Let's Start a New Team!!!!!

I moved to North Carolina in 2006 and became involved in coaching here in 2007 after coaching travel for 10 years in New York. I have been amazed at the number of teams in such a small area (specifically Raleigh since that is where I am from). I ask why?! It seems that there are way too many Dad's starting a team just because Jane isn't the starting pitcher and hitting #3. It's absolutely crazy to see the lack of high-end "A" teams because parents would rather have their daughter be the best player on a weak team, than be challenged to get better on a top-notch team.

Just over the winter down-time (since Thangsiving) I have noticed probably a dozen "new" teams starting. Does anyone else find this to be a disturbing trend????

Now, I step off my soapbox...

 

Could it be because there are so many players wanting to play that it makes many teams necessary? It seems if that is the case then we should have some top-notch teams at some point as the cream rises to the top.

How did it work in NY? Was there some centralized control or whatever?

 

There is a big reason for that. Some teams play Daddy ball. I know one team where the coach has no daughter on the team and says, "we don't play daddy ball". Its funny though that his 3 assistant coaches daughters play every minute of every game. The person who is in charge of the whole organization, his daughter plays every minute of every game. Thats a big reason why the are so many teams.
Its great to be starting and playing all the time, but what about the girls who are not. How are they going to get the playing time they deserve.
There are a few coaches who boast that we have an "A" level team and as the season progresses as better players come on his team, he benches other players, while not playing them at all. They finally leave.

 

it's happened in baseball also. The "Daddyball" hurts the competition level. As the "phreak" mentioned, so many girls want to play, but the reality is there are only so many that can play at a high level. I believe this hurts the top players. If there were fewer teams, all with superior players, then all those players would benefit through the better competition. I think it's a "money" thing... more teams mean somebody is making mo' money!

 

What about the girls that are not superior players? What happens to them?

 

I knew this would be asked... there are rec leagues and there is tournament ball that is less competitive... they can play there. That can help them to prepare to contribute to their school teams in the spring. The truth is the vast majority of the girls playing travel ball today will never play in college... that is a fact.
Though it may not be PC to say so (but that's never stopped me!), but there are some players that are better than others. They have more natural talent, they work harder to develop that talent, and they have a greater desire to succeed. If the so called showcase tournaments and the so called showcase teams featured just these players then the college recruiters would come out in bunches to see and recruit them.
In competitive athletics it's not supposed to be easy to make a team, or get playing time... it's competitive! "Wants" get you nothing, just like in real life.

 

I don't understand what you are saying. The competition in rec league compared to travel ball is like night and day. My daughter is not an elite player, but she is good and to say that if she is not an "A" level player then she should not play travel ball. Do you know how many college teams are out there recruiting? Some players blossom later than others. Not all colleges recruit solely on travel ball. If your GPA is below a 3.0 and your an elite player, do you think these colleges will recruit you? I hate to bust your bubble, the answer is, NO!

 

Trooper you are right about that. I also see to many parents are playing hopefully for that free ride to college. They would whave been better off putting the money in the back. My girls play for the fun of playing. They want to get better. The younger one is really good. The older one has developed past what I thought she might a few years ago and is still not a super star. She is a superstar person. Every coach she plays for talks about that and how hard she works. She plays will all the struggles on a b or lower level team becasue she wants to. AS long as everything else is still the "A" we will try to make it happen. The I think there are alot of parents who feel that way.

 

trooper... read what I said... there are travel teams that play in tournaments available for players at just about all levels. And good grades are definitely an important factor in the recruiting process, but if a player has extraordinary skills and average grades then they will play at the next level, while the player with average HS ability and really strong academics will also have the chance to go to college... but not to play ball. No bubble being burst here, We have already been down this road with our son... decent grades, better than average athletic ability, now plays DI baseball, and is doing just fine both academically and athletically!
To get back to the original topic... softball247, you are correct, the greater number of teams does water down the competition. There are too many teams formed so DD can be the starting pitcher, SS etc. The quality of the game suffers for it.
Once a player reaches 16u and 18u then there should be a division of the talent level. That is what showcase ball is supposed to be. Allowing more teams at that level doesn't do any of the players any good. The weaker players get frustrated and the strong players are less challenged.