Too Many Teams

[_MIA_]

Just pick one, hit her 3000 grounders and MAKE YOUR OWN middle infielder.

Therein lies the problem..I don't care how many team practices you have, that type of rep work ( not sure if you were trying to exaggerate the number but imo that isn't an exaggeration) needs to be accomplished with help from the parents and many don't have the time or willingness (and knowledge to help them do things correctly) to do it. Even if you practice 3 times a week and run an efficient practice, how many ground balls do you think a player will get? 100? You can probably get a serviceable SS at 10U just from practices alone but there is a reason why so many MLB SS come from the Dominican..they are taking hundreds of ground balls a day, with good instruction, in the Academies from the age of 10 up..

As you get older than 10U, e.g. when just catching a ground ball hit straight at you is not enough anymore, athleticism comes in to play as well.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

I get it, good infielders aren’t created in a week. Just chafing at coaches looking for ready made solutions instead of actually coaching / developing. That (to me) is what fall and winter are for. Especially at 10u when you can teach almost any girl almost any position. Especially a tb girl who made your team because (presumably) she’s a reasonably good softball player.

 

[Rick M]

The whole classification thing is tough. DD's team was registered in USSSA B-level last year. The team finished in the bottom 10% by power ranking. They also played in a non-sanctioned event where they beat an A-level team. The few times they played against C-level teams that were playing up, they crushed them.

So, there's no easy answer. I felt like her team had an appropriate mix of competition, they finished the season with a ~.400 winning pct.

 

[FP26]

Not sure if things are still this way, but it seemed like teams became more balanced as we moved up through the age levels.

12u -- This is where my DD started her journey in travel ball. Tons of teams. Some very good. Some not so much. Some that our rec team could have beat.
14u -- Still a lot of teams, but the very good teams were no longer that much better than us (maybe we closed the gap a little). But there was also fewer REALLY bad teams, although there was still some.
16u -- This is the first time we noticed a significant drop in the number of teams. By this age, it seems like a higher percentage of the players are more serious about it. They are either playing travel to hone their skills for high school or to prepare for college. The number of what I would consider "C" level teams fell dramatically by this point.
18u -- Pretty much all average to above average high school players and those looking to play in college. Another drop in the number of teams.
23u -- All college players or girls that have the skill to play college but are not for whatever reason.

Each time we moved up, there was fewer teams, and the teams we played against were more competent. Yes, there is still a talent range. But it wasn't quite as dramatic as the younger ages. This may vary for the rest of you, but it is what we experienced in our area.

 

[uncdrew]

I could see need P or C...but “need MI”? Really? If you have a 10u team where you legit can’t see one of your 10-12 girls playing SS, you’ve got to question what you’re doing. Just pick one, hit her 3000 grounders and MAKE YOUR OWN middle infielder.

The 10U teams needing OF crack me up. Just say you need another player.

 

[Cookinman]

I'm struggling to understand the problem here. I think it's great that there are so many teams, and so many opportunities for girls to play softball at whatever level they are able to compete. The biggest gripe I hear from coaches is this 'dilution' of talent, but I can't get my head around why this is an issue.

I live in PA but DD plays for a team in NJ. Last season there were 10 A-level teams in NJ at the 12U level.....

Sorry, that's my rant for the day. If someone has a cogent argument for why there should be fewer softball teams in the world, I'm all ears.

My youngest plays 12s, on a VERY good team.

Yes, she is a pitcher. Arguably the no. 2 or 3 on our team.

We get offers literally every week for her to go pitch elsewhere and how she would be the star there......
That just WONT help her grow. Injecting her into a lead position versus having her claw and work her way up in unbeneficial in the long run.

In South Florida between North Boca and the southern end of Broward county there have been 16 NEW 12U teams that have sprung up in exactly ONE year. That doesnt include the already 20 something teams that were already there. If each team has ONLY 2 decent pitchers, do the math its just insuportable. NOT because there were THAT many more talented travel kids around, these teams are struggling to complete themselves....Teams are easy to create, Good pitchers to keep them in the games take far far longer...years.

While its GREAT that there are more kids playing, its impossible to find any 12UA teams in our division to play . We re foced to play 14's and travel hours and hour away to find good competition.

My oldest is 14 and fluctuates between 16 and 18U. At that point, the team numbers usually reduce dramatically and thheres almost no B teams.

No sleight on anyone wishing for growth, and I wish ALL success, but just as in business, managing that growth is the trickiest part.

 

[Rick M]

My youngest plays 12s, on a VERY good team.

Yes, she is a pitcher. Arguably the no. 2 or 3 on our team.

We get offers literally every week for her to go pitch elsewhere and how she would be the star there......
That just WONT help her grow. Injecting her into a lead position versus having her claw and work her way up in unbeneficial in the long run.
...
While its GREAT that there are more kids playing, its impossible to find any 12UA teams in our division to play . We re foced to play 14's and travel hours and hour away to find good competition.

This goes back to the dilution/concentration issue earlier in the thread. Your problem is a common one -- the best players gravitate to the top two or three teams in a region, but then that team is so good that they can't find anyone to give them a good game. I totally get where you're coming from; your daughter needs to be pushed from the inside to be at her best. I can only give my perspective as a parent who has taken the opposite approach.

DD is the clear #1 pitcher on a sub-.500 team. There was nobody pushing her for circle time, the only thing limiting her innings was her own capacity to keep throwing pitches. But while she didn't need to step up her game to maintain her spot, she did have to pitch from behind in nearly every game. She lost a half-dozen games, typically by a 3-1 score. When her team did take a lead, it was razor-thin and she had to be at her absolute best to maintain that lead. To me, that is much more beneficial than having to compete for circle time just to be the pitcher holding a 10-1 lead.

 

[Cookinman]

To me, that is much more beneficial than having to compete for circle time just to be the pitcher holding a 10-1 lead.

We are an 07 team and play 14A now as we enter 2nd yr 12s so havent run ruled anyone since 10's really...But my 7th grader can hold her own in HS JV and has thrown quite a few wins in 14's as our #3. If she didnt have to chase our #1, and witness what excellence really looked like firsthand, she wouldnt work nearly as hard as she does, Im sure of it. So on a typical tournament weekend, our 3 split innings Sat and whover threw the best that Sat goes on Sunday in order of how they looked Sat.... Works pretty OK So far. No jealousy and our coaching staff gets it right. Kids are OK w it and know when theyre struggling. When theyre on, theyre in, when they struggle, its time to rest. Not much leash, as we are usually playing kids far bigger than us.

I wouldnt really be opposed to the explosive growth if there was enough quality pitching to sustain it. I can teach anyone to hit and if they do their HW between lessons they'll hit well.
Same w fielding...far easier to build that component of the game.

But quality pitching takes YEARS, that why the better teams HAVE To play up. Everyone wants to be a pitcher at 10 but only few do what pitchers have to do to become consistantly good....
Throw EVERY day or at least 4-5 days a week, lunges, body squats, core work, etc. Then spin on off days. Its CONSTANT work.......Its ALOT to ask a 10-11 yr old to do, but thats what seperates the special ones...IMHO

 

[_MIA_]

I can teach anyone to hit and if they do their HW between lessons they'll hit well.

Where were you when I was playing? Come to think of it would you mind giving me
a couple of lessons as even though I am 44 I think the Sox could use me..I promise to do my HW between lessons...I am really good at HW (ok I used to be good at HW..now I am good at assigning HW).

 

[Cookinman]

Where were you when I was playing? Come to think of it would you mind giving me
a couple of lessons as even though I am 44 I think the Sox could use me..I promise to do my HW between lessons...I am really good at HW (ok I used to be good at HW..now I am good at assigning HW).

Im 50, I was playing when you were playing ... But honestly you lost me at 'SOX'