Tryouts, breaking the news: "You didn't make it"

[Coach JV]

If you have a decent turnout at tryouts, roster both and A and B
team. Put her on the team where she fits best-problem solved

 

[starsnuffer]

Your last sentence could be right on. ... We do need to be clearer on what our objectives are. I have to take responsibility for that.

I also want to make sure that you and others understand what I mean by a 'B' team, however. How you described a 'B' team doesn't match us, which doesn't mean one's right and another's wrong. Definitions of 'B' team vary widely across the nation.

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. I instinctively go off the ASA definition of a B team which, at the 12u level, is a registered recreation league team (either by try-outs, selection, ect). I coach one of these myself after coming from an A ball background and I've been in similar situations. We also went the "2 teams" route. I won't say this solves your problems though, as the "reject team" invariably looses more, thus exasperates whatever other issues might be going on with the team. . . and then there is the constant nagging of the parents for their daughter to "play on the other team".

-W

 

[BrianMonk]

You’ve got a 12th player that understands/accepts she’s the 12th player with parents that understand/accept she’s a 12th player? She puts forth good effort in practice and games?

Sounds like a keeper to me.

Regardless of which “12” you keep, they’ll be an 11th and 12th player on the team from a competitive standpoint. Many times it’s those players/parents that are the malcontents on the team. They cause the drama and/or “issues” that come about. They can be very divisive.

I guess I’m the oddball in that I don’t believe one player that puts forth effort holds the other 11 back (at least at pre-showcase level/age play). Attitude could certainly do it but skill level, I don’t buy it. You still have competition for your starting 9. Players still sit and/or are only role players when championship play comes into the picture.

If it was me, I’d offer her a spot with the understanding that she agrees with working on “pick her weaknesses” outside of practice. If she agrees, she’s on the team. If she doesn’t, look elsewhere.

 

[CoachKevin]

I guess I was the complete opposite until last year. The way I looked at it was if they made the team they should play. That is why I had a good idea during the tryouts that they would be the bottom 2 players. I guess it gave me a way out to cut them since they had been with us for a few years.

 

[playball13]

Had a similar situation at 10U with a couple of girls. 1 girl came to several 'open' practices. She was a real rec ball player and had terrible skills. But at each open practice you could tell she was practicing on her own and getting better. After tryouts she was #13 I only kept 12. I knew she would work hard but I took a better skilled player (not real smart). The better skilled 10U quit softball after 2 years. The other girl continued to work hard and is now on an 18U Gold team pitching and playing SS. Hard work and time can win out.

 

[Richards]

Serious dilema and one that can usually be handled in honest tact with the parents. If they are true friends and want to continue their daughters efforts in softball I would have you consider this option. Hold the tryouts and have 3 seperate coaches evaluate the players on a totally objective scale. This will take out the emotions you feel towards the player and her family. Ultimately you will have the final decisoin but if she isn't one that you can have on the team consider this:

If she is truly passionate about the game have her begin to assist you in other areas that can really benefit the team and teach her the intellectual skills that go with the game. Have her attend practices as well as games, but when at games have her keep hitting charts and pitching charts on each and every batter. Challenge her to figure out where to pitch the batters, what pitches to pitch and where to pitch for each batter. If she's truly passionate about the game she can learn the game and begin to understand the mental part, after that it will take some extra work on both your part and your parents part if this is something that she really wants.

And for all you know she may already know she isn't as good as the other players and feels the pressure from her parents, you and the others to keep playing even though she really dosen't want to. Take the time to express your feelings to her as a young adult first and as a softball player next and see if she would be willing to be an assistant coach/player helping the team succeed. If she does I would take all the time in the world to develop a young lady like that.

" A player with Heart will always win over a player with talent when the talent doesn't have the HEART!"

 

[Sparky Guy]

You need to cut her if she is weaker than the other players you have tryout. Here's why.

You stated the dad knows how weak she is.

You said she is a practice player.

You have to continually correct the same weaknesses over and over.

It's VERY apparent the dad is not working with her.

From what you describe it sounds as though she likes to participate but has not made the sport hers.

Have you had the discussion of exactly all the negatives you've outlined here with the dad? If not you need to. The suggestion of a practice player spot sounds like a good idea for this girl. If she doesn't put the work in on her own there is nothing more you can do for her.

You know what needs to be done for the TEAM. It's OK to do what you have to do for the rest of the kids. Quit beating yourself up over it and do it.

Sorry if that seems harsh but the team needs to come first if you have a set idea of how you would like to develop them. It's never easy. I watched the director of a high-power program agonize over having to make a similar cut to a good kid who was in the program for years. She didn't measure up with the talent that showed up at tryouts. He made the cut for the good of the team.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Your last sentence could be right on. ... We do need to be clearer on what our objectives are. I have to take responsibility for that.

I also want to make sure that you and others understand what I mean by a 'B' team, however. How you described a 'B' team doesn't match us, which doesn't mean one's right and another's wrong. Definitions of 'B' team vary widely across the nation. But we don't represent a rec program. We're not entry-level travel. Our objective is not to improve the skills of rec players so they can return to rec as better players or decide they want something more competitive. We are that ''something more competitive.'' We've got girls who have played at ASA 10U nationals, but they weren't their team's star players, so they decided to step back and play a more prominent role on a lesser team.

This is a 10u team we're talking about?? You were making it sound as if this was a 14u team or at least 2nd-year 12u.

 

[MagicDad]

It's a tough spot to be in and I've been there before and here's how I handled it. I've been coaching a baseball team for five years now and belive it's all about the kids, not me and not always about being the best. Like a lot of people said, players come and go and only a handful of players love the team enough to see it through thick and thin. I have one player, one of the original five left on the team, who started with the team since we formed. This player averaged one hit a year and plays the outfield, but the funny thing is, one time the one hit came through to give us a come from behind win at a tournament and another time saved the championship game by a lucky/great play in right field. One of the things I learned about coaching was you play as a team and one play or person doesn't cost you the game, it's a team effort. Something else I learned was kids will surprise you when you least exspect it. By the why the player I'm talking about was my third best hitter this past season and I'm glad I stuck with him.

 

[Ivy's Dad]

Good stuff to think about. ...

What I'd say about your first point here is that I agree we're a steppingstone and that you don't want to hold players back. But I don't think players and teams are so clearly defined as A and B. Most kids and parents want to be on the best team they can find, and there are all shades in between B- and A+. If I lose a true A player, I'm proud to have played a role in her development because I don't have a true A team (legitimate contender to make ASA nationals). But I don't want to lose B+ players when that's the kind of team we're aspiring to be. This fall, if I take the best at tryouts, I will have a B+ team. If I'm too loyal to B-/C+ players, then I'm a B team, and I risk losing players who want to play a higher level than that.

Without knowing the individuals involved, it's hard to know all of the politics involved. With a lot of girls on a B team, friendships are important also. Think through the politics. Is your number 1 pitcher best friends with the girl you plan to cut? If so, she might follow her friend to the neighboring B team so they can play together. It can be very complicated with a "family" type B team. I'm not saying this is the case for you, but just make sure you think through all of the ramifications when making you decision.