Stay or go...

[CoachKevin]

Something to consider, if she is truly D1 material then there is a little time. I mean she is what a freshman going to be a Sophomore next year? Schools can't talk to her until the Summer of her Junior year. Making a move now for what? Inform those teams that want her that she will finish the season with her current team, if they really want her they wont fill the spot.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Something to consider, if she is truly D1 material then there is a little time. I mean she is what a freshman going to be a Sophomore next year? Schools can't talk to her until the Summer of her Junior year. Making a move now for what? Inform those teams that want her that she will finish the season with her current team, if they really want her they wont fill the spot.

While the coaches can't talk to the players they can come out and watch them. They can keep an eye on them. If she is playing on a higher level 16U team and getting attention then that's where she needs to be. It's not about the other teams waiting. It's about being in the best place to be seen. Heading into the prime recruiting season in the fall she'd already be an integral part of the team. She'd be happy and it'll show.

Last weekend there was a high level PGF tournament in Crown Point, Indiana. There were a bunch of P5 and upper level D1 coaches there watching players. The players can still contact the coaches.

 

[Cagman]

If you don’t like your teammates and enjoy being on a team at that age, then what’s the point of playing there?

This isn’t pro sports where you tolerate your teammates for the sake of a paycheck.

If she isn’t having fun and enjoying it, she won’t be at her best anyways, which is what she will have to be at if playing at another level is what she really wants to do.

It’s travel ball, players come and go all the time. It’s one of the things I despise about today’s youth sports.

Best of luck.

 

[CoachKevin]

While the coaches can't talk to the players they can come out and watch them. They can keep an eye on them. If she is playing on a higher level 16U team and getting attention then that's where she needs to be. It's not about the other teams waiting. It's about being in the best place to be seen. Heading into the prime recruiting season in the fall she'd already be an integral part of the team. She'd be happy and it'll show.

Last weekend there was a high level PGF tournament in Crown Point, Indiana. There were a bunch of P5 and upper level D1 coaches there watching players. The players can still contact the coaches.

While I agree somewhat with that, I disagree with leaving mid-season because you want better opportunities. It's one thing if the coach is abusive or the players are creating an unworkable situation. What if coaches did the same thing? Most here would be going bat sh*t crazy if a coach approached a player mid-season and said, "Sally, you're just not performing during games good enough. We are letting you go and finding someone that can perform".

There are a lot of unknowns as well. Has she contacted any Coaches and sent a video? Has she attended camps? Quitting a team mid season (not even mid season 3/4 of the season) for greener pastures without doing any of the above is fruitless IMO.

 

[justanotherguy]

Something to consider, if she is truly D1 material then there is a little time. I mean she is what a freshman going to be a Sophomore next year? Schools can't talk to her until the Summer of her Junior year. Making a move now for what? Inform those teams that want her that she will finish the season with her current team, if they really want her they wont fill the spot.

She's a rising Junior so true recruitment time is a few months away.

 

[Strike2]

It sounds like this is a 16U team if it has 03s on it, right? Is a roster of 14 unusual in 16U? I've noticed the higher level 12U teams sometimes have 13-15 on the roster. I think marriard nailed it as far as whether to leave or not but I was just curious is that roster is actually unreasonably large.

Some coaches on successful teams stockpile players because they can.

14 isn't unreasonably large for 16U...IF there are always people gone. However, if you regularly have all 14 there on gameday, it's nearly impossible to get everyone enough playing time, which makes it likely that you won't have 14 for very long.

Regardless of age, I wouldn't join a team already having more than 11 unless DD was clearly among the best 9-10.

 

[FP26]

@justanotherguy ,

@marriard provided an excellent post (again...), and I really have nothing to add. I especially like the idea of you and specifically her speaking with the current coach. Actually, as a "rising junior", this is a conversation she may be able to have on her own with the coach. I'm not sure how many tournaments the team has left since it is the end of June already, but maybe ask if there are any specific tournaments that the team will be short players, and offer to play for those. But then play for the other team on the other weekends. Try to turn it into a positive for everyone. Best of luck! Sounds like she has plenty of options, which is a great thing.

 

[FP26]

It sounds like this is a 16U team if it has 03s on it, right? Is a roster of 14 unusual in 16U? I've noticed the higher level 12U teams sometimes have 13-15 on the roster. I think marriard nailed it as far as whether to leave or not but I was just curious is that roster is actually unreasonably large.

12u and 14u we carried 12 or 13 depending on how many weekends each player was available (family vacations...). At 16u we carried 14 but rarely had more than 12 at any tournament. At 18u we carried 15 but rarely had more than 12... At 23u we carried 18 and rarely had more than 10 or 11. In fact, we only had 9 for one tournament. 23u is a completely different animal...

 

[Orange Socks]

Some coaches on successful teams stockpile players because they can.

14 isn't unreasonably large for 16U...IF there are always people gone. However, if you regularly have all 14 there on gameday, it's nearly impossible to get everyone enough playing time, which makes it likely that you won't have 14 for very long.

Regardless of age, I wouldn't join a team already having more than 11 unless DD was clearly among the best 9-10.

Rule of thumb is to roster the same amount of players as the age division. 14 for 14U, 16 for 16U and 18 for 18U. The coaches will have a showcase lineup that gets most kids in the game, if not then the next game.

 

[Orange Socks]

She's a rising Junior so true recruitment time is a few months away.

Has your current team been actually playing in front of coaches? Has your DD been contacting these colleges coaches for the past two years? Recruitment really starts in 9th grade for potential D1 athletes. On Sept 1st D1 coaches already have a list of players that they will reach out to since they have been watching and evaluating them for the past two years. I am the recruiting coordinator for DD's team and I am talking to the college coaches about the younger players all the time. They just can't really express their interest back to me. Join a team that has a history of placing players in the programs that your DD is interested in.

No one has asked this question yet. If she has D1 skills why isn't she one of the top catchers getting the most playing time? Are the 3 other catchers D1 catchers too? Just posing the question.