Who do you blame? Just a thought...

[default]

I have been around since FP Softball wasn't cool. So, it has been awhile. Since then I have fielded many questions about the game and several quesrtions have kind of stuck out over the years.

I will address "What do you do when someone tries to recruit your players during the season?"

How many of you remember the tournament that use to be held in Hilliard ever year. It was a major draw and some of the best teams in Ohio attended. I believe it was call the All American Girls Pemiere Softball Tournament. (correct me if I am wrong) It was a great tournament and well run until the end of the road. (I kind of wish they would start it back up.)

One year, during that tournament, I noticed a well know coach (who is no longer with us... God rest his soul) that went from game to game. With him, he carried a photo album. In the album was pics of many tournaments they have won in the past. He visited the parents (and players) in just about every game showing them the pics from past tournament (mostly the tournament win pictures... with him prominently in the front of every pic). He even approached my pitcher, who was trying to warm up for the upcoming game.

My parents listened politely but were a little uncomfortable. After our game, I asked to meet with the parents and players to discuss the "recruiting effort".

Initially, I was very... I guess you would say.. POed. But...

If you think about it... If you are not doing the right things, in the right way, then who do you blame if your players leave? To blame the "recruiter" is an excuse. Nothing more, nothing less.

When I met with my parents and players, I told them that if they would like to take the "recruiter" up on his offer, I would not hold any grudge against them. After a couple of seconds of silence, my parents and players burst out laughing. It was a defining moment in my coaching career.

Do what is right with your players (and parents) and they will walk through hell with you and enjoy the stroll.

Enough said.

 

[default]

Well Put, Well Put. So true.

I especially like these parts: If you think about it... If you are not doing the right things, in the right way, then who do you blame if your players leave? To blame the "recruiter" is an excuse. Nothing more, nothing less.


Do what is right with your players (and parents) and they will walk through hell with you and enjoy the stroll.

 

[default]

Good point Johnnie.... just today I posted on on Facebook website that a good testament to our program is by how many other programs are trying to "steal" our players because that is what they do. While we work to develop good players, we all know of the programs that will boldly recruit ours.
Beware parents.... the grass is probably greener where you are at now.

 

[default]

I agree, And Yet some players will leave teams no matter what.

 

[default]

It's not always about the grass being greener.......sometimes it's about getting too big for the yard. JMHO

 

[default]

The question becomes, does this provide the recruiter a good excuse or reason to do what he is doing? It's really two separate issues, one regarding why players might want to leave a team, and the other the ethics of the coach going around during the season trying to steal players.

 

[default]

The question becomes, does this provide the recruiter a good excuse or reason to do what he is doing? It's really two separate issues, one regarding why players might want to leave a team, and the other the ethics of the coach going around during the season trying to steal players.

Joe, you have been around a long time. What are your experiences? There will always be those without ethics. It has been my contention that those who follow the ones without ethics will end up on the other end of the ethics... sooner or later.

 

[default]

It's not always about the grass being greener.......sometimes it's about getting too big for the yard. JMHO

I completely agree!!

 

[default]

Joe, you have been around a long time. What are your experiences? There will always be those without ethics. It has been my contention that those who follow the ones without ethics will end up on the other end of the ethics... sooner or later.

My experiences have been that those without ethics can succeed for a certain period of time, but don't last for the long haul. I have seen that in travel ball a few times. I just wanted to make sure that looking in the mirror at ourselves when players want to leave our teams does not serve to give the unethical recruiters a pass on their own behavior.

 

[default]

Great post and great comments.

I am curious, how do you handle a parent or parents from other teams coming and talking to you about tryouts for next year during a tournament. It has happened a few times this year with parents asking us how many open spots will we have and when our try outs are. I have just told them to check our post and we would not know how many players until after our last tournament. Some of the girls would be girls I would love to have, but felt it was not the right time to discuss next season.

How do you handle this? Thank you for your input.

 

[default]

Is it wrong to inquire about a team that you may be interested in at a tournament whether its to a coach or parent? I don't know, but having not done my home work last year has made for a long season that we are riding out to the end this year and if I see a team that looks like it is well ran and coached I'm sorry but I am going to try and find out some things about this team whether it involves talking to a coach or parent. I don't know if that is proper etiquette or not, but you need to get your ducks in a row for this game and plan ahead.

 

[default]

I don't have a problem with a coach talking to a family that approaches him or her at a tournament. If it is a player that the coach knows from having seen the player in action, I don't even have a problem with the coach saying "we would be really interested" in having you at our tryouts.

Bottom line is that a coach should never do anything to help a still-committed player jump ships in mid-season. So in the standard situation of a player coming up to ask about tryouts, the coach should explain where and when tryouts are and if he or she wants, the coach can encourage that player to attend tryouts.

If a player has already quit the original team because things were so bad, that is a horse of a different color (and of course that player would not be approaching the "new" coach at a tournament). That situation usually involves some drama on the original team and it raises a red flag that requires investigation, but we've been around TB enough to recognize that sometimes the player has been so mistreated that her decision to quit her original team was a justifiable one. At the point where the player has already quit her original team, the original team's coaching staff already knows they have lost her; the "new" coach is not doing anything covertly to present the original team with a surprise team-jumping event.

 

[default]

@SN2001 Fair enough. I was not offened by the parents asking, just was not sure how to handle it for the sake of the other team. I completely agree in having your ducks in a row.

@Heat, thanks for the advice. I told them about the listing and just was not sure what the "right" route was, especially not knowning at the time how many of my players were coming back. I had a coach try to poach a few of my players in the past and was glad they stayed, but lost a little respect for the guy who was recruiting players that had been with me 4+ years. I was not sure if I would be viewed as the "other coach" and wanted to stay clear of it.

Thanks again

 

[default]

A lot of good points in this thread. Thanks for posting the topic.

 

[default]

I won't take a side but make an observation...the main point of travel ball is to be noticed and recruited hopefully by a college coach.

Isn't this just part of that same process? We have always excepted the fact that you go to tryouts to find a team, is it really bad for a team to find you?

Approaching a pitcher while she is warming up is a bit much...but overall isn't it why the girls go out on the field, to be seen performing?

As coaches we don't own the players we earn our players and their parents every season. I have had players come to me and say we saw you coaching and like your style so that is why we came to your tryout. Can't a coach do the same thing with a player?

 

[default]

@Jjen:

I don't have a problem with your approach as long as it is clear that interest shown by a team or coach during the season is directed at the next season. Poaching during the season, I just can't accept that given that there are other players on the original team as well as the coaches of the original team that have a vested interest in all the players remaining with the team for the season.

 

[default]

Who are you? Do you still coach? What age level? I WANT TO PLAY FOR YOU!!