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

.....Nice! Umps can be a extremely helpful in a kids recruiting time. College coaches ask for the umps opinion of kids for sure.

 

You have most definitely stated right here for the need of new teams. Established teams most likely are not looking for new players or maybe just one player for one particular position. Therefor there isn't room for your DD or anyone else to be on that "elite" team. So you either go to a "lesser" team and deal with drama or you start up a team to teach the girls with the goal of becoming an elite team! I've been in this situation. I don't play politics, I'm not a ***kisser, and I can't stand drama! We have started up our team for the girls who were in the program of the Lady HeartBreakers to be able to stay together and move up with each other to become a great team! That's how teams become really great! This allows the girls to really TRUST their teammates, because the know from experience that their teammates will back them up!

As far as "Daddy" ball.... I am the assistant coach for our 14/U team and I will be the first to bench my DD if I see her not giving it 110% or can't get her head back into the game for a bad play. MY DD's has her own goals for herself, and I am willing to make the sacrifice to help her obtain those goals. IF she feels it's time to move on from the team.. then that is what we will do. If by chance I am not a coach then so be it. It is her decision!

Also as girls start up in rec league as 7 yrs old or older you have new girls who fall in love with the game and want to play travel. Not all organizations have a coach just for one age group. Most coaches I know move with their team. So as more girls come into the LOVE of the game we need more teams to help support our girls!

IF the team is started with the right intent and the girls learn and progress then maybe the "start up" team was well worth it! Don't you think?????

 

My 2 cents

When you decide to play on a team I think it is the most important question to ask is...What are we trying to acheive as a team? Is it to get a certain player better or maybe to win as many tournaments as possible? As parents we should ask our DD what her goals may be in order to get the correct answers. Many times we the parents decide what team will be the best fit for our girls. Only to be set back when things do not work out. Our local team began playing together when they were 9 years old. I say our local team because everyone of our girls live within 10 miles of each other. Our #1 goal was and still is today to make our girls better while learning and enjoying the game of softball. We wanted to make our high school team a contender when these girls get there. Now we have some girls that may never play a single inning of high school softball so don't think we have or tried to hand pick the high school team cause that will not be the case. We wanted our girls to learn the right way to play the game. Have we taken some beatings from "A" teams, you better believe it. But now these girls are beginning their 2nd year in 12U and I will put them up against anybody. Not because I think we are better but because they WANT to be better. We also strive to be drama free and that shows in the girls. We have the same 11 girls we started with at age 9. NO one has quit or been "replaced". Now that is not to say other coaches have not tried to get some of these girls to play on "better" teams. Our girls want to be on our team win, lose or draw. While we will still take our "beatdowns" I will be willing to bet in the next year we will start to deliver some "beatdowns" of our own. I guess what I am trying to say is talk with your DD before you start to make decisions for her. Winning is not everything when teaching the game to our girls.

 

Very well put!