Leaving team after 6weeks

[softballdaddoc]

( some general feedback to anybody going through decision making of teams)

About talent and playing time~
It is difficult for people on a website to make an assessment without seeing what other pitchers look like and what a posters daughter pitcher looks like. Along with that what the rest of the team looks like compared to what a posters daughter looks like.

And then this~
One of the top three contributors to parental dissatisfaction is parents assessment of players Talent on the field a lot of times has parent goggles on.
(Aka- incorrect assessment of dd and other Talent on the field)

This is why I say ask yourself what type of situation you will be comfortable with. And ask your daughter what she wants to do.
1. Be challenged earn a spot.
2. Be on a lower level team where she is one of the favorites.
3. Be on a team that's focused on winning which may mean she won't get as much playing time as others. But have a more winning experience.
4. Be on a team that may not win very often but is focused on developing all of the players. Where may get to play the same amount as other players. Still maybe not at the position you would prefer all the time because that is difficult on this type of team.

Remember that most of the time you cannot have everything the way you want it.
Would also consider how good the practices are and if she's developing there.

No parent goggles here. My spouse was an Olympic alternate and I was an NCAA athlete for 5 years so we know all about earning spots. My main gripe is that we were told one thing ahead of signing (everyone will get a shot at every position) and this has not been the case. DD is happy to earn a spot if she is given the chance to do so. At 11yo we don’t care if she loses every game (she only wants to play and get better) but want to make sure she has the best experience for the money which is not short.

 

[RADcatcher]

It’s not short stop in particular, in fact she prefers the corners or second, it’s the fact that coach hasn’t let any of the younger girls even try them in practice which is what was promised at the outset.

Yes it's frustrating when at the beginning of a team coach lays out a strategy and then things seem to turn out a little bit different. Happens a lot like that!

You can commiserate about this on and on.
Or....
Talk to the coach! Ask them if they have made a reevaluation of their strategy or if they are planning on following through with giving players chances at other positions?

Best question to ask a coach imo is
'now that you have seen my daughter over a month and a half what do you see her role on the team as being?'

 

[softballdaddoc]

Your daughter who is a pitcher is on a team with FOUR pitchers and it appears two of them are the starters.
Being a pitcher will generally always be a challenge to be #1, 2, 3, 4 Etc.
That may be a conversation to have with your daughter about the challenge of being a pitcher.


' coach seems to have decided'
? So you are already considering leaving the team yet haven't had another conversation with the coach after joining the team? At this point it is your assumption


?Did you find any other post that said talk to the coach again? Now you have some insight to start that conversation with the coach.


This comment while may have been important to you on the last young team she played with is irrelevant now... because it is not reflecting comparing to the players on the team she is currently with.

If you are going to be influenced by what another coach says trying to poach your daughter from the team she is already on that in itself will create shtuff. And you will be continually going through shtuff if you let that affect you. Poachers will be poachers.

Thank you for so much detail in your response. Our problem is more with the “it appears two are starters”. How was this determined? I didn’t add much detail in my post. The two “starters” are older simple. There was no side by side comparison done nor talking to pitching coaches or watching in games. Just simply these two are older (not bigger, taller, faster, more in control) just older.

One coach that wants her is a coach that has known her for a long time not a known poacher (softball world is small).

 

[softballdaddoc]

Yes it's frustrating when at the beginning of a team coach lays out a strategy and then things seem to turn out a little bit different. Happens a lot like that!

You can commiserate about this on and on.
Or....
Talk to the coach! Ask them if they have made a reevaluation of their strategy or if they are planning on following through with giving players chances at other positions?

Best question to ask a coach imo is now that you have seen my daughter over a month and a half what do you see her role on the team as being.

Perfect thanks!

 

[RADcatcher]

Literally had a catching student go on a team about 3 months ago where I myself heard the coach talk about what his plans were going to be. And guess what, simply hearing what his plans were going to be and the number of players on the roster I knew it couldn't work out how he said. Students family asked me about what I thought when they were deciding to join the team. I was very upfront about my thoughts on his strategy. And guess what it turned out exactly as I imagined. It did not roll out well at all. To the point where one of the coaches left the team six weeks in.

And (from what I think was the frustration of the coach thinking he had a doable plan that was actually terrible)

...the HC coach went from being Mr peppy positive to being the critical fingerpointer.
Sometimes it does take stepping into something to finding out it's not what you want.... because then you get to see reality of it.

It is ok to have an evaluation like you are doing. Talk to the coach see what the coach says now. And make your decision from there.

 

[daywalkerdad]

In my experience pitchers who can throw strikes and keep the ball out of the middle of the plate eventually get the innings they want. When starting a new team it can sometimes take a few months.
How many innings does your DD want? In my opinion at that age they need just enough to keep them working on their own.
Pressure innings is a plus.
I would rather have too few than too much.
As I think someone mentioned any team for a pitcher look at the defense. Strike outs per inning will go down with age and better teams.

 

[Orange Socks]

"after three fall league games and 5 practices"

This is all you get after 6 weeks? Am I missing something? How many games do you get in the fall season? What is the format? Sounds like there are 3 pitchers are on this team. There aren't enough innings to go around for league team. Assuming you get 5 innings for a timed game? For a league team that plays 2 games a week. One pitcher plus a back up is all you need.

 

[uncdrew]

Agree for sure. Last year was that situation and even though it was frustrating at least she got valuable in game experience. I know the coaching staff for other club very well and they are beloved in the softball community.

Sounds like you should have gone to this other club. I'd go to it now.

I don't like quitting mid-season, but I acknowledge some shake-ups early in a season do happen and usually are the right thing for everyone. It doesn't sound like you leaving will screw over this team - sounds like they'll do fine without y'all. That said, I'd go to this other team.

 

[softballdaddoc]

"after three fall league games and 5 practices"

This is all you get after 6 weeks? Am I missing something? How many games do you get in the fall season? What is the format? Sounds like there are 3 pitchers are on this team. There aren't enough innings to go around for league team. Assuming you get 5 innings for a timed game? For a league team that plays 2 games a week. One pitcher plus a back up is all you need.

Northeast and many weekends have been rained out.

 

[uncdrew]

No parent goggles here. My spouse was an Olympic alternate and I was an NCAA athlete for 5 years so we know all about earning spots. My main gripe is that we were told one thing ahead of signing (everyone will get a shot at every position) and this has not been the case. DD is happy to earn a spot if she is given the chance to do so. At 11yo we don’t care if she loses every game (she only wants to play and get better) but want to make sure she has the best experience for the money which is not short.

Yup.

If they told you one thing and are now doing the opposite, it's their fault you're leaving.