Playing Time and Player Growth

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Apr 28, 2019
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The top 9 isn't written in stone, and can/does change weekend to weekend based on Saturday or League play. 6-7 of the girls probably are always in, but might not be based on a number of factors. We practice a lot, and most of our girls take lessons, and practice outside of organized team events. Some girls are excelling, and some are getting better, but at a slower rate.

I understand the need to get girls involved, but at what point do you put individual growth in front of the team growth?
You know I think the emphasis should be on improving individual skills 1st. As you improve ind skills the team gets better as a whole. The object is to put your best players in positions to make plays. So the big question is what determines who your best players are?
Girls that have advanced skills?
Girls that make all practices & games?
Girls with great attitudes that are very coachable?
Girls who are emotionally mature and can handle pressure without getting emotional?
I believe there is too much emphasis on winning at early ages. The focus should be passing on knowledge and teachable moments. Lots of positive reinforcement. You have to build the foundation early on so you can be competitive as the girls grow and improve.
Friendly competition during practices is a great way to bring this to light.
In the big picture sports is just a simulation of real life. It takes a team with girls of the same mindset to push each other and challenge for tourney titles.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Either approach is fine, but it's your team.

But I have a hard question. Isn't this probably the end of the line for the kids that can't start on a 12U B team? It's sad, but it all ends at some point for every kid. So, from 12 forward kids will drop off each year as they go through the funnel. It's often very difficult for the parent and player to go through this.

Absolutely not.

First, it depends on what you mean by "end of the line." Should they give up on their dream of playing for Oklahoma? Possibly, but also, maybe not. Plenty of late bloomers out there. Plenty of kids who haven't even started playing at 12U who find their way to top college programs. But even if that goal isn't within reach, they can certainly continue playing at a decent level at least through their high school years.

Not only that, but there's a lot of information we don't know. I can think of a number of girls who just started playing with us this year or last year. Not sure any of them would start on a B-level team right now (I guess that depends on how good that team is), but I can see a ton of potential in them. I have no idea if they'll develop, if I'm a good enough coach to develop them, if the parents are dedicated enough to keep them working, or if the kids will love the game enough to make the effort. But I do know that there are very few girls we have who I believe will reach that "end of the line" point at a young age.
 
Apr 20, 2017
152
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For the most part it sounds like you have a good plan in place to offer development and be a competitive team. Depending on what you told the parents up front you have a commitment to the top players that work hard to win when possible. The biggest issue I have seen some coaches have is always playing the same 9 while saying they play the best 9. Sometimes one of your best players will have a bad weekend and a lesser player will be having a great one. If the bottom girls have seen one of them get bumped up after working hard it teaches them all that you do the work it pays off.
 
Nov 18, 2013
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My thought is because it’s a B team playing time should be evenly distributed, girls should all play multiple positions and roster bat in all games. If a girl is competent at any position she should get a chance to play there.

If a girl were too good to ride the bench on Sunday she’d be on an A team.
 
Apr 28, 2019
1,423
83
My thought is because it’s a B team playing time should be evenly distributed, girls should all play multiple positions and roster bat in all games. If a girl is competent at any position she should get a chance to play there.

If a girl were too good to ride the bench on Sunday she’d be on an A team.
Not necessarily. Let’s not forget coaches choose what level team they are. Unless of course a team is crushing everybody and then the sanctioning body would step in and adjust their level of play.
There are many A teams that get beat by B teams. Just because you call yourself an A team doesn’t mean you have A level talent. Sometimes just more of a recruiting tool to try and lure better players to a team.
I would rather be known as a B team and be very competitive than an A team losing 1st game on Sunday’s consistently. It’s the whole under promise/over deliver debate vs over promise/under deliver.
 
Jun 7, 2019
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NJgators14uSPARK

I think it is determined by the conversation you had with the parents prior to signing their child to the team. If you told the parents that this was your philosophy and they wanted to be a part of it then that's what they signed up for.

THIS is the first rule of choosing a team. Parents who were looking for something else (lots of different reasons) are better off elsewhere.

At 12u/14u, we did not keep more than 12 players on our team.
This is the second rule of choosing a team. I always thought that for every kid in excess of 12, there were one or two more sets of eyes burning laser holes in the back of my skull for not playing their daughter.

And as for preferences, I let it be known right up front that - with the possible exception of a couple special tournaments like States, for instance - everyone would play two full games on Sat. Only 9 players, no full lineup with everyone batting. You got 2 full games and sat one. And on Sunday, depending upon seeding, bottom 3 might play some in early games. But Sundays were for winning.

I seldom had problems with parents or kids. And I always worked hard at practice for the bottom kids to get better. Guess what? Those bottom kids who worked hard often worked themselves out of the bottom 3.
 
Dec 15, 2012
102
18
At the age group and level described I recommend the following.
Group your players into three separate groups A, B, and C level players based on skill. (Roughly equal amounts of players). During pool games I try to play everyone equally and have roughly the same amount of each group on the field at the same time.. As it gets to bracket play, I play all of the A, most if not all of the Bs, and some of the Cs. Mist of the time I’m rotating in C players to give them some playing time but not as much as the A and B players. Always look for some way to get the C players involved in games that are out hand, base running situations, or pinch hitting. Your job as a coach in a 12U B team is to make sure each player develops over the course of the season. If you don’t keep your C players playing you will lose them. They will quit showing up to practices, skip games for birthday parties, etc.... as they are not fully involved in the team. You may also find that you need to replace them when they decide not to come back for the next season.

Older age groups and abilities require a different approach.
 

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