Whats more important?

[sbfan]

Its great to see some of the college girls getting out of college and giving back to the younger girls. But it would be best for MOST to be a assitant coach to someone older. They will need some experince dealing with the parents! Also coaching is not just knowing your x's and O's but being very organized.

The hardest thing about coaching is dealing with the parents. MHO

Getting back on subject now. I think at the younger ages 10 and first year 12's its good to get on a team that you play alot and have a coach that knows how to run a practice.

If you are hitting balls off a pitching machine half the practice and the other half all you do is field ground balls and some fly balls you better find another team.

At age 14u and above get on with a organization that will be able to show your DD off to the scouts. If you are serious about SB at the 14u level you need to play A ball and play against the best teams.

[Sam]

It doesn't matter what age....you take your kid to a team where she will play. You can talk all you want about practicing on teams with better players....blah blah blah....she's going to get better playing on a team that actually plays against those better teams. She's not going to get better practicing.....the other dirty little secret....good teams are not necessarily very well coached. You may have your kid play on a team with excellent players that don't learn a thing from their coach.....some guys are poised to recruit very welll or are just affiliated with elite organizations.

[Gone in 2.6]

At this time of year, decisions have to be made. Maybe you just made one, or maybe you have to make one in the very near future. But given two options, what is more important to you: Role player on a very good well known team (runner, dp, utility, etc.) or starting at the position of her choice on a average, (at best) team. You know the ones, competetive, but didnt win a tourney last year, maybe went to NSA or Utrip nationals. Is it up to you, or is it up to your daughters?

First it doesn't matter what is important to me, it is dd's choice. She was the DP on a team that went to Gold nationals last month (DP is kind of a role player isn't it?). She had no heartburn whatsoever with not getting to play defense and in my opinion, would not have traded it for being the 3rd baseman or center fielder on a team going to NSA or the like.