Commitment to Travel Team Practices

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Have a question regarding commitment to travel team practices. How do other teams and coaches view girls that are playing on multiple teams? Example, our DD plays on a 12U travel team and several girls play on other teams, which is fine our DD has also done that. Some of these girls have not been to more then 2 or 3 practices since the beginning of March, when practice began. I go to practices and watch the 9 or 10 dedicated girls that are always there and I see that these girls are working well together as a team and bonding. What I wonder is, what will happen when these couple of girls finally start coming to tournaments, Should commitment to practices determine playing time for these ladies that have not come to practices? Is practice just viewed as practice regardless of team?

 

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I think a lot of us experience similar problems. My suggestion is to have a set of rules regarding practices drawn up at tryouts. Make players and parents sign as part of making team. Handle unauthorized missing of practices with lost playing time up to and including releasing from team.Remember you did not cut the player the parents of and the player cut themselves for not fullfilling their obligation.

 

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I feel it all depends on what the coach has set out as the guidelines and goals for the team. You cannot penalize the other girls if the coach has given them the okay to be absent. It is up to the coach to determine if the team chemistry is at risk by his/her decision.

If you have a good coach, have faith that they know what they are doing. Time will tell the story, why make it an issue before it becomes one.

 

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At tryouts the handouts indicated that a strong level of commitment was expected from the players, but there were not rules or penalties indicated that I recall. My concern is that these girls may be practicing with their other teams, but they are not practicing with this team or bonding with these girls. These girls are new to this team like my DD. I just know that that teamwork means everything. Last year we played with a team that had a lot of individual talent, but the girls could never work together as a team. I am hopeful that these girls will be able to mesh with the girls that have already been working so hard together. The coach does seem very good, hopefully my concerns will be extingusted once tournament play begins. Thanks for your opinions.

 

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I know 12U is on the young side, but since girls who play school ball arn't permitted to have travel ball activity during the school's season a lot of travel organizations just don't practice at any age level until school softball is over.

 

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Lovethegame6867,

Hockeybuckeye has a very good point. ?Our team has a couple of girls that are on school-sponsored softball teams (this includes 7th and 8th grade teams) and they are not allowed to participate with us until their season is over (OHSAA rules). ?Hopefully, this is your situation. ?If your situation involves another sport (soccer, AAU Basketball) then it sounds like this is happening with the coach's blessing. ?Either way, ask the coach about the absences and just what is the policy. ?Communication can be a wonderful thing.