Wonderful advice for TB Coaches

[CoachYodaD]

From the NFCA Convention

TB Coach asks Heather Tarr: What is one thing Travel Ball coaches can do to help you.

Heather Tarr's response: Carry bigger rosters and teach your girls how to compete for playing time.

I practice this. I preach this. I love this. Let's help her out.

 

[radness]

Thats an interesting comment.
Being that the majority of players she would even consider for her program come from travel teams with 18+ on those top tier rosters.
Those teams are stacked and packed.

For the general majority...
learn to compete sounds wise.

For overall discussions~
Perhaps showcasing and friendlies where
'everyone gets to play'
And not enough
'Let's win this game/tournament!'
May be a culpret?!!

 

[schwabach]

There's quite a range of preferences among teenage softball players. Some are completely crazy about softball, others, more balanced. Ideally, our daughters will find the team that matches their level of passion. The insane D1 coach approach is not for everyone.

 

[Ksphenom]

100% agree and this convention speech came up at batting tonight before I saw coachyoda's post. We were told after Fall that kids are competing for playing time. Put in the work or sit on the bench. Can't argue why you're not playing. Proof is in the play.

I think 18 player's a bit much. 10u (11), 12u (12), 14u (12), 16u (12-13), 18u (???)

 

[Quigs10]

In theory..yes..true competition is good and valuable. But I would imagine (no firsthand personal experience..) there are also those coaches who will keep 16-18 girls just for the $$$ and say its an "open" comp but really isn't.

The other aspect that comes in to play on many large teams is that families just can't afford or want to pay to stay on a team that their DD might not play much on for very long. Might not be worth the $$ to stay and cant crack starting 9 when they could play more for another team for same $$.

This is already happening and most notably in college football and the "transfer portal".

I see it both ways..."stay and compete" "stick it out" used to be the only way. Now players value the little time they have in college and would rather play for 3-4 years instead of sit for 3 and play for only 1. Maybe its actually a smart move.

Heck... Baker Mayfield transfered twice and won a Heisman trophy. Justin Fields left his first school after 1 yr and is a star now at new one. Lots of others too. So according to Tarr they didnt stay and compete...but it actually was a smart move.

I get trying to compete on big TB team for playing time...but I also see the smart strategical move of moving on and playing everyday in the limited time girls have in the sport.

 

[Towny9]

In theory..yes..true competition is good and valuable. But I would imagine (no firsthand personal experience..) there are also those coaches who will keep 16-18 girls just for the $$$ and say its an "open" comp but really isn't.

The other aspect that comes in to play on many large teams is that families just can't afford or want to pay to stay on a team that their DD might not play much on for very long. Might not be worth the $$ to stay and cant crack starting 9 when they could play more for another team for same $$.

This is already happening and most notably in college football and the "transfer portal".

I see it both ways..."stay and compete" "stick it out" used to be the only way. Now players value the little time they have in college and would rather play for 3-4 years instead of sit for 3 and play for only 1. Maybe its actually a smart move.

Heck... Baker Mayfield transfered twice and won a Heisman trophy. Justin Fields left his first school after 1 yr and is a star now at new one. Lots of others too. So according to Tarr they didnt stay and compete...but it actually was a smart move.

I get trying to compete on big TB team for playing time...but I also see the smart strategical move of moving on and playing everyday in the limited time girls have in the sport.

This was my journey. I spent my first 3 semesters at a school fighting for playing time. I was pitching only (and not very much) and really missing playing the field and hitting. I had 2 fellow freshman above me on the depth chart. I made the decision to transfer to another college. It was cheaper, closer to home, and more prestigious academically. I started as a pitcher and a 3rd baseman and played in 2 NCAA regionals, including earning a win in the conference championship game.

I suppose I could have stayed and fought for playing time at the first school, but I wouldn’t change it for a minute. My only regret is I didn’t do it sooner.

 

[BT3100]

This is an interesting topic and very individual I would imagine. I think if the goal is to play at the highest level possible in college the journey of travel ball will require the athlete to play on top teams. Top teams come with top teammates who are all fighting both against the opponent and with each other for playing time. Only a parent knows their child well enough to know what it will take to get the absolute best from her. My DD wanted to play at a school that required her to face the best talent she could. I knew that DD could handle the pressure of fighting everyday for time. That is what I expected of her. Now if her goals were different I may have suggested a different team with less internal competition. I agree with the post above that D1 softball isn't for everyone. The only issue I sometimes see are kids who at a young age want to play D1 but parents don't want to invest the time, money or put their DD in situations where she will be pushed to the level needed to compete for a D1 spot. To each their own.. that said I shake my head when I see a kid with a ton of talent and passion but with parents who drop off and pick up and thats it or with parents who complain about playing time instead of helping their DD earn it.

 

[flash277]

From the NFCA Convention

TB Coach asks Heather Tarr: What is one thing Travel Ball coaches can do to help you.

Heather Tarr's response: Carry bigger rosters and teach your girls how to compete for playing time.

I practice this. I preach this. I love this. Let's help her out.

Ol' Heather Tarr maybe forgot that you don't pay to play college softball (besides tuition if you do, that is).

 

[Westwind]

This is not a shot at the coach but Heather Tarr isn’t the first one to say this. Far from it. (She would probably tell you that too, she seems pretty sharp.). I have been hearing this for many years, Mike Candrea is the coach I would attribute it to. But what do I know.

My comments: I generally agree with this comment. However, just because a D1 coach would like to see more of it doesn’t mean it’s what’s best for every team all the time.

Somebody mentioned crazy D1 coaches... Well, crazy brainless tb coaches hear a one line slogan like this, start putting it on t-shirts and make a poor attempt to implement it. They do it without setting the foundation, without explaining expectations and don’t measure and adjust. It turns into a reason to collect more checks, stomp around and justify whoever they were going to play anyway. Other tb coaches already understand how to do this and do a great job at it.

For most parents, good advice is that you usually don’t want your kid to be the best player on the team. Probably a different way to say the same thing but I prefer it.

 

[jmatw]

For the elite TB, or high tier teams loaded with college talent and 4 pitcher onlys that play 80 games a year, ok. High school ball, ok.

For the vast majority of C, B, local A "TB" teams that maybe if their lucky get to play 40 and have 0 or 1 low level college player potentially...just no.

12 player roster should be sufficient if set up properly.