Poaching Players & Jumping Ship

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From here on out, I declare we call poachers "Managers" and those that once they sign a kid is committed to that kid for a year "Coaches". It would make it much more clear and would also keep Bear from bringing his sheriff guy to watch threads. So you could say yeah I Know Billy Jo he is the manager from Uncle Ned's fastpitch heart attack and we'd all know Billy Jo is a poacher. Or you could say Yeah I know Wayne Baker Coach of the Irish and we'd all know he doesnt poach.....It could be softball code :lmao:

 

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We had a situation like this this past season where the HEAD of an organization called a player on our team two games into the season and actually had her practicing with the team in his organization that he wanted to place her on. She did move there this season.

This girls attitude went south right after that second game and none of us could figure out why or what happened. It wasn't until the last game of the season that we found our she had been practicing with this team/organization once a week all year long!

I'm sorry but that there is just not right! I don't have a problem with someone talking to a player and inviting them to a tryout once the season is complete but to try and poach someone two games into a season just isn't right.

 

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Very wrong, Mike ... I agree

 

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Look I that my statement is not popular but the fact of the matter is that it's true (for the most part). Consider this, if parents or players were not constantly looking for a better situation then poaching would not even be an issue. Yet it is year in and year out. Life is short and if a good player is wasteing away on a weak summer team then I say go for it if an opportunity comes their way.

Please understand that I don't like it, but I am willing to say that my experience is that it happens and we should not ignore why.

When my eldest daughter played a few years back she was on a decent team (average at best) and she had many friends on that team. They played mostly local tournaments and when they did step up they got hammered. Being on e of the better players on the team we seldom got thru a weekend without having a coach from an opposing team ask us if we were looking for something more. Ultimately we did move and it was definately for the better. She was still friends with every player on the team and in fact she even inspired a few of them to work harder and seek out a better situation as well.

Bottom line was, she liked her old coaches and teammates but they were not taking her were she wanted to go. She was one of those kids who worked at softball 7 days a week. Once se was able to play with like minded players she worked even harder......because she had to. Competition brings out the best in players and weeds out those who are playing primarily for the socail aspect.

Totally agree with this response. This about sums it up here. I know of a similar situation. The sad thing is that the old coaches don't acknowledge the girl who moved to a better situation the next season. Don't acknowledge the parents as well. The girl still likes her old coaches and it hurts to see that they won't even look her way or say hello.

 

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Totally agree with this response. This about sums it up here. I know of a similar situation. The sad thing is that the old coaches don't acknowledge the girl who moved to a better situation the next season. Don't acknowledge the parents as well. The girl still likes her old coaches and it hurts to see that they won't even look her way or say hello.

I see this alot too, a coach who lost a player to a better opportunity and then won't even look at them or talk to them ever again. People take things WAY too personally. If you part ways on bad terms than I can understand not talking but if they just left for a better opportunity, how can you blame them? I've had players who were going to stay with me just because they were afraid I'd be mad if they left, NO WAY!!! If the communication is honest and upfront, I have no problem with a player bettering herself. I've even helped a few girls find something a little more suited to them. My playing days are over and this isn't about me, it is about the girls. We as coaches should be doing whatever we can to help them find what is best for them. If you are holding a girl back just because you are afraid of losing a player, you aren't doing your job as a coach and you are in it for the wrong reasons.

 

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I see this alot too, a coach who lost a player to a better opportunity and then won't even look at them or talk to them ever again. People take things WAY too personally. If you part ways on bad terms than I can understand not talking but if they just left for a better opportunity, how can you blame them? I've had players who were going to stay with me just because they were afraid I'd be mad if they left, NO WAY!!! If the communication is honest and upfront, I have no problem with a player bettering herself. I've even helped a few girls find something a little more suited to them. My playing days are over and this isn't about me, it is about the girls. We as coaches should be doing whatever we can to help them find what is best for them. If you are holding a girl back just because you are afraid of losing a player, you aren't doing your job as a coach and you are in it for the wrong reasons.

Very well stated, Julie. We all "lose" players for many different reasons. If a player leaves for a situation that is more conducive to her development or her skill level, then the right decision was made for all.

If you feel somehow cheated because of it as a coach, then it might be best to re-evaluate why it is that you're involved to begin with.

Having said that....poaching and jumping ship are equally disdainful.

 

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Changing teams after the season is one thing but when you agree to play on a team you agree to play out the whole season. You agree to be part of a team. As many have said their is no I in team. Shame on coaches who feel the need to poach.

 

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 /kəˈmɪtmənt/ Show Spelled
[kuh-mit-muhnt] Show IPA

–noun
1. the act of committing.
2. the state of being committed.
3. the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
4. a pledge or promise; obligation:

 

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I think in travel ball commitment needs to be a two way street.

 

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True it should be a two wat street. But it is wrong when you go into a situation knowing what you are getting -get exactly that and then back out because you changed your mind and something else 'better' came along.

 

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True it should be a two wat street. But it is wrong when you go into a situation knowing what you are getting -get exactly that and then back out because you changed your mind and something else 'better' came along.

Happens in everyday life. But, mostly they jump because of something that happened, good, bad, or indifferent. They typically just dont jump because they got a wild hair. Of course, there are always exceptions, but if you really look in the mirror, there were reasons for it to happen. They might not be articulated to the coach, but they have valid reasons for jumping. You might think they are valid, but the jumpers do.

 

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I agree there are some legitimate reasons for a kid to leave but for a kid to jump ship because they think the grass is greener on another team is just wrong. Do the parents really think there helping their kid’s? I would say just the opposite they are hurting them. Part of becoming a good player or even a great player is learning how deal with adversity. Maybe it is not playing on the best team or playing the spot they wanted or even the skill level of some of their teammates isn’t as good. How do they deal with it, are they going to run away or are they going to honor there commitment show some character and integrity; work harder and make themselves and the team better.

Stay away from coaches that poach. They are showing you their hand upfront. They have no loyalty to their current players and will replace you with someone better as soon as they can.

 

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Stay away from coaches that poach. They are showing you their hand upfront. They have no loyalty to their current players and will replace you with someone better as soon as they can.

I agree with this completely!

 

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Geez Louis, Look up the definition of poaching. It's the act of taking something illegally. I don't hear of too many fastpitch kidnappings around the state. You can't poach what comes willingly. There are probably just as many times that the players makes first contact and not a "poaching" coach. What should a coach do that is looking for players and a player contacts them and says, "my current team is not a good fit for me, I would like to talk to you about playing for your team?" EVERYTHING cuts both ways. I have too many other issues to deal with than trying to worry about keeping a kid that doesn't want be there anyway. It's best for both parties to part ways.

If you were an alien and landed on this planet and read the OFC, you would think that the 2nd worst people on the planet are fastpitch coaches. The worst people on the planet would be Dads who are fastpitch coaches.

 

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If you were an alien and landed on this planet and read the OFC, you would think that the 2nd worst people on the planet are fastpitch coaches. The worst people on the planet would be Dads who are fastpitch coaches.

Speaking of commitment. The third thing an alien would think is we should all be committed. What a thread!

 

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Stay away from coaches that poach. They are showing you their hand upfront. They have no loyalty to their current players and will replace you with someone better as soon as they can.


Agree!!! Been there, seen it! There are always going to be "Managers" Its our jobs as parents to make sure our dd's are making the best decisions, not only for themselves but for the teams that they have committed to. We do that and maybe we'll start seeing alot more "Coaches" and fewer "Managers"

 

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Geez Louis, Look up the definition of poaching. It's the act of taking something illegally. I don't hear of too many fastpitch kidnappings around the state. You can't poach what comes willingly. There are probably just as many times that the players makes first contact and not a "poaching" coach. What should a coach do that is looking for players and a player contacts them and says, "my current team is not a good fit for me, I would like to talk to you about playing for your team?" EVERYTHING cuts both ways. I have too many other issues to deal with than trying to worry about keeping a kid that doesn't want be there anyway. It's best for both parties to part ways.

If you were an alien and landed on this planet and read the OFC, you would think that the 2nd worst people on the planet are fastpitch coaches. The worst people on the planet would be Dads who are fastpitch coaches.

Ringer, My dd was on lets just say not the best of teams a few years back..Lots and lots of problems! After trying and trying to get the Organization to step in and help out. My dd finally got permission from the head of the Organization to try to find another team. She went and talked to another Coach who really could have used her. We explained the circumstances and told him she had the blessing of the Organization to move on if she found a team. That coach told my daughter how much he could really use her and then convinced her to stay put until the following year if she could. He said I dont want anyone doing that to our Organization and even with the ok he was not willing to do that to another Organization. My dd finished out what was the worst travel season we ever went through where she was! but that "Coach" taught her a very valuable lesson! It was worth it to stay in our opinion.

 

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OK -I am going to just jump in here and "poach" right out in the open....

If your daughter is a player that fits this criteria I want her on my team...

* Freshman or Sophomore with at least a 3.35 GPA unweighted
* Pitcher capable of being a #1 or CO#1 on a high level Showcase Team.
* Power Hitter that strikes fear in pitchers hearts when they see you on deck. Must be willing to hit 3rd, 4th or 5th.

If you fit these above criteria please call me. I am hereby actively recruiting/poaching/askingyoutojumpship right now.





Oh by the way - you must be willing to travel a ton - we are based in Orlando!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

 

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Poaching and jumping ship usually happens in the 10U-14U age groups. More-so at the 10U because coaches have a huge ego and families are ignorant of what they truely need for their DD to progress. At 16U-18U, it rarely happens because I think the parents, players, and coaches have finally figured out that honest, straight-forward communication is the key.

By this time, the families have figured out what they are needing for a team and the coach has a good handle on his/her capabilities and if that matches what a family is looking for in a coach and team.

Some of the younger age coaches do not realize that they do not have what it takes to get girls to the next level. They attempt to hang onto players who need to be on another team whose team skill level, schedule, and coaching will be better suited for a player.

But....this is not an excuse poaching. As for jumping ship, if a family was promised one thing and he/she is delivering something else, then I am out of there.

About 5 years ago, there was a team that would show-up at tournaments and get the living snot kicked out of them by every other team in the tournament. I talked with one of the coaches and ask why they came to these tournaments. He told me that they realized that their team was never going to be a very competitive team but they were there to give their girls a taste of competitive travel ball and also, hopefully, if a girl had the desire, they would see a team that they could try-out for the next season. Over the next couple of years, I saw girls that were on that team scattered out on different competitive travel teams. I think these coaches had it right.