WARRIORMIKE
Pro-Staff Everything
Yes to what JAD mentioned too. Recruiting is huge if she want to play college ball. Are they going to showcase your dd or will they use her occasional? Game experience is critical.
My answers are above.
The goal would be to get her to a point to where she could really hit recruiting hard at the 16U level if she still wants to a year from now. By that time she will have a better idea of what she wants out of a college and not just a softball program.
The most important question was left out by everyone. On the good team does the coach have a DD who pitches? If the answer is yes the decision is easy.
How old is your DD? 14U or younger I would go with the B-level team. 16U and above I would go with the A-level team.
My answer is "it depends"...
1) Does your DD want to play in college?
2) If the answer to #1 is "yes" where is she in the recruiting process?
3) If the answer to #1 is "yes" what size school? P5? D1? D2? D3?
4) How much lower is the B-level team? Do they ever "play up" in tournaments?
5) Do the coaches on the A-level team understand the recruiting process?
6) Are the coaches on the A-level team committed to winning or getting their players recruited?
7) Showcase schedules?
I am a big fan of being the #1 or #2 pitcher on a team, on most teams the #3 and #4 pitchers see limited circle time in blow out games, pool games or against inferior competition. If your DD wants to play P5 it helps to be on on a team in a marquee organization that plays in the top showcases. Other schools do a much better job of finding talent on other teams.
The bold part is not case all the time. Going by personal experience, my daughter did not play in a big national organization. Never went to any big showcases and in the showcases we went to, we were put in a field far far away from where all the big marquee teams were playing. But she is committed to a P5 school as a pitcher. This year was the first time she even went and played in PGF national in California with a big name team, because the coach wanted her to play tougher competition. The point is, if you are good enough and if you are needed for that particular program, colleges will find you.
Thanks for the replies everyone.
First off DD is playing 14U. She played on a decent A team last year and was the third pitcher. She would have loved to stay on that team but it fell apart late in the tryout process meaning opportunities were limited. The coach of the A team she tried out for does NOT have a daughter who pitchers (neither does the B team) but the team has been together for a few years and the top pitchers are pretty well set. She is an A level player defensively and offensively but not an A level "top of the rotation" pitcher right now which is what led to looking at a lower level team in the first place.
After reading through all of these and discussing with DD, the decision was made to go with the B team (that aspires to be A) for the fall and get as many innings as possible. We will re-evaluate after that and decide if she wants to stay there or look for something different during the winter months. She is also taking this as a challenge to use the fall and winter to become the best pitcher she can.
Worst case scenario the team isn't what she wants and she gets a ton of innings and looks to move on. Best case, they are a great team and advance to A quickly with her as their #1 pitcher.
The bold part is not case all the time. Going by personal experience, my daughter did not play in a big national organization. Never went to any big showcases and in the showcases we went to, we were put in a field far far away from where all the big marquee teams were playing. But she is committed to a P5 school as a pitcher. This year was the first time she even went and played in PGF national in California with a big name team, because the coach wanted her to play tougher competition. The point is, if you are good enough and if you are needed for that particular program, colleges will find you.