Newbe revelation

[JAD]

I am in the minority on this no doubt, and will likely get flamed for it, but your quote here is EXACTLY why rec leagues should do a much better job of getting qualified coaches, and be worried less about taking a group of girls that a good coach has trained to be good ball players and spreading them around. There may be more to the OPs story, but speaking personally, I think the coaches should be able to continue on with the girls they have helped develop.

There is such a place....it is called "travel ball"!

 

[CoreSoftball20]

My reply was simply that it was not about "me." Unbelievable.

That statement alone is sadly, not correct all the time like it should be. Kids sports sometimes are nothing about the kids.

 

[JAD]

Reading the threads about REC ball politics serves as a great reminder why we moved to TB at 10U and never looked back. Here are a couple of things I will add

1) REC ball is supposed to be fun and developmental.
2) REC teams should be drafted every season.
3) The only protected player should be the head coaches DD
4) Any REC coach who is more interested in winning than having fun and learning needs to move to TB.
5) There are a lot of REC coaches who remind me of "peaked in high school Rob Lowe".
6) The players who improve the most usually work the hardest outside of practice.
7) How much fun is it for the players and coaches when one team is "stacked" and run rules every other team?

 

[CJ D]

There is such a place....it is called "travel ball"!

You are 100% correct. And is why I see less and less girls in my area playing on community rec teams, and more of the good coaches going to travel.


In a way, it's the chicken or the egg debate.

 

[quincy]

IMO players should not be drafted every year, only when the age up.

It has become so unbalanced were everything was blown up but that has been the exception.

DD does not want to play for a different coach/ team every year, she would prefer the same team at least for a couple years.

The OP sounds like a usual situation, I am not sure how you handle an expansion Team. I do not think all the Teams start over is the right answer.

Play ball!

 

[Coach Hig]

Reading the threads about REC ball politics serves as a great reminder why we moved to TB at 10U and never looked back. Here are a couple of things I will add

1) REC ball is supposed to be fun and developmental.
2) REC teams should be drafted every season.
3) The only protected player should be the head coaches DD
4) Any REC coach who is more interested in winning than having fun and learning needs to move to TB.
5) There are a lot of REC coaches who remind me of "peaked in high school Rob Lowe".
6) The players who improve the most usually work the hardest outside of practice.
7) How much fun is it for the players and coaches when one team is "stacked" and run rules every other team?

Could not agree more! Very well stated.

CH

 

[damon s]

I have a question about the word "fair" to whom are we trying to be fair to? if we follow the fair method to its logical conclusion what will we have? first, we don't want all the good players on one team, the stacked team, and all the kids who are new or need more development on the other team. so what we do in the name of fairness is split them up. ok, after a season or 2 of the better players having to not play at their level ie not throwing too hard for fear of hurting a girl who doesn't catch that well. she quits rec. you are now left with all the weaker girls on one team which is what you were trying to avoid in the first place because all the better girls left for travel ball. ever wonder why schools split kids into classes based on their ability? could it be because it is not fair to the smarter kids when they are in a classroom with a kid that needs more help and dominates most of the teachers time? how much will a quality player get out of a rec ball team that most time is spent helping suzy learn how to throw or catch or not be afraid of the ball...answer nothing. IMO have teams based on level of playing ability because we are trying to help all girls not just the ones that are new. now that may sound insensitive but hear me out. when you mix the girls where does suzy play? right field or left bench. if she was on a team with girls at her level she may be the starting SS and who knows she may flourish because she earned her spot and works harder to get on the better team. I always hear it is about fun and not wins and losses so what is the downside other than losing a bunch of games? more playing time? batting second instead of 14? telling her friends she is the starting SS?
as far as the better coaching goes that is easy. have your best coach help the other coaches. show up at their practices teach the other coaches. just because it is how we have always done it, does not make it right.

 

[obbay]

I always hear it is about fun and not wins and losses so what is the downside other than losing a bunch of games?

While its not supposed to be about wins and losses, it is about fun and it is not fun to play a game unless you are trying to win. if you are on a team that always loses, you might find kids are always talking down about your team. Teammates will lose confidence in themselves and everyone on the team.
Girls are VERY socially oriented and can be cruel. the Man-coach can smile and say it's OK, but the mean girls will be snickering at them from the other bench or in school the next day.

 

[JAD]

You are 100% correct. And is why I see less and less girls in my area playing on community rec teams, and more of the good coaches going to travel.

Softball is very popular in GA, so most players make the transition to TB by the end of 12U. 14U and older REC ball in our area is VERY watered down and any player with above average skills would become frustrated by the lack of competition.

 

[damon s]

I understand girls quite well. father of 12, 14 and 16 yo girls and have coached softball for the last five years. so two mediocre teams is the solution? and who says the girls on the "B" team wont win or are not trying to win. the tougher the battle, the sweeter the victory. now lets define victory or success, here's a hint, it has nothing to do with winning a game. success is getting better and it is the coach and orgs responsibility to instill this mindset. wins are a by product of continuing to get better. there are no short cuts. wins are irrelevant, period and should not ever be the goal. by making victory the goal all but one team will be a failure by that definition. it is about having EVERY girl getting better and yes that includes the better girls too. if an org continues to cater to the newer girls, the scenario I described above will be the inevitable.