's just ridiculous!**