Can an organization have to many teams ??

[default]

I am just curious here. Is it even possible for an organization too have to many teams? We have one of each 10/12/14/16/18 and all teams are full except for maybe 1 player needed on the 12U. We had over 160 players come to tryouts total and could have made many teams but thought against it for many reasons.

What is the reason behind organizations who have 2 or 3 or even more teams in each age division ? Is it money? Will all the teams be solid or will there be one solid team and another one or two teams who are weaker? Whats behind it?

I see an aweful lot of teams needing players here in the 4th week of tryouts. A huge amont are from the same organizations. Some teams only have 4 or 5 players this late in the month.

When should do you pull the plug and give the players a chance to get on a solid team?

For the record, not knocking any person, team, or organization at all, just want some opinions.

 

[default]

It seems like a lot of teams are still looking for pitchers or catchers!! What do you think that means?

 

[default]

If an organization has multiple teams and then they go down to one team, the players who would have been on those other teams will still go somewhere (most likely) thus keeping the sum total of teams in the area (whatever 'area' is) the same. If an organization is finding itself just accepting any player with a pulse to field a team then I think that should be a warning sign but generally that is only a small percentage.

I think the larger issue is the number of teams fielded in an 'area'. Are there too many, be them on one organization or not, to attain a certain standard of play?

 

[default]

It seems like a lot of teams are still looking for pitchers or catchers!! What do you think that means?

To me it means more #2 and #3 caliber pitchers/catchers will get an opportunity. If everybody had the elusive #1 then the definition of #1 would change.

 

[default]

As you get involved in helping to run an organization, you begin to see that it's not cut and dried as far as having one team at an age group. One thing is whether an organization wants to keep teams in years, such as Heat 95, Heat 94, etc. That way, the team can stay together at each age group. Also, an organization can have different levels of skill for different teams, which seems fine to me.

It's definitely not for money, as I don't think anyone makes a profit doing this. Actually, for the people running an organization, the more teams there are, the more work that exists.

 

[default]

I have 4 girls that i know of that have been to tryouts and are still looking for teams. There are plenty of players out there, but teams are looking for that developed player and pass over alot of girls.

Many on here slam those "daddy ball" coaches but if you want your DD to play that may be the only viable option.

I don't care what you say or feel, playing travel at any level is better than them sitting at home not playing at all!!!

 

[default]

I wouldn't say an org can have too many teams, but I would say that an org can have more players than they do coaches to coach those players.

I have seen orgs growing for no other reason than to grow. Their once prominent stature slowly being washed away by putting average or less than average teams on the field. This I do not understand.

I have watched players by the lot run to organizations, accept a position and not even know who their coach is going to be just because of the orgs name. This I do not understand.

I have watched parent after parent sit and complain about orgs broken promises or other misdoings and yet continue to stay with these orgs for fear that their dd won't make another team. This I do not understand.

I have watched girls strut the hall at school in their team pullover knowing darn well their team only won a hand full of games the previous year. Yet they are cocky because of the orgs name on the front. This I do not understand.

Where and when did things get so out of whack?

 

[default]

I just got off the phone with a coach in the NE area. great coach.. good org. He wants to come to my tournament but has 8 players.. He was telling me a new org started up in his hometown and they have 5 players.

He said he would love to have those five community based players... but the other coach keeps looking for players.. and so far finding none.

Yea, when do you give up and let the girls go find a team.

 

[default]

I wouldn't say an org can have too many teams, but I would say that an org can have more players than they do coaches to coach those players.


I have watched players by the lot run to organizations, accept a position and not even know who their coach is going to be just because of the orgs name. This I do not understand. This one I dont understand either...why as a parent/player would you accept a position with a team and not know who your coach will be?? That was one reason we did not go to a specific org tryout this year, was stated on their site Coaches to be named at a later date.

I have watched parent after parent sit and complain about orgs broken promises or other misdoings and yet continue to stay with these orgs for fear that their dd won't make another team. This I do not understand.Yes watched alot of this, this year also. And the promise to this org that yes your coming back when you know that More than Likely you wont be back is so unfair to the coach of that org who believes they have X amount of players coming back when they really dont. What happened to HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY???


Where and when did things get so out of whack?

Guess that it comes down to are these orgs trying to give more players opportunities....are like has been stated just make a reputation based on we have X amount of teams. Should first and foremost always be about the girls and what is best for them......isnt that why we are all here to begin with!!

 

[default]

I have seen orgs growing for no other reason than to grow. Their once prominent stature slowly being washed away by putting average or less than average teams on the field. This I do not understand.

Could it be that the older "big name" programs couldn't continue to dominate because the overall growth of fastpitch has made it impossible to stay on top forever? There are simply many more options today for an ever growing pool of talented girls to choose from then say ten years ago. But then again, isn't this a good thing?

College football dominance constantly shifts from school to school over time. Is Michigan doing anything wrong because they haven't been a national powerhouse the past few years? Well, in this case yes but you know what I'm trying to say.

I?m thinking this is the natural growth cycle of a sport that continues to become more and more popular.

 

[default]

I am just curious here. Is it even possible for an organization too have to many teams? We have one of each 10/12/14/16/18 and all teams are full except for maybe 1 player needed on the 12U. We had over 160 players come to tryouts total and could have made many teams but thought against it for many reasons. So who cares if some girls don't get to play? You can't have too many teams, that's saying you can have too many girls that want to play.

What is the reason behind organizations who have 2 or 3 or even more teams in each age division ? Is it money? Will all the teams be solid or will there be one solid team and another one or two teams who are weaker? Whats behind it? The reason is they have that many more girls that want to play and instead of turning their backs on them they make opportunities. Good for them! Have you found a way to make money off your girls?

I see an awful lot of teams needing players here in the 4th week of tryouts. A huge amount are from the same organizations. Some teams only have 4 or 5 players this late in the month. I see a lot of players still needing teams too. Some may fold and those girls hopefully get on with a team still needing players. Hopefully it balances is out and all get to play.

When should do you pull the plug and give the players a chance to get on a solid team? Though call, glad I'm not a coach. If you only have 4 or 5 I think now.

For the record, not knocking any person, team, or organization at all, just want some opinions. It's a worthy discussion.

JMHO Bottom line is the more the merrier!

 

[default]

Hi, welcome to Wal-Mart.... Fastpitch teams are located to the left between toys and housewares. :lmao:

 

[default]

When at a certain age level the players become fewer then it makes no sense to have more than one team per level.

There are 3 times as many players at the 12 u as there is at 16- 18u. Fielding one or 2 area teams is tough enough....... try fielding 2 teams at the same age level 16-18 within the same org ,especially for exposure purposes is just insane.

8,10, 12 maybe even even to 14 I dont think youll feel a huge crunch. Get to second year 16 and 18 then its a different animal. At that age its tough enough to compete with other orgs for players. When you start competing with yourself for players you know your in trouble.

Tim

 

[default]

Originally posted by TnTs_Dad

Hi, welcome to Wal-Mart.... Fastpitch teams are located to the left between toys and housewares. :lmao:

LMAO :lmao: Seems like that at times !!

 

[default]

Originally posted by bouldersdad

There are 3 times as many players at the 12 u as there is at 16- 18u. Fielding one or 2 area teams is tough enough....... try fielding 2 teams at the same age level 16-18 within the same org ,especially for exposure purposes is just insane.

This is why we decided against several 16U and 18U teams Tim. We didn't want one rock solid team and some watered down teams in the same age group. Thats just my thoughts. Better to give the other players a chance to be picked up on a better team than take them just so they can play on a sub par team just to "be playing".

 

[default]

Originally posted by bouldersdad



This is why we decided against several 16U and 18U teams Tim. We didn't want one rock solid team and some watered down teams in the same age group. Thats just my thoughts. Better to give the other players a chance to be picked up on a better team than take them just so they can play on a sub par team just to "be playing".

At the older levels I agree with you. Although there may be a place for kids to just play at or above the rec level if they so choose as not all kids are college bound for softball.

But if that is what it is then it should be sold that way. I think thats where most of the issues arise is that a bill of goods is sold then not delivered. Hense the high turn over rate each and every season.

Tim

 

[default]

So, it is better for a kid to sit on a better team than play on a team surrounded by girls of equal skill/ability? Sorry, I don't agree. It is almost always better for a player to 'play' than sit provided she is getting solid coaching, is working hard to improve, and is playing tourney's that challenge her team and her to perform and improve.

We had (4) 12u teams last season... all won at least 1 tourney except for 1 that played in 2 championship games coming in runner-up. Between them they won 6 or 7 tourneys .. all played strong up until the end. With that there were 3 11u and all of them won at least one tourney themselves at their appropriate level. It can be done, if the coach is willing to work and train his / her players...

 

[default]

We had (4) 12u teams last season...

Doug, not to hi-jack the thread but i do have a question. If you had to pick the eastern most kid and western most kid amongst those 4 teams, how many miles would there be between them ?

 

[default]

3 teams based in Middletown/Dayton - most are from 15 miles of middletown. 4 from cleveland (2 sisters) , 1 from wilmington, cincy team had all girls from cincy/N KY.

The 2 SWO 11u teams had 2 from up North - rest within 15 miles of Middletown...

I hear this talk about having 1 'strong' team from a lot of org's - yet when you go out and look at the usa/asa and even the regional asa's - you see pretty much the same org's teams that consider themselves strong enough to go. 12u USA/ASA - 5 OH teams - Lasers, us, Nitro, Grand Slam and Wizards ... that was it. 14u - Riptides, Doom and Lasers? were there any others? As my good friend Derek always told me - coaches will talk about what their teams are but their schedule that they set up will tell you what they really think their team is....

 

[default]

Interesting observation on scheduling Doug. I have had conversations with several coaches who have pretty talented teams but the families are pushing their finances to the edge to give their DD's the opportunity to play a travel schedule and in this economy just can't or won't spend the money to go to ASA USA nationals with the hopes of getting a top 10 or top 20 finish.

What Grover's Classics did at NSA and what the Laser Gold did this year at ASA was fantastic but lets be honest it is not something we see year in and year out.