Lower than Low

[CoachTEA]

Not wanting to kick-off a firestorm or anything, but my team is 16u and we play college showcase/exposure tournaments as that is the goal/dream for my players. I was sickened to hear the story of a player who got 2 colleges to come out and see her play only not to be inserted in the game at all. The daughters of the coaches/fathers never left the field (naturally). Look I hate to lose any game and it isn't like this kid was the 12th on the roster or anything, but how can you be surprised when the kid elects to leave especially as she does the work to get 2 candidate colleges there??? I have enough trophies collecting dust in the basement and my teams have played in a number of *big* tournaments against great competition --- my goal is the exposure and the subsequent signing of these ladies to colleges

 

[ificanbelikeu]

Devils advocate....... Did this player inform the Head Coach that she had these colleges there to see her specifically to play?

 

[CoachTEA]

Devils advocate....... Did this player inform the Head Coach that she had these colleges there to see her specifically to play?

yes she did!

 

[SonicMojo]

Don't you feel like you have to name names so that other girls don't suffer the same fate? This isn't the normal Sam Kinison "name them" situation - this is serious!

 

[backstop09]

For some reason I can't help but think there's more to the story. A player good enough to convince two coaches to come watch her play and she doesn't even get on the field??? Seems to me like maybe some details are missing.

 

[crystlemc]

Sadly, it happens more than you would think.

 

[fanandfun]

Agree with Crystle, I've heard of this happening on numerous occasions with players on different teams and with different organizations...I personally know of one young lady who spoke up and informed her coach that XYZ coach was there to see her and asked to get into the game (the girl had spoke with XYZ Coach on the phone earlier that week and knew XYZ Coach was coming) & the TB coach laughed at the girl and said something like "you're not the only one who is emailing XYZ Coach, so are the other girls" and the girl never played that game.... This went on throughout the summer and this young lady quit TB last year....sad

 

[Chad Strahler]

Agree with Crystle, I've heard of this happening on numerous occasions with players on different teams and with different organizations...I personally know of one young lady who spoke up and informed her coach that XYZ coach was there to see her and asked to get into the game (the girl had spoke with XYZ Coach on the phone earlier that week and knew XYZ Coach was coming) & the TB coach laughed at the girl and said something like "you're not the only one who is emailing XYZ Coach, so are the other girls" and the girl never played that game.... This went on throughout the summer and this young lady quit TB last year....sad

Wow! What are coaches coaching for anyway? Their own glory? I must have missed the memo as to why we are coaching this game...

 

[catchersdad17]

Unfortunately these kinds of things happen. But...Are we getting the entire story or just what these parents have told coachtea? We have all seen post time and time again that make claims that this coach did this or this coach did that. 99.99% of the time it's a parent or parents and at this age the player that just aren't happy with the team. Or, it's an issue of why is my DD not playing? She is the best player on the team! Those kinds of stories get played out on here all the time. I really wish before people posted, they would have all of their facts straight before posting

 

[Irish196]

Yes but we have also seen posters whose story sounded unreasonable only to be right on.
Remember that thread about the coach who was bad to a player and then came on and said the girl should be playing dodgeball or something like that - proving the original poster's point?
Maybe sometimes people are as jerky as the people describe them to be.

 

[GeneralsDad]

Just playing devils advocate here...I have overheard coaches talking and saying we stopped by to see xyz player, and she wasn't playing. What we noticed is how she stayed loose in case she was needed, and got in plenty of tee work as well, all without complaining or being told to. We liked it and will be back at such and such time. That conversation can go the other way as well. ALWAYS ASSUME YOU ARE BEING WATCHED!

It is crucial to have a recruiting plan in place. Girls should copy or forward all their email correspondence to their travel coach, or recruiting coordinator. This also makes it easier and faster for the travel coach to follow up.

 

[WWolff]

I know we do things a little differently then other orginazations so here is what would have happened in our case.

1) Myself or a team represinitive would go out to welcome the coaches to our game and ask them if the came to see anything or any one in paticular. We do not just go on the parents word usually.

2) Do to our great relationship with colleges around the country most likely they would have informed me or one of my coaches that they were coming to see the girl.

Now I am not here to judge because I do not know the facts, and it could have been a elimanation game and not just a showcase game.

 

[CoachTEA]

I know we do things a little differently then other orginazations so here is what would have happened in our case.

1) Myself or a team represinitive would go out to welcome the coaches to our game and ask them if the came to see anything or any one in paticular. We do not just go on the parents word usually.

2) Do to our great relationship with colleges around the country most likely they would have informed me or one of my coaches that they were coming to see the girl.

Now I am not here to judge because I do not know the facts, and it could have been a elimanation game and not just a showcase game.

Like you, my primary role during a game is reaching out to the college coaches and making sure they see the player they are here to see. A few weeks ago we were in Nashville and the Middle Tenn. coach wanted to see one of my pitchers who was currently playing first base. With less than 2 innings into the game, I swapped out the current pitcher and brought in the other one. After the coach left, I swapped them back.

 

[CoachTEA]

Just playing devils advocate here...I have overheard coaches talking and saying we stopped by to see xyz player, and she wasn't playing. What we noticed is how she stayed loose in case she was needed, and got in plenty of tee work as well, all without complaining or being told to. We liked it and will be back at such and such time. That conversation can go the other way as well. ALWAYS ASSUME YOU ARE BEING WATCHED!

It is crucial to have a recruiting plan in place. Girls should copy or forward all their email correspondence to their travel coach, or recruiting coordinator. This also makes it easier and faster for the travel coach to follow up.

GeneralsDad, I like what you said about assuming you are being watched. When my lefty got her D1 offer the coach mentioned how he watched who she was when not in the game and he saw a young lady was engaged and positive at all times.

 

[CoachTEA]

Don't you feel like you have to name names so that other girls don't suffer the same fate? This isn't the normal Sam Kinison "name them" situation - this is serious!

I could name names, but this website has enough drama. I would rather raise awareness and ask the coaches to ask themselves "what are we really here for".

 

[Hilliarddad3]

Coach Tea is spot on.... Had a college coach tell one of ours that exact same thing after team got Lambasted by the coach and she came out with a smile and focused on her job at hand without losing focus is what she was told......

Eyes are everywhere, but an exposure team should be playing for the exposure and not wins, yes everyone wants to win I know, but your summer job as the coach is to get them exposure too!!!

 

[poden-smoden]

Sure coaches would like to see game action but if they are specifically going to see a kid, they are watching from the pregame warm ups. I have seen and been told that this is where it happens as much as in the game. From interactions between parents, coaches, and teammates, to picking up balls, putting up or tearing down nets. Essentially, an infielder might not get one single play during the game. In a hour long pregame warm-up, they are hitting off of tees, slow pitch, fielding, throwing, running down fly balls, etc. In a 5gg tournament, a coach can see up to five hours of how a kid is as a person or a teammate along with athleticism and softball mechanics. Be on your toes at all times. My DD thought coaches were hiding in the trees watching her since she was 11! In fact, I have always tried to be on my best behavior since then too as I started to believe they were in the trees watching me as well!

 

[Chad Strahler]

Sure coaches would like to see game action but if they are specifically going to see a kid, they are watching from the pregame warm ups. I have seen and been told that this is where it happens as much as in the game. From interactions between parents, coaches, and teammates, to picking up balls, putting up or tearing down nets. Essentially, an infielder might not get one single play during the game. In a hour long pregame warm-up, they are hitting off of tees, slow pitch, fielding, throwing, running down fly balls, etc. In a 5gg tournament, a coach can see up to five hours of how a kid is as a person or a teammate along with athleticism and softball mechanics. Be on your toes at all times. My DD thought coaches were hiding in the trees watching her since she was 11! In fact, I have always tried to be on my best behavior since then too as I started to believe they were in the trees watching me as well!

That's funny right there! Nice post

 

[daytonfp]

Here is a "hypothetical" for you all. Girls is one of the better players on a team. She is, in fact, nominated and selected to play on an All-Star game prior to a large showcase tournament. The weekend prior to said all-star game and showcase tournament, she decides to spend the weekend with a friend and take a "break" from the tournament that weekend. Coaches decide to sit her the following weekend because of her lack of commitment to the team. She may or may not have college coaches come out to watch her play at the showcase, but she is sitting regardless. There is no opportunity to watch her play that weekend. Thoughts.......Opinions?

 

[coachjwb]

Dayonfp ... great question ... I might be able to be convinced differently, but my initial reaction is "good for the coach". Part of being on a team is the commitment you make to your coaches and teammates. That commitment will be every bit as strong in college. In this case, she let her team down and was irresponsible in doing so, and there should be consequences for those actions to help her learn from it, as well as a learning for her teammates as well. While sitting the whole weekend may be a bit harsh, I am supportive of the coach's actions.