Picking HS teams

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With HS season upon us....I just recieved a call from my brother (lives in Louisville Ky) asking how my DD was doing at Pitchers and Catchers and we started talking about team selections he asked if Varsity coaches picked teams based on talent alone or other factors. I asked him what he meant he gave an example if you have a girl that is very talented but may not put in the time or dedication in to get better would you put a girl on the team with less talent but is a harder worker and with more drive? I am not a HS coach so I ask all of you out there what you think.? Just courious....Thanks in advance

 

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I think you should just throw the names in a hat every year and the first 12 you pull are varsity. lol ;D

 

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We put the girls on varsity who we think give us the best chance of winning the most games, as long as they have a good attitude and are coachable. We do consider what grade the girl is in and would not put a freshman or sophomore on varsity at the beginning of the season if we didn't think she had a good chance of being a starter ... we'd rather she get some playing time in on JV or the freshman team (usually JV if she's borderline close to being on varsity). The one decision we struggle with some are underclassmen who are pretty much only runners. We can always use more speed on varsity, but are we doing a disservice to the girl if that is all she is going to do. In the past, we have just called these girls up at tournament time.

 

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Putting them on teams is not the hard part, its the ones you have to let go!!

 

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My answer is pretty much the same as coachjwb. If a girl's attitude is such that she wouldn't be kept on varsity solely because of that reason, then she wouldn't be in the program at all. So given that, it simply comes down to who is going to get results.

I suppose if somehow everything were equal between two girls, we'd take the one who has worked harder. But the reward for hard work needs to be the increase of the chance that a girl will improve, thereby giving her a better shot of playing varsity, not that she will automatically get a position just because of the work.

 

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? But the reward for hard work needs to be the increase of the chance that a girl will improve, thereby giving her a better shot of playing varsity, not that she will automatically get a position just because of the work. ?

Excellent point Joe, you said it better then I could. I was trying to make that point earlier this year and realized I was not getting my point across lol. Thats the point of open gyms, to get better, correct? Open gyms arent try-outs, now dont get me wrong, if a kid isnt playing a winter sport and isnt coming to any open gyms I would be concerened about her dedication. I am just curious Joe, over the years of your coaching, how many great players have you come across at the high school level that show no dedication to their sport? Now how many great players have you come across that are very dedicated to their sport? I am gonna guess that the number of great players dedicated far out weighs the number that arent.

When I say dedicated to their sport I am talking about kids that , Play Travel, Fall ball and make the majority of their schools open gyms. Maybe a few off-season camps, maybe a personal trainer and if not a trainer making all the off-season conditioning programs.

I believe except in very rare cases alot of players make a coaches decision for him or her. By the effort they have put in through the years.

Oh well I dont envy you coaches, nobody likes to cut good kids and you guys have tough jobs for very little pay. I would bet 90% of high school coaches hearts and minds are in the right spot, and on a whole do wonderful jobs. ?BTW without them we wouldnt have High School softball ?

 

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[quote author=JoeA1010 link=1205001772/0#4 date=1205072704]? But the reward for hard work needs to be the increase of the chance that a girl will improve, thereby giving her a better shot of playing varsity, not that she will automatically get a position just because of the work. ?

When I say dedicated to their sport I am talking about kids that , Play Travel, Fall ball and make the majority of their schools open gyms. Maybe a few off-season camps, maybe a personal trainer and if not a trainer making all the off-season conditioning programs.

I believe except in very rare cases alot of players make a coaches decision for him or her. By the effort they have put in through the years.

Uber, I think you hit the nail right on the head. I have to believe that athletes who play three sports don't often excel in one sport. Sure, you have your incredible athletes that can do it, but the majority excel in one to get to the next level.

 

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Uber, I can think of one girl who I know if who was a great player without being dedicated to the sport. Everyone else who has been an excellent player at least put in a pretty good amount of work. Most of them work extremely hard at the game.

 

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I can't put myself on the same level with what I'm hearing? Our we talking about High School Softball???

 

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I remember Ron Shaw winning game after game and His kids had fun!!!!

 

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This is high school? Generally speaking, our choices are few and dedication to softball is thrilling but unfortunately not mandatory. We'd like all our kids to play summer ball, but some play other sports and can't make the travel committment - never mind the expense. So we have fillers based on their ability to learn & to compete. Anyone on the bubble we keep - on JV. Open gym gives the coaches a good long look at who wants to be there and who can throw and catch.

 

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When picking a player coaches, does it make a difference if the player is playing summer ball for the community team or a club team, I was told by a coach that it makes a big difference in his decision if they play for the community team.

 

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I'll just go with the better player, no matter who they've been playing for. If any coaches don't like that a girl is playing for a travel team instead of a community team, feel free to send her my way, I'll be glad to take her.

 

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Which of you HS coaches have had tryouts, made cuts, and choose your Varsity and JV squads?? I haven't yet, but will on Friday.

 

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We only have 13 girls this year and 4 of those have never played softball.

 

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Just 22 girls for Varsity and JV. No cuts for us this year.

 

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22 girls came out for the Lady Knights this year. ?We will carry 12 on the Varsity and 10 on the JV. ?This will be the first JV in 4 years for us, so I'm excited about the future.

 

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Good job, Knights. Nice to see that you have JV this year!

 

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17 underclass tried out 13 upperclass --decent numbers--
I believe 12-13 on Varsity and 15 on JV ?

 

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22 girls came out for the Lady Knights this year. ?We will carry 12 on the Varsity and 10 on the JV. ?This will be the first JV in 4 years for us, so I'm excited about the future.

Somebody is doing something right, eh? When you get larger numbers for any sport word of mouth is spreading amongst the kids, making playing the sport more attractive. What is going on there? What is your secret?!?!?!

Anyhow congrats, and its nice see a thread of numbers growing in the sport we all love.