Merging multiple players from one team into another team

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jul 17, 2012
175
28
Kenmore, WA
Our team returned nine players for the coming season and we are bringing in five new players. Normally, integrating new players is relatively straight forward, but in this case all five of the new players are from the same team and have known each other for years. We will have two groups that already have connections among their members, but now connection between the two groups. We are planning to do all of the typical things like team building activities away from practice, mixing up practice partners religiously, talking and demonstrating our team's values, and bringing the new players players into the culture in a very intentional way. But, I wonder if there are any other ideas that coaches have tried when basically merging two distinct groups. Anything that might help ease the transition?
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Just curious ... are you inheriting any coaching staff also? Was this a planned “merger” or just one heck of a coincidence?
 
May 4, 2016
70
18
East Coast
Assuming this is travel ball, an early season road trip that includes more time in the pool on Friday night and Saturday for the girls and less focus on winning has always seemed to work for the teams we've been on. Also gives the two sets of parents an opportunity to mingle late into the evening. Also, never forget that parents will often sabotage your "team building" by repeating the us and them language at home so they need to be a part of the solution.
 
Aug 2, 2019
343
63
You have to set the tone early, prison yard style.

First team practice, they new girls will most likely congregate together. You got to walk right into their group, go up to the biggest girl and punch her right in the mouth. They'll all fall in line quickly after that.


Or you could do the out of towner with lots of pool time. Both ways would probably work. I'm 50/50 on those two options.
 
Jul 17, 2012
175
28
Kenmore, WA
Just curious ... are you inheriting any coaching staff also? Was this a planned “merger” or just one heck of a coincidence?
It was not a planned merger and no coaches are joining our staff. Their team had sort of reached the end of the line and some of the members were looking for something more. They liked what we offered and after the first one joined more tried out, more joined, and eventually we have five girls from one team.

We are a travel team and we do have an out of town tournament, but it is six weeks into the season. There will be at least one and probably more team bonding activities before even start practice, so the girls will get some opportunities to get to know each other before they start working together.

The biggest one is pretty well built, but I think I can take her, so I may go with the prison yard method. Either that or something from The Culture Code.
 
Jul 17, 2012
175
28
Kenmore, WA
Assuming this is travel ball, an early season road trip that includes more time in the pool on Friday night and Saturday for the girls and less focus on winning has always seemed to work for the teams we've been on. Also gives the two sets of parents an opportunity to mingle late into the evening. Also, never forget that parents will often sabotage your "team building" by repeating the us and them language at home so they need to be a part of the solution.
Getting the parents bought in will be important and a bit more difficult just because we don't see them as often or for very long. That first travel tournament will be a good chance to get to know them.
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
Alcohol.

For the parents.

Although if you're considering the prison yard method, then the kids may already be planning to BYOB anyway... :)
 
Oct 21, 2016
189
28
What age group? That matters a lot. If young like 12U require them to partner with different girls every practice to play catch, go through hitting stations, etc... Basically gently force the groups not to stay groups.

"Play for the name on the front of the jersey and not the name on the back." No idea who said this.
 
Oct 15, 2013
727
63
Seattle, WA
As a parent of one of the five new players I really appreciate that this something that's on your radar. I know at least one other parent who is also concerned about this issue. I think you'll get complete buy in from the parents.

As far as the prison yard method goes, the left handed pitcher may be the biggest, but my DD (BB) is probably the biggest thug. I'd target her.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top