Highschool Ball

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Appreciate all the info so far and I will keep in touch with you cgs.

 

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I agree that the competitiveness of the JV should not be an issue.

However, I'm not sure I would be comfortable trying to field a new JV team with 22 total players. If you have 11-12 on varsity, that only leaves 10-11 on JV. If you lose a couple to grades or quitting in the next couple of weeks, that means you have to send varsity players down every game to play JV or start canceling games. What if 2-3 players are sick?

You didn't mention how committed the players are so it could definitely not be an issue. But some players, especially #'s 13-16 who were on varsity last year, may quit if they don't make varsity this year, further reducing your numbers.

I agree with all your points, just pointing something out from the other side of it. 22 players is probably the lowest number that you would even consider trying to field a JV team with and the AD may feel the numbers still aren't high enough. I don't think I would do it with 22 players. Just something else to think about.

 

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cgs:
The points you made were great. These are questions that every parent should ask every high school athletic program. A formula should be in place for funding each athletic program based on the same criteria for every sport. Without guidelines, the AD and school district can cut and combine teams as they see fit.

 

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Our HS has enough girls for Varsity, JV, and a Freshmen team. Some say it is a JVb team because the freshmen have one pitcher, some say it is because there aren't schools around here that have enough for a freshmen team. The season hasn't started yet, so.....? The best part of this is that the head coach believes that Varsity isn't based on ability, it is based on your class. ALL seniors make Varsity regardless of whether they can play or not. There are Jrs. too but a lot of the unskilled extra's will ride the bench, while worthy under-classmen must wait their turn. I can't wait until the playing time drama begins....I wonder if there will be enough players half way through the season????? I teach my daughter to show her dedication to her choices, I don't teach her to be dedicated to that which is hurting her. She will go to all her practices and all her games unless she feels mistreated in any way. These are HER CHOICES, not mine.

 

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I agree that the competitiveness of the JV should not be an issue.

However, I'm not sure I would be comfortable trying to field a new JV team with 22 total players. If you have 11-12 on varsity, that only leaves 10-11 on JV. If you lose a couple to grades or quitting in the next couple of weeks, that means you have to send varsity players down every game to play JV or start canceling games. What if 2-3 players are sick?

Pretty common here for players 10-12 on varsity to roster JV as well and start there and/or underclassmen that play outfield for Varsity pitch/catch/ss for JV. That means 22 isn't a bad number for JV even if your down a few players.

 

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Well we had our player and parent meeting this evening and it ended some what decent I think. 99% of the parents agreed with my questions and a few had more questions of their own which was great. I believe they know how we feel now but we will see what happens. I am suppose to have a meeting with the head coach and AD tomorrow to go into even further detail on the matter and now that I know more about title ix it will be brought up as well. Thanks to all for the info and I will keep you updated. I can already doubt that this AD is going to try and get a reserve team on the field this year but again, I will do whatever means is necessary to try and make it happen. It's for the girls and I will fight for them, I think quite a few parents will jump on board now as well, as will many of the girls.

 

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To cut ladies from a program because the JV team will not be competitive is assinine.
The JV team is used to DEVELOP younger and/or less experianced student athletes.

What if there is barely enough pitching for Varsity and nothing for the JV? How many girls will come back to the program after a JV season of losing games by 20-30+ runs due to a lack of pitching?

 

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What if there is barely enough pitching for Varsity and nothing for the JV? How many girls will come back to the program after a JV season of losing games by 20-30+ runs due to a lack of pitching?

Most JV teams don't have enough offense to put up those numbers hitting off a tee. A 16 year old girl has the ability to learn to pitch it accross the plate for a strike much quicker than a 10 year old girl whose hands aren't big enough to even hold the ball properly and doesn't have the arm strength to deliver the ball.

Even if your fielding 99% of your outs, I'm guessing that you wouldn't get creamed that badly consistantly because the athletes that could do that to you are probably playing varsity for your opponent.

But... Even accepting that premise of getting blown out I think you would lose more by cutting them now than by finding a way to keep them playing even on a poor team. Just like in business, the ones you should have kept will be the first to move on. Whether it's La Crosse, Track, Summer Volleyball, Summer Basketball, Job, etc... good luck getting them back once you've lost them or they have gained new interests.

 

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What if there is barely enough pitching for Varsity and nothing for the JV? How many girls will come back to the program after a JV season of losing games by 20-30+ runs due to a lack of pitching?

With some programs losing players the way they are, wouldn't a smart, dedicated head coach call a parent meeting and pose a solution? A possible solution might be to pick an athletic girl from the group and ENCOURAGE her to try pitching. Get beyond the immediate winning/losing mentality of the current season and look to the future. Look deeper - why are there no pitchers coming in from Jr. high? Looks like the HS coach needs to get a little more active in development of his kids, or he/she is going to wind up with no team at all!

 

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This year our high school does not have a boy's JV baseball team. We do have a girl's JV softball team. We had about the same number of kids go out for both the boys and girl teams. There is a lot more to the story but that does not matter. No JV boys team. Our boys varsity team has 20 kids on it and he did make cuts. We do have a new coach this year and he seem to know what he is doing. My son did make the team and should start so I not complaining here. My daughter is not in high school yet.

 

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JV pitching would not be an issue either. One of the girls cut was a freshman who pitched and my daughter said she was pretty good at pitching. My daughter is the varsity pitcher by the way. Also there are two others that could pitch that made the cut and know they are probably not going to play. Right now we stand at 18 on varsity with no reserve team and 4 or 5 kids were cut. That is what I know as of right now.

 

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How did the meeting with the head coach/AD go? hopefully they add a jv team

 

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That sounds crazy. We were lucky to be able to field a Varsity and JV team for the first time in a while and I believe we only have 21 girls. No one was cut. We have 11 on V and 10 on JV. They may need help w/pitching/catching and have mentioned to our freshman varsity girls that they will probably help out the jv some this season. And as of right now they only have 4 games that conflict w/ each other.

If you cut those girls now they probably won't play next yr. And if they had complaints with that number last yr where do they think they will be better off this yr. crazy if you ask me.

 

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Most JV teams don't have enough offense to put up those numbers hitting off a tee. A 16 year old girl has the ability to learn to pitch it accross the plate for a strike much quicker than a 10 year old girl whose hands aren't big enough to even hold the ball properly and doesn't have the arm strength to deliver the ball.

Even if your fielding 99% of your outs, I'm guessing that you wouldn't get creamed that badly consistantly because the athletes that could do that to you are probably playing varsity for your opponent.

But... Even accepting that premise of getting blown out I think you would lose more by cutting them now than by finding a way to keep them playing even on a poor team. Just like in business, the ones you should have kept will be the first to move on. Whether it's La Crosse, Track, Summer Volleyball, Summer Basketball, Job, etc... good luck getting them back once you've lost them or they have gained new interests.

Snocatzdad - I'm not sure what area you're from, but in NW Ohio, the quality of players, including pitchers, is very high at the JV level. If you do not have an experienced jv pitcher in the Northern Lakes League or the Suburban Lakes League, score differentials of 20+ can, and will, occur.

Having said that, I would never forfeit a jv season if I had at least 9 girls. BUT, let me provide a scenerio that I am aware of and you all let me know what you would have done. Total girls at any one mandatory practice (post March 8) was 18. Twelve had played either varsity or jv last year. Six had never played softball. (two had no gloves, one squealed and almost ran out of the cage the first time a pitch was thrown to her). Of the twelve who had played before, there were three pitchers and 2 catchers. The varsity coach wanted all three pitchers at varsity because they could all hit well and play defense. He also wanted to keep 12 at varsity. So, under the theory that you put your best nine on the field at varsity, that would leave NO pitchers and NO catchers on JV with NO players with any softball experience. If they were able to recruit 3 more bodies to reach the magic number of nine.......would you have played a JV season with these girls in a highly competitve league such as the Northern Lakes League or the Suburban Lakes League? Just curious.

 

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I agree with on the bucket about our jv in this area , there is some good talent that can put up runs....
With saying that It is the job of the coaches in the softball program to develop all positions. Pitching is obviously the most important position in the game teach someone to become a pitcher, i know its hard work but its OUR jobs as coaches..

And WHY in the HECK would any coach cut a player that can/have pitched before when numbers are soo low...jmo


If they were able to recruit 3 more bodies to reach the magic number of nine.......would you have played a JV season with these girls in a highly competitve league such as the Northern Lakes League or the Suburban Lakes League? Just curious.


Answer of this Question IMO....Yes
If you have enough bodies to feild a team GO FOR IT may get ugly sometimes may be fun, Teach the game, Enjoy the game, and you never know there may be one of those players that turn out helping the program in the future, because JV teams are about the future not about winning, We are in this boat right now. Our best freshman most likely will be on Varsity because she will make the varstity team better, Leaving me with a less experianced pitcher but I will do my best to teach her and the rest of the team to get better...

 

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wow, not even into the first scrimmage and we have a 4-page deep thread enough to sizzle a braut (i keep posting about brauts, sorry, guess I'm hungry)!

I tended to think the high number of girls was attributed to money. My DD played freshman volleyball and they had something like 20 girls. Of course, half of them barely played and since everyone is paying almost 200 per, and they wear barely enough clothing to make a swimmer blush, where did the money go?
I'm grateful, or i should say the school is, that we have a JV A and a JV B team, along with 14/15 per for the respective junior high squads as well. As for numbers, sure looks good is you are the varsity coach thinking of the future.
and didnt someone mention before that cali travel teams have like 18 players on one squad? how many are on a college roster? i bet tons of girls (and of course, the coaching you are getting should be better than that in high school), but it all goes back to how much work the girl wants to put in that will matter. you cant and wont get better hitting 3x a game every 2/3 times a week.

 

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Snocatzdad - I'm not sure what area you're from, but in NW Ohio, the quality of players, including pitchers, is very high at the JV level. If you do not have an experienced jv pitcher in the Northern Lakes League or the Suburban Lakes League, score differentials of 20+ can, and will, occur.

Having said that, I would never forfeit a jv season if I had at least 9 girls. BUT, let me provide a scenerio that I am aware of and you all let me know what you would have done. Total girls at any one mandatory practice (post March 8) was 18. Twelve had played either varsity or jv last year. Six had never played softball. (two had no gloves, one squealed and almost ran out of the cage the first time a pitch was thrown to her). Of the twelve who had played before, there were three pitchers and 2 catchers. The varsity coach wanted all three pitchers at varsity because they could all hit well and play defense. He also wanted to keep 12 at varsity. So, under the theory that you put your best nine on the field at varsity, that would leave NO pitchers and NO catchers on JV with NO players with any softball experience. If they were able to recruit 3 more bodies to reach the magic number of nine.......would you have played a JV season with these girls in a highly competitve league such as the Northern Lakes League or the Suburban Lakes League? Just curious.

Sorry about disparaging JV.

If I had 18 kids come out and 12 were players and 6 never played before I would not field two teams just for the sake of retaining players I don't want to retain. If the 6 who never played were freshman and good athletes I might look at them as long term help. If they were Juniors who were poor athletes and likely would never contribute at the Varsity level, I'd probably let them go just keep the salvagable ones on the end of the varsity bench.

 

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Still waiting on the time and date of my coach and AD meeting. Both know and waiting on the call, will probably be friday. I will let you all know how it turns out.

 

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Sorry about disparaging JV. No problem. Just a little overly sensitive maybe!

If I had 18 kids come out and 12 were players and 6 never played before I would not field two teams just for the sake of retaining players I don't want to retain. If the 6 who never played were freshman and good athletes I might look at them as long term help. If they were Juniors who were poor athletes and likely would never contribute at the Varsity level, I'd probably let them go just keep the salvagable ones on the end of the varsity bench.

In this situation, the twelve players made varsity. Two of the six others with the most athletic ability were placed on varsity with the caveat that they might not get much playing time but if they stayed with the program and worked hard, they could possibly get into some games. Also, it would give them a much better chance at playing next year, especially if they played summer ball. One of the two stayed. The bright spot in all of this is that there is a very decent group of 8th graders coming up that have a lot of talent. Enough that some might go right onto varsity while others will be the nucleus of a reborn jv squad. If......all goes well!

 

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Ron White said it best................ with all the medical advances that we have, one thing remains the same... you cant fix stupid, money issues can be resolved, we all know that , High schools are like any other govt entity, fund raisers, booster club contributions. It can work they just have to want it to