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Would you also run from a college coach who wanted a utility player? It seems to be very common and, from some players I've known, it is a great attraction to a college coach to have experience in the utility role. And they play.
WGMan21:
Maybe your excellent utility player is quitting because they let her play even more positions in volleyball!
I would run from a team like this! The starting jobs are already set. The opening is for the last "utility" player that moved on to another team. You see this alot on daddyball teams in smaller organizations. RUN!. You will waste an entire year and your dd will not improve playing a variety of postions. Jack of all trades, master of none.
That's exactly my point. My perception of a "utility player" means a player that is not top tier. I perceive it this way because of the definition of the adjective "utility".
Utlity - adj.
1. Useful or useful to some degree
2. Not top grade
3. Of lower grade
4. For use or service rather than high quality
5. Usable but inferior
I personally would not consider a team looking for only utility players, unless I felt my dd was nothing more than a spot player or specialist. Because of my perception of the term "utility player", I believe a head coach already has their starting lineup set, regardless of the inquirer's ability. I was just wondering if anyone else felt this way.
Len
Orion, I could not have put it any better myself. That is exactly how I feel about the player that can start at any number of positions. What do you call a player that can start at catcher one game, SS the next, CF the next, or even in the same game? Can you say "flexibility"? "Utility player" has somewhat of a stigma attached to it, much the same as "outfield" has to young rec-ball players. Most of us realize, however, that this could not be further from the truth. Well said Orion. And I did not even touch on the offensive aspect of this.
You might be right.
If you are then "utility player" has a different meaning in softball than it does in baseball. A utility player in baseball is a servicable backup that gives starters a rest or they play because a starter is injured. Example: Players like Ryan Freel and Juan Castro are utility players, not starters.
Len