Retaining Players and How many Tryouts are too many

[radness]

Hey all.

Just wondering how many tryouts are too many to go to? Or too little? if you are going from young 12u to older 12u how many do not try out anywhere else at all and just stay with current organization? How many new players do teams usually take at an age group? seems like most hjave enough players coming up from a younger team. In this case, it seems like it would be hard to mae another team unless you are a top star type player. Not sure how that all works.

I like the organization my daughter is in, but it is quite far from home for practices, especially during the week when i have to run home from work to take her. i really would not want to move her or look like i am actively trying to move her, but i feel going to a couple of tryouts just to see what is out there nearer us should be something we do. I feel very conflicted and other parts of me just want to not try out anywhere and look forward to next season knowing she will get more time since she is only 3 12u retained from current as all the other girls are going to 14u from her team they have a good amount of 10Us coming up though to join them. she is prepared for more time though we expect the team to struggle due to it being a young 12u team outside of her and a couple of others.

So just curious on how may tryouts are too much? what are teams really looking for if most of their players are still available from inside their own organizations?

Are you already familiar with the other team's closer to home? That's generally something you could have assessed from having watched them play. Or playing against them.

Reasons to go to another team should include better coaching and facilitation.
Then can include age of the team that will be moving up together or not.

Outlier topics like if the team going to play for the coach's daughter plays the same position is something to consider

 

[Tide_will_Roll]

I'm not an expert but I've been around enough to be dangerous. At 12U, it is still about learning and development.

Will the new team give your daughter a chance to learn and develop at a position she has interest in playing? Or, are they a you are a 3B, you are an OF and you don't play or practice anywhere else type of coach?

To me, that kind of coach does a disservice to kids playing 12U. At some point your daughter may really have to move to another team. Being able to say she has more than one position she can play is another tool in her toolbox. Moreover, 12 year olds are still growing and developing. A kid who "only plays 2b" may he an amazing cf in a year or two after developing more. She might never realize her potential though.

 

[daywalkerdad]

As mentioned it would depend on the tryouts going on. The “cattle call” tryouts can be troubling. Many orgs require tryouts weather the coach is really looking or not.
For what it is worth Questions I would ask, how many players are you adding? What positions? Will they do private tryouts? What drills will you be doing? Are they committed to developing players? For example you would not want a pitcher just pitching a few innings in pool and not being developed at anything else.
Many tryouts are looking for 1-2 players that are top talents.
if you go to a tryout with 50 girls for 2 spots it may not be the best ball player that gets taken as they really cannot tell. It maybe a rocket arm, hitting bombs, or super speed or the most likely is a player they are familiar with/from a well known organization. Do you keep your kids stats? If you have good stats use that to get a private, and if they will not it probably means that position is filled.

 

[uncdrew]

Many have said it, but I'll repeat some of it. I know the position you're in well. Been there.

1. You should know already what teams you're targeting. You should know the good 12U teams (because you've played them), where they practice, and with a little time on Game Changer, you can identify where they might need help. Is your DD a 3B and they don't seem to have one? Or their 3B doesn't bat in bracket games? Or simply has a lot of errors or doesn't hit well. That kind of thing.

2. Kids are amazingly resilient and will make new friends so easily. Hanging around a team because of friends can make sense in some cases, but just isn't as big a deal as we often think initially. If they are close, they'll stay close. Are they really real tight friends, or just softball friends. They'll remain softball friends.

3. I've found playing in your age group with a better team is a better experience than playing up an age group for a less good team. More fun, better for her development, better for team bonding.

4. We love going to tryouts. It's good to meet coaches, get on their radars, good to have more experience "under pressure". You never know what might happen. If you don't go, you can pretty much guarantee nothing will happen. I even think there is some merit in the big org cattle call tryouts. It's a good experience and again, you get on coach's radars. It's good to be known. And hey, they do take players from those. It's how we made our last team.