Coaches stealing players

[TheSoftballZone]

I am curious to ask coaches in general how they feel about some organizations manipulating players from other teams to join their teams in the middle of the travel season?

Not asking about outside of travel seasons, just during the Travel Seasons.

I guess they have no loyalty to the existing players on their team. These young ladies work all fall and winter on a team and then because their coaches think they are in the major leagues they steal away players and throw their existing players under the bus.

You people who agree with this have a serious problem of living life through your children. I wonder if the adults realize what they are doing to younger girls.

I mean if you have to stoop to those levels, just how good of coaches are you?

 

[Pacerdad57]

I would have to agree with you. This was the exact problem on DD'S team last summer.
guess what, it folded. Most of the players he thought would be the answer to his dreams are now with other teams...
it'll never stop or change for some organizations. We have found d a great fit for DD, looking forward to many seasons with them.

 

[LakeErieHillbilly]

For the younger ages it is travel season year round. Some organizations are very well known to do this every year and don't give a damn that people know about it.
Can we start to name them

 

[snoman76]

Funny you bring this up... I'm going through this as we speak. Preseason, a coach from another org that branched off from their local rec program was trying to get all of my players. With it being tryout season I didn't have any ill feelings for this guy for this. I made it a point to contact all of my players (parents) and assured them they had a spot on my team. I ended up losing one girl to that team but the parents thought it was a better fit. No hard feelings, we're still friends. The other 5 girls committed to me and also made a payment towards their team fees. Last weekend that same team asked one of my players to sub for him and foolishly I allowed it. I happened to be at that tournament with my daughter who was subbing for another team in our organization so I walked over to watch MY player play some ball.. The 2 innings I watched, their coaches kept making comments about how my player will be with them.. I decided to take the high road and keep my mouth shut because I knew nothing good would come of it if I didn't. At our practice this past Tuesday, the parent of the girl who subbed showed me a text from that coach saying "keep this between us, if I can get PLAYER A to come (also from my team) would you bring your daughter over?" If parents tell these coaches that they are happy with the team they are on they should know that the parents are not gonna keep secrets like this.. He's also telling people we don't have enough girls (which I do) and I only have 1 pitcher ( I have 3). Word travels fast but I guess he doesn't care how it makes him look in the end. As much as I wanted to say something to this guy I took the high road and decided not to. Mistake? maybe... Should I make him aware that I know what he's trying to do or does the fact that my players are staying with me say enough? I can only assume that he cannot field a team... maybe he had some girls out of town..idk.. He needed at least 2 subs last weekend and the same this weekend. I'm all for helping out a team if they need a player, but when this crap happens it just chaps my a$$. I'm a pretty quiet guy but the few coaches I do talk to outside of the ballpark I would have no problem lending them a player if they needed one and wouldn't worry one bit about them trying to snag them up.

 

[coachjwb]

Snoman ... that's really low ... can't blame you for being upset ... kudos to you for not confronting him about what he's trying to do, though I'm not sure either if it's the right thing. He's obviously trying to bring your players over because he doesn't have enough of his own. I think it's unethical and would never do it myself, but I know some others here will say coaches don't own players and if a parent thinks another opportunity is better for their DD, then all is fair game.

 

[Jae13]

Snoman. Before you start popping off at the mouth you should tell the whole story. Let's go back two years ago when this so called mean player stealing coach let your team borrow a couple players only to lose them because they were persuaded to leave the mean coach's team. This mean coach might forgive but didn't forget. As far as the mean coach going after all of your players, let it be known those girls showed up at tryouts on there own free will because they said they didn't improve at all with the team they were playing for. Kinda hard to argue when the mean coach's so called rec team beat your team last year. In case you missed that a bunch of girls from the same school, minus the two players that were persuaded to leave and go to snoman's team, beat you! This mean coach's organization continues to get players harassed to change teams during winter tournaments by the same organization. I know of one coach going as far as far as showing up at players pitching lessons to catch a girl just to get her to leave our organization. This all goes back to don't do to others that you don't want done to you! Also when this happens to our organization by your organization we didn't go social media to cry and whine just been respectful to everyone involved with all of you

 

[Captain_Thunder]

OK, where is the "Guy eating popcorn" pic when you need it???????? LOL

 

[Vipernation21]

I hate when I hear this. Some coaches can coach...others steal. Parents think the grass is always greener, unfortunately this will never change. I personally would never let my daughter play for a "slick willy." It is amazing to me how many people are okay with this mentality, stating "it is part of the game." It is unethical. Would you want your kid playing for someone like this?

 

[Blue Ice]

Daniel san... Breath in breath out.

 

[HITTER23]

Snoman. Before you start popping off at the mouth you should tell the whole story. Let's go back two years ago when this so called mean player stealing coach let your team borrow a couple players only to lose them because they were persuaded to leave the mean coach's team. This mean coach might forgive but didn't forget. As far as the mean coach going after all of your players, let it be known those girls showed up at tryouts on there own free will because they said they didn't improve at all with the team they were playing for. Kinda hard to argue when the mean coach's so called rec team beat your team last year. In case you missed that a bunch of girls from the same school, minus the two players that were persuaded to leave and go to snoman's team, beat you! This mean coach's organization continues to get players harassed to change teams during winter tournaments by the same organization. I know of one coach going as far as far as showing up at players pitching lessons to catch a girl just to get her to leave our organization. This all goes back to don't do to others that you don't want done to you! Also when this happens to our organization by your organization we didn't go social media to cry and whine just been respectful to everyone involved with all of you

 

[snoman76]

The past had nothing to with me but I guess I'm guilty by association. I never said you were or are a mean coach and I never said anything negative about your team. You've always had a good team and yes your team beat mine but we also beat you. We can go back and forth of what I was told and what you are saying about tryouts. The bottom line is that I don't agree with what you did. I have plenty more to say but I'm not getting into a pissing match with you. I wish you the best of luck this season and season ahead.

Dave DeWalt
Wolfpack 02.

 

[Lenski65]

Sounds like a Wolfpack Stampede!!

 

[Jae13]

Yep I have more I could say also but I chose not to. This situation is closed in my book. I agree, good luck to you!

 

[grandpaviper]

If I understand the question, and it is entirely possible I missed it completely, are we really talking about a "stealing" problem or are we talking about a commitment problem. This whole issue goes away if players and parents simply stick with the commitment they made to play for the team they accepted an offer from. Do I want my daughter, or in my case Granddaughter to have the opportunity to play at the highest level, absolutely ! but not at the expense of the commitment we made to another organization. If it's in the context of tryouts that's one thing. If it's outside the tryout season my opinion, and it is only my opinion, it that we uphold the commitment we made.

 

[charlie_buckets]

I think if parents took the time to do their homework before tryout season and coaches had integrity after the tryout season, this would be less of an issue

 

[Louuuuu]

You can steal a ball. You can steal a base rolleyes But a player has a say in the matter. "What makes them jump ship?" is what needs to be addressed.

 

[Coach Sonny]

I have been at this "coaching thing" a long time and have witnessed this more times than I can count over the years. It always disappoints me but it always comes down to each coaches standards of coaching ethics...just as in life there is a good and bad element in our sport. It also comes down to how a coach handles the parent that approaches them in season...happens all the time and the good element handles it much differently than the bad element will! It is true that some coaches are willing to do or say anything to get a player to consider their team. Others are more discreet and begin the process behind the scenes during the season or at Nationals by approaching players or parents when they think nobody knows..."secret" emails, phone calls and texts. The part that is missing here is that the parents are usually just as guilty or more guilty than the coach is...it takes two to tango! Either way it is unethical in my opinion so I choose to handle things differently. Due to past experience I am always skeptical of those that want one of my players to "sub" for them and unless I really KNOW and TRUST you it just isn't going to happen. Same goes for friendlies...some coaches simply use them to try to draw a "specific" player to their team. I have had players and parents report to me that while a coach was acting like my best friend, cracking jokes and glad handing me in a scrimmage he asked me to do to "help" him prepare his team that he was behind the scenes between innings inviting them to bring their daughters to their next practice. Then said coach on the base paths planting seeds into young impressionable minds...just SHADY!!! There is nothing worse than to put years into providing tools and helping to develop a player into something great then for whatever the reason is...good or bad...they leave. The "greener pasture" coach who may not even be able to continue to advance that player benefits from all that is gained from her talents...at least in the short term. The sad part is that in my experience the long term usually turns out to NOT have even been "greener pastures" and those players historically have wanted to return to my team. The reasoning was generally because their daughters did not continue to develop the way that they did with our team and the realization that what was being promised was not being delivered on. Its a hard lesson to learn but sometimes it is a mistake that even the best intentioned parent/player just needs to make in order to understand that perspective.

My advice to the coaches that this happens to is to move on and continue to do what it was that originally attracted those players to you in the first place. As long as they are good people that haven't burnt the bridge with you then I would recommend continuing to support those players and parents as they figure it all out. If you were doing things in the right way then eventually those players will either want to come back or "addition by subtraction" will occur which means a better replacement for that player will find you. Don't give up...you may have to start over the process of cultivating and developing the raw talent within that new player. It all usually works out in the end and I believe you will be a better coach for it...karma will eventually catch up to whoever it needs to.

Coach Sonny

 

[Run26]

You can steal a ball. You can steal a base rolleyes But a player has a say in the matter. "What makes them jump ship?" is what needs to be addressed.

agreed! It's called kidnapping. Call the cops!

 

[wow]

You can steal a ball. You can steal a base rolleyes But a player has a say in the matter. "What makes them jump ship?" is what needs to be addressed.

Lou way to be on point.... Coaches don't steal anything. Kids and parents leave for many reasons. Yes there are unethical coaches and the "Grass is greener" is part of the equation, however homework on everyone's part is in order. Addressing the "why" is critical in this debate. Its the symptom Vs illness syndrome. The bottom line is personalities and perception are the two biggest obstacles to overcome when deciding to leave one organization. When perception is on par with reality, that is the best recipe for success. Again its all about doing your homework.. But coaches don't steal players....

 

[cobb_of_fury]

I believe the OP is talking about Coaches replacing player's midseason - This I would consider flat out wrong. You have to play with the hand that you dealt for yourself at try-out's.

If a player was not good enough, cut them prior to tryouts - You can't take them then get rid of them when you find someone better.

BUT... If a Coach has a need (A girl leaves for some reason; Say- Maybe to go to a better team) and a family has a want to Join this coaches team midseason I say by all means the coach should make the move It is a free market.

However... in this scenario the Family that moves and leaves their team in the lurch is in the wrong. They are the ones without loyalty. The coach is doing the right thing by taking her. He is just trying to maintain a team.

Unless the situation is completely unbearable you have a responsibility to stay with the team that you signed on for at tryouts.

I'm all for bettering your situation but in most cases the team you are leaving is counting on you and maybe depending on you being there through the season.
It's wrong to break that trust.