TB Tryouts for the first time

[olivalle2]

We are going to investigate the possibility of moving to 12U TB for the first time and will be attending tryouts for two teams in the next few weeks.

Without making myself look like a fool, how can I ask the following and how can I decide if they are telling me the truth?

"Are positions earned by the best player or are certain positions off limits because they are played by the coach's daughters?"

 

[cuzmail]

Good luck with that!

We just left a team who promised "Absolutely no Daddy Ball". He was the worst Daddy Baller I have ever seen. Can't say we weren't warned though by others who had played for him in the past with other teams. We hoped that the once prominent organization he was now coaching with would be the equalizer. We were wrong!!!

On another note, they will tell you what they want. You have to decide if they are sincere and judge for yourself if the positives outweight the negatives. Sometimes you don't know until you are in the middle of a season. Learn what you can and move on if things are not up to snuff. There is always something to learn even if you learn something to avoid.

 

[Phandle]

If the coach's daughter is playing the position your daughter wants, forget it. It don't matter how much better your kid may be, the coaches daughter will keep her spot.

 

[olivalle2]

The most convenient team:

The coach's daughter is the number one catcher.

Word on the street is the number two catcher is the coach's daughter's BFF and the long time scorekeeper's daughter.

My daughter is a catcher... :|

I'm wondering if we should even waste our time.

 

[Cecelia]

If the coach's daughter is playing the position your daughter wants, forget it. It don't matter how much better your kid may be, the coaches daughter will keep her spot.

This is 100% absolutely true. It doesn't matter how good (or bad) the coach's daughter is. Your daughter will not play that position. We are leaving our current team because of this. You should also know that even if you do ask, the coach will lie and tell you every position is merit based. We've been lied to for the past 2 years.

 

[Cecelia]

Honestly? I wouldn't waste my time on this team. Your daughter won't get to catch.

 

[SCDad]

Demanding to be a catcher is a mistake. Same goes with first base. These are the two most "political" fielding positions.

Much better to be a great infielder, or outfielder, who can play catcher. Way too many young players demand to be catcher. When what they should be doing is honing their infield skills.

Being just a catcher can be a dead end proposition. When older, a bunch of players can play catcher and it is easy to be left out of this position. Having nowhere else to play.

Be careful about insisting on being a catcher. It will hurt your players development in the long run.

 

[Cannonball]

DD had 2 catchers her entire life growing up. Both played catcher but did practice infield as well. Both earned outstanding college scholarships and both started at their colleges as freshmen. (As catchers.)

Per the OP, that is tough because of the position conflict. Still, if there is not a charge for the tryout, it might help your dd get her feet wet per the tryout process. Still, you might want to consider another one of those TB teams in your area.

 

[teammom2]

My question of the day: Is it still Daddy Ball if the coaches kid is actually deserving of the spot? Should she NOT be played in the position because her dad is the coach?

The ss on my daughters team is awesome. She happens to be the coaches kid. Should he put in the 2nd best to make it look better?

 

[marriard]

"Are positions earned by the best player or are certain positions off limits because they are played by the coach's daughters?"

You can't ask, but you might as well assume that is the coaches daughter is the #1 whatever you are very unlikely to knock her off even if it a 'fair' situation.

I have NO issue with the coach's DD playing her position is she is decent at it and isn't a liability (and there isn't someone WAY better at it then her) in front of other players. Coaching is a lot of work and a lot of time commitment and if you can't give your own daughter an opportunity that she deserves - well you are being unfair to her as well. If it is a choice between two players who are pretty even - I'm putting my DD in every time. I went the other way when I first started coaching trying to 'be fair' and all I ended up with is the same issues I would have ended up with anyway as well as being unfair to my DD. I don't consider this approach "Daddy Ball" but you still aren't playing in front of a coaches daughter unless you show you are WAY, WAY past her (and opportunities to show this will be limited as well).

The other way - true daddy ball - where the coaches kids are playing a position or bat high in the order even when there are clearly better options. Well you still are not going to supplant the coaches kid in this case either.

Go to the all the tryouts anyway, but go into it with this knowledge. You want to be on the team that puts your DD on the field - convenient or not.