Competition Level............

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Wanted to get some opinions as to whether or not it is smarter for a newer team to play the best competition possible in tournaments, or stay away and try to build confidence by playing less talented competition? Thanks for your time....

 

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That's a tough question, with pros and cons for both scenarios. To oversimplify it, I would suggest making a mixed schedule. Especially if you have a younger team, with girls that don't have a lot of travel. You will find in the fastpitch world, winning too much (with large margins) can be just as damaging to the team as losing a lot. It is important to find the level that pushes your team to get better.

Schedule some friendlies or pick some "middle of the road" tournaments to determin your skill level. Then if you find things are too easy/hard you can adjust your later tournaments.

 

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I have always been of the mind to play above where you think you are, at anything in life.
My DD and I have talked about this, and I don't see too much confidence being built playing lesser teams.
you may take your lumps to begin with, but over time your players will greatly benefit playing the hard schedule.

 

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That is a good question and the answer really depends on the make-up of your team, the girls personalities, what their and their family expectations are.

You will only improve by playing better competition, play below you only builds false confidence and can do big damage. IMHO

 

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There are some tournaments that divide you up into Gold/Silver/Bronze after the pool games for bracket play. Doing a tournament or two with that format may help you see what level your team is at, and play the level of competition they are ready for. Those types of tournaments give you a chance to play high caliber teams in pool play, and teams more on what level your team is in bracket play. I am a firm believer in strong competition but no one likes constantly getting run ruled. JMO

 

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Start with 2 or 3 easier tournaments than move up up to harder ones. You do not know where your team with fit or be at until you play in a tournament.

I have seen rec type coaches get what they thought was the best team every assembled in Ohio which was talent made up from all the rec teams i.e. all stars, play in a tournament or two and not score a run the whole tournament.

So you dont know what you truley have until you play the game.

 

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Last year dd was part of a new organization and we went for the toughest tournaments. We were getting blown out by the toughest, but by the end of the season, we hung with them.

 

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That is a good question and the answer really depends on the make-up of your team, the girls personalities, what their and their family expectations are.

You will only improve by playing better competition, play below you only builds false confidence and can do big damage. IMHO

Well put. Seeking out and playing the best teams that you can play will definitely make you better. You expect to play the best and make the girls better, especially in select softball. I have found that you learn much more by playing top level teams, as players and coaches. The decision is ultimately up to the coach and parents, what goals they want to achieve and how competitive they want to become with top teams.

 

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Jump in some early season friendlies with various teams of diff strengths and you will get a good feel of your teams strength. I would suggest a schedule that progressively gets harder as the season goes as well - give the new team time to gel and play as a team more.

 

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Your teams skill should dictate your level of play. People who believe that just playing up with make players better are fooling themselves and putting undue pressure on the team.

A team should play at level that they only win 80% of their games. If they are winning at a really high rate, move up. Keep moving up until you are no longer winning all the time.

I do believe that metal sharpens metal. But I get tired of seeing teams just getting pounded in tournaments. And then when they "hang" later in the year it is usually due to the fact that the other teams know your level and start #3 pitcher, move players around, so that they get more innings of work.

Play some pre-season stuff for sure and figure out your skill level.

 

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We tried this approach when we were a young and inexperienced team......we played in a league during the week with teams that we were competitve with and, on the weekends, we played in tournaments against quality competiton that often run-ruled us. Our goals during the week were to get better and win. Our goals on the weekend were to get better and to be competitve. Now in our fourth year, we are much more confident and competitive in those tourneys. This year we will probably skip league play altogether.

 

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That is a good question and the answer really depends on the make-up of your team, the girls personalities, what their and their family expectations are.

You will only improve by playing better competition, play below you only builds false confidence and can do big damage. IMHO

I agree. The only things you learn by playing weaker competition are bad habits.

That said, one of the issues with newer teams is identifying the level of competition at different tournaments.

 

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without repeating what has been said... apply this logic...

When buying a house, I've been told to max out what you can... reason being you will struggle early on but the investment will pay off as you get pay raises (what's that), promotions, and as you figure out how to "manage" your situation you become accustomed to the tough challenge. Your ROI will pay off much bigger in the end. All of this of course depends upon the factors going into the purchase.

Having said that, these are children or young ladies and the factors are countless. You had better hope the parents know it's a Marathon and not a Sprint to victory.

 

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Playing up is great advice and your girls will get better...or they will quit.

Know your coaching staff and their limitations. If they are not able to nurture learning, you will get pounded mercilessly and the coach will either beat the girls into submission, or worse, not push them at all and let them think the losing is acceptable.

Trust me on this one, we took and "very good" group of rec girls and played in several A tourneys at 14u...really took our lumps at times, and I was in over my head coaching. I opened my ears to other coaches, pushed our girls in ways we were told to and this past year was an ENORMOUS improvement! Did not win any tourneys, but won our pool, lots of games in several tourneys, including A tourneys.

What age group is this?

 

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the tourneys that you are allowed in will determine the level of play. obviously, it would be tough to get into the showcases since they are determined y name recognition and past performance of an established team.
if not, play up, works the same.

 

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Playing up is great advice and your girls will get better...or they will quit.

Know your coaching staff and their limitations. If they are not able to nurture learning, you will get pounded mercilessly and the coach will either beat the girls into submission, or worse, not push them at all and let them think the losing is acceptable.

Was trying to think of how to say this exactly. I too have learned this first hand. Most parents and kids wont want to play if they always get beat but....I think that my experience as a whole was kids that didnt belong in Travel Ball (rather rec only).

 

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It is always better to play up but know your limitations. If you know that 90% of the teams are older and better seasoned then I would rethink entering that tournament. I do believe that you learn more from loosing then you learn from winning. If you do play the tougher tournaments be sure to inform both players as well as parent your intentions.;&

 

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Your teams skill should dictate your level of play. People who believe that just playing up with make players better are fooling themselves and putting undue pressure on the team.

This might be the best advice so far. I might add that knowing the families goals are just as important. People/parents that say their player won't get better unless they play/hit all the time in games are of the same mindset. You get better by practicing better. You get better by competing. You get better by playing with better players. And finally, you get better by playing against comparable or better competition. Taking shortcuts can cause harm.

You didn't say what the age of the new team is. If the team is a 16u team that drew players from other good teams then the whole conversation changes. If it is a younger team that picked up a bunch of studs then it is a different copnversation. If it is a "new" team that is new to the travel scene, tread lightly.

I tell people starting new teams this all the time - when forming your team find the core first, 4-5 players and families that get it...that have the same goals. Build the team around that core's goals and continually talk to the families about what is going to happen short term and long term. Some won't like it and will leave, but thats ok. It's not for everyone. I've seen more teams destroyed because of team drama than I have because of scheduling/competition issues.

 

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on the bad side of this, while you are working hard to get to the next level, your stud kid is always looking to get ahead to the team that pummels you in pool play 10-1 (and that coach noticed her going 3-3 as well and met the family in the parking lot after just to say hi)

 

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on the bad side of this, while you are working hard to get to the next level, your stud kid is always looking to get ahead to the team that pummels you in pool play 10-1 (and that coach noticed her going 3-3 as well and met the family in the parking lot after just to say hi)

Oh so true...

The great ones are stolen from the team, the bad ones quit the team, and the averge ones stay with the team.... Time to rebuild for next season....HEY SOUNDS JUST LIKE THE BROWNS TO ME