When are parents going to wake up?

[Wishuwereme]

Parents, please wake up! When taking your dd to tryouts, ask questions. If the team only has 3-4 returning players, that should be a red flag. A true core of 6-8 players is a good indication of a happy team, and good parents. Usually a large turn over indicates internal problems. This could range from, unfulfilled promises, to bad parent and player attitudes. I welcome all opinions on this topic.

 

[coachjwb]

Wish ... quite possible ... though there can be other reasons as well ... one is if it was a 2 age group team in the previous year ... say 13's and 14's, and the 14's moved up ...

 

[Ri-domination]

Another reason could be the age group, the younger the team the more chance there is that the coaches\team have not found all the players yet that they feel make their team complete. Over the course of a season you have the ability to see more or less ability to develop, you see the good and bad side of personalities of kid and family, many reasons. Sometimes people part ways with no bad feelings or problems being the cause, sometimes it is just a change.

 

[FastBat]

Yes there are many reasons coaches and players can be on different teams each year. Just the idea, if your player/coach, plays/coaches on different teams year to year can cause parents anxiety. It's hard to play/coach on the same team year in and out. Same goes with coaches. Children 18 and under physically and mentally change so much, family situations change and wants and desires of children can be different. It's hard to say one reason or another, but I don't think changing teams always a bad thing.

 

[The3dm]

Parents, please wake up! When taking your dd to tryouts, ask questions. If the team only has 3-4 returning players, that should be a red flag. A true core of 6-8 players is a good indication of a happy team, and good parents. Usually a large turn over indicates internal problems. This could range from, unfulfilled promises, to bad parent and player attitudes. I welcome all opinions on this topic.

I agree with ask questions, but totally disagree with your take on the number of returning players. I ran my org in a way that required every player to earn their spot each year, no resting on your laurels. This also let the players have the freedom to move on without any of the awkwardness of telling the coach some BS about why they are not coming back. The softball community has become very nomadic over the years, moving on to another team is no big deal.

People all have different ideas of what is important, some feel winning is paramount, others feel that team chemistry is most important, while others may place greater importance on training, facilities or even FUN.

 

[wow]

Returning players from a successful season is important. Players leaving from a not so successful season not so much... Kids don't leave in droves from a good program. Always a story just try to find it prior to a decision.