~ Loyalty to returning Players~

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So what do you think about this....? Heard a team picked up a 3 or 4 new players to take to Nationals to insure a few more wins...Some of the new players played every game and girls who have been on the team for two and three years sat the bench. Not real sure of the details..just heard it through the grapevine but seems a little rough!!!!

 

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These players that where picked up, did they play for another travel team this season before being picked up on this team? Because if they did and the team they played for prior qualified for the nationals they attended that's a big no no. A young lady from my dd's team went to Nationals with another team, had to be released and picked back up. If my dd's team had qualified she would not have been eligilble to play for the other team at Nationals.

My dd left her first team last year over something really similar. Our team was short a few girls, so our coaches brought two subs who played while three of our rostered girls sat. One coach said he felt they owed these girls playing time since they came to help our team. I've never figured that one out. How about loyalty to the girls who show up at your practices for the last 3 years?? One of the young ladies that they brought that weekend ended up playing for another Org. in our area that we are very friendly with, she up and quit their team with two tournament left this season. Leaving them with 8 girls to play a few weekends ago due to injuries and her quiting, so my dd went to help them out for the weekend. Yep,that's the kid I would feel loyalty to. NOT!!!!

 

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my dd org must not dd had to move up from 12 to 14 same person that did the tryout last year her coach did them again must not be goog enough to play for them at 14u

Sorry to hear that for your dd, hopefully she sticks with it and finds a team who she'll be happy with. My dd had a major disapointment when she left her first team last year but she has let that fuel her to work harder and a better ball player she is becoming in spite of it.

 

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Do You Think Thats Wise?

Ive noticed some teams will not be having tryouts due to all players wanting to come back.....Doe's anyone else think this isn't wise? I would think that it would make sence to at least look at kids what can it hurt? Then it raises the question if you pick up a kid that betters your team do you let the previous kid go and pick up the new kid?

 

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I always wondered how a player was good enough to be with an organization for 3 or 4 years,play with the same players and coaches and all of a sudden after an hour and a half tryout another player is determined to be better!!Makes no sense but it happens alot!I think the MAJORITY of organizations want to win at all cost ,and if they feel they can find what they think is a better player ,your DD is expendable,no matter how long the player/family has been LOYAL!!

 

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My dd attended a tryout that most of the organizations returning players were at. They didn't tryout though. They were just hanging around talking. Couldn't help but wonder why none of them A.) needed to show what they had and B.) just wanted to get a little practice in?

I'm not exactly sure what to make of it, but I can tell you that didn't impress me much! ;&

 

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My dd attended a tryout that most of the organizations returning players were at. They didn't tryout though. They were just hanging around talking. Couldn't help but wonder why none of them A.) needed to show what they had and B.) just wanted to get a little practice in?

I'm not exactly sure what to make of it, but I can tell you that didn't impress me much! ;&

Honestly when I held tryouts I wanted them there (returning players) but not involved in tryouts. If they have been on the team what is the point in hitting them ground/fly balls and hitting off a machine. Tryouts are to look at the new prospects and not eat up that valuable time with reps. to players already on the team. They can be there for support and answer questions of players or parents.

 

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They have alway ran their tryouts like that Shelly. My dd and two other girls where the only two girls on the team that had to tryout two years in a row, all the girls just ran around, watched the tryouts or didn't even show up. Tell me this? When you do this to only a few of your girls at tryouts every year what kind of dedication do you think the coaches will get in return from those players??

 

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Honestly when I held tryouts I wanted them there (returning players) but not involved in tryouts. If they have been on the team what is the point in hitting them ground/fly balls and hitting off a machine. Tryouts are to look at the new prospects and not eat up that valuable time with reps. to players already on the team. They can be there for support and answer questions of players or parents.

I guess it just felt to me like my dd was wasting her time. What good was it for her to be the best out there when what they believe to be the best were running around not even paying attention to the tryouts.

 

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Re: Do You Think Thats Wise?

Ive noticed some teams will not be having tryouts due to all players wanting to come back.....Doe's anyone else think this isn't wise? I would think that it would make sence to at least look at kids what can it hurt? Then it raises the question if you pick up a kid that betters your team do you let the previous kid go and pick up the new kid?

Whats your take on returning Players Scott? I understand you've been around this game for awhile and your dd is part of a good program.

 

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Honestly when I held tryouts I wanted them there (returning players) but not involved in tryouts. If they have been on the team what is the point in hitting them ground/fly balls and hitting off a machine. Tryouts are to look at the new prospects and not eat up that valuable time with reps. to players already on the team. They can be there for support and answer questions of players or parents.

Good points, but don't forget you want the girl to pick you too. You want the girl trying out to see a high level of talent and want to be a part of it. And the parents too.

 

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Plus, what about chemistry? How do you know if the girls you currently have will be okay with the new hires? Does that make sense?

 

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i like them to go thru drills as well so as was said earlier incoming prospects can see your talent level

 

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We had our 16u girls show up for the 10u and 12u tryouts to help the young ladies and answer any questions they may have. After that was over, most of them left before the 14u and 16u tryouts started. The ones that stayed to my knowledge didn't have rides home.

My opinion about this whole post is this: At our age (16u), you try to put your best team together. Loyalty certainly is a factor, but so is putting great talent on the field -- talent that may help our daughters get recognized at college showcases, etc. In my opinion, college scouts would love to watch a team play that's solid from top to bottom. I had two returning parents come up to me yesterday at our tryout and ask about why certain girls were at our tryout. By the way, these certain girls are extremely good ball players and at positions that would solidify certain weaknesses in our lineup and depth chart. Anyway, these two parents (independent of each other) said you'd be crazy not to take those girls. Easier said than done. We do have loyalty, but there is also loyalty to the rest of our team to surround them with exceptional talent that would help the whole team? By the way, I'm not suggesting that we replace our "7th thru 9th" starters, but explain to them that playing time can now be an issue. Trust me, I lost sleep over this whole thing. Managers, any advice?

 

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Jeff, You are a great coach! One that my dd has always looked up to and respected. I have not doubt that you loose sleep every year at this time over loyalty and what's best for your girls. Just keep being the way you are!!

 

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Thanks MacsMom. I hate this end of coaching, but it's a necessary evil -- unfortunately. Good luck to Paige and where ever she ends up. She has made TREMENDOUS strides over the last few years!

 

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We had our 16u girls show up for the 10u and 12u tryouts to help the young ladies and answer any questions they may have. After that was over, most of them left before the 14u and 16u tryouts started. The ones that stayed to my knowledge didn't have rides home.

My opinion about this whole post is this: At our age (16u), you try to put your best team together. Loyalty certainly is a factor, but so is putting great talent on the field -- talent that may help our daughters get recognized at college showcases, etc. In my opinion, college scouts would love to watch a team play that's solid from top to bottom. I had two returning parents come up to me yesterday at our tryout and ask about why certain girls were at our tryout. By the way, these certain girls are extremely good ball players and at positions that would solidify certain weaknesses in our lineup and depth chart. Anyway, these two parents (independent of each other) said you'd be crazy not to take those girls. Easier said than done. We do have loyalty, but there is also loyalty to the rest of our team to surround them with exceptional talent that would help the whole team? By the way, I'm not suggesting that we replace our "7th thru 9th" starters, but explain to them that playing time can now be an issue. Trust me, I lost sleep over this whole thing. Managers, any advice?

I understand this, however, IMHO if returning girls were required to "earn" their spot back, or thought that their starting spot was in jeapordy, don't you think they would work harder to keep it? If they know that their spot is a given, how hard do you think they are really working? By making them tryout with the potential new team mates they may push themselves to keep it and make sure their coaches know how badly they still want that spot. IMO

 

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I agree with sad that retuners will have a little more 'motivation'

We also put our returners through with everyone trying out for more of an accurate measurement of the new kids we're watching. A mediocre player will look better against a backdrop of low talent at tryouts.

 

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Don't get me wrong, either. I do believe a certain amount of loyalty needs to be there. If these girls (new and returning) all tryout together and none of the new recruits show any more effort, drive, determination, and talent then of course the spot should go to the returning girl. But if the returning dd is not leaving it all on the field, then.....;& maybe you as coaches need to talk to her. Because you know the ablility she has, you need to explain the importance of fighting for the spot and not expecting it.

 

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Something should be said for letting the girls decompress after a long season of travel ball. Letting the girls know that they don't have to try out again right after nationals is a good thing in my opinion. A lot of softball has been played since last tryout season and the girls need some down time. If the coach has already made a decision that a girl is on the team then let her relax. After a whole year of practices and games a coach knows his ball players and what he has.