Effective Feeder Program

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As has been mentioned in other threads a "feeder" program is difficult to make effective. However there is a need for feeder programs, for various reasons. A feeder program could also be called a "local travel team" or whatever it is you want but the difference (in my mind) is that the feeder program is in contact with the school system and has their support.

I've gone all the way from rec through travel with baseball. I've gone all the way from rec to travel with fastpitch and am now going to join up with a feeder program. I mention this to let you know that I know what travel is and have been around and with some good organizations through the years. Nobody is going to ask me to head coach an elite college showcase team though I would be a fair assistant coach for one. Again I just mention that our interaction is appropriate.

Back to the show.... I want to take this team and prepare these players as much as I can for middle and high school and of course beyond if they are so inclined. Nothing would please me more than if a player would "graduate" from this team and go on to a higher level travel team. That would be great.

The team I'll be taking is full of kids that want to play school ball. The bigger issue is that they and/or their parents are not interested in an intense off-season program, playing 10 tourneys during the summer, practicing multiple times a week, etc. The parents also want to take their vacations and so on. I think all that is fine because the important thing to me is that each parent and player find what is right for their situation. They also need to be conscious that there is a downside to not playing a more competitive schedule with a more intense training schedule. Some are aware of this and some are not. That's part of this program.

So.... My job is to take what I'm given and find a way to make this work. It will entail making the off-season as intense as I can without them realizing it. Practices in season need to slowly get more productive as they can handle. I want to the players and parents to WANT to play a few more tourneys, etc.

I figure it will take one full season to change the culture surrounding the team. It will start to change during tryouts this year as I will have a transformation plan in place. I have to make sure that the players and parents are not scared off.

The payoff of all this is that our school ball will be stronger and deeper. Sure there are some kids already playing on more competitive teams and they will most certainly have spots on those school teams but I would like to do all I can to strengthen the rest.
I am going to do lots of posting here beating this up. I'd love some feedback on how to make this work.

 

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not sure if you're reading the other thread here or not...

i had the EXACT same vision you described above 3 years ago when i started my feeder program. we are folding after three years...completely on good terms as it's time to move on.

here is the biggest question i can think of to ask you: are the elite level players within your district willing to be on your team?

i ran into this problem. all the studs are locked up with high end travel orgs. that leaves you with mediocre talent. there aren't many tournaments you can compete in with mediocre talent. we've been in 15 tournaments. we took third once, and i LOOK for the easiest tournaments just so we can compete. our record this year in low level 14U tournaments is 9-19, and again, i live in a district where there are LOTS of talent.

good luck. it was a ton of work but i loved every minute of it. let me know if you need anything else...

www.ladybomberfastpitch.com

 

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fastjay... thanks for the response. The elite players in your are area are NOT willing to be on this team because it would not push them. As a matter of fact I'd talk to them and their parents and let them know that so they were sure what they were getting into.

Your strategy for tourneys is exactly what I will be doing as well. There are enough tourneys around here that we can go to and win some games to give them a taste of success. I'm hoping this team (it already exists, I'm just moving into it) doesn't see they tourneys as just activities. I want them to burn up a bit if we lose and shouldn't have, etc. Part of my job is to try and help these players find their fire and to bring it out. Play like crazed loons, not fearing failure if going all out, etc. It will be a tough road.

I may chat with you about this as I move forward, thanks for the offer.

 

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You should encourage your "elite players" within the school district to play on the best team they can play on so that they can grow and be challenged and in turn, bring those skills back to the school during the school ball season. There is always another rung and kids shouldn't be held back.

 

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You should encourage your "elite players" within the school district to play on the best team they can play on so that they can grow and be challenged and in turn, bring those skills back to the school during the school ball season. There is always another rung and kids shouldn't be held back.

Agreed.

 

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I can't offer much advice, because I don't know how to do it and believe it is nearly impossible to do effectively.

As a past high school coach myself, here is my logic. I want my best players playing on the most competitive teams they can with coaching where they can learn things that I can't teach them in the limited amount of time I have them in high school. If all of my best players are playing on other teams, then what's really left for the feeder team ... does it even have any pitching? If the talent is poor, they are going to have to play in non-competitive local tourneys to have any chance of winning games. If they don't win games, the girls are going to get discouraged with the game and/or eventually accept losing. If they don't win games and look bad, what's the chance of attracting other good players to the school and our program?

Perhaps my logic is twisted, and I am willing to hear what others have to say, but I'm just skeptical ...

 

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Of the things I plan to do here is what will occur after tryouts.

- I play on having a few practices to get the team introduced to each other and allow me to evaluate all the players. Traditionally this team does not do this. During and after the practices I will be speaking to each player and parents to go over the evaluation. I am going to cover what they do well and also what they need to work on. I'll offer to help put a plan in place and meet with them on an interval to re-evaluate and continue to guide.

- Resources will be available to each player such as access to the coaches, the use of a hitting cage (for free) year round, discounts I've hopefully negotiated for local indoor facilities, instructors available for different things, etc.

- I would like to play one fall tournament as a team.

 

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I can't offer much advice, because I don't know how to do it and believe it is nearly impossible to do effectively.

As a past high school coach myself, here is my logic. I want my best players playing on the most competitive teams they can with coaching where they can learn things that I can't teach them in the limited amount of time I have them in high school. If all of my best players are playing on other teams, then what's really left for the feeder team ... does it even have any pitching? If the talent is poor, they are going to have to play in non-competitive local tourneys to have any chance of winning games. If they don't win games, the girls are going to get discouraged with the game and/or eventually accept losing. If they don't win games and look bad, what's the chance of attracting other good players to the school and our program?

Perhaps my logic is twisted, and I am willing to hear what others have to say, but I'm just skeptical ...

Your concerns are sound. However assume for a moment that only a few from this layer are willing to go play a more competitive travel schedule due to cost, other summer desires, etc. Also assume that the high school program will only have about a third (if that) of it's players playing even a good "B" schedule. If you want to try and do the best you can with a high school team you have to do the best you can once you get past those competive players. I say taking the players that are willing to play on this feeder program and do the best you can as it's better than nothing. Maybe you can help a few of the players find their fire and help them get onto a more competiive team? I know that some of this team certainly can do it but they just don't know how, or for other reasons.

The difference between the bottom layers in a school league and the middle layer can be the depth of players. And if all this team does is not make the talent drop off "as quick" in the batting order and solidify your defense then it did a good thing.

How will this work out? Not sure but I'm going to try.

 

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You should see if some of those stud players in your district would be willing to come in and work with the feeder team players. Alot of the high end travel players are more than happy to help out when needed, they just have to be asked. They can demonstrate drills, do tee stations, and just talk to the girls and tell them what is needed to play at that level. They will eventually be trying out for the same high school team so the more they get aquainted now, the better it will be for the team in the long run. Good luck, it sounds like a challenge but one that will be worth it if it works.

 

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Fine idea. I will do just that. I've already lined up a few young prior college players who have modern skill sets to come in and help but having players nearer their own age will also be good.

 

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if you don't mind me asking, what school is this feeder program for? you can PM if you would like

 

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PM sent.

 

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got it, my daughter played for a feeder program for four years and it was there that she was inspired to further her game. Best of luck!

 

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What are some of the effective feeder programs out there?

 

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Not sure. One was mentioned in another thread but I think that was a team from the recent past.

 

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I think taking on something like this can really work well if you can get increment the buy-in from the players and parents. If the majority treat it like a summer activity and nothing else you are in for a great deal of frustration. How many of the players will quit if they are pushed any at all? How many just opt to not show up if they want to do something different that day? Can you do anything about it? Can you have consequences if enforcing things just makes them avoid being there?

 

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OK I'm a little deeper into this now. I've met the existing team. Most of them are kids I coached while in rec doing the standard team and then All-Stars. A few are from a neighboring town. Most of the current team have to move up to 14U and will join up with a handful of players that are already at 14U. Tryouts have been scheduled and things are in motion.

I have an accomplished college catcher that will help out with that position as we are currently weak there. I have started the process of getting with the middle and high school programs to see what can be done there.

 

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I think taking on something like this can really work well if you can get increment the buy-in from the players and parents. If the majority treat it like a summer activity and nothing else you are in for a great deal of frustration. How many of the players will quit if they are pushed any at all? How many just opt to not show up if they want to do something different that day? Can you do anything about it? Can you have consequences if enforcing things just makes them avoid being there?

Getting parents and players to go from rec to travel can be tough, especially if it is a local travel team. Many just see it as an extension of "Show up when you want, no big deal" rec. Of course that shouldn't be the mentality in rec either but you know how some are.