whats everyone thoughts.....

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I think there are 2 different scenarios being argued here, both of which should be handled during the tryout/building of the team.

1. A team where most of the players are located close enough to have regular practices and the team expects the players to attend. This team should not take a player who will not be at practice on a regular basis.

2. A team who draws girls from farther away and has very few or no practices. Instead they expect the players to be ready to play by working on their own.

I believe softball and baseball are team games made up of small individual skills. A team can have all the defensive coverages and base running plays that you put in at practice. But, if my team can hit, pitch, field, and throw better we will win most of the time, and those are skills you can learn on your own.

This is not to favor one approach over the other because both have their benefits and drawbacks.
For the team with regular practices the practices need to be very well run and organized. For the team without practices the girls and their families need to have a very high commitment level and self-discipline.
I just think players and families need to decide what they want out of their team and what best fits them.

 

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I think there are 2 different scenarios being argued here, both of which should be handled during the tryout/building of the team.

1. A team where most of the players are located close enough to have regular practices and the team expects the players to attend. This team should not take a player who will not be at practice on a regular basis.

2. A team who draws girls from farther away and has very few or no practices. Instead they expect the players to be ready to play by working on their own.

I believe softball and baseball are team games made up of small individual skills. A team can have all the defensive coverages and base running plays that you put in at practice. But, if my team can hit, pitch, field, and throw better we will win most of the time, and those are skills you can learn on your own.

This is not to favor one approach over the other because both have their benefits and drawbacks.
For the team with regular practices the practices need to be very well run and organized. For the team without practices the girls and their families need to have a very high commitment level and self-discipline.
I just think players and families need to decide what they want out of their team and what best fits them.

Very good post, you hit the nail.
If a kid is playing on a Laser team, typically they already posses above average skills and THEY can hook up for games only. A coach can plug in three different kids at, say, second base, and if they know how to play, there won`t be much difference.

 

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We're playing a Team sport. Bringing in a "hired gun" for games does not make that person part of the team. Your dugout will resemble the Yankees - a bunch of All Stars who don't like each other.

You may win a lot of games, but you don't have a "team".

(And, by the way, winning is not "everything"....... Losing ****s, but winning isn't everything.)

 

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I think there are 2 different scenarios being argued here, both of which should be handled during the tryout/building of the team.

1. A team where most of the players are located close enough to have regular practices and the team expects the players to attend. This team should not take a player who will not be at practice on a regular basis.

2. A team who draws girls from farther away and has very few or no practices. Instead they expect the players to be ready to play by working on their own.

I believe softball and baseball are team games made up of small individual skills. A team can have all the defensive coverages and base running plays that you put in at practice. But, if my team can hit, pitch, field, and throw better we will win most of the time, and those are skills you can learn on your own.

This is not to favor one approach over the other because both have their benefits and drawbacks.
For the team with regular practices the practices need to be very well run and organized. For the team without practices the girls and their families need to have a very high commitment level and self-discipline.
I just think players and families need to decide what they want out of their team and what best fits them.

Exactly. Well said. To each his own. Both ways work. Just because one way isn't your cup of tea doesn't make it the wrong way.

 

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How many "elite" pitchers are there in any given age group? Judging by the # of teams still looking ~ not enough.
It's the average to good pitcher with a "prima dona" attitude (or parents attitude) that drives people crazy, it could be any player, not just pitchers. Pitchers are the easy target because they are front and center and their parents are all nuts (just kidding)There are lots of average to good pitchers that work hard and are great teammates and they make a team soooo much better, ask anyone that has suffered without.

 

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Quote:
I believe softball and baseball are team games made up of small individual skills. A team can have all the defensive coverages and base running plays that you put in at practice. But, if my team can hit, pitch, field, and throw better we will win most of the time, and those are skills you can learn on your own.

Exactly! Like it or not, this is what makes the better teams great teams. Just because a team doesn't spend endless hours practicing together as a team does not mean they cannot PLAY together as a team. There were no "bad apple" personalities on my DD's team, and they did few team practices. The bonus was that the coaches didn't have to waste everyone elses time showing the kids who DIDN'T work on their own how to do the basics of throwing, fielding, etc. They came to team practice ready to work on situations - and got more done.

Maybe coaches should demand more OFF the field - or face the bench.

 

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I guess this topic shows why we have so many different teams/organizations popping up. Different strokes for different folks.

 

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Certainly there is different strokes, but a lot of that comes from different types of teams. Do we expect kids who already have a full schedule to travel long distances just to practice?. The teams who have their players all within a half hour or so can easily hold practices. Some elite teams have kids scattered all over the state.
I guess there might be people who are not throughly familiar with the different levels of travel ball. First off a "stud" pitcher will probably be pitching on an elite team. One that recruits mostly from a large area within the state. I doubt they would be just showing up to play on a regular summer team. Expectations should be explained early on. If all the players live fairly near each other, and there will be organized practices, then the pitcher should be there. That more defines most teams, but not many elite teams.

 

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I don't particularly agree with not being at practices, but as long as the player shows respect for her teammates, a positive attitude and willingness to play hard when she is with the team, then that's what matters most. A little humility can go a long way to making this kind of situation work best for everyone. Now if a prima donna struts up without having practiced with the team and tries to control everything right before game time, I'd have a problem with that.

 

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Yea but who wants a prima donna even if they show to every practice.

 

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If teams don't need to practice together, then why do MLB teams with the best players in the world have spring training for six weeks and risk all that chance of geting hurt. Not to mention the fact that it gives the players and scouts more chances to study and vidieo pitchers and hitters and there tendencies? The reason they do this is there is alot to learn that can only come from practice with your teamates. How dose your shortstop set up to take a throw from second? How do your infielders throw to first do they tale do they tend to throw high? Our girl that plays first can tell you how all are infelders throw. There is a infinate amount of things players can learn abought there teamates that can only come from practice repation. Pitchers and catchers need to work as one, have faith and confedence in each other. Pitchers need to belive the defence behind them will make the plays. I loved going to practice when I played, even as an adault. I would have concerns abought kids and parents that did not think it was important. My daughter would flipout if she could not practice with her team, she hats to miss anything.

 

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What about the kids that already spend 4 to 5 days a week indoors with there High school team, these kids are already putting in 8 to 10 hours a week in for softball. Add another 3 hours on sunday for there travel team on Sunday and you have to wonder about some burn out issue's at some point.

At the High school level how much is too much when your school team is working 5 days a week through the winter when your travel team will not play until the start of June at the earliest.Just some food for thought IMHO.

 

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I wouldn't have it on my team. Same rules apply to everyone.

Missing a practice here and there due to other commitments or illness I am okay with as long as it's communicated ahead of time, but this isn't what you're talking about.

Showing up at games only, shouldn't EVER be tolerated. However, the amount a Non-Local DD must attend practice is completely on that TEAM/Coach.

How about the hundreds of teams that practice every tuesday & thursday all summer long and NONE of them have the same goals, work ethics outside practice, goals, beliefs, values.....

GOT TO TELL YOU. Those teams are further from being a team then a team that has specific goals, work ethic requirements, and values and because of having ALL THOSE THINGS, there is great confidence, trust, and credibility with these kids/families even if some of their players are working remotely 50-75% of the time.

Too many teams out their pretending to be teams, but on weekends we all get to see WHO the REAL teams are.

Anybody concerned about recruiting and doesn't understand the work ethics or skill development being done by those involved either with or without team needs to keep there opinions to themselves. Teams that recruit and don't require specific goals, work ethic, and development away from the team, those are the orgs/teams that I AGREE are not Team but a traveling show of collected talent. (Circus like).

 

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If teams don't need to practice together, then why do MLB teams with the best players in the world have spring training for six weeks and risk all that chance of geting hurt. Not to mention the fact that it gives the players and scouts more chances to study and vidieo pitchers and hitters and there tendencies? The reason they do this is there is alot to learn that can only come from practice with your teamates. How dose your shortstop set up to take a throw from second? How do your infielders throw to first do they tale do they tend to throw high? Our girl that plays first can tell you how all are infelders throw. There is a infinate amount of things players can learn abought there teamates that can only come from practice repation. Pitchers and catchers need to work as one, have faith and confedence in each other. Pitchers need to belive the defence behind them will make the plays. I loved going to practice when I played, even as an adault. I would have concerns abought kids and parents that did not think it was important. My daughter would flipout if she could not practice with her team, she hats to miss anything.

The pro's have spring training to determine who starts, who makes the team.

 

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The pro's have spring training to determine who starts, who makes the team.

and travel teams dont ?

 

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I can tell you today, who will be starting for the reds on opening day, and would get 7 out of 9 right if no players get hurt. There is two starting spots open, and most teams don't have that many. Yes spring training is used to set your roster and see who will start, but Arods, and Jetters of the world would not need to play in the spring training games if that is all they were trying to see. They would not risk injury to a player that is going to make 20,000.00 this year if he plays or gets hurt there contracts are garented. If it was not important to the team they would not risk it.

 

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Sounds like some of you feel there is no chance of success for teams that do not practice together.

 

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Sounds like some of you feel there is no chance of success for teams that do not practice together.

FUNNY! The three TOP 14u teams in Ohio last year, ALL had players that were remote and DID NOT attend all team practices. ASA National Finishes: (Slammers-7th , Lasers Red tied for 33rd, Doom95 tied for 33rd) They all had at least 1 kid if not more that had hours of travel to/from.

Somehow they all managed to make it work and NOBODY questioned why remote players weren't there. Hard to say these teams were not successfull.

 

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Sadly, many parents believe that all it takes to become a great softball player is to attend lots of team practices, hit the batting cages and play lots of games. Then when their kid's skill level falls behind their peers, they blame the team coach and proceed to jump teams. Then repeat the process next year.

MLB "Spring Training" is actually a misnomer. It should be "Spring Conditioning" or "Spring let the coach/manager have a look-see". These guys obviously are at the top of the heap when it comes to ability and mechanics. They've busted their tails on individual training to get there. They aren't attending Spring Training to learn how to hit better.

Team practice is important - just as an orchestra rehearsing together is. But the "behind the scenes" work each individual does is FAR more important to the success of the group. Because if the French Horn player doesn't know their part (from individual practice), the whole "team rehearsal" is pointless.

 

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Showing up at games only, shouldn't EVER be tolerated. However, the amount a Non-Local DD must attend practice is completely on that TEAM/Coach.

How about the hundreds of teams that practice every tuesday & thursday all summer long and NONE of them have the same goals, work ethics outside practice, goals, beliefs, values.....

GOT TO TELL YOU. Those teams are further from being a team then a team that has specific goals, work ethic requirements, and values and because of having ALL THOSE THINGS, there is great confidence, trust, and credibility with these kids/families even if some of their players are working remotely 50-75% of the time.

Too many teams out their pretending to be teams, but on weekends we all get to see WHO the REAL teams are.

Anybody concerned about recruiting and doesn't understand the work ethics or skill development being done by those involved either with or without team needs to keep there opinions to themselves. Teams that recruit and don't require specific goals, work ethic, and development away from the team, those are the orgs/teams that I AGREE are not Team but a traveling show of collected talent. (Circus like).

What age group are you discussing?........... when they get older your going to see this.very few teams like the nighmare had the oppertunity to have so many good players in such close proximity. Lasers Gold had kids from 3 states , when you get to the point of exposure, ( 16U ) the concept of 1 or 2 pratices a week just isnt pratical, with the cost of traveling to tournaments ,,,,,,,, no one wants to pay over night for pratice. the kids may have jobs, mom and dad are working to pay for travel lol,,,,,,,,, school work becomes more important at that age , so throw honors classes on top of everything else ( although they can get good at doing homework in a car, or plane) Its just the nature of the beast........ they expect you to show up at tournaments and play your position...... not perfect. just the way it is alot of times