What to do, what to do?

[GTRH8R]

Just played the last tournament of the srping with DD's team. She has decided to move on to other opportunites (that have been memorialized on other threads). So, she has two offers. One from a decent B team. She loves the way the coach coaches. He is very hands on and genuinely cares about developing players. Ws and Ls are not as important to him as developing the kids. His philosophy is the wins will come if the kids execute what he has taught them. He is knowledgable and well qualified. He is going to carry no more than 12 girls. DD should be in the top 9 by the time we start playing in the fall. I've watched them play and they are a player or two away from starting to win the closes games they lose. They don't get blown out often and play a lot of tight games.

Team number two is an A squad. They are a great team and the core has been together since 8U (we are 14U playing 16U in the fall). They collect a lot of hardware and play more big tournaments that team one. He will be carrying up to fourteen. He has a great coaching staff and is less hands on. DD will have a much more difficult time breaking into the top 9 for this team. She gets on a better team with this option, but my concern is what is the use of going to a big tournament if you spend potentially more time on the bench. She says that would be ok, but I tend to doubt that.

Realistically, DD is more suited to play D2 or D3 if she puts in the work to make it to that level and decides to play. She might be able to sneak into a small D1 school if she continues to work as hard as she does. Personally, I would like her to take the D2 or D3 route so she can worry more about academics.

Given the info here, what path would you recommend to your DD if she asked your opinion? I am thinking the B level team might be the best option for her right now, but in the end it is her decision.

 

[hacksaw]

B
thats IF the coach is as honest as you say he is with developing players. once they start to win the close ones that slip currently, things
can change. i like 12 players. chances for better communication.

i dont like 14 man rosters.
we have 13 and its too many. 14 maybe designed just to keep a player or two offf sombody elses roster.

myself, i would look at the team politics. is there an inner circle you will never totall break into? that could be players or coaches or boosters.

if your kid is truly an a ball player then give it a shot. but she wont get showcased on the bench.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Hacksaw, we all love 12 (or less!), but the reality is that the older clubs - 14u and older - need to carry more players to make sure they've got enough for every tournament.

H8R, it's a tough call. The advice I was given by the athletes and coaches I trust most is to get onto the best team possible once moving into 16u (14u actually), because the best programs will normally get the most exposure for their players that are looking to play in college.

 

[chinamigarden]

Just played the last tournament of the srping with DD's team. She has decided to move on to other opportunites (that have been memorialized on other threads). So, she has two offers. One from a decent B team. She loves the way the coach coaches. He is very hands on and genuinely cares about developing players. Ws and Ls are not as important to him as developing the kids. His philosophy is the wins will come if the kids execute what he has taught them. He is knowledgable and well qualified. He is going to carry no more than 12 girls. DD should be in the top 9 by the time we start playing in the fall. I've watched them play and they are a player or two away from starting to win the closes games they lose. They don't get blown out often and play a lot of tight games.

Team number two is an A squad. They are a great team and the core has been together since 8U (we are 14U playing 16U in the fall). They collect a lot of hardware and play more big tournaments that team one. He will be carrying up to fourteen. He has a great coaching staff and is less hands on. DD will have a much more difficult time breaking into the top 9 for this team. She gets on a better team with this option, but my concern is what is the use of going to a big tournament if you spend potentially more time on the bench. She says that would be ok, but I tend to doubt that.

Realistically, DD is more suited to play D2 or D3 if she puts in the work to make it to that level and decides to play. She might be able to sneak into a small D1 school if she continues to work as hard as she does. Personally, I would like her to take the D2 or D3 route so she can worry more about academics.

Given the info here, what path would you recommend to your DD if she asked your opinion? I am thinking the B level team might be the best option for her right now, but in the end it is her decision.

If you think your dd is good enough to play D2 and possibly D1 then I don't see how you think she is not going to make it into the top 9 of a TB A team, put her on the better team.

 

[GTRH8R]

If you think your dd is good enough to play D2 and possibly D1 then I don't see how you think she is not going to make it into the top 9 of a TB A team, put her on the better team.

DD could be that level of a player IF she continues to put in the work necessary to get there. She is by no means college ready now. As are many of the girls she'd be playing with. I guess my only concern is her coming into a new team with a bunch of girls who have been playing together for six years. This team rarely has roster spots open. I'm going to sit down with their coach early this week and ask about schedule, how he feels she'd fit it and all that stuff.

 

[hacksaw]

Hacksaw, we all love 12 (or less!), but the reality is that the older clubs - 14u and older - need to carry more players to make sure they've got enough for every tournament.

H8R, it's a tough call. The advice I was given by the athletes and coaches I trust most is to get onto the best team possible once moving into 16u (14u actually), because the best programs will normally get the most exposure for their players that are looking to play in college.

wow! do that many kids routinely not show up?

how many of those 14 spots are taken by kids whom Dont think they will make the top 9?

 

[iMlearning]

Tough decision but I think 14 is too much. We had the same choices last year and joined a 12 roster 14U A team that had 8 returning players. Problem is, they rarely play 3 of the girls even during pool play. Having said that, my DD has improved immensely and says she wants to stay despite getting offers from 3 16U B Teams. This has been tough watching her sit, but we are hoping putting in our time will pay off when they lose players in August. Good luck!