WOW there are a lot of Girls Ohio Fastpitch Softball teams!

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

I agree with the comment on the A, B and C teams. In my opinion, the more teams, the better. The weaker teams will fold. If we have a lot of teams, that means we have tons of girls in softball and that is good. This past year, we had several teams playing at the Gold level (Lasers, Miami Valley Express, Nightmare, Doom, Outlaws etc.) - they all did fairly well. That gold level is very tough. Then we had teams like Lasers Blue, Stingrays Leady and others that did really well in their national tournaments including PGF. Then you go down the next level and we had teams doing very well at eastern nationals, All sanctioned ws and the one in Myrtle beach. Not to mention the girls that went to the bandits that did well. I have seen a trend of Ohio girls and Ohio teams doing better and better vs. national competition. We have several local pitchers verballed or signed to D1 colleges - Washington, Louisville, Ohio U, Toledo, Murray State, Akron, Ball State, Dayton just off the top of my head. And then we have several pitchers that will pitch D2 and D3 colleges. Again, I enjoy being involved in softball at the highest levels like all of you but I also enjoy going down to the local rec fields and watching kids having a blast playing the greatest game there is. I umped this year for the first time and I saw a number of good pitchers and good games. Now in central ohio, I did think that the pitching was down a bit in D1 but following girls like the Groveport ACE of fiew years ago is tough to do.

As I tell a good friend of mine - let um live! The more teams, the better!

Coach Murph

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

My favorite thing is seeing the "#1 pitcher needed" or "in need of dominate #1 pitcher". Im waiting for someone to post "looking for solid #3 with a rag arm because all 6 of my #4's stink".

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

[Part of the problem is almost anyone can pitch at 10 (and almost everyone wants to) this is not to disrespect the dedicated 10u pitchers I know your out there and working hard. You are A players and will do well. for the others... at 10u all you need to do is get the ball near the plate and hope for the best. QUOTE]

I am not offended at all but I was wondering how long it has been since you were involded with the 10's? Any pitcher who just hoped for the best in the tournaments we were at would have gotten mashed! These kids are getting better and better at a way earlier age. I have an older one who played 10u about 7 years ago and there is no comparison to the level they are playing at now. It seems there are just as many posts for 10u pitchers as the other ages for the same reason.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Again, I enjoy being involved in softball at the highest levels like all of you but I also enjoy going down to the local rec fields and watching kids having a blast playing the greatest game there is.
Coach Murph

I agree with this statement 1000%. Not every kid can be a D1 player, not every kid can make the "elite" travel teams, but every kid should have the ability to play the sport if they truly love it.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

[Part of the problem is almost anyone can pitch at 10 (and almost everyone wants to) this is not to disrespect the dedicated 10u pitchers I know your out there and working hard. You are A players and will do well. for the others... at 10u all you need to do is get the ball near the plate and hope for the best. QUOTE]

I am not offended at all but I was wondering how long it has been since you were involded with the 10's? Any pitcher who just hoped for the best in the tournaments we were at would have gotten mashed! These kids are getting better and better at a way earlier age. I have an older one who played 10u about 7 years ago and there is no comparison to the level they are playing at now. It seems there are just as many posts for 10u pitchers as the other ages for the same reason.

Yea - that was a bit of an overstatement; the talent level is improving and I think that comes from having more girls involved.
I do think it's still true that a lot of non elite 10U pitchers are aiming for the plate and hoping for the best. They have just begun pitching and finesse is not there yet - We use to say to those girls with the speed but not the control; Don't worry all you need is to do is get 3 out of 7 pitches across the plate and you will do fine.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Just heard the final numbers, there are 1,432,456 teams 8u-18u in Ohio.....WOW

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Travel fastpitch is the quintessential unrestricted free market. Simple supply and demand - and in the overall scheme it does work. People who complain about the number of teams in general are just aggravated about the extra work involved in competing for and getting good players. Provide the product and service people want and the players will come. Lie, cheat, and / or get lazy and your turnout eventually catches up.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Agree with Tony and some others about the supply and demand thing, and that it's great that most everyone who wants to plan can find a home somewhere. It does make the recruiting and tryout process more difficult and sometimes painful for both coaches and families, especially since many of the teams have no chance to deliver what they promise.

Using that same theory of supply and demand, what it means is that many "buyers" (i.e., families) are going to end up with a product that they didn't really want ... e.g., a really poor/miserable team, a true daddy-ball team, or a team that either can't get into or show well at the tournaments that could help showcase their more talented players. Good research and OFC can be great tools to educate those buyers, but unfortunately many will end up disappointed or disillusioned while other teams with good coaches and some potential will not be able to get the talent to compete at the level they otherwise could have.

Just like the real world where many sub-standard companies try to compete and saturate/erode the marketplace, it happens in travel ball as well ... and the consequences can be unfortunate for many, but I don't think there's a better answer out there.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Devils advocate: Isn't this all for the Girls ? or just the elite girls? Just asking

I hear this all the time ? "too many teams" ? There is never too many teams till every girl in the state is playing softball.

Here is how it will naturally work over time;

The best girls will go to the Best teams and play in the best tournaments
Maybe they will be called Golden Elite Tournaments.
If you have two or three A level girls pitching against each other the ball will get hit and fielders will make plays. And the girls will get better

The Midlevel girls will end up on the Midlevel teams and play in midlevel tournaments. If you have two or three midlevel pitchers the ball gets hit and the fielders make plays. And the girls will get better

The lower level girls will play on low level teams in low level tournaments.
If you have two or three poorer pitchers the ball gets hit and the fielders make plays. And the girls will get better

The lowest level or least interested will play slow-pitch

Cream rises and girls will play to their level and get better. Soon some C?s will be B?s and B?s can be A?s and the A?s get that D1 money.

The problem is A teams playing in B tournaments and humiliating B level girls just to get the $5 trophy (and sometimes to a lesser degree B and C teams playing in A tournaments just to say they did). And not enough Pitching instruction all teams need to have pitching instruction from Rec on up.

The statements in blue exactly mirror my thoughts.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Until parents and players realize they cannot pitch or catch every game at 100% it will always be this way. This is what seperates the elite from the rest. They know when it is their turn they are rested and ready to give their all. I understand it is hard but no sense in pitching and catching every game in front of college coaches if you cannot give 100%.

This might be in the top 5 of smartest things you have ever said Paul!!!!

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

I am getting wiser in my young age

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Agree with Tony and some others about the supply and demand thing, and that it's great that most everyone who wants to plan can find a home somewhere. It does make the recruiting and tryout process more difficult and sometimes painful for both coaches and families, especially since many of the teams have no chance to deliver what they promise.

Using that same theory of supply and demand, what it means is that many "buyers" (i.e., families) are going to end up with a product that they didn't really want ... e.g., a really poor/miserable team, a true daddy-ball team, or a team that either can't get into or show well at the tournaments that could help showcase their more talented players. Good research and OFC can be great tools to educate those buyers, but unfortunately many will end up disappointed or disillusioned while other teams with good coaches and some potential will not be able to get the talent to compete at the level they otherwise could have.

Just like the real world where many sub-standard companies try to compete and saturate/erode the marketplace, it happens in travel ball as well ... and the consequences can be unfortunate for many, but I don't think there's a better answer out there.

Coach Jeff, That is so true.
That is one of the BEST statements I've heard on softball teams, concerning supply and demand.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

Agree with Tony and some others about the supply and demand thing, and that it's great that most everyone who wants to plan can find a home somewhere. It does make the recruiting and tryout process more difficult and sometimes painful for both coaches and families, especially since many of the teams have no chance to deliver what they promise.

Using that same theory of supply and demand, what it means is that many "buyers" (i.e., families) are going to end up with a product that they didn't really want ... e.g., a really poor/miserable team, a true daddy-ball team, or a team that either can't get into or show well at the tournaments that could help showcase their more talented players. Good research and OFC can be great tools to educate those buyers, but unfortunately many will end up disappointed or disillusioned while other teams with good coaches and some potential will not be able to get the talent to compete at the level they otherwise could have.

.

I agree! and another thought, those looking to play the game at the higher end of the spectrum are finding it difficult to get into tournaments that offer strong competition. Personally, I was puzzled when I learned of some of the teams that placed well at Lasers, ASA Stats, ASA/USA NQ etc. and i think that just shows that some of the tournaments are getting watered down and there are few "stacked" teams left.

It just seems that with all of the teams out there, it might be getting more difficult to put together a truly elite team

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

There ARE a lot of teams and a lot of great coaches. Others... not so much. I gave up my team so my DD could go play on a bigger and better team with a bigger organization. I think too many parent coaches aren't willing to do that. They create a team so THEY can coach. Even in rec - not cool. Too many coaches won't set aside their ego for the kids.

On the flipside of that, I've run into a couple teams this year that couldn't fill a roster so they approached another team about taking their best players on. I think that is awesome. If you know you're not going to be competitive - find the girls a place where they can be! Kudos to those coaches to know when enough is enough.

And rec programs - the ones in our area are horrible past coach pitch. All of the good players leave the rec for select in 10/12u. That all comes back to coaches. Get quality coaches, you'll get quality players. Serious players/parents don't want daddy/mommy ball.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

And not enough Pitching instruction all teams need to have pitching instruction from Rec on up.

I am going to disagree with this comment (ADAMENTLY!)... Pitching instruction should be left up to the professionals... Managers and Coaches CANNOT be the jack of all trades... they cannot be hitting instructors, pitching instructors, fielding instructors, etc. etc.

Pitching instruction should be left up to people who truly understand the mechanics. My daughter has been taking pitching lessons for 6 years and I have attended nearly every single one of her lessons. I can tell you what she is doing wrong but I absolutely have no business telling someone elses daughter how to pitch. Neither does most Travel coaches.

Pitchers have to be self driven and willing to work on their own with a trained professional. They should NOT EXPECT to get training from a Travel Ball coach...

Just my 2 cents...[/QUOTE]

I agree! I'm in the same boat. My daughter takes lessons and I can pick out things if she is in a slump and needs feedback but I would never teach a girl from scratch.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

My favorite thing is seeing the "#1 pitcher needed" or "in need of dominate #1 pitcher". Im waiting for someone to post "looking for solid #3 with a rag arm because all 6 of my #4's stink".

You are right, I'm going to change my post lol
I will be happy to pick up a solid #2 that can throw strikes and hit the ball.

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

We have taken a big negative hit in the past by agreeing to start a team . The only stipulation I had was the team needed to be competitive or at least have all the ingredients for the success of competition. Each year when that was not the case in my opinion, we shut it down. You would have thought we mistreated or physically harmed those kids by the way we were treated. I refuse to water down the sport if at all possible. This year we are trying again and all looks promising. We will select our tournaments very carefully and only enter tournaments I feel we are capable of competing in. I do not want to waste another teams time and hard work and at the same time belittle ours by getting smoked by a true competitive team. I have thanked and apologized to coaches at the same time. "Coach I want to thank you for exploiting our weaknesses and apologize for our poor performance. We will take this information to the practice field and if we ever meet again, we hope to give a better game for you and your kids."
That was after an old fashioned spanking on the ball field that we had no business being on with that team. Hopefully we develop into a team that is competitive and play in tournaments proportionate to what our skill level dictates.

This has happened in two different States Texas and Ohio. So it is not unique to just one region or location. It appears to be a national issue from my experience and speaking with coaches at NFCC courses and speaking with Collegiate coaches as well.

 

[default]

just noticed the title to this thread was changed- and not by me

 

[default]

Re: Holy $hit there are a lot of Ohio teams!

I feel some of the reason for this relates to the poor foundation of the recreational leagues. A good recreational league will train or educate coaches or those who can volunteer their time. Teach the fundamentals to players and parents. Provide an atmosphere where the common goal is 100% oriented toward the player and team growth.

I think all across the nation the amount of elite teams true elite teams that are competitive relates to the amount of elite pitchers. I feel an area that is overlooked is in the recreational leagues they do not think to provide the training necessary to learn the acquired skill of fast pitch pitching. Every player baseball and softball throw a ball overhand and is easier for baseball players to learn to pitch, male and female. Where they miss on this is the thinking or thought process eludes them to ask who wants to pitch in softball and get them some sort of training during the winter before the league starts and continue through the season.

Then there is what some reference to "daddy ball' not even going there. ;&

Until the process in which this sport is operating under is corrected it will never change. Just some of my opinion on this matter.

SWO has lots of poor rec leagues and I sorta blame the HS programs for not reaching out beyond their come pay me $35-$55 for a so called camp for 2 hours of tossing and blasting heavy bags hanging from basketball rims. Of course there's more to that but it's just a metaphor for the issue in our area.

 

[default]

Maybe some girls just want to play ball w/o thinking about next level. Lots of fine players are not playing at next level because school was more important, and these watered down teams are good for them. No harm