*POLL* is any team ever perfect fit?

[radness]

The search for the right team seems to be an endless topic of conversation. Seems people are interested in "at what point" do people move on.
In the post polling why people left teams.
Top reasons to leave~
#1 Coaches Attitude
#2 Teams Abilty
amazingly playing time was mixed in other lessor reasons!

How about this perspective~
With the gathered experiences on dfp
What are your reasons that you were "flexible" on
to pick next team and stayed with.

What are the things you are able/willing to "overlook"
( wish would have been better)
But stayed with the team.

How about 100% perfect fit?!

Wonder if this is where playing time may turn out to be #1 reason?

 

[uncdrew]

In and around Atlanta, we have a few teams in our age bracket 12U that are set. But then about 15 teams with decent cores of 6-7 girls. But one need pitching, the other needs catching, the others need bats.

It just seems like those 15 teams need to condense down to about 10 solid teams and then make a lower-tier of teams with what's left over. We just see so many teams with missing parts and that creates upset parents. We had over 10 girls show up to our open tryout, which seems like a ton to me (for this time of year in Georgia). We need one or two key pieces ourselves. But if we get the good pitcher from the other team, then that team is in even worse shape. And that team called me trying to get us (my DD is a pitcher). Seems like musical chairs where everyone's a loser.

 

[EC22]

We made our minds up to move teams(after the season) 2 weeks into summer. Tough call considering moving to 18u as 2022 with the lack of clarity regarding real college opportunities. Many people throughout our 4 years with this coach asked how we could play for him. Well. DD developed into a quality player under him. They worked extremely hard and were challenged. However, the further this went, the more it became about him and not the girls. It became abusive. He cut quality players once challenged by them or parents. Bottom line, the team quit on this a-hole the second weekend of summer and what was once a very competitive team turned into a joke. The girls tuned him out and didn't even want to be there. Couple this with a decline in talent from those he cut. The core(top players) felt the pain of his player decisions. Long story but he lost both MI, #1 & 2 pitchers and #1 outfielder this fall. They are going to be hard pressed to even field a low level B team.
Long story but these team decisions are tough. Known vs unknown? We are happy we moved and happy with the org, coach, schedule, competition and support.
Even so, its not perfect. On this team, there is a 'legacy' player that simply doesn't belong. But the coach still has to get her PT. Great girl, just lacks the skills necessary at this level and has cost this team a couple of games including a final.
Point is there's no perfect fit and you can't know everything before committing to another team. We are happy with our new team despite this because DD is has committed and this org is providing significant training and support of her growth and most importantly, She's Happy again.

Please never have your daughter stay with someone who makes her want to quit! Last summer was very difficult.

 

[radness]

In and around Atlanta, we have a few teams in our age bracket 12U that are set. But then about 15 teams with decent cores of 6-7 girls. But one need pitching, the other needs catching, the others need bats.

It just seems like those 15 teams need to condense down to about 10 solid teams and then make a lower-tier of teams with what's left over. We just see so many teams with missing parts and that creates upset parents. We had over 10 girls show up to our open tryout, which seems like a ton to me (for this time of year in Georgia). We need one or two key pieces ourselves. But if we get the good pitcher from the other team, then that team is in even worse shape. And that team called me trying to get us (my DD is a pitcher). Seems like musical chairs where everyone's a loser.

Spot on here as well in so.cal.

AND when two team's and coaches merge many times they cant figure out how to coach together.
Or a little rollar coaster trying to figure it out.

 

[FP26]

The challenge with a question like this is that team dynamics change every year. Even if your team has low turnover, losing 1 or 2 players, replacing them with 1 or 2 other players and families. How does each mesh with the existing group? How does each players role change? Etc. So many things to take into consideration. That said, when I look back on DD's travel ball career, there were very few negatives overall. Her first year 14u season was a complete mess, but was just one season. Her other years were much more positive than negative. DD is home from school now so I asked her about it. She has positive memories from each year she played, and still has friends from each of those teams. It's important to have realistic expectations of both the player and the team. Some people set the bar so high, they are doomed to be disappointed.

 

[Strike2]

Few situations are perfect. To me, the most important things are good instruction, growth, playing time, and do the players like being together. If those aspects are there, then one can look past the inevitable personality quirks from coaches and parents. Even if the coach is a bit of an a-hole, if the team gets along well and can play, success usually follows.

 

[Strike2]

Spot on here as well in so.cal.

AND when two team's and coaches merge many times they cant figure out how to coach together.
Or a little rollar coaster trying to figure it out.

This is so true. My guess is far more failures than successes.

 

[Ksphenom]

Perfect fit?
I'll break this down into categories parents compromise on for the family and DD's.

Cost:
Fee's and ongoing costs to play. Winter training, private instruction etc. Traveling expenses. Gloves, bats, or mental health. Costs can be the largest consideration for many people.

Convenience:
Proximity considerations, friends, and or siblings playing together. Parents players carpooling. Traveling together out-of-town when applicable. Not all parents can take off the time to support TB.

Competition:
Trying to find the best fit for your DD or team. Fun versus being competitive. Playing up when necessary to get the most from the experience. Traveling to find like teams playing at similar levels of play or line up to see where you really belong. DD's should play with at least one player that can push yours to work harder to be better.

Competence:
Identifying coaching that can navigate the multitude of individual players, team dynamics, and parents. Coordinate effective practices, schedule practices, and tournaments wherever they my be. Able to impart the fundamentals of softball and capable of in game navigation to extract the most from the situational play occurring.

College:
Moving toward teams at the correct age, time that have the connections to get the attention of the people you're needing to reach. Be prepared to help DD initially to do the work reaching these coaches if not in the position via these teams or coaches.

Softball is perfectly imperfect as parents rarely get everything they'd like for their DD's and family.

 

[Top_Notch]

What are the things you are able/willing to "overlook"

1 Cost. Cost was not a factor.
2 Proximity. The commute is further, much further.

Things we were no longer willing to overlook. Abusive coaches, lack of org. transparency, daddy ball, false promises. Went from one org where the president wouldn't give anyone the time of day to the current one who emails to my DD, knows her goals, and guides her during recruiting. My only regret is not leaving a year earlier.

 

[KrisHur]

We've been lucky!! DD started a few years in Rec and while I wish the coaches were more experienced (first time dads with first time daughters) they did a good job educating themselves and fostered a love of the game they get a 95%. The move to TB at 12 she found a great program with amazing coaches and only 1 snotty girl on the team (there has to be one, right? LOL) they get a 100%. DD isn't the best, isn't the worst and is growing/learning with every practice and game. Lockdowns coaches went right to zoom and spend hours everyday with each of the girls doing virtural hitting/fielding lessons, a group book club reading Mind Gym, etc, etc.