Rec. All-Stars...making the cuts

[tomzpc]

I've been asked to coach our 9-10 LL softball all-star team this year. This will be my first time coaching all-stars, thankfully though my assistant also assisted on the same team last year. After discussing things with our BOD and some other coaches who have gone through this the girls will all be graded based on a combination of criteria including how they do in their hitting, fielding, running, throwing, pitching evaluation/try-outs, input and rankings from the other league coaches on the players that were on their teams and also votes by the players themselves. There's no guarantee that we will even have to make cuts as we are a small league and a year ago they only had a dozen girls try-out for the team so they all made it, but I've a feeling that we will have a few more this year so I'm dreading the possibility of having to make some cuts.

Any advice or tips on the best way to handle cuts? I'm a softie myself and I know most of these kids faily well so I'm really not looking forward to this.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Any advice or tips on the best way to handle cuts? I'm a softie myself and I know most of these kids faily well so I'm really not looking forward to this.

Just treat the parents and the kids the way you would want to be treated if your DD got cut from the team. If possible, contact each parent/player directly and let them know personally that you appreciate them trying out for all-stars, that it was a very competitive group of players this year, and emphasis some of the good things about the player, etc.

When making the cuts, try to field the best team possible, take the politics out of the process (if at all possible?), and then don't look back, once you have selected a team. You cannot (and will not) please everyone, you just do what you feel is right for your team and move forward. Good luck!

 

[amanda_cake]

I would suggest posting a list after you make the decision. I'm not sure how everyone would see it though, unless the cuts were made the same day as tryouts. You could email them a list. It would avoid you having to deal with the emotions of making it and not making it.

 

[fosterspoint]

10U All Star selections can be difficult. There is not a lot of difference between the #8 player in the league and the #14 player, especially in the parents eyes. But you will have to rank the players, and they will figure out exactly where you ranked their daughter. If she is not in the top 12, she gets cut. If she is not in the top 9, she will not start. If she is not in the top 6, she will play outfield and bat in the bottom half of the order. Most parents will be ok with your rankings, but you will likely have a couple who don't agree with you, and they may react in a very defensive manner because you are not treating their DD right.

You can never make things perfectly fair or equal. Do your best, make decisions, communicate, and don't be wishy washy about it. Tell them what you are going to do, how you are going to do it, then do it that way.

Good Luck.

 

[mudbug]

I dont know anything about rec softball today. But back when I played LL , all-stars were voted on by the coaches, and drafted from the teams. You did not try out. It was a privelege and honor to be named an all-star for the leageu. Is that way a problem for some reason today?

 

[SoCalDad]

This year I had 28 girls tryout for 14 positions on my AS team. Before tryouts started I informed the parents that I would be calling each and every girl personally who tried out, whether they made the team or not. When it came down to selecting positions 10 - 14 it was tough. I had about 10 girls who could have made those spots. I choose my final 5 based on two key factors: 1) Attitude - I wanted players who had positive attitudes whether they played or not. 2) Speed - enough said. Why was speed important? In bracket play I use DP/Flex exclusively. I also always use pinch runners for my pitchers. Over the years I have seen too many pitchers get hurt unnecessarily on the base paths. By carrying 14 players I have a sufficient number of pinch runners in the even my pitchers get on base 4 - 5 times a game (keep in mind with DP flex only players who have not entered the game are eligible for pinch running).

You need to select the best possible players that give your team the best possible chance to win. You will have some girls with hurt feelings and some parents pissed off. You will also have some girls who are on cloud 9 and some parents who are ecstatic.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I second Mudbug, the league head coaches select the team base on season-long performance. Include several alternates who can practice w/ the team and play in case of injury or vacation. What's the value of kids voting - aren't they likely to just vote for the kids they like? Although that may not be any different than how some of the coaches vote!

 

[Amy in AZ.]

We always just named them from the teams. Like the first place team would get 4 players, then other teams named 2 each. I always let the kids vote. It turned out pretty good.

The first year my kid didn't make it as an 11 YO, but he didn't deserve it. He worked harder the next year and his teammates selected him.

I bet you already know the girls that you want, anyway.

 

[redhotcoach]

Use a tryout form! Take really good notes on them. You will have parents that will want to know why dd didn't make it.

 

[tomzpc]

Thanks folks. I appreciate the comments.

We are going to be doing an evaluation and myself and the other coach will be scoring the girls on speed, fielding, throwing and hitting. Each of those things will constitute a grade in the end. The other grades will be from the reg. season coaches, who will grade the players that were on their team, and then the players themselves who will be asked to rank their top five on a secret ballot. Our better pitchers will get a bonus and then all of the criteria will be weighted, combined and then used for the final determination with positional needs also taken into consideration.