Is It Too Late?

[Westler33]

Make sure you have your "12u team looking for dominating pitcher " thread ready...

Don't forget at 12u she has to be throwing 72MPH lol.

 

[wow]

Make sure you have your "12u team looking for dominating pitcher " thread ready...

Its also the "We have a strong core of athletes looking for 3-4 utility players" thread which is code for we cant field a team of 9 and need whoever will show up!

 

[frenchy101010]

I don't see a problem with it if you have the girls, coaching, and the facilities for winter training.

 

[Sparky64]

Thank you all for your insight, and helpful, constructive, and sometimes humorous responses. I believe I understand both sides here. I'm the kind of coach who enjoys watching the development of the players, as I do my best to enhance the players skill and love for the game. Do I expect to be a ranked team? Of course not. Do I expect to go 0 and 36 of course not. Will some girls leave for greener pastures next year? Of course they will. If I contributed to making them a better player, then I accomplished my goal. I'll let you know how things turn out. Good Luck to you all and to your daughters.

 

[cz fastpitch fan]

If you are able to help some girls develop in thier abilities in this sport, then good luck. There will be lumps taken, but that happens in all walks of life. Good luck.

 

[Chad Strahler]

Thank you all for your insight, and helpful, constructive, and sometimes humorous responses. I believe I understand both sides here. I'm the kind of coach who enjoys watching the development of the players, as I do my best to enhance the players skill and love for the game. Do I expect to be a ranked team? Of course not. Do I expect to go 0 and 36 of course not. Will some girls leave for greener pastures next year? Of course they will. If I contributed to making them a better player, then I accomplished my goal. I'll let you know how things turn out. Good Luck to you all and to your daughters.

All criticism aside, if you coach the coachable up and they leave your team for the right reasons then you should be proud as a coach. As well as the ones that return you have coached up and gotten better and respected and enjoyed you enough as a coach to return either way to your team. Good luck in whichever direction you choose.

 

[Heat#12]

Exactly right. Give the girls the right facilities, coaching and environment to learn and have fun and who knows what might happen

Well said, if given the chance you never know what will happen.

 

[SparkyCCIII]

There is a book entitled "Outliers" that addresses those golden Jan-March birthdates for athletes (it specifically mentioned hockey players) and how those kids are generally favored because, at younger ages, those few months matter with regard to speed, strength, etc... . What then - as we all know - happens is that those kids get noticed and get more playing time/exposure and become even better players while the others (unless they are true studs) are left on the bench or to languish in rec. Maybe these so-called mediocre teams will help level the playing field and help a girl develop her talents who wouldn't normally get to because of an unfortunate birthdate.

 

[Hilliarddad3]

1- if they leave you at the end of a season better than when you got them, you did your job
2-If they learned something about the game, you did your job
3- If they move onto a better team skill wise, you helped them get there, you did your job
4- did they have a fun time while working? You did your job
5- Did they and their parents have a fun enjoyable summer? You did your job
6- Did some say thank You Coach ? You did your job
7- Do some remember you as they got older and waited on you and state how fun it was ? You surely did your job.

Yes create more teams and make even one child better taking your lumps as you do, but enjoy the game and kids for their youth, don't steal that from any kid who desires to play....

 

[IHave04]

Its also the "We have a strong core of athletes looking for 3-4 utility players" thread which is code for we cant field a team of 9 and need whoever will show up!

Also code for "the core players are the coaches kids and the reason why we can't field a team is because players quit because of "daddy ball"".

 

[sftball follower]

Thank you all for your insight, and helpful, constructive, and sometimes humorous responses. I believe I understand both sides here. I'm the kind of coach who enjoys watching the development of the players, as I do my best to enhance the players skill and love for the game. Do I expect to be a ranked team? Of course not. Do I expect to go 0 and 36 of course not. Will some girls leave for greener pastures next year? Of course they will. If I contributed to making them a better player, then I accomplished my goal. I'll let you know how things turn out. Good Luck to you all and to your daughters.

So how did it turn out?

 

[FastBat]

So how did it turn out?

Not sure how it turned out! But, anyone willing to put the hard work in for kids, at least have their heart in the right place. Starting up an organization is extremely difficult, even if players will commit, most will probably be new to travel ball and don't realize the commitment level; year round practice, playing every weekend in the summer, or financial obligations. In general, most reputable orgs have something to offer players; winter workout facilities, well seasoned coaches, and/or winning reputations. I have realized teams starting from scratch, usually, but not always, have a hard time just attracting enough players to have a true committed team. It really is a rough road, not impossible, but not for the faint of heart.