TB Tryouts for the first time

[MsDinosaur]

That's a good point that parents or players may not consider. Two seasons ago, I had 4 girls who wanted to play catcher, and all were pretty decent. We settled on two catchers and moved the others to SS and 2B. The decision wasn't based on 'who are our two best catchers?' It was based on what would produce the best overall defense. If I've got a girl who is a B+ catcher but C+ everywhere else, then she's likely to be the catcher over the girl who is A- at catcher and every other position.

DD's coach also had 4 catchers. He turned the fast one into a SS, the tall one into a 1B, the lefty with decent speed into a backup C/OF/backup 2B/backup 1B and DD is a catcher/backup 3B. IMO the coaches who turned DD into a catcher and the ones who left her there did the right thing. My child loved playing second base and defensive pitcher back in rec, but she just doesn't have the lateral speed to play middle infield at the TB level. She's worked very hard to make herself a good catcher, which is a position more suited for her body type and speed.

The girls who really can play every position are lucky. However, I'm glad that softball can accomodate many different types of girls. A girl may have to give up her favorite position based on her speed, size or the needs of the team, but there's a place for everyone who's willing to work. That's simply not the case in most sports I see.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

DD's coach also had 4 catchers. He turned the fast one into a SS, the tall one into a 1B, the lefty with decent speed into a backup C/OF/backup 2B/backup 1B and DD is a catcher/backup 3B. IMO the coaches who turned DD into a catcher and the ones who left her there did the right thing. My child loved playing second base and defensive pitcher back in rec, but she just doesn't have the lateral speed to play middle infield at the TB level. She's worked very hard to make herself a good catcher, which is a position more suited for her body type and speed.

The girls who really can play every position are lucky. However, I'm glad that softball can accomodate many different types of girls. A girl may have to give up her favorite position based on her speed, size or the needs of the team, but there's a place for everyone who's willing to work. That's simply not the case in most sports I see.

When we have inquiries about trying out for our team and the parent asks "What positions are you looking for?" , I always give the same answer. Other than pitchers , I don't look for any specific position. I am looking for athletes in general , then I will use them at whatever position benefits the team the most. I don't want that kid that the parent says is only a catcher , SS , etc.

 

[cprofits]

I wish our rec players were given the opportunity to learn more positions rather than be labeled 'x' and there they stay.

 

[kenb63]

Unfortunately when your player has speed, and can hit, many teams, if not most, want someone to cover green and not play in the dirt.

Why is that an unfortunate situation? No position is "better" than another, especially when you are competing for playing time. DD has been at 1B since 2nd grade, but when college coaches started asking about how she was in OF, guess who started playing OF? Coach will play you where you'll do the most good; hopefully that's between the lines and not on the pine.

 

[SCDad]

Negotiated a deal? I'd make sure to wish you good luck on your new team.

Not hard to do. Make friends with the coach, have a few dinners, and tell him my DD (who he likes) wants to stay, but would like to see some action at 1st base every once and a while. He agreed. My DD was also used as DH, and generously sat the bench to keep everyone happy. But yeah, she wanted to play some 1st base. Unselfish player, it worked.

New team loves her. As an outfielder, and DH.

 

[SCDad]

Why is that an unfortunate situation? No position is "better" than another, especially when you are competing for playing time. DD has been at 1B since 2nd grade, but when college coaches started asking about how she was in OF, guess who started playing OF? Coach will play you where you'll do the most good; hopefully that's between the lines and not on the pine.

It is unfortunate because players get "slotted" too early in my opinion. Just because you are a natural outfielder, you do not get reps at other positions that your skill set qualifies. In our case, the corner infield positions. You have to watch the corner infielders, who are always slower, play for years and years.

Young level coaches put slow players at the infield corners (who will never make it to the next level), and sacrifice development of the outfielders. It is not the coaches fault, but how it affects real players, in real life.

College coaches don't play slow players. I have seen with our local D1 team, try to develop a taller, fast outfielder BACK to the infielder corner slots where the younger level coaches would not let them play.

That is unfortunate.

 

[cmustangsfp]

I wish our rec players were given the opportunity to learn more positions rather than be labeled 'x' and there they stay.

There is a way. Volunteer to coach next season. I don't mean it in a condescending way. There are a lot of bad rec coaches out there who will do just what you described. In rec, I moved my players around a lot. I only had them categorized in 2 categories: Those that wanted to be there and those that were made to be there (no effort, whining all the time, volunteering to sit out when more than 10 players showed, always getting "hurt", etc).

 

[cmustangsfp]

Certain types of "Daddy-ball" (DB) has it's place. I have seen the good and bad of DB. I coach so that my DD's would have the opportunities they weren't getting on other DB teams. I too have had my DD's given the "Jenny Finch" invitations to join a TB team. In case you didn't read her book, early on when she (JF) showed some pitching prowess a TB coach picked her to be on his team, not for the reason that she was awesome, but so that he didn't have to face her as an opponent. Kind of keep your frineds close and your enemies closer theory. My DD's were pitchers and put in the hard work to get there, so why shouldn't I get in a position to put them where they could grow? To many of the TB teams around my areas had DD's who pitched as the coaches daughter. When I coached rec, I would let any girl that wanted to pitch get up there and try, then it morphed into, any girl that wanted to pitch who came to practice early or stayed late and worked on pitching at home, I would let try. But they knew that until they showed that they had been practicing a lot, they would not get significant mound time. I would put them in early in games when we had a 5 run rule. If they did good, I would let them get another inning in, if they let in 5, then i would put my DD's in. I thought there was no sense in putting our team in a 10 run hole. If we got 5 runs in also then I might give them another inning to try it also. There is a lot of joy in seeing that newbie pitcher get her first strike out and a lot of pain in seeing one walk 8 batters to let in 5 runs. No sense in letting a girl struggle for too long when she hasn't been practicing.

 

[JJsqueeze]

I agree with what Mustangs said with one little add on. When you are a coach and DD is a pitcher, the expectations on her are bigger. She has to show that she is THAT much better than the others. I was in this position and kept my DD at number 2 until it was so clear that she was number one that I had zero doubt that it was the right move for the team. Otherwise I would have questioned my motivation and keeping daddy ball in check has to be a priority for anyone with a daughter on their team. It is one of those things where you have to avoid even the appearance of favoritism. I am always surprised by how blatant the daddy ball I see is, and how otherwise rational Hcs will measure their kids "potential" against another kids achievements.

 

[SCDad]

You are ready to move to Travel Ball. Don't feel bad about it.

Rec leagues serve a purpose to introduce players to softball. Serious softball players go to travel. That is where the action is.

Find the lowest level travel team you can join. Get reps in your preferred position. Go to travel tourney's and get a feel for it. Watch other teams. Become friendly, and known, and doors open.

Don't worry about who you go with at first. get your feet wet somehow with a lower level team.