Biggest Dislike of Travel Softball

streak2010

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I coach the 00’ team and Hs. I started here (ofc) with Streak in 2010, hence the name.
 
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Rain.....60 min drop dead games......teams that lie about their record......tournament prices......no coolers.......bad restrooms......
 

Creek01

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I think the no cooler rule is often counter productive. We played at a park last year that would check your bag as you entered to make sure you didn’t bring an extra Gatorade in. It was so over the top that our parents refused to buy anything from their concessions. I think many others did the same because there was never a line at the concession stand
 

CARDS

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My biggest dislike is some of the changes. I started back in 1999 coaching fastpitch and while there have been many changes that have helped the game there also has been some that hurt the game.

The commercialization of tournaments, teams and organizations is my biggest dislike. Tournament, team and organizational branding is the buzz word the past 5 years or so. Back in the 90s and early 2000 the focus seemed to be more on growing the sport and players while having fun with one or two big events a summer. Now we have Mega high dollar events every weekend with some optiing to control sleeping arrangements.

Coaches use to work on their coaching now it seems like the expectation is they manage the game and have the player / parent seek private instruction to learn how to play at all levels and ages.

I was at a NCFA event several years back talking to a coach and the topic of private instruction came up. It is obviously needed and can help athletes but like she was saying todays instructors seem to focus on their signature first over mechanics. The quest for a college scholarship has also impacted the game. Some teams /parents handle it well while others will team hop in a second if they think a team/coach can give them an exposure edge.
 
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softballfan27

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really about everything,
coaches who don't keep promises about tournaments you will play in
coaches who lie about finances of the team and will not go over them with you.
If i could get my money back i would never want my kid to play travel ball again.
and for those of you who don't think there is money being taken from the pot your naive.
the people who have organizations and this is their only source of income.
god I could go on all day.
 

bleacherbum

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really about everything,
coaches who don't keep promises about tournaments you will play in
coaches who lie about finances of the team and will not go over them with you.
If i could get my money back i would never want my kid to play travel ball again.
and for those of you who don't think there is money being taken from the pot your naive.
the people who have organizations and this is their only source of income.
god I could go on all day.

Parents who complain about everything
Posters who spend 3 months whining about the same thing in a half dozen different threads
People who are idiots

Wow, you sure do have a chip on your shoulder. If I felt so strongly about someone - One thing is for sure, my kid would not be spending the entire Summer with that person or group. I sure wouldn't let a thousand bucks be the reason I kept my DD around people I felt were taking advantage of me or them.
I can easily see why a coach would end up being short with you. You want to control the number of players, their playing time, events entered. Sounds like someone who would like to start their own team, so their kid gets to play. I feel for the coach, parents, players, and especially your DD who all have to put up with you for the next 6 months.

People who bring unneeded drama to a kid's sport
 

mike_dyer

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I didn't read it all because I don't care all that much, but it's funny to me that all of the people from one state complain about the cost of traveling out of state to play "the best competition."

You are all traveling to compete against..... each other.

How in the blue hell did anyone convince you that you need to drive, fly, or take a train 3,000 miles away to play another team from down the road?
 

softballfan27

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Parents who complain about everything
Posters who spend 3 months whining about the same thing in a half dozen different threads
People who are idiots

Wow, you sure do have a chip on your shoulder. If I felt so strongly about someone - One thing is for sure, my kid would not be spending the entire Summer with that person or group. I sure wouldn't let a thousand bucks be the reason I kept my DD around people I felt were taking advantage of me or them.
I can easily see why a coach would end up being short with you. You want to control the number of players, their playing time, events entered. Sounds like someone who would like to start their own team, so their kid gets to play. I feel for the coach, parents, players, and especially your DD who all have to put up with you for the next 6 months.

People who bring unneeded drama to a kid's sport
listen loser. you know nothing about me or my DD. My DD gets plenty of playing time. That is not the issue. I am tired of being lied to you and not being told what we are doing with the money we paid for our team. Do you enjoy paying for something and not being told with what is being done with the money. Sorry, I like to know what we are doing and when you have a coach say it is "none of your business" than there a red flags. Its the teams money not the coaches. When you your government ask to raise taxes do you like to be informed of what your paying for or are you an uniformed tax voter who goes to the polls an just checks off any box.
Would you pay Steak Dinner when you only receive a cheeseburger and fries or would you say something.
 

mike_dyer

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I'm actually cool with gold, elite, xxxxxxxxtreme, etc so long as they can live up to it.

But if you boast about being "the only gold, elite, xxxxxxxxtreme, 3-N-2" etc team in Ohio you had better deliver.

None of them ever do.

Avoid them at all costs.

If you don't your kid will end up walking on at Bluffton with nothing to show for her trouble than a facebook post explaining that walking on art a d3 school is a lot better than getting some money to play d1.

You know who you are...
 

AkronCarPro

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That it's over, for all intents and purposes. My DD is is playing college ball now, and will be playing a couple of 23U tourneys this summer, but it won't be the same as travel ball. Yes, it was expensive and a time consuming grind. But both DD and I made life long friends and great memories. I would do it all over again if given the chance, and I'm confident that she would as well!
 

Jamie Wolff

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1. Stay to play events
2. Timed games
3. Indoor National Qualifiers
4. No coolers
5. Parents who don't respond to texts or emails
6. Over-All Cost of Uniforms, practice facilities, tournaments, fundraising, etc.
7. The over used word "Elite"
8. Teams that advertise as "Showcase Teams"
9. Tournaments that advertise as "College Showcases"
10. Drama
 

coachtomv

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Streak ... thanks for replying. I still say that if they slow down the game, they either aren't properly designed or properly used. When I used them myself at least for hitting and baserunning, they definitely didn't slow the game. Maybe it was because I was always thinking about the next pitch. The ones I use/design make it easy to find what the coach wants to call, sign or call or a 3 digit number, and then easy again for the players to find that number. Should absolutely be faster than how long it takes the pitcher to get ready to throw the next pitch. But again, thanks for the response.

Definitely have to add the revert back as to one of my biggest dislikes!

No doubt. I was kinda against the wrist bands at first for old school reasons, and then asked my team what they thought and they entire team wanted them(14u at the time). Once we practiced with them a little bit, we were very fast and if anything it spead the game up for us as we were all on the same page must faster. Coaches have to a step ahead of the game though, can't be indecisive.
 

Lasersteal06

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Dislike- I have to agree that Stay to Play is horrible. I also really hate the gate fees and some of the crazy high tourney entry fees.
 

Mark Pusecker

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I'll definitely have to agree with the wrist band signal calling. First of all to see these batters look at there damn wrist band after every pitch. It Definitely slows the game down, because obviously to make them work to be deceptive, you have to call out a sequence after every single pitch, so annoying. For pitchers in 16u and especially 18u, they should probably be calling there own pitches between them and catcher. And finally, it really gets annoying hearing some of these coaches bark out these signals, when you know there calling the exact same situation, and it seems to have some satisfaction beating a team that uses them, and you don't .
 

coachjwb

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Absolutely no reason to call out a sign every single pitch ... that would annoy me too. Even with decoys mixed in, I probably used a sign 60% of the time. Just no need with no one on base most of the time or with 2 strikes a lot of the time. Plus, with most systems, you don't even to need say anything ... mine is a 3 digit system that I signed with one hand.
 

frenchy101010

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I don’t dislike the wristband signals, I dislike the teams that don’t know how to use them. When coach calls out a sign, batter looks down clearly confused, then runs down to the coach to get the call. Very frustrating to watch.

If you are going to use them make sure the girls know how to use them.
 

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