Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

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Coaches:

Would you change your line-up before a game to put in a player that has a college coach come to watch a certain player play? A college coach that the parent has provided the game times to and has let the parent know for sure that they will be at the tournament, and the parent has let the travel coach know in advance that the college coach will be there per your request to see your daughter play?

For example if your DD is a pitcher and it is not her turn in the rotation or the coach decides that this game will not be a very competitive one and uses a weaker pitcher to save his stronger pitcher (your DD) for the next game(full well knowing that this college coach in most likely hood will only be able to see one of her games as he has other girls on his list to take a look at). Or any position player for that matter, not only pitchers.

I'd like to hear how the 16U and 18U travel coaches handle a situation like this. Please keep in mind that the travel coach has entered very high exposure tournaments for the sole purpose of getting his players in front of the most college coaches he can while competeing at the highest level.

What would you do and why?

Thanks in advance
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

To me it is an easy decision: YES.

I think that the key in your scenarios is advance notice. If they came up to you 10 minutes before the start of the game that is another story.

I feel that the biggest reason girls play travel ball is that they desire to play at the next level. Plus, it only does your organization good to maintain a good relationship with college coaches. If a coach comes to your game and you dont play the girl he wanted to see then that is going to leave a bitter taste in his mouth about your organization.
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

I would have to agree with LEWRED14. ?Although I would try to find out in advance what particulars the coach wants to see and try to accomodate them, then make the appropriate changes to ensure that my team was able to accomplish their objective. ?Even college coaches will understand if you have to make changes to benefit the team and their goals.
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

When I coach 18U, this happened to me.

I readily changed the lineup to include the player that the coach came to watch. I also provided the coach with information about other players on my team.

Isn't that suppose to be one of our goals? It is for me.
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

Most definitely. To me, this is one of the reasons I coach summer ball... to see girls advance to the next level. It is not all about winning, but helping the players that love the game and want to play at the next level and getting them the exposure they need to accomplish that goal. Not only would I play them, I would play them at the position they request. If I use a player in the outfield, but she wants to be a 3rd baseman in college, I would move her to that position for the game. It's all about helping the girls!!!
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

I would agree, with some reservations.
What kind of advance notice is given. If it is prior to the beginning of the tournament, I would do everything possible to make this happen. If the coach is only told before the start of the game, I might not change my starting line-up, but would get them in soon. Other considerations, conflicting requests from more then one player. If possible I would try to talk to the college coach before the start of the game, to get an idea of just what they are looking to see. How often is this request made? If it is happening all the time, then I either have a star on my team that many coaches are watching, a family that has done an excellent job laying the groundwork for recruiting, or a parent that is trying to get playing time for their DD. A few conversations with the recruiters should provide clear answers pretty quickly.
Just some thoughts.
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

YES, YES, YES.

A big part of my job is promoting my girls.
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

The general answer is yes, but I concur with everything DogsDad said. If it's early in the tournament, college coaches will often tell you not to worry about it, that they'll be around for Friday and Saturday. Also, they'll tell you that they don't want to nor can they try to dictate your lineup. Some advance communication in the winter and spring with college coaches, if possible, will let the travel coach know who they're interested in seeing.

But if I know for sure that a coach is there to see a specific player play a specific position, I will put that player there almost no matter what.
 

TheSoftballZone

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

Has anything change in the last 10 years? Now that you have 100'S of choices and ever other person and brother sister are hosting showcase events. All claiming they have the College Coaches or they will give you the best exposure.

So are we as Coaches still in the same boat as we we're 10 years ago?
 

HITTER23

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

Yes, nothing changes, your thread recall is proof right there that the same questions still arise. But now you have more ways of getting information to pick the tournaments that fits your team, instant feedback on which ones delivers what they say.

I bet if you found a thread from the first day the internet existed there would be a JoeA1010 reply in it ! They have found his replies on cave walls.......
 
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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

Why would any coach NOT put the player in position to be seen by a college coach she invited? That would be an egregious error in judgment in my opinion.
 

poden-smoden

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

I just gave a thumbs up to the "guest"....I wonder if they will ever truly know!!
 

JoeA1010

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

I bet if you found a thread from the first day the internet existed there would be a JoeA1010 reply in it ! They have found his replies on cave walls.......

All solid posts.
 

bucketime

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches

I definitely changed the line up to accommodate a college coach; At times with (especially with half the team committed at the time) receiving a $3.95 plastic trophy at the end of the day didn't matter; the team was there for exposure. So when a college came up to me and ask if Melissa is playing second this game I made sure she did
 

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

All solid posts.
Your solid posts pretty much put an end to the political forum a few years back. :) Well done.
 

JoeA1010

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Re: Question for 18U & 16U Coaches, Post from the past 2005! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THE YEAR 2015?

Your solid posts pretty much put an end to the political forum a few years back. :) Well done.

Haha. It was mostly a one-sided conversation, anyway. Fortunately for me at Hillsdale, the softball world is about 80% conservative.
 
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