The "Hissy-Quit"

[Strike2]

What if the coach is using this pick up player as a tryout for that player? Coach: Hey kid I really like what you have to offer our team and would like to offer you a spot. Player: Coach I'd like to play with the team in a tourney to see if it would be a good fit.

Player plays in the tourney and realizes that the parents and players are not receptive to her presence. Player moves on and the team loses the chance to bring on a ringer.

That happens, and it's a reasonable move if there's a need at a particular position, or the roster is small and needs more depth. IF there's a legitimate need, then a player in that scenario is likely to be welcomed. If she's "trying out" with a team of 12+ for that weekend, then maybe not.

 

[SonicMojo]

Close second is a team with good parents.

(hot moms)

 

[uncdrew]

No, I completely agree with that. 100%. But, as an example, our HC last year added a girl to the roster in March. The parents (including Dad who came in to help as an AC) were told that she would get plenty of time in the field (3B/OF), as well as hit. HC had been pursuing this girl/family for several seasons, but the time wasn't right until then.

After things started going south with the team following HC's decision to bring 17 to CO (including several pick-ups that were unannounced to anyone), I was talking with the OTHER AC. He told me in confidence that he and his DD would be leaving next season. He also told me that the girl mentioned above was brought onto the team with FULL intentions of using her as DH only and little to no fielding. HC completely blew smoke up their skirts to get her to join and then benched her from the field all season, other than a few scattered innings here and there. Guess what? She and her Dad, the second AC, are leaving next season too. When both AC's and their daughters bail, that should be a sign.

ETA: And I should add that the family paid full fare, even though it was already March.

That's the kind of shady stuff I'm talking about that HC's sometimes do. Sneaky and dishonorable.

Uh, so what team will you join next/this season? Ugh.

 

[CMMom1740]

Uh, so what team will you join next/this season? Ugh.

Yeah, we took care of that as soon as we got home from CO with three tournaments left with the old team. Played out the season with the old team with a good attitude and then said, "Bye, Felicia." Onward and upward. Us and at least four other families on the team.

 

[uncdrew]

I am a bit leery to put this on here but I put myself in a situation recently which embarrassed everybody around me. I won't go into details (if anybody likes car wrecks they can PM me) but it involved my DD, an umpire, a LF fence, a water bottle and eventually (totally unecessarily but I digress) the police. Everybody was in the right in the situation except me. Everybody was apologized to eventually, including the umpire, but I have now put myself on hiatus from DD's games until I can figure out how to control myself.

Was this part of the relatively drama free season?

I kid. I once embarrassed myself greatly at an 8U rec game. Over a call. I quickly apologized sincerely to everyone and walked away. I think for me it had to happen once so I could learn never to do it again. Man, I'm still embarrassed over that one.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

In my mind, pickup players should be used when the rostered player at that position is unable to play/absent. Or, for example, if it's a 7 guaranteed game tourney and HC feels he needs another pitcher in case they go far into brackets. NOT when all the rostered players will be there and you just want to bring in a ringer in order to win games. That is bush league and unfair to rostered players who paid full fare.

Sorry...pushing kids "down the depth chart due to pickup players" for any tournament is bullsh!t. As the coach, you picked them...that means you train them, and you win and lose with them. Nothing wrong with forming a new team with your chosen players the next season. I can also see exceptions for bad attitudes and chronically not showing up to practice, but those are reasons to not invite someone back or simply cut them, not bring in pick-ups so your rostered players can watch from the bench.

I don't disagree with etiher of you. I hate this part of the game and wish it weren't allowed and encouraged.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

I hissy-quit a men’s slow pitch team once. Was “guesting” on a neighbor’s C league team, playing left field and in the 3rd inning shortstop starts berating me (like crazy loud with some unnecessary language) for overthrowing the cutoff. Walked off the field, grabbed my keys and drove home without saying a word. Life is too short for that nonsense.

 

[Orange Socks]

Well, if the team is down a player or has a hole in the roster (needing a second player at a certain position), that's one thing. Cool, let her come and we'll welcome her with open arms because we need her. If we already have four good pitchers and he wants everyone to move a notch down the pecking order to accommodate Suzie Stud, that might not go over so well, at least with the other pitchers' families.

At 16U/18U the pick up drama disappears. As a team we are all trying to find kids a future college home even with 16-18 players on a team. During some showcases we will pick up an out of state player so she can be seen by certain college coaches. We have gone out of state and picked up local players too. Not one person EVER complained.

When you are playing 12U and only roster 12 players and you typically play your starting 9 the majority of the time, and the kids are used to starting all the time I can see how some feathers could be ruffled. Most of the time though it's the parent/players insecurities bubbling to the top. If the coach can't rotate all the players in a tournament to get decent playing time that coach is ineffective and it's time to move on. The skill set should match the team. You want your kid in the middle so there is someone always pushing her to become better. If DD is underwater and can't compete, time to change teams, unless she is progressing and getting better.

 

[ANNASDAD]

HA! Love the phrase "hissy-quit". Didn't even have to read the thread to picture exactly what this is. I've had the pleasure of being close to a couple of these over the years, and can't think of any where the consensus reaction by the rest of the team wasn't "good f'ing riddance".

but really..."hissy-quit"...great phrase. A+.

Yeah, Eric's on a roll this week, first it was nope-o-meter (which I plan on stealing), and now "hissy-quit". And it's only Thursday!

 

[CMMom1740]

At 16U/18U the pick up drama disappears. As a team we are all trying to find kids a future college home even with 16-18 players on a team. During some showcases we will pick up an out of state player so she can be seen by certain college coaches. We have gone out of state and picked up local players too. Not one person EVER complained.

When you are playing 12U and only roster 12 players and you typically play your starting 9 the majority of the time, and the kids are used to starting all the time I can see how some feathers could be ruffled. Most of the time though it's the parent/players insecurities bubbling to the top. If the coach can't rotate all the players in a tournament to get decent playing time that coach is ineffective and it's time to move on. The skill set should match the team. You want your kid in the middle so there is someone always pushing her to become better. If DD is underwater and can't compete, time to change teams, unless she is progressing and getting better.

We are 16U and that's where all the drama happened. Our HC picked up a COMMITTED catcher for CO when my DD (uncommitted) is the primary catcher for the team and there are backups. We had a pickup pitcher from NY come with us, but she was needed and uncommitted. She fit in great with the team. As a matter of fact, my DD is with her right now at the Headfirst Honor Roll Camp; we got to know the family so well that we trusted them to house our DD up there in NY.