Curious as to why new teams/organizations

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are formed when the are so many that already exist. From an organization director standpoint, I cannot figure out why so many folks insist on creating new teams/organizations. Please provide me some insight, I am truly curious and not trying to stir the pot.

 

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Because they're not happy with what exists and they think they can do a better job. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.

 

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I can only speak to our situation. We have 10 terrific girls and 10 terrific sets of parents that are commited to the same ideals and have the same goals. It just so happened that how we wanted to achieve these ideals and goals is different than the methods of the organiztion we played with in 2008. We have since added a couple of girls and have been practicing and playing a fall schedule and are looking forward to a great 2009. The previous organization has moved on as well and is having a successfull fall as well.

Hustle Fastpich 13U

 

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are formed when the are so many that already exist. From an organization director standpoint, I cannot figure out why so many folks insist on creating new teams/organizations. Please provide me some insite, I am truly curious and not trying to stir the pot.

I think for the most part we all want a quality program for our kids to be a part. I have been asked at least twice to help coach a travel team and have declined twice feeling like I just didn't know enough to be that quality person I want for my kid.

on the other hand and from experience I have seen teams form because the coaches kid(s) aren't good enough or don't have the "hustle" to survive anywhere else but on the bench or at best a rec ball team.

Curious to hear what others have to say

 

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It could be for alot of reasons- not all are bad reasons

We left our team - we love the team , the parents, coaches , players and organization- still do- they are the best bar none.

With that said when your team has two stud pitchers and your daughter wants to get more pitching time and is just beginning and in first or second year of throwing , you realize that her mound time isn't going to be alot. There are other positions also that she wants to play - that she played in the past and because the teams choices at those positions were better than my dd she did not see time there. She did start and play in a position that the team felt it was best for the team and she was better there than the others. No complaints when on a team you do what is best for the team- period.

But you have decisions that you can make after the season and you might realize that you can start in those preferred positions on most other teams out there so as a kid you want to play what you like playing and therefore as a parent your decision is made. You have to do what is best for your DD so that she continues to enjoy and love the game-

Those decisions are hard to make - If your a parent that has coached in the past and an oportunity comes up to get back into it that is allways a bonus also for making a move.

I agree - there are way too many teams which really waters down the competition.

 

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I think you would see even more teams if you could find coaches. Finding GOOD coaches is more of a problem with expanding teams within an organization.

 

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I to can only speak of my situation. We live in northern portage county and there are no established teams in this area. There are alot of good travel players in our area. My coaches daughters and my daughter have made many friends over the years through travel ball and her school. Gas prices were soaring this past summer so the other coaches and I had a idea that we would form a travel team in hopes that some of travel experienced girls would stay locally and play together. We took a chance since our girls were happy playing on the teams they were already on. It worked out as all the girls were excited about playing locally with their friends from the area and with their school mates. We added three quality travel experienced girls to the mix from tryouts. It's worked out better than planned. We've played one fall tournament and are finishing up our fall league with the valley extreme this weekend. Our record stands at 11-5 with some real quality wins against established organizations. It's been great so far. Sorry to put a positive spin on this thread as I know that's not what you wanted by the choices in your poll. Jim Rybak Explosion 14U

 

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Jim,

A positive spin is always appreciated. I started this more for information purposes as I cannot understand why so many new organizations/teams are popping up despite the significant amout of established ones.

My org has been mildly affected, but not to the extent that many others have. I am really hoping to get some insight on how to make my org better.

I think the choices above are 50/50. Although, some of the responses have shown me that I needed a longer list. LoL

Doug

 

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There are soooo many categories I can add.

I am looking for a path of least resistance...
I am looking for a team that does not practice...
I am looking for a team that does not play that many tournaments....
I am looking for a team that does not play in the fall....
I am looking for a team that will not interfer with other sports....
I am looking for a team that charges less than ($...)
I am looking for greener pastures ........
I am looking for something that does not exist in competitive softball....

...and so on....

 

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We started a new team because we wanted to bring back fastpitch softball to Ashland and play at Brookside Park We have a lot of pasted Faultless players that have alot of knowledge of the the game that goes untapped. Also, the miles we travel we would like to cut down on hotels and weekend cost.

 

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Speaking from are situation. We wanted to start a travel organization becuase we had a lot of good players in are rec little league. We wanted to keep are players together and see what we could do with only northmont players after 12U. We developed them for the MS and HS. This was about three years ago.

 

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I know of a organization that split 3 years back,and then the one that split from the original organization then made a split themselves. Three organizations came from one in 3 years.

Another one that I know has only been around for 5 years and they already had a group age split from them to start their own in the younger age groups.

Many times it works, other times it wont. If the right people are running the ship and they have the money and time, they will make it work.
Even though we have only been around this for 4 years Im sure this has been going on for a long while and will continue to happen.

Do I have a thought on why this happens????? I think the answers above about sums it up nicely!

 

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I would think the new organizations start up for the same reason the older organizations started.........keep kids playing together for as long as they can. ( All about the kids)

 

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Some good feedback so far, but lets keep it coming.

 

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There are new athletic training and bat cage facilities popping up all over that take the opportunity to organize teams as a way of supporting the community they're in and promoting their business.

 

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We had a group of girls (parents) split from our team and start a new team. Reasons given were.
1. Did not like to bunt
2. Played to many games
3. Did not like playing small ball
4. Did not like to bunt
5. Did not like to bunt

sad thing was the girls wanted to stay and play , the parents made the decision.

 

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Thank goodness for a free market!

This is no different than business market dynamics. Since the cost of entry into the market is low, you will see teams freely joining the system. If you have a great organization and are offering what the girls/parents want, then you will remain strong. The problem is that teams don't change with the ever evolving market demands. Cost will certainly be a factor into the future, and the teams that want to travel out of State multiple times per year and go to Nationals will be affected by our current economy. Once parents realize that travelling out of State serves no purpose prior to 16U, then things will change. If you want to stick your head in the sand with regards to the economic hardships facing many people, then don't be surprised when youy lose girls. All any consumer wants is to achieve maximum value, so figure out what will deliver that and your worries are over. Somebody mentioned that good coaches come and go........it is when the bad coaches join the organization and nothing is done that you start to see the decline.

The market has changed immensley over the past 5-10 years and since there are more choices, people will hop teams in the hope that the grass is greener next door. Sometimes those decisions are based on deception, but it will be hard to change that. Parents no longer have to put up with a bad situation when they can travel 5 minutes down the road to another organization.

Personally I think it is great that the girls/parents have so many choices and teams should embrace the positive aspects of that and not fear it. Everything (well almost everything) that is happening is good for the girls and good for the sport of softball in general. Again.....the wonders of a free market society!

The top organizations should have nothing to fear from the startups!

 

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The Classics started with one 12u team 13 years ago. A friend came to me and asked if I would coach a "weekend travel team". I didn't even know there was such a thing. I was coaching community travel league and didn't have a daughter on my team. We started the Classics and won our first game and didn't win another for 4 straight tournaments. Then we finished 3rd in Whitehall and that was enough for us to grow on (it was a magical wonderful year too). I think some of the younger teams start for the same reasons we did. We wanted to keep a group of girls together and play better competition.

I have girls in our program that have been here for 7 years! I've made more friends than I can count. We had dozens of college scholarships with more on the way. The key to our success is good consistant coaching, understanding parents, and most importantly athletes that want to be there, work hard and have fun.

 

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Maybe it is because you go to tryouts and see these coaches are in it for their own kid, have no clue, or are just A_HOLES. We found a team that might not be the "Elite of the Elite" but the coaches are solid, give a C R A P about my kid and the other 11, and do it for the game

 

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The topic could also be tied with why girls switch organizations during the winter or early part of spring. I can only speak for myself. I had thought about starting a team in our area but did not do the leg work to get it started. Finding others who wanted a team in the area, finding people with the resources to back a team, talking to the park system to secure fields, finding coaches and hold tryouts.
Why would I start a team ? Cut down on travel, give girls a break, give all girls far shot, cut back on fees, cut down on expenses

cut down on travel- when you are traveling 45-60 miles one way twice a week, this does get tiresome on the girl and the parents. then throw in there travel to tournaments and you can rack up some miles

give the girls a break-not sure when the whole business started on playing all year long, but I do know that back when i was growing up you played more than one sport and only played it during that season. you did not have all year softball, volleyball, wrestling. You also never heard of a person getting burned out with playing a particular sport. Seems so many are quitting in late high school or college because of burn out.

give all girls a fair shot-many coaches are fathers, and unfortunately the fathers are fathers first and coaches second. Their dd will bat within the top 3 and play ss only because they are the dd of the coach. Other girls get blamed for their dd mistakes and their dd gets the praise for other girls great plays. Don't get me wrong, there are fathers out there that are great coaches but from what i seen there are more doing more bad than good

cut back on fees- I started a baseball team 4 years ago for my son. we charged $150.00 per boy. we fundraised throughout the year. Played 4 tournaments and about 30 other games. When we went to Indiana for a tourney we were able to play for 2 nights lodging for each set of parents. Bought insurance, 2 sets of nice uniforms, pullovers for each boy and still after all of this carried about $2000 into the next season. It can be done just takes being cautious with the money.

With all being said above, I understand that there are girls that eat and sleep softball. That is great. But not all girls do that and they are good ballplayers.

To finish up. As parents we want the best for our dd. We try to make decisions based on alot of what was said. Each parent has to find what fits best for their dd and family. The coach my dd has this year puts it like this. Family, Religion, softball. The only thing she asks is that rec ball does not come before her team. If you have to miss just let her know. Not all girls will make a career out of this. We can only hope that our dd is good enough to get some money to help with college. My dd is hoping to play in college. Will she reach that goal, we can only hope and put her in the position to be able to reach that goal.