player release for nationals

[Hinky]

So many talk as if PGF is some sort of softball utopia. Am I missing something? Been to 3-4 PGFs , 2 ASAs, and 3 TCSs Nationals. It was more enjoyable to leave so cal and play. Felt more like a big tournament.
Funniest part of this is we’re talking about 12u!
Last month I threw out 3 boxes of trophies and plaques and medals that my girls didn’t want any more from rec and travel. They only wanted to keep their College stuff.
Enjoy the ride! Enjoy an extra weekend off before it all starts over again.

I am with you Chin. In my garage is a box full of rec/travel trophies and medals along with Jonas Bros and Hannah Montana stuff. In my kid's room is her high school awards. I am sure as she heads off to college in the fall those items will be replaced too.

Maybe that 12u kid can latch onto a team and play at AFA Nationals!!

exactly at the root of this is a 12 year old. has nothing to do with pgf. really is how people treat each other.
let the 12yr old have the opportunity to possibly earn a trophy that becomes something they're so happy about they save it! even if it starts out on the kitchen table, ends up on a Shelf, then in a box, only to be tossed away later, that still becomes an achievement that goes into the Memory Trophy Room!

If you do that, there is no reason for the rule.

What if she was #1 pitcher? Or the stud SS? Players leaving like this can cause entire teams to break up.

The better lesson for the kid longterm in life is to live up to her commitments....not do whatever she feels like at any point in time with no ramifications.

"just let her go and play" is so f*cking millenial. Its why this country will be in extremely deep $hit in the very near future.

Sam, going to try and
say this in a way you might understand..agree on following through on commitments but unfortunately there are travel ball situations were coaches don't know what the f*ck they are doing. and their teams can be really f*cked up! think it would be a lot better to remove a player from a f*cked up situation then to make them hold a commitment to something that's f*ckin $hity.
Teach the player/ dd that standing up for themselves and stepping away from a f*cked-up situation is a healthy thing to do!

[jonriv]

So many talk as if PGF is some sort of softball utopia. Am I missing something? Been to 3-4 PGFs , 2 ASAs, and 3 TCSs Nationals. It was more enjoyable to leave so cal and play. Felt more like a big tournament.
Funniest part of this is we’re talking about 12u!
Last month I threw out 3 boxes of trophies and plaques and medals that my girls didn’t want any more from rec and travel. They only wanted to keep their College stuff.
Enjoy the ride! Enjoy an extra weekend off before it all starts over again.

I am with you Chin. In my garage is a box full of rec/travel trophies and medals along with Jonas Bros and Hannah Montana stuff. In my kid's room is her high school awards. I am sure as she heads off to college in the fall those items will be replaced too.

Maybe that 12u kid can latch onto a team and play at AFA Nationals!!

exactly at the root of this is a 12 year old. has nothing to do with pgf. really is how people treat each other.
let the 12yr old have the opportunity to possibly earn a trophy that becomes something they're so happy about they save it! even if it starts out on the kitchen table, ends up on a Shelf, then in a box, only to be tossed away later, that still becomes an achievement that goes into the Memory Trophy Room!

If you do that, there is no reason for the rule.

What if she was #1 pitcher? Or the stud SS? Players leaving like this can cause entire teams to break up.

The better lesson for the kid longterm in life is to live up to her commitments....not do whatever she feels like at any point in time with no ramifications.

"just let her go and play" is so f*cking millenial. Its why this country will be in extremely deep $hit in the very near future.

Sam, going to try and
say this in a way you might understand..agree on following through on commitments but unfortunately there are travel ball situations were coaches don't know what the f*ck they are doing. and their teams can be really f*cked up! think it would be a lot better to remove a player from a f*cked up situation then to make them hold a commitment to something that's f*ckin $hity.
Teach the player/ dd that standing up for themselves and stepping away from a f*cked-up situation is a healthy thing to do!

Hinky I will try to put this in language/terms that you might understand-

In my experience-many times:

f*cked up situation = "DD is playing enough" or "or DD is in wrong position" PGF(and other organizations) have their rules for the reasons Sam mentioned. For exceptions they have the appeal process, in this case they denied the appeal. Lesson learned, move on!

Unless the situation truly is bad(abuse, bullying etc) what lesson is learned by leaving a commitment? It was so bad you can't deal with it it for a few months and then move on?

Yes, there are coaches who are jerks, but there are also a number of players/parents who are jerks too.

[Hinky]

if you remember reading... I did comment that the rules for players in pgf are fine!!!
people have a choice who they can play for. Got to do your research and people's/coaches/teams reputations will generally catch up with them.

JR- bet there are situations you would not allow your daughter to continue playing in!
perhaps you should start a discussion on 'at what point a commitment to a team is actually a make-it-or-break-it situation...' or describe your reasons why you would never break a commitment to a travel ball team....

This particular discussion was referring to 12u.

[Chin Music]

Teach the player/ dd that standing up for themselves and stepping away from a f*cked-up situation is a healthy thing to do!

Hink, that’s what happened. Also teach there’s usually consequences with decisions.
I myself would have released her no problem unless there’s some part of this story we’re not getting?
Parents also need to realize there’s rules for entry into the pearly gates of Pgf. Rosters are turned in-for these reasons explained by Sam.
Sounds like it’s getting personal like u have a horse in the race? Need a pitcher?
I brought up throwing away softball hardware to let u folks living the travel dream currently a perspective from someone who’s been through it that these tournaments whether it be 2,3,4 or 5 PGFs will soon just be a memory and life will go on.
We played in that rodeo pit in Utah. Great experience and memory!
Enjoy the ride!

[Hinky]

Well said chin,
No horse in the race.
just going with discussion and a little fun with banter.

Just read back in July 2014 that Sam wrote with his team about
ASA Nationals if they weren't going themselves he would always release his players!!
that was nice to read especially from Sam!!

discussions here bring out good points for everybody.

[jonriv]

Why did the player leave the original team?

[onlooker]

Assuming there are no criminal acts or money/uniform issues, etc....

I still am of the thought:

If a kid quit my team after playing ANY number of qualifiers AND my team still did not qualify.. then Who and the F am I to not release this kid when I get handed an invite after qualifiers? She is NOT coming with me anyhow! At this stage it's personal between a coach and a 12 year old. No, no coach needs to stand up for this for the sake of the sport, the season is OVER, you didnt qualify. Move on. Also, PLEASE remember, I didnt get handed the invite because Im worthy, I got handed the invite because there is plenty of fields this time of year and what company (PGF) would not maximize their potential revenue? I wont spin that ANY other way. It's good business.

Release the Player

[onlooker]

adding one more part:

As a Coach, It is my part for the sport by NOT releasing her after one qualifier. And PGF did what they are supposed to do for the sport by not granting the release. Im 100% on board with ALL of that. Season is over. Any non releasing now is a PERSONAL choice by the coach.

[Sam]

Well said chin,
No horse in the race.
just going with discussion and a little fun with banter.

Just read back in July 2014 that Sam wrote with his team about
ASA Nationals if they weren't going themselves he would always release his players!!
that was nice to read especially from Sam!!

discussions here bring out good points for everybody.

Big difference releasing kids in July vs March.

All of you guys who would release the kid.....please tell me why you would want a rule that commits a kid to any team. If you would release this kid, you would declare open season on all your kids. ,you would be rewarding coaches for poaching your players. Lots of coaches fought for this rule years ago and the game has grown because of it. Releasing these kids nullifies the rule and defeats the purpose.

It would be interesting to see what teams the coaches who support releasing the actually coach for......BB, FC, Athletics......?

[Hinky]

[quote="Sam"][/quote]

Big difference releasing kids in July vs March.

All of you guys who would release the kid.....please tell me why you would want a rule that commits a kid to any team. If you would release this kid, you would declare open season on all your kids. ,you would be rewarding coaches for poaching your players. Lots of coaches fought for this rule years ago and the game has grown because of it. Releasing these kids nullifies the rule and defeats the purpose.

It would be interesting to see what teams the coaches who support releasing the actually coach for......BB, FC, Athletics......?[SAM/quote]


well I guess you could answer that question yourself Sam since July 18th 2014 you wrote when you were coaching and trying to qualify for ASA Nationals...
And your team did not qualify, you would release your players so they could go participate with another team. what was that 10u or 12u? Why is that

lol fc & bb definitely release their players to go play on other fc & bb teams that need a player!! those are the organizations that use the small fish ponds to create there better teams!
Other organizations also do that!
Wonder when the coach in this story will release a player from one of her teams to go play on another one of her teams that does qualify!!

interesting-- isnt it so that a player can compete in their age bracket qualifier on a team, then go play on an upper-level age bracket team without having to worry about release from old team?

the option is there for coaches to release players that's part of the pgf rules. that option is there for a reason and it does get utilized.

* what really stands out to me in this story is how pgf started out supposedly being a top-notch must qualify for Nationals softball venue. But has really turned into a chunk of free invites versus those who are paying to qualify. And then even from those that have paid to qualify and didnt... the numerous free invites that are awarded after their team wasnt able to qualify. That should stand out!!!! as I know there are players who tried really hard to qualify, their team was really excited to earn a birth only to find out that their friends team got a birth without earning it.
Took away from the so-to-speak prestige in earning a birth because reality is only 50% earned theirs and other lessor teams still get to go!
( if I remember correctly Sam you did write a good piece on they should have fewer teams, it would be a more competitive event. I agree with that! only qualifiers should attend)

Maybe pgf should change
Their brackets to
* Earned a birth
and
° Non qualifiers