Team Change After Fall

[marriard]

1–What percentage of those openings are created by the bottom two or three girls on the roster having quit or gone to weaker teams due to a perceived lack of playing time?

Probably about 25% I would say.

There is a good portion where the team is already so weak that some random girl from another team probably makes them better.
Some teams never had more than 9 or 10, so a couple more are needed.
Some lost girls because the coach is a nutjob or the parents were sick of other parents.
Another portion where some parent group breaks off half the team to form their own team.
Some where the best players left just left for a better team or org.
Some players just quit the game

And so on... The reasons players leave are numerous.

2–Has anyone actually had success in appealing to players who felt they were not treated fairly on their last team? I would tend to think this approach attracts more problems than solutions but perhaps some diamonds in the rough.

Yep, our org picks up girls ALL the time across our org. I would say a good 75% of the local and sometimes not so local 'we have issues with our past team' turn up at our tryouts. Do we take them all? No of course not, but our coaches pick up a whole lot of them; and yes we have 2nd level teams in most age groups - but they all have good coaches associated with them so if they do see something in the girl; they are given a pretty good chance to show it was the past team and not them.

The other thing is that the community is small. Once you have played a season or two, you know who the problem players/families are. If you take them on, you know what you are going to get. We don't see our coaches take on many known big problems.

 

[BrianTx01]

Sometimes it is just time to go. No use staying on for the long spring/summer season of the fit isn't right. I think the larger issue is how often teams/players move and not when they move.

 

[Hawk_]

We joined a team in the fall and it is....TOXIC. So we will be looking. Lots of potential on the team but it's just not a good environment.

 

[Lance Steckler]

We joined a team in the fall and it is....TOXIC. So we will be looking. Lots of potential on the team but it's just not a good environment.

that happens as well.

 

[flash277]

Its called " we are a business" and "dont compete for a spot, just go someplace else". Some organizations have 2 to 3 teams at each level but they always need to fill the 3rd for some reason. Why not just have less teams in your organization???

Come on Coach, less teams equals less money, you know that.

 

[Rolling Hard]

We joined a team in the fall and it is....TOXIC. So we will be looking. Lots of potential on the team but it's just not a good environment.

Was there some indication that this might be a TOXIC team? Did you talk with other parents before you joined? What made it TOXIC?

 

[Hawk_]

Was there some indication that this might be a TOXIC team? Did you talk with other parents before you joined? What made it TOXIC?

There was actually none. The parents are fine, the players are very cliquey and some are uncoachable. My DD came in and earned her position, earned batting 4th, and the player who previously held those spots was moved and then whined about it, anytime there is a mistake by DD she hears about it from the clique. I was asked to help coach the team....it went so far as for me to call time for me to tell the girls on defense to stop saying negative stuff to each other. Every play the 3rd baseman or the catcher would say something small or say someone needed to be somewhere they didn't need to be. Basically I said "i'm the coach i have told them where to be in situations and you don't know what you are talking about shut up and play your positions"...... these are 2nd year 14u players. DD is first yr 14u.

 

[kennykozman!!]

Do more players leave looking for a higher talent team or a lower talent team?

Looking to leave because the team stinks or the team is too good for them?

My daughter left a higher level team for a lower talent team at 14U. Left on good terms just needed more playing time and experience.

However now she gets close to 50% of the innings as a pitcher and really contributes to their success versus 10% of the innings before.

Not exactly a showcase team but DD is having fun, getting more reps, and feels great when she helps them win. This is more fun for everyone!

 

[Orange Socks]

My daughter left a higher level team for a lower talent team at 14U. Left on good terms just needed more playing time and experience.

However now she gets close to 50% of the innings as a pitcher and really contributes to their success versus 10% of the innings before.

Not exactly a showcase team but DD is having fun, getting more reps, and feels great when she helps them win. This is more fun for everyone!

Those extra innings will help her vastly improve and will pave the way to a higher level team down the road.

 

[uncdrew]

My daughter left a higher level team for a lower talent team at 14U. Left on good terms just needed more playing time and experience.

However now she gets close to 50% of the innings as a pitcher and really contributes to their success versus 10% of the innings before.

Not exactly a showcase team but DD is having fun, getting more reps, and feels great when she helps them win. This is more fun for everyone!

Excellent.

I do question the families that stay on a team where they barely ever play.