Poaching other teams

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I totally agree.

Personally, I could care less if a player leaves our team no matter who it is. It doesn't bruise my ego in the least. Many coaches take it too personally. I don't have the time nor the energy to let it bother me. I've only had it happen to me once. It was a kid on my baseball team about 7 years ago. The father came up to me before the season started and said they were leaving due to what they thought was a better situation. I smiled, said good luck, shook his hand, said the other team was lucky that they were getting a good player, and excused myself so I could start practice. It was our starting SS. The father just stood there waiting for me to beg, plead, get mad....anyway he was expecting more from me. It's almost as if he wanted me to be crushed or pi$$ed about the news.

Even though the kid was probably the best player we had, our season survived without him, and when it was time to play the team he went to, they asked us to re-schedule once, which we did, then they had to forfeit the re-scheduled game due to lack of players. A total of six kids showed up for the game and the kid that left our team for that team was not there. We happened to have extra kids and told that coach even though he had to forfeit we could throw some of our kids out there so his kids that showed up could at least play and the umpire was willing to stay and umpire the "scrimmage". The other coach didn't want any part of it and left. Since we were already there we decided that we would practice and offered the kids from the other team the opportunity to practice as well but the parents were so mad they said thanks but did not take us up on the offer.

Lenski, people come and go all the time. Thats a normal occurance in travelball and sometimes it works out well for both sides. In my post above I was referring mostly to the orginal posters comment about the fact that he:

"Had a head coach from another organization show up at 12U tryouts with dd to tryout. Everyone knew that he/dd had committed to this other organization as a coach/player. Previous season his daughter was on our 10U team and he was not a coach. Thoughts/comments? "

Some may have misunderstood this or took it out of context. Of course I can also see where in some cases there may be a good reason why they would be attending another tryout even if they had a set position on another team. If this where the case then I think the best to approach would be to say something the people conducting the tryout and let them know so there is at least a mutual understanding. If something like that doesn't happen then I could see where people would look poorly on it. In the end the fastpitch community is a small one and many people know eachother or at least know if someone is with another team. Its pretty hard to hide.

 

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i know we're trying to kill this thread but it's thought provoking to say the least.

With hesitation and regret i didn't take my dd to several tryouts this past month. i wanted to take her for many reasons mentioned earlier-- to see where she stood w/ same age kids, what she needs to work on, etc. I missed an opportunity to do this, along with getting out and talking to softball people in our area because I didn't want people to perceive me "taking" their players for the Ice10u.......... That said, we're filled up with very talented girls who found ME.

My questions are many....... what do you say in a come back to parents who have committed to a team based on a story that is not true? coach misrepresented his team. Do you call the coach a liar? Do you defame him/her?

I had a coach ask a girl on the spot (at a gas station) if she would like to be on his softball team and the parent said yes. Parents at the 10u level many times are new to this game and don't know any better. The parent called & told me what the story was and it was everything I could do not to tell her my knowledge of the guy's team and tell the parent that the team has been totally misrepresented to her. I let it go, but continued to shake my head at the fact that this guy sold the player's family a complete line of @#@$.

After the first practice with this "team" the parent calls me back and would like to play with us. Am I poaching to say ok? Is she wrong to go back on her "word" to this team? Is anybody's word good this time of year? What's it worth when you commit (on the spot--only 1 minute left to decide!!!) to something not true? or too quickly before seeing the entire picture?

with all the commitment involved with ball, isn't it better to ask prospective players and families to come back and play with your team a few times before they commit to you? and you commit to them..... why do coaches do the shopping channel thing (1 minute left!!!! only 3 remain....), gotta decide right now, hurry we might pass you up... Is this everyone's style of building a team?


good luck to you and your dd klump, you're gonna have a great year. you have a family of ball players and everything will work out.


D

 

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players come and go, and parents, organizations, coaches and players decide to change things, it happens. We actually encourage our Thunder kids to go to other tryouts, see what's out there, explore the possibilities, then make a decision that is best for them.

 

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players come and go, and parents, organizations, coaches and players decide to change things, it happens. We actually encourage our Thunder kids to go to other tryouts, see what's out there, explore the possibilities, then make a decision that is best for them.

Very well put MaumeeSoftball. I actually do the same thing every year. We have had a couple of players do just that and I for one think it helps everyone ultimately. They get a chance to compare what they have to what else is out there and then they can make the best decision.
I have been fortunate to have a strong core of players over the years who have been with us for a while. They tend to know whats expected and for us we know what they want out of their softball experience. We have also seen some very good players move on because for whatever reason we were not on the same page. At the end of the day once players get to the 16U level they start to realize that they really have only 1 or 2 more years to get where they want to be and find the best situation for them. Thats one of the reasons there tends to be alot of movement at this age group.

 

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Well put Ice Man.... I agree with you

 

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Thanks Ice. I know what you are saying, you hear some things people have been told and you don't know whether to say RUN!! or just let them find out for themselves. At such young ages, the really bad experiences can ruin it for the players and turn them off of travel ball altogether. Plus you hate to let anyone have a miserable year just so they can learn for themselves. I don't consider that poaching at all, just parents finding out the real story. That is why there are so many girls who become available through the winter, they find out the real truth before the season starts.

 

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Ice-Man your totally right. As you know it is hard to field a 10u team because this is new to them. Parents are being told so many things about this team and that team, the Coaches. They don't know which way to go. This situation didn't affect me but it did not look right on the parent. It's water under the bridge now. Let them figure it out for themselves. Don't think he was trying to scout just wanted to see where his daughter stood at the 12u level.

 

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I agree with having the girls explore all opportunities available to them, after all, it`s all about the girls. Sometimes, for one reason or another, they might decide that another team is a better fit for them, ( all kinds of reasons for this ), and I would wish them the best of luck with no hard feelings what-so-ever. It`s just like MaumeeSoftball said, players come and go all the time. As they get older, thier focus may shift and they make new goals and have new expectations, so investigating other teams is not a bad thing, the thing that bothers me is when some people, using shady tecniques, try to sway the girls thier way and in the process, hurting others.

 

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i know we're trying to kill this thread but it's thought provoking to say the least.

With hesitation and regret i didn't take my dd to several tryouts this past month. i wanted to take her for many reasons mentioned earlier-- to see where she stood w/ same age kids, what she needs to work on, etc. I missed an opportunity to do this, along with getting out and talking to softball people in our area because I didn't want people to perceive me "taking" their players for the Ice10u.......... That said, we're filled up with very talented girls who found ME.

My questions are many....... what do you say in a come back to parents who have committed to a team based on a story that is not true? coach misrepresented his team. Do you call the coach a liar? Do you defame him/her?

I had a coach ask a girl on the spot (at a gas station) if she would like to be on his softball team and the parent said yes. Parents at the 10u level many times are new to this game and don't know any better. The parent called & told me what the story was and it was everything I could do not to tell her my knowledge of the guy's team and tell the parent that the team has been totally misrepresented to her. I let it go, but continued to shake my head at the fact that this guy sold the player's family a complete line of @#@$.

After the first practice with this "team" the parent calls me back and would like to play with us. Am I poaching to say ok? Is she wrong to go back on her "word" to this team? Is anybody's word good this time of year? What's it worth when you commit (on the spot--only 1 minute left to decide!!!) to something not true? or too quickly before seeing the entire picture?

with all the commitment involved with ball, isn't it better to ask prospective players and families to come back and play with your team a few times before they commit to you? and you commit to them..... why do coaches do the shopping channel thing (1 minute left!!!! only 3 remain....), gotta decide right now, hurry we might pass you up... Is this everyone's style of building a team?


good luck to you and your dd klump, you're gonna have a great year. you have a family of ball players and everything will work out.


D

Don, you are right on!! For us I'd rather not do the "jeopardy" or shopping network timing to get the roster full. As we let the season age players do "show up" and knee-jerk reactions are hard to fend off within a coach's mindset but if handled properly these things do work out as you know all too well.
I also had a similar situation but didn't 'vent' the opinion I have/had of the other team and a player went to them on their own and that family was upset they didn't know and no one told them the truth or 'the other side of the story'. IMO it's up to the parents to find that out on their own and not for us (other teams) to bash. You are a tactful coach! I also find your team to be very classy and hope to see you this year.

Now, if you have an open spot and "they" decide to part ways with the team or the team with them... not poaching. Just finding a better fit is my opinion. Perception is a bi$%^ and will come back to haunt you at some point but what do you do. They are kids... let'em play ball and move on.

 

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I must not know the whole story because it wasn't started talking about this GUY that I so much supposably love. It was about someone else. I think if you remember then you will know whom I'm talking about. This GUY never came to any of our tryouts at all. I think we need to talk and get on the same page. And this GUY never tried to call my returners, another organization did but this GUY doesn't Coach there.

 

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i see, we are not on the same page. we are deffinitly talking about two different people. i was just really suprised that you were defending the person I thought you was talking about. im really glad i was wrong.sorry for jumping the gun. i really thought you was talking about another snake.

 

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Klump,

I know who this post was about, but I think you might be changing gears a little. The person this post was about might of been at the org. tryouts ( I wasn't there) and called some of the former players ( I just heard 2nd hand), but the only player I think that went with him was his dd and her classmate and best friend. I guess I think that was a no brainer. I don't know if it was you or your husband that post the the last post, but I think you might of been talking about someone else that did not show up to your tryouts and have been with the org. for several years and was very happy at the org. If you want to know the truth you can call me or ask the head of the org. If you lost the number ask anyone in the org. to give you the number. The org. is a very good org. with one of the best family running it.

 

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We are all talking about different people here. Carrs and I were talking about something totally different than what you others are talking about. We love the organization we are with and have no ill feelings toward anyone in it. We are talking about 2 different things so lets all just chill out. I'm not sure what you are talking about gbas, but I have no hard feelings toward anyone in the organization or for you. I must say, I'm lost.

 

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Gbas, I have but one question......................What does all this have to do with chicken gravy? Hope we see y'all Saturday. I've got a new recipe for tequila jello shots. We can shoot a few and have some fun.

PS: Leave the chicken gravy at home. It would just be wrong.

 

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stay lost

 

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See dugout dad...it happens to all of us. I think you jinxed me!!

 

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it stinks to be mis-understood...had to throw that dig in after all the abuse i took..no hard feelings