Poaching Players

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I was warned by a very experienced parent who's DD played with some very good Ohio teams over the years that a certain team out there will have no problem chasing your DD if they are impressed, but will also have absolutely NO problem replacing her if better talent comes along. Caveat Emptor

 

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I was warned by a very experienced parent who's DD played with some very good Ohio teams over the years that a certain team out there will have no problem chasing your DD if they are impressed, but will also have absolutely NO problem replacing her if better talent comes along. Caveat Emptor

Or you can look at it as preparation for the realities of life including college ball...nothing wrong with teaching them that if they don't produce, they are benched. Spots should be earned every inning of every game.

 

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That's a shame that somebody's word is no longer considered a contract of honor.

Maybe I am old school like that too......if you give somebody your word and shake their hand while doing it , then you have a commitment on both sides. And if another team knows your committed to someone else then respect that. I have very little respect for the org. that did this last night.

 

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Its America. Provide everyone with the best information possible then let the parents and player make the best choice for them. Go to alot of tryouts, find the best fit you and your child. Make sure you are getting your moneys worth. Bottom line, No one is committed until there is a check or down payment in the oragazitions bank accout. I dont agree with going to other teams tryouts, but calling players and posts on here to let parents know that they could maybe make a mistake. A mistake that could affect their daughter. Its all go until a check as been writen. If a parent makes a move, what does that say about the organzition they just left? Maybe wasnt worth their money.

 

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Parents get over yourselves, let's face it a player has to do in the end what's best for them personally. Unless someone is going to pay for your daughters education do what is best for her.

If you go to buy a car and you get a toyota, and you agree to buy it, if you find a better deal somewhere for example someone will give you a brand new bmw for the same deal as the toyota your going to make the change correct. Softball isn't any different.

If my daughter was from ohio and she accepted a spot on the sisters of the poor softball team, and 2 days later, the top lady lasers team called and asked her to play. I'm heading to the laser's sorry. (Just using them as an example, so any laser's posters don't take it personal)

A player has a very small window of opportunity to get exposure, and to play softball. These players are not owned by an organization, its a free country.

Let me guess Lebron was an idiot for leaving Cleveland where they weren't going to win an NBA title, to go to Miami where they where going to surround him with talented players to help him get better and in a place to succeed.

For those of you who get upset when someone asks your daughter to play even if they know she's committed. Be flattered and give them a polite no thank you. No harm in that, beats getting bent out of shape.

Also if the best player on your team left to go to a better team, it happens. Get over it.

 

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Can I hear amen to Steven A. Where is Skip? although we never left a team to play for another I have seen situations and players leaving and I didn't harbor any bad feeling for that person. Nobody ever wanted my DD bad enough to poach them.

Giving my word to someone in most cases are good enough but if I happen to break them I don't think this will attribute to downfall of society rather situation warranted my word to be broken. Anyone wo knows me will agree I take my word seriously. I have seen many situation where families should of jumped ship for the sake of their DD but family tried to keep their WORD and they were miserable until they got out.

In life Contract even gets broken when situation warrants it (I've never done it so I don't need to be lectured). Person has the rights to ask and consider all possibilities.

 

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This thread was about coaches poaching, not families jumping, though obviously the two go hand in had ... coaches wouldn't poach if some families wouldn't jump.

I think the original situation as presented wasn't terrible, given that it happened in August and assuming that the coach/head of the organization didn't get too pushy and did politely take no for an answer. I can see that there could be valid situations where a family may decide to jump, but I have an issue with it being compared to someone buying a product. There's a huge difference that is being overlooked. When you commit to play on a team, you are not only committing to the coach, but to the other 10 or so families on the team. For example, if your daughter is the #1 pitcher on a team that only has 2 pitchers total and you jump teams say in October, where does that leave the other families that committed? If you have a roster of 11 girls in say mid-September, and your daughter and her friend on the team both move to another team and the roster is now only 9 girls, where does that leave the other families?

Commitment is important and it's a value we should be teaching our children by example. And don't give me the "we have the right to do what's best for our daughter" ... often what's best for your daughter is to teach her some values.

 

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Its America. Provide everyone with the best information possible then let the parents and player make the best choice for them. Go to alot of tryouts, find the best fit you and your child. Make sure you are getting your moneys worth. Bottom line, No one is committed until there is a check or down payment in the oragazitions bank accout. I dont agree with going to other teams tryouts, but calling players and posts on here to let parents know that they could maybe make a mistake. A mistake that could affect their daughter. Its all go until a check as been writen. If a parent makes a move, what does that say about the organzition they just left? Maybe wasnt worth their money.

It says nothing.... In most cases, they just think the grass in greener on the other side. I was with you through your 4th sentence. Who are you to say what it best for other peoples children? Telling them they are making a mistake by not checking your team/org out? C'mon Billy. You may have a great organization but you shouldn't discredit others. There's plenty of threads on here for people to read to know who to steer clear from. There are also a lot of great organizations out there and I am lucky to be a part of one. Let the parents see whats out there and then decide for themselves.

I'm a firm believer that your word is just as valid as a signature. I'm sure some of you disagree with this but oh well.

 

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The best and most important fact being made here is these girls have a small window to been seen or noticed! The goal is for your child to get into college to play ball. So you are telling me that the parents word is worth their daughters college future? No way! You look at your child tonight when they get home from school and tell them you committed to play for the worst team you college softball career makes no difference to me as your father or mother. Your child is gonna look at you like you are insane. For me, its about my daughters future! The best place to get noticed by more schools is where she will play. I dont care who she committed to in the first place.

 

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The best and most important fact being made here is these girls have a small window to been seen or noticed! The goal is for your child to get into college to play ball. So you are telling me that the parents word is worth their daughters college future? No way! You look at your child tonight when they get home from school and tell them you committed to play for the worst team you college softball career makes no difference to me as your father or mother. Your child is gonna look at you like you are insane. For me, its about my daughters future! The best place to get noticed by more schools is where she will play. I dont care who she committed to in the first place.

To each his own.
At 10u I'm not thinking too much about college, I'm teaching my girls the game of softball. If you're talking 14 & 16u then the decisions should be made together. Why do you have to commit to a team knowing you may be backing out? Whats wrong with laying all your offers out then picking one? If someone really wants your daughter they will wait. This is just my opinion...

 

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Where is that "Dislike" button???

 

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I guess I am old school. I believe my word means something and would be dissappointed if my daughter's thought any different.

Obviously in life things can change and a good situation could turn toxic and hard choices will need made. However, to turn our backs on a committment for something better at every turn is short sighted and uninspired.

I know of organizations/coaches that cut players loose at the first chance to get a "better" player or turn over rosters yearly, parents jumping ship several times a year because their daughter "deserves" the best. This teaches the player that they are better than the team and commitments do not matter unless they are the #1 concern in all decisions.

How we carry our selves matters. Just like how we play the game matters. Respect is earned and if a persons word does not have value then I have no use for them. I'll surround myself and my daughter with good quality people and develop those relationships and players as a team. Does not make us weak, it makes us stronger.

If you are not with us, then you are against us and do not let the door hit you on your behind on the way out. I'll wish you and your kid all the best and worry about who is left. Just sayin.

 

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This thread was about coaches poaching, not families jumping, though obviously the two go hand in had ... coaches wouldn't poach if some families wouldn't jump.

I think the original situation as presented wasn't terrible, given that it happened in August and assuming that the coach/head of the organization didn't get too pushy and did politely take no for an answer. I can see that there could be valid situations where a family may decide to jump, but I have an issue with it being compared to someone buying a product. There's a huge difference that is being overlooked. When you commit to play on a team, you are not only committing to the coach, but to the other 10 or so families on the team. For example, if your daughter is the #1 pitcher on a team that only has 2 pitchers total and you jump teams say in October, where does that leave the other families that committed? If you have a roster of 11 girls in say mid-September, and your daughter and her friend on the team both move to another team and the roster is now only 9 girls, where does that leave the other families?

Commitment is important and it's a value we should be teaching our children by example. And don't give me the "we have the right to do what's best for our daughter" ... often what's best for your daughter is to teach her some values.

WELL said coach. Real men keep their word. I'm not saying there isn't any good reason to back out. If the coach lied then they are the ones that took the value away from your word. Say a coach said they had these pitchers and these other players so you commit and then find out it wasn't true. You committed to a lie so it doesn't mean anything. But when you back out for a better offer you stabbed a lot of people in the back and are a very poor excuse of a parent to your child. Teach and lead by example.

 

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Mad Hornet ... I'm with you ... I know two things ... 1) I would never let my DD be poached by a coach who portrayed themselves as God's gift to the coaching world ... 2) If I was the head of an organization who had a coach who was portraying that image and/or poaching players, I would be praying for some other organization to come in and "poach that coach"!

 

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This whole thread is out of control. I can't see any harm in what was done. Why was it called "poaching"? That coach also has an obligation to the rest of the team to fill it out and make it competitive. It was still early. Tell me any of you posting for pitchers that you wouldn't take a kid who said they already had a verbal agreement but wanted to switch. Would you tell the rest of your team that you folded because you couldn't find another pitcher? I read this more as chest thumping than poaching.

I have seen first hand coaches poaching players from other peoples tryouts and this is about as low as it gets. Coaches making promises they don't keep and things like that should be what really fires this forum up!

 

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Mad Hornet ... I'm with you ... I know two things ... 1) I would never let my DD be poached by a coach who portrayed themselves as God's gift to the coaching world ... 2) If I was the head of an organization who had a coach who was portraying that image and/or poaching players, I would be praying for some other organization to come in and "poach that coach"!

Seen that happen too!

Ok, I'd settle for a simple thumbs down button. Can we get one of those?

This mindset explains why a lot of young adults these days don't seem to get the concept of commitment when it comes to employment.

 

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The best and most important fact being made here is these girls have a small window to been seen or noticed! The goal is for your child to get into college to play ball. So you are telling me that the parents word is worth their daughters college future? No way! You look at your child tonight when they get home from school and tell them you committed to play for the worst team you college softball career makes no difference to me as your father or mother. Your child is gonna look at you like you are insane. For me, its about my daughters future! The best place to get noticed by more schools is where she will play. I dont care who she committed to in the first place.

College ball is a goal for many travel players but not all. Playing a game they love at the highest level they can achieve is the goal.

I hate to say it because I normally don't write people off but I sure am glad my kids and myself are not associated with you or your organization. You seem to personify EVERYTHING that I try to avoid in a coach or parent. You admit your word means nothing and that you are willing to break your commitment and jump ship at anytime. It is still August and you are already on your 2nd team for the year.....says something about the kind of coach and person you are. I tend to feel bad for your dd, she is going to have the crazy father stigma following her around her entire career and she's only in 10u.

I played softball for a D1 school and let me give you some advise......if you're main goal is getting your kid to college than push academics, not softball. Also, a college coach won't touch a player with a 10 foot pole if they have parents who don't know their place and look like they will cause problems.

 

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This whole thread is out of control. I can't see any harm in what was done. Why was it called "poaching"? That coach also has an obligation to the rest of the team to fill it out and make it competitive. It was still early. Tell me any of you posting for pitchers that you wouldn't take a kid who said they already had a verbal agreement but wanted to switch. Would you tell the rest of your team that you folded because you couldn't find another pitcher? I read this more as chest thumping than poaching.

I have seen first hand coaches poaching players from other peoples tryouts and this is about as low as it gets. Coaches making promises they don't keep and things like that should be what really fires this forum up!

Yes, that coach has an obligation to the rest of the team. The obligation is to act in a way not to bring disdain for his actions, to conduct all business in an honorable way and not hurt another team solely for the purpose to improve his/hers.

Poaching is wrong, but also is allowing your daughter to be poached. There is a difference between a player approaching you about an opening on your team and you stealing a player from another team. You have to recognize that!

And yes, I would (and did this year) fold my team because I only had one pitcher. I folded two weeks ago to give my players ample opportunity to find another team. It is called being respectful of the players and conducting my business with respect for others.

 

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The right place at the right time by the right people. 10u to 14u. It only takes a second for someone to say Im gonna follow your daughter. I have seen some amazing 10u players! Players at 9 that could smoke 12u girls. The talent is there so even coaching 10u, Some kids need managed- not coached. They are ready to be seen. I lost a kid that would have been amazing even after i told her she would be my #1 pitcher she liked us, said she wanted to play. Lost her to a better, at that time, organization. Nothing I could do. She will be the best 10u pitcher around this year.

 

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The right place at the right time by the right people. 10u to 14u. It only takes a second for someone to say Im gonna follow your daughter. I have seen some amazing 10u players! Players at 9 that could smoke 12u girls. The talent is there so even coaching 10u, Some kids need managed- not coached. They are ready to be seen. I lost a kid that would have been amazing even after i told her she would be my #1 pitcher she liked us, said she wanted to play. Lost her to a better, at that time, organization. Nothing I could do. She will be the best 10u pitcher around this year.

I'm sorry, but if you think any scout/coach is following kids that young you are sadly mistaken. Recognizing that a kid has potential/athleticism is one thing, but to actively follow them is absurd. If you are telling me that you have seen 10u kids that do not need to be coached and only managed, I would say your coaching ability is in serious question.