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Why be a Firecracker? Seriously

What's on your mind?

by LADAWG44 » Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:28 pm

Spazsdad wrote:
LADAWG44 wrote: With how much information is available online about teams and coaches, I think it's dumb not to know what level team and coaching parents are committing their DDs to.
You are taking your experience and extrapolating. Believe me plenty of parents have no idea about the ins and outs of TB and only have cursory info they hear around the park, especially at the younger ages. Most people have no idea about eteamz, HB, etc, so where is this info?.
Extrapolating...thank you for today's vocabulary word. Those parents may not know travelball or HB like I didn't but they know Google. That's how I found HB. If folks aren't researching and asking questions about who they are entrusting their DDs then they have bigger issues. I think the percentage of parents who have no idea is a small minority especially in So Cal.

College coaches know which teams and coaches are legit.
Again far from the truth. Many coaches are expressing frustration about not knowing who these teams are, who the coaches are, or what types of players they roster. This goes for others, not just FC.

Like you said this may be a bigger travel ball issue than it is an FC issue.

If your family and DD is a fit for a team and it's coaches then what difference does it make what uniform she wears?
Is she going to have a better opportunity to get recruited because she's wearing a Firecracker uniform vs OC Pitch N Hit? Uniforms don't make a difference in recruiting anymore.
Once again way off base if you don't think the name on the jersey carries any weight in recruiting you are sadly mistaken. If it didn't then there wouldn't be organizations with 50, 75, or over 100 teams paying to wear the name.
College coaches show up to tournaments or showcases with a plan in place and which kids they are interested in watching.
And they still gravitate to the big names based on past performance of those athletes.

My point exactly! Coaches and families gravitate to the teams based on past performances. Look at tryouts section there are plenty FC teams that are still looking for players. Isn't this a testament to families knowing the difference between which teams are more competitive?

This sport is a business, every top tier organization has some sponsorship with a large sporting goods type company or organization (Easton, Mizuno, Louisville Slugger, PGF, TCS, EM etc), I think it's naive to think that those top tier organization leaders are not making a good living off of this sport in some way or another.
The numbers getting rich, or even making a living of the sport is minuscule, in fact some are pouring tens of thousands of dollars into their teams. guys like Conroy and Griggs for example.

I didn't say all travel ball coaches are getting rich or making a living. We are talking about the "top tier" folks. There are always exceptions to the rule.

Look at PGF and their board members. How much are they making annually though Surf City, camps, qualifiers and nationals? it's easier for Tony to be a target because he's making his in a much more visible manor.
Visible or exorbitant in the eyes of some?

It maybe exorbitant but last I checked this is a free market and like the article says its the coaches and teams that are approaching TR. Would you do it any different?
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by LADAWG44 » Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:32 pm

PDad wrote:
LADAWG44 wrote:
Sam wrote:Maybe some parents are being sold a new Lexus and are paying for the Lexus, but they are being provided a Yugo.


37 Firecracker Teams at PGF this past summer...finishing all over the map. I really wouldn't call that a Yugo.

How many were Premier vs Platinum?



25 Premier and 12 Platnum
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by Sam » Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:31 am

LADAWG44 wrote:
PDad wrote:
LADAWG44 wrote:
Sam wrote:Maybe some parents are being sold a new Lexus and are paying for the Lexus, but they are being provided a Yugo.


37 Firecracker Teams at PGF this past summer...finishing all over the map. I really wouldn't call that a Yugo.

How many were Premier vs Platinum?



25 Premier and 12 Platnum


So they recruit good players because of the team name. How good is the coaching? How much are the kids learning? How many of the 37 teams won their divisions?

What does each parent get for $300 per year to the organization?
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by Safebyahare » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:15 am

I guess location is a great advantage. Chances are that there is a Firecracker near you.
This makes getting a name brand that is obtainable, with convenience.
Not everyone wants to drive an hour or more to practice.
Also not every one is a class 'A' player, this provides opportunities for class 'B' players.
Nothing wrong with class 'B' teams, they make up the majority of good teams.
My dd always played on class 'B' teams. Some class 'B's are class 'A' acts. ;)
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by exD1dad » Tue Sep 30, 2014 5:16 pm

SpazzDad makes a tremendously huge & valid points in refuting Lawdawg. I've been exactly where he described & I might point out couldn't find diddly squat on google for the coaches on my DD's 1st FC team. Look guys & gals I had the knowledge of the game to assist my DD but not the landscape of TB.

Just another reason this site helped me help my DD achieve her goals.

OK so now that her goals changed & she's a stud at a Fringe sport of a Fringe sport ( that would be she's the only dedicated female Junior Track Sprinter in the USA) the point is moot for our family but over the years I saw soooo many totally clueless parents to the entire softball scene
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by Eazyrider » Tue Oct 07, 2014 11:02 pm

I too was at first infatuated with the "big name organizations", proud cuz my dd was a firecracker. But that honeymoon phase ended real quick. Coach was nice guy, my daughter was a starter, played almost every inning and batted 3 so no bitterness, I soon learned that the firecracker name was becoming somewhat generic, almost anyone can buy a team .. Of course it's a business so the more teams, the more girls and mo' money. We would get rocked by smaller organization teams, Courage Weaver, punishers Guerrero, so cal pumas,.. It became evident that we weren't in the same class as those teams regardless of the big F on our uniforms. 102 firecracker teams in California wtf!!? Applause to tony Rico he's an entrepreneur and a hell of a coach to HIS teams that he actually coaches but so many of those other teams are a joke. Before you would hear you were playing firecrackers and think "damn they're gonna be good". Now you ask, "which one?!" Cuz so many are continuation of rec ball teams.
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by fastpitchdad05 » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:27 am

Eazyrider wrote:I too was at first infatuated with the "big name organizations", proud cuz my dd was a firecracker. But that honeymoon phase ended real quick. Coach was nice guy, my daughter was a starter, played almost every inning and batted 3 so no bitterness, I soon learned that the firecracker name was becoming somewhat generic, almost anyone can buy a team .. Of course it's a business so the more teams, the more girls and mo' money. We would get rocked by smaller organization teams, Courage Weaver, punishers Guerrero, so cal pumas,.. It became evident that we weren't in the same class as those teams regardless of the big F on our uniforms. 102 firecracker teams in California wtf!!? Applause to tony Rico he's an entrepreneur and a hell of a coach to HIS teams that he actually coaches but so many of those other teams are a joke. Before you would hear you were playing firecrackers and think "damn they're gonna be good". Now you ask, "which one?!" Cuz so many are continuation of rec ball teams.


Great post...thanks for the insight.
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by Dugoutdirt » Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:01 pm

Eazyrider wrote:I too was at first infatuated with the "big name organizations", proud cuz my dd was a firecracker. But that honeymoon phase ended real quick. Coach was nice guy, my daughter was a starter, played almost every inning and batted 3 so no bitterness, I soon learned that the firecracker name was becoming somewhat generic, almost anyone can buy a team .. Of course it's a business so the more teams, the more girls and mo' money. We would get rocked by smaller organization teams, Courage Weaver, punishers Guerrero, so cal pumas,.. It became evident that we weren't in the same class as those teams regardless of the big F on our uniforms. 102 firecracker teams in California wtf!!? Applause to tony Rico he's an entrepreneur and a hell of a coach to HIS teams that he actually coaches but so many of those other teams are a joke. Before you would hear you were playing firecrackers and think "damn they're gonna be good". Now you ask, "which one?!" Cuz so many are continuation of rec ball teams.


I say "which one" about a lot of teams whether it be Firecrackers, So Cal Athletics, Batbusters, Corona Angels... It's just the way of the world nowadays. Everyone is getting absorbed. You just need to know the last name of the coach to know which team is good or bad, like you used to know "Firecrackers" would probably always beat "Chicks with Sticks" now you just use last names.
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by fastpitchdad05 » Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:20 pm

Dugoutdirt wrote:
Eazyrider wrote:I too was at first infatuated with the "big name organizations", proud cuz my dd was a firecracker. But that honeymoon phase ended real quick. Coach was nice guy, my daughter was a starter, played almost every inning and batted 3 so no bitterness, I soon learned that the firecracker name was becoming somewhat generic, almost anyone can buy a team .. Of course it's a business so the more teams, the more girls and mo' money. We would get rocked by smaller organization teams, Courage Weaver, punishers Guerrero, so cal pumas,.. It became evident that we weren't in the same class as those teams regardless of the big F on our uniforms. 102 firecracker teams in California wtf!!? Applause to tony Rico he's an entrepreneur and a hell of a coach to HIS teams that he actually coaches but so many of those other teams are a joke. Before you would hear you were playing firecrackers and think "damn they're gonna be good". Now you ask, "which one?!" Cuz so many are continuation of rec ball teams.


I say "which one" about a lot of teams whether it be Firecrackers, So Cal Athletics, Batbusters, Corona Angels... It's just the way of the world nowadays. Everyone is getting absorbed. You just need to know the last name of the coach to know which team is good or bad, like you used to know "Firecrackers" would probably always beat "Chicks with Sticks" now you just use last names.


I can almost agree with your comparison to the BB org because there's a lot of them. But the A's and Angels don't carry anywhere near the number of teams that FC and BB do.

For example, whether DD's team is playing So Cal A's 18 "Gold" team or the Quarles team there is still cause for concern that you're about to get your butt handed to you.
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by tbjd33 » Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:49 pm

fastpitchdad05 wrote:
Dugoutdirt wrote:
Eazyrider wrote:I too was at first infatuated with the "big name organizations", proud cuz my dd was a firecracker. But that honeymoon phase ended real quick. Coach was nice guy, my daughter was a starter, played almost every inning and batted 3 so no bitterness, I soon learned that the firecracker name was becoming somewhat generic, almost anyone can buy a team .. Of course it's a business so the more teams, the more girls and mo' money. We would get rocked by smaller organization teams, Courage Weaver, punishers Guerrero, so cal pumas,.. It became evident that we weren't in the same class as those teams regardless of the big F on our uniforms. 102 firecracker teams in California wtf!!? Applause to tony Rico he's an entrepreneur and a hell of a coach to HIS teams that he actually coaches but so many of those other teams are a joke. Before you would hear you were playing firecrackers and think "damn they're gonna be good". Now you ask, "which one?!" Cuz so many are continuation of rec ball teams.


I say "which one" about a lot of teams whether it be Firecrackers, So Cal Athletics, Batbusters, Corona Angels... It's just the way of the world nowadays. Everyone is getting absorbed. You just need to know the last name of the coach to know which team is good or bad, like you used to know "Firecrackers" would probably always beat "Chicks with Sticks" now you just use last names.


I can almost agree with your comparison to the BB org because there's a lot of them. But the A's and Angels don't carry anywhere near the number of teams that FC and BB do.

For example, whether DD's team is playing So Cal A's 18 "Gold" team or the Quarles team there is still cause for concern that you're about to get your butt handed to you.


Agreed... SCA's have 13 teams and CA have 10 teams if I'm correct. Crackers have 102 teams.

Poor comparison and this guy clearly doesn't get the point about TR/Firecrackers.
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