Try out horror

[Damiansports]

I had try outs for 14-U Saturday and Sunday this week. I am head coach moving up from 12-U. My DD is the only 12-U player that ages out for next year.That leaves me with only one returning player for our first year 14-U team.I only had 5 other girls show up the whole weekend(im competing with another organization in the same district) and we only take girls from our school district until we cannot fill a team.My problem is my DD and one other girl ,form the other organization,would be rated a 7 or higher out of 10. The others are first time travel players and are a 4 at best. Do i take what i have and hold another tryout in a few weeks hoping to fill more spots( I feel if I do this my DD and the other girl will be fustrated very quickly) or go outside the school district right away? What suggestions would you have?

 

[InsidePitch]

Sounds like maybe you and the other team need to have a talk and see about joining forces. If you and they can't get enough good travel material than you have too many teams and an alliance may be what is required. Putting quasi good rec players on your travel team will only make for a long summer and short tournaments.

 

[BrianMonk]

Don't coach this year and have your daughter tryout for another team.

 

[sluggers]

Good advice from both InsidePitch and Brian...

 

[PA SB Dad]

I agree. At 14U, it's time to consider letting someone else coach the team your DD plays for. It will do her no good to play for a mediocre team coached by dad. You need to recognize when it is time to step away.

 

[dennysoger]

If your main goal is to win, take your dd to another team. Any coach can win given the horses but if you are up to

the challenge of developing these girls and really having to do some coaching go for it. These players will be forever

grateful that you gave them a chance to play competitively. I`ve been doing it for over 20 yrs now.

 

[starsnuffer]

You shouldn't be coaching your daughter at 14u. Stay and coach the 12u team if you love coaching and let your daughter move on up and try out for another team.

-W

 

[Rocket Eagle]

It's really tough to deal with small numbers! I would urge you to lose the "only from our school district" idea completely. Players are bound together by the school district for school teams and carrying that over actually defeats the purpose of travel teams, especially in older age groups , which is to give serious players a chance to compete at higher competition levels. You'll never reach your full potential by playing at lower competition levels.

Keeping a school team together also restricts position players abilities to learn to play new positions ... I can't play SS because Sally is our SS. One of the things our program preaches to players who want to play college softball is they're much better off being well rounded players than one trick ponies.

We also feel that mixing players from different school programs helps to instill the spirit of good sportsmanship. Learning to be able to compete ferociously - and to do so without animosity toward your opponents - is a great life lesson. Knowing one or more of your opponents makes that possible. We feel it's a win-win situation. It helps grow the sport ... it seems like it won't give your school the competitive edge you're hoping for, but your school's players will become even better for the experience.

 

[lawdawg]

What are your daughter's goals. Remember, very few will actually play college ball - even less at level D1. If her goal is to compete for a State Championship with her school then staying put and coaching up new girls that will play with her in HS seems a viable option. If the goal is D1 college, then I agree - seek out best team with best competition and go for it. They are not mutually exclusive but it seems that defining your/her goals is first step to answering your question.

 

[Coach George]

Time to decide if you want to be a Coach who develops or a Director of winning teams

After 40 years of coaching I have been on both sides of this situation. This is where you start to come to grip with what your true meaning is, when you define yourself as a coach. Anyone can coach gifted players but it takes alot of patience, promoting, and painting a dream for a team full of players who presently do not have the ability to be a winner. Ever hear the expression you have to learn to lose before you can really win! Many of these kids may go on to be great ball players if you decide to develope them. If you do not they will likely quit or go to something else. I know from experience as I too had a daughter who was one of the strongest on a team.
Develop the skills, teach the strategy behind the game and show the players how to think 2-3 plays in advance. How they develop will amaze you, and they will always remember the Coach who gave of himself and who turned them into real ball players. They will never forget you.
I admire coaches who can do this and I wish you the best of luck.
Coach George