shortage of 12u players?

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SAD627 I have to agree. Tryouts with some teams was a joke. We tried out for 4 teams , she is the primary pitcher on the team she is playing for now. One team called and told us she wasn't good enough to play for them. I noticed they were looking for players within 60 days. They now have 4 rec players to field a team. Later I found out the father coach has a DD that he wants to be a pitcher. This team has had 3 girls leave that program and join my DD's team. A coach can ruin a program and sad to say this is a team that has beena round for some time.

 

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I'm not exactly sure what the issue is. Some of it is economics, although speaking for myself I have been willing to work with the parents on the funding process, so we can give their kids the opportunity to play tournamnet softball. Some of it is other sports like soccer, basketball and volleyball whose seasons never seem to end. Some of it is parents not willing to spend the time traveling on the weekends.

We as organizations or coaches ought to form some type of network. If a player can't make your team for whatever reason, then let them know there are other teams who are looking and tell them who they are and maybe even pass their info on to the other teams. After all its the sport as a whole that suffers when we can't get the teams formed so we can compete with each other and attend the tournaments together causing a better economic affect on our sport.

 

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I think there is a shortage of players that fit coaches' expectations of a travel player.
?Player's need to have
1. ?The finances required to play on a travel team - some teams cost up to $600 just in team fees . ?Add on expenses such as indoor practice facilities, private lessons, fall & winter ball, summer leagues, ?softball camps, travel expenses, bats, gloves, cleats, uniforms, and you're probably looking at well over $1500. ?Compare this to rec ball which costs just over $100, requires a cheap bat & glove, and very little travel expenses.
2. ?Have necessary skills developed to compete at the travel level. ?Many coaches expect players to already possess significant fielding, batting, & baserunning skills.
3. ?Player needs to be coachable and the team needs to be a good fit for players, coaches, and parents.
4. ?Fearlessness. ?Softball isn't a sport for wimps. ? Getting hit by a soccer ball thrown from 40 feet isn't going to hurt; getting hit by a softball thrown at 50 mph hurts so much you wanna cry.

The one other thought I hadn't seen mentioned in this thread is the number of duplicate players at tryouts. ?Some teams may have 20 or 30 girls at tryouts. ?How many of these girls attend other tryouts as well? ?My friend's daughter attended 5 tryouts and saw many of the same girls at these tryouts. ?Also, as mentioned by others, players attend tryouts for a variety of reasons, so just because you have 30 girls at your tryout doesn't necessarily mean you have 30 girls from which to choose. Ten of those girls may not be up to travel softball caliber, 15 may be attending other tryouts or are already committed to another team, and 5 may not have any clue what travel softball is all about. ?

I would like to know if there has been an overall drop or increase in the number of girls playing travel softball? ?Personally, I know many girls that once played travel softball, but have now decided to focus on soccer or basketball, or dropped out because they could no longer afford to play.

 

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georges2ndgenera:

I haven't seen any girls drop out because of cost. I've seen them not get into travel because of cost. As for are more girls getting into travel ball? I would have to say yes. When we first started 4 years ago, they were maybe 3 older girls and 1 younger girl in travel. Now, there about 15 girls playing travel ball. At 13/14U, some girls opt to do something else (Jr. high and HS activities or even to specialize in a different sport).

You are correct about tryouts, especially in the 10U and 12U. You will see teams moving tryouts up closer to the end of the Nationals to try to get that edge.

 

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Last two posts brought up a good point. I know that my DD tried out for different teams and we ran into the same girls at other tryouts. I'm convinced looking at the section player looking for a team and look at the views that teams are hurting for players. If I posted a pitcher on that site how many views do you think you would get. You see posts from Oct. still getting hits!

 

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I think too many parents are looking for an instant position for there DD. If its not available ,..then they head out to another tryout get frustrated and give up . Its true some kids can instantly step into a starting position . On the other hand some can't . I say find a solid organization ,..be patient and let your DD develope into a ball player . If that means working towards more playing time ,...except the fact ,...thats the way it works . Consider 10,11,12 yr old kids as young freshman in this sport . You have to work hard and earn your playing time at any level . There are teams that will take these girls ,..maybe as a parent our sights are set too high and we want our little princess on an elite team ,..when she's really a yr away.
?Don't sweat the small stuff ,....enjoy your daughter while you can . Its like I tell my daughter . As long as you have a love for this great sport and you want to play. I'll do what I have too .If that means selling a toy or two ,..then so be it . Just to consider the commitment these girls make ,..should make any parent more than proud. ?I never whine about commitment and sacrifices . I cherish that look I get ,..when she pitches a great game ,makes a solid defensive stop or drives in a run . She gives me this glance that says ,...thanks Dad ?
? ?
? ?Anything worth fighting for , has a price and these girls are worth it . Do what it takes to get her to a ball park near you ,...or in the case of travelball ,....Not so near to you .

 

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We sound alot like each other Rod03. The only problem I am having is getting two or three girls at 12u to even tryout and I really do not believe it is a shortage of players. I believe somewhere along the lines that parents are getting to involved in believing that their dd should play all the time or that maybe the kids feelings have been hurt at a tryout or by a coach or other parent, etc. and they have given up on the sport. Some parents do not realize that when their kid is not on the field it is a break for them, maybe a situation to get another kid in during a game where the coach wants to see how that girl reacts, etc. and then probably the vast majority of the time it is the fact that the parents cannot handle losing, not the kid. I realize that everyone wants to be the best and win every game but somebody has to lose as well and if your on the losing end it sometimes hurts but that definitely does not mean your a loser. Know body is the best at every tournament, that is why we play them and by losing every now and then it should make the girls try harder and work harder for the next one. A prime example is when we played you guys in Dayton at Gateway and lost 1-0, my girls wanted to play again but that is why it is a tournament, not saying we are better team but I thought that was great when the girls said they wanted to play again because you know they want to be the best and if it means losing again and again you know as a coach that your team and every member on it is giving it their all and thats all you can ask as a coach. Well I have spoke enough and I really wish that most parents, ( not all ) would sit back and watch their girls have fun no matter what the circumstances are if their dd is enjoying it and having fun that is all that should matter. I do realize that politics play a factor in alot of places but I can guarantee you that if a child gives it her all they will eventually win the political battle. No politics on my team - 100% guarantee Coach Paul Ohio Heat 12u

 

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Julie120461- Coach Paul, Excellent post. We need more coaches out there like you. Good luck. That was the reason my DD had 4 tryouts. As a coach at high school and 12 years of traveling ball, I knew what type of coach I wanted for my DD. We also knew we couldn't play softball 12 months. She is an excellent soccer player. It had nothing to do with playing time, politics, or $$. As a 12U pitcher she had her pick of teams. We both wanted the same thing her to learn and have fun. Be on a team with this attitude that coach Paul talks about. Not a team that crys and complains how they lost. You learn from the loss to play better . I believe the kids act like the coach( the leader).

 

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Thanks for the comment SBFAMILY. Some people do not realize that the truth hurts sometimes. Best of luck in all your kids sports.

 

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as of this posting, EIGHT of the first 10 postings in players wanted are for 11- and 12-year-olds.
If that doesn't spell shortage....
Of course, there are WAY too many teams. That intensifies the demand and thus the resultant shortage is inevitable.

 

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:-/ And you have 11 players looking for teams 11 - 12 yr olds.

 

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Evil, Then why are the teams still posting for help wanted with your perceived surplus of supply? Are the entities too blind to match up?

 

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Most likely they either don't want to or can't develope the players unlike yourself.
Also if there were names of certain players posted that all of a sudden were looking for a new team.
Even coaches whose rosters are full would clammer to get to them.
If their are such a shortage of players why are all these girls still looking?

 

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Actually Evil, half of those posts that are 12's looking were posted last fall and have been dragged up by teams looking. I think the situation is exactly as btrain describes; way too many teams.

 

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From my experience, this is the time of the year where some teams fold (failing to fill their roster) - hence the number of girls looking for a team. The other reasons for an influx at this time are:

1. Girls were encouraged in pre-season meeting held by their middle school and high school coaches to participate in travel ball.

2. Moving into the state or to another area of the state.

3. Missed fall tryouts and now want to play

4. Some were "burned out" and chose not to play. As the season gets closer, there is a change of heart.

5. Some have recently decided to seek another option to rec ball.

6. Some did not like their current coach, team, etc and are looking for a new team.

7. Did not make a team in the fall and are giving it another try.

Etc. etc.

I noticed that the coach are posting for players and the players are posting for a team to play on. We give them the two forums to use for that purpose and we can only hope that they read as well as post. You can lead a horse to water.......

 

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Coachdad you are 100% right. Some of those posts are back in Oct and we never removed looking for a team. It would appear that people are in the panic mode to find a player. Some have not received a post in 30 days and now someone is trying to see if they found a team!

 

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What do you have to do to even get girls to tryout? I have had one girl tryout in 3 months and I took her because she gives it her all, not because she is an allstar. She needs some help with fundamentals and then she will be fine. One of the problems at 12u is that coaches do not want to teach the game, they want to manage the game and when a girl gets the I don't think you are ready yet so many times they are ready to quit trying and go to a different sport. 10's and 12's are still learning, growing and experiencing what they want to do. It would be nice to have a team like the 12u Lady Lasers but unfortunately not all 12's are that good yet and that is why we are called coaches and not managers. Why does the exceptional 12u teams play up, because the talent is spread so thin between the thousands of teams looking for players and they want competition. Why are there thousands of teams, because most parents think they can do better and boom - here comes another team over and over again. It's not the kids that need to win every game, it's the parents!!!!!! Just my oppinion on the situation.

 

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I feel what brings on a situation like this is that many girls or parents decide to enter travel ball at the 12U level, while many of the coaches at the 12U level would prefer to have a girl with a year or 2 of travel ball experience. Mainly because these girls will have experience in the basic fundamentals needed to compete in travel ball. Some girls could step right in and play their first year, but we probably all have seen the improvement a year or 2 of travel ball makes in a player. My advice to parents is start your girls at the 10U level. As a coach or orginaization, push to have a 10U team. Most likely, those girls will be the ones moving up to your 12U teams.

Joe

 

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one of the things that I find really strange on this thread is that many seem to make the accusation that coaches at the 12U level do not want to teach players how to play. Instead they are just looking for a great player to show up and help them out. That is a silly assumption. Of course coaches are teaching all players at this level. Weather they have played 1 year or 3 years by the time they are 12, they still need plenty of work.
maybe one of the real issues is that some of the players who are available do not want to play for the teams that are looking for players. maybe they are familiar with them and simply not interested. or maybe they are waiting for some team to make them an offer they cannot refuse ie. reduced fees, guaranteed positions etc. If you think that this does not happen then you are not really paying attention.
We are glad that our daughter got on a team that seems to have a roadmap to success. If they were still scrammbling to find players then we would seriously be considering if we made the right choice.
the market always takes care of itself weather its business or youth sports. There are only so many players for so many teams. Some of these teams will surely fold (we have heard of a few that are on the edge right now) and then there will be more players then teams again. Then we will see some teams add a extra player to thier existing teams and more then likely disturb the chemistry that has been formed over the winter months. This is just the way that travel ball works. The main reason that it seems to be such a big deal is because now there are more people on this website talking about it. For those who have been around for a while, we all know that this is just how things work.

 

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What do you have to do to even get girls to tryout? I have had one girl tryout in 3 months and I took her because she gives it her all, not because she is an allstar. She needs some help with fundamentals and then she will be fine. One of the problems at 12u is that coaches do not want to teach the game, they want to manage the game and when a girl gets the I don't think you are ready yet so many times they are ready to quit trying and go to a different sport. 10's and 12's are still learning, growing and experiencing what they want to do. It would be nice to have a team like the 12u Lady Lasers but unfortunately not all 12's are that good yet and that is why we are called coaches and not managers. Why does the exceptional 12u teams play up, because the talent is spread so thin between the thousands of teams looking for players and they want competition. Why are there thousands of teams, because most parents think they can do better and boom - here comes another team over and over again. It's not the kids that need to win every game, it's the parents!!!!!! Just my oppinion on the situation.

I posted this earlier in this thread and I wanted to CP it again at this point.

I coach a 12U team and in the past I have coached at every age level with the exception of 10U. I had to turn away many players over the years. It is not something that is easy to do and it is not fun to make the phone calls to tell a player and their parents that their DD did not make the team. What a coach tries to do is to select a team where the players are of comparable skill levels. This will allow a coach to develop a practice plan that will apply to the whole team. If I were to take a player that was not up to the skill levels of the rest of the players ? everyone loses and I am not talking about games. I will then have to divide my time in practice between the 11 skilled players and the 1 player needing work to even begin to catch up to the others. Both will not get the full work that they deserve. I will have to neglect others to work with the 1 player on parts of the game that the others already know. This leads frustrations for everyone. The best analogy that I can come up with is, would want to put a 8th grader in a class of HS seniors?

If you know my team, we are not world beaters but the girls are fairly close in abilities. I can plan practices/lessons that applies to each of the girls. I can focus on what I need to do to help ALL of the players. This way all of the players on the team benefit. I am sorry if this sounds cold but it is what I have learned over the years.