Mind your own business rec ball coach!

default · Mar 10, 2010

You do have to start somewhere but in our rec leagues, it is sad. I feel bad for those girls, they get the worst coaching. Our rec leagues do not want help from people who know what they are doing because then it shows just how little they really know. Our leagues have gone down hill so much, we can barely field 2 teams in each age group. Everyone is quitting and going to the neighboring towns. Why not accept help from those willing to give it so these kids can play?? Is it better to know everything and have no players in your league or swallow your pride and do what is best for the kids??

default · Mar 10, 2010

wvanalmsick said:
How many girls started right off in travel ball? No rec ball or intramural league, just straight in travel ball??????

You have to start somewhere.

This is completely TRUE

default · Mar 10, 2010

The rec in Southwestern Ohio mostly play in a USSSA sanctioned Southwestern Ohio Girls Fastpitch Softball Asscoaitation or SOGFSA for short.

It is a rec league for rec teams from one city to another to play in. Actually takes in a huge area from Wilmington south to Harrison at the Indiana/Ohio border and Cincy as well. I am sure Lebanon is in it as well.

I can't help but wonder how they are going to fare this year in some age groups with MS ball being played during the same time as rec ball just starting. But, that only affects that certain age group.

So middle school ball affects not only the travel teams... it affects the rec teams in that age group as well in some cities. As we know rec start their leagues in late April and go usually through the last weekend in June. Sometimes twice a week for games alone.

default · Mar 10, 2010

Both dd's played both last year as well. When I went to sign up my dd's for ball this year, I asked the younger and if you only saw that look. Needless to say, she isn't playing rec. She loves the competition at travel and she loves that she gets to be pushed. My oldest, didn't at first want to play travel. So she never tried out and decided to play rec. Well, after watching a couple games, needless to say, she changed her mind. She wants to do both.

SVOP1621, I would have been furious at that. I completely understand. He may not have done that for the wrong reasons, but possibly looking for that star player to help bring up his girls. Either way, he approached it wrong and should have come to you the parents and not your dd. I know I would have reacted the same way.

default · Mar 10, 2010

ohioquakerman said:
The rec in Southwestern Ohio mostly play in a USSSA sanctioned Southwestern Ohio Girls Fastpitch Softball Asscoaitation or SOGFSA for short.

It is a rec league for rec teams from one city to another to play in. Actually takes in a huge area from Wilmington south to Harrison at the Indiana/Ohio border and Cincy as well. I am sure Lebanon is in it as well.

I can't help but wonder how they are going to fare this year in some age groups with MS ball being played during the same time as rec ball just starting. But, that only affects that certain age group.

So middle school ball affects not only the travel teams... it affects the rec teams in that age group as well in some cities. As we know rec start their leagues in late April and go usually through the last weekend in June. Sometimes twice a week for games alone.

MS ball dosen't affect all rec leagues the same. Findlay area rec league games don't start until 3 weeks after ms ball ends. DD's ms ball org sees it as "spring training". I've seen kids make huge strides during ms ball and it shows when the summer rec league starts.

And after reading posts here for the last couple of years... I'm convinced that a lot of people in the travel world after 3 or 4 years need to be required to be head or assistant coaches, umps, or otherwise organize rec teams for a little "perspective". Got my "perspective" the last couple of weeks as ms ball started after being involved with travel ball for much of the last 5 months.

default · Mar 10, 2010

Don't forget where yours ALL came from. None of them are born swinging a Rockettech.....

default · Mar 10, 2010

wildfire said:
And after reading posts here for the last couple of years... I'm convinced that a lot of people in the travel world after 3 or 4 years need to be required to be head or assistant coaches, umps, or otherwise organize rec teams for a little "perspective". Got my "perspective" the last couple of weeks as ms ball started after being involved with travel ball for much of the last 5 months.

I'm sure most coaches do that at clinics. But alot grab another team after the girls they had left. There are parents and coaches who don't want their dd's going to a ms team. They spent months of training (possibly years) to lose it to some coach who plays the political game.

But, this is also where those ms politics come into play. Alot of coaches do not want to deal with it. You always have that coach who is in it for the money, not that good of a coach, or has their buddies dd guaranteed playing time while the best 13U kid is sitting on the bench. I know for a fact I wouldn't have my dd play for certain coaches and only have her play travel ball. I'm also sure there's parents who want my me to coach their dd if I was a ms or rec coach.

JMO

default · Mar 10, 2010

In my area, Grove City, rec ball is step one and travel is the next step. Heck to be honest, my daughters really took the progession of "steps". We started with rec ball, moved to a community travel and are now with more of a state wide travel team. I also started coaching in rec ball and then moved to travel, I suppose a step progression for a coach too.

When I got my daughters involved in sports, I didn't even know about travel until my daughters started playing rec ball. After my oldest daughters first season the rec commissioner encoured us to try out for the local community travel team...so we did!

I guess my point is, looking back, rec ball is a waste...assuming everyones already involved in travel. But for the majority of folks, travel softball isn't even a thought when they sign their 5 year old daughter up for rec t-ball. Maybe we should give rec ball a break.

With all that said, I think the rec coaches at the beginning of this thread were both out of line. The first, shame on him/her for suggesting a player go backwards. The second, shame on him/her for suggesting/blackmailing the player go backwards.

Just my two cents.

default · Mar 10, 2010

Wildfire... I understand but in many areas down this way.. and all over the SOGFSA area.. rec ball starts in April and plays through late June as usually the last weekend in June is the tournament.

I see where in your area it helps the rec league teams somewhat because the girls have been play MS ball before they start their rec season... but in other area..especially the SOGFSA areas.. it is going to no doubt affect that age group in rec.

I'm a big rec ball supporter... everybody knows that I am and believe wholeheartedly that they are our future travel girls when good people take to instructing the girls... but if MS affects the rec like it is going to down this way... then it cheats the girls who got cut from the MS team and now can't play rec as well because the rec league didn't have the teams that it did the year before because of MS ball taking place at the same time.

Catch 22 stuff... good for one area and bad for another.

default · Mar 11, 2010

There's a place for both rec. and travel ball but they are very different skill wise. My daughter played both last year and I'll give an example of just how different. My dd is 14 and the bases were loaded and my dd hit a ball over the shortstops head but not all the way to the fence. My daughter was just hitting second base and the centerfielder was picking up the ball and getting ready to throw it in. My dd rounds second and goes back, the rec coach is waving her around to third. After the inning is over the coach tells her that he was not only expecting her to come to third but that is a home run and was not happy she had stopped at second. In travel she would of been a dead duck at third. Just a different degree of competition.

default · Mar 11, 2010

Another example is: I had a girl that played both travel and rec (against my wishes) at 12U. We were an early year tourney. She was on 2nd, girl hits a shot to CF, she see rounds 3rd and heads home (with me screaming at her to get there and get down). Well long story short she lolligagged home , didnt slide, went across the plate like she owned it, And was tagged out on the helmet from a very high throw home. The catcher actually had to jump up catch the ball and tagged her on her way down. If she had mad any attempt to slide she wouldve been safe easy. Why i asked? Because in REC ball the teams that they were playing didnt have the players that could make those sort of plays. There was no competition for her in rec, no tense moments where the game is on the line, thus she had brought that mentality to travel and it hurt. From that point on I asked that none of my players played on a rec team while playing travel save that for HS..lol

default · Mar 11, 2010

There is a huge split on the Middle School ball.. rec league play by travel ball girls. I think it is great to bring it out into the open on this forum as it indeed is "food for thought".

It's would be hard as a parent to spend hundreds of dollars on hitting and defensive classes, camps and watch the DD play below their skill level in the local rec leagues.

Then again, it is the social aspect of it for the kids. I think the travel girls like showing their ability in the rec leagues as a badge ( and maybe parents too).

But, the bottom line.. what is best for the DD ? Hard choices to make as a parent and decide what is best. Tough decisions all around.

default · Mar 11, 2010

HMMM, the above examples sound to me like base running/mental mistakes unrelated to what level they are playing. In both cases, if they are running the bases properly there is no reason for what they did other than they made mistakes. (failing to follow 3B coach's directions and hustling every second there is any doubt about taking another base) I can't think of any reason not to run the bases properly no matter what level you are playing unless the score happens to be 21-1 and you are trying to give the defense a break.

To me, if the kid is competitive (as the vast majority of travel players are), they are going to go all out all the time. If not, then lesson learned and move on. (Always do your best, don't be arrogant about having more skill.)

One area that may have merit of "playing down" being bad would be throwing. Knowing your teammates can't handle a hard throw and therefore backing off. I could see the possibility that it may crop up in a more competitive game, ONCE. Another downside may be missed practice time with the travel team, which to me would be the biggest issue.

Important thing is let the kids have fun. Playing with their school friends isn't going to ruin their softball careers. Nor should playing travel ball only ruin their HS careers. It can be a challenge to juggle the time commitments of doing both, but if you can, why not? Trust me, the end of them playing is a lot sooner than you think! Enjoy the ride!

default · Mar 11, 2010

My original post had little to do with Rec ball vs Travel ball, although it is obvious to me which is better. It was about a 40 + year old saying things to a 12 year old that they don't need to here. This has nothing in common with an 18 year old being recruited by a college, SHE IS 12!!!!!!! My DD is not shy, just a typical pre teen, that is just trying to figure things out.

Rec ball has its place, and I happen to love it, but Travel is what the good players do to become better. Recruiting has no place in Rec ball. The reason he told her to quit is because our local Rec program is not welcoming to Travel players.

default · Mar 11, 2010

I apologize if I got a little off track on this topic. I was actually trying to point out that the rec ball coach sounds clueless and isn't even aware that what he did crossed the line. To him he was just asking a player to come back and play, throwing the friends comment in there maybe just felt like a little icing on the cake?
I am knee deep in travel and am surrounded by nothing but travel people all summer, so when I am around my non travel friends or family, I often forget they aren't down with the travel ball world or even the lingo. Try telling someone in rec you spent $250 on a bat. That sounds insane to them, but totally within the range of normal to us. Heck, I forget that Chrystl Bustos isn't a national celebrity, she is in our house lol.
Maybe that rec ball coach just thinks rec ball is where it's at because he has never experienced travel, or maybe he is just a jerk looking to benefit his own selfish need to have a hot rec ball team that everyone is scared of.
I am not afraid to admit I was really dumb about travel when I was heavy into rec.

Did you tell the coach he crossed the line?

SVOP1621 said:
My original post had little to do with Rec ball vs Travel ball, although it is obvious to me which is better. It was about a 40 + year old saying things to a 12 year old that they don't need to here. This has nothing in common with an 18 year old being recruited by a college, SHE IS 12!!!!!!! My DD is not shy, just a typical pre teen, that is just trying to figure things out.

Rec ball has its place, and I happen to love it, but Travel is what the good players do to become better. Recruiting has no place in Rec ball. The reason he told her to quit is because our local Rec program is not welcoming to Travel players.

default · Mar 11, 2010

We've had a rec coach tell a few girls who are considering travel ball to "do the right thing, don't leave your friends hanging". I thought that was crappy. Do the right thing for whom, the players or the coach?

default · Mar 11, 2010

I really don't know the guy, and after my DD told me what he said I haven't seen him. Probably just going to forget about it.

default · Mar 11, 2010

The funny thing is that there is all kinds of great stuff going on in the wreck leagues. Some coaches go at it like lunatics and are contantly trying to pick up players so they can have the top team, they compete for players that would be afraid to pick up a bat at a good tournament.
These same kids are the wreck studs at the Middle School and High School and the parents can't understand why the daughter sits or bats 9th. She should be playing short and batting 3rd.
These coaches are all over the school coaches about who should play where and who has the most potential.
EVERY coach's daughter that tried out at our Middle School the last 2 years was cut. That is not the norm but it was interesting.
Most of the coaches are just good people that are giving their time and being active with their daughters, but the few that go overboard go waaaaaay overboard.

default · Mar 11, 2010

Klump said:
We've had a rec coach tell a few girls who are considering travel ball to "do the right thing, don't leave your friends hanging". I thought that was crappy. Do the right thing for whom, the players or the coach?

Not taking issue with you, and it is crappy for the rec coach to do that.

But most people would think that a kid leaving a travel ball team for another right now would be wrong. And I happen to be one of them, just not for softball reasons.

My point is that if a travel ball player on your team called you today and said they were leaving, most people would say they should stay even though they feel leaving is better for them.

This is off the original post, but people forget that travel ball coaches do all these types of things all the time. Personally, I always talk to parents and that is the extremely valid point of the original poster, but is suggesting a player play on my rec team any different from suggesting they play on my travel team? Is suggesting that you quit one team to play on one with your friends any different than suggesting to a player that they quit their travel team to play on yours? How many of us have been exposed to coaches 'hinting' at how good a committed player would look in their uniform or in their lineup?

Obviously, the above does not apply to everybody, but I always find these threads a little on the elitist side when rec ball coaches are attacked for doing the same thing some travel coaches do.

default · Mar 11, 2010

Not really sure why mental or base running mistakes are in anyway related to the level of play. Bad base running is bad base running. My DD played both, then when she was in high school played for her high school summer team and her travel team. Honestly it made her a better player, developed some leadership and she was able to work on some parts of her game in game. If she made a bad baserunning blunder, or ignored a base coach, that would have been on her, not the coach, not the level of the league. If she knows better its on her.

Mind your own business rec ball coach!

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