Pick up player question for the coaches

[lightningcoachem]

My 10U team is in need of a pitcher or two and I have a family friend whose daughter is a strong pitcher. She is committed to a team and I have no intentions of asking her to join our team, but we have a tournament coming up and I would love to have her join us. What is the proper way to handle this? Her team is not playing that weekend, she wants innings, mom and dad are cool, do I need to chat with her coach? Is it ok to give her a start, we have a 5GG, should I have her come to a practice before hand to meet the girls?

Any advice is welcome, please no rude comments, simply a coach making the jump to tournament ball and not wanting to ruffle any feathers (just yet anyway ).

[DonnieS]

My 10U team is in need of a pitcher or two and I have a family friend whose daughter is a strong pitcher. She is committed to a team and I have no intentions of asking her to join our team, but we have a tournament coming up and I would love to have her join us. What is the proper way to handle this? Her team is not playing that weekend, she wants innings, mom and dad are cool, do I need to chat with her coach? Is it ok to give her a start, we have a 5GG, should I have her come to a practice before hand to meet the girls?

Any advice is welcome, please no rude comments, simply a coach making the jump to tournament ball and not wanting to ruffle any feathers (just yet anyway ).

Things are done differently in different parts of the country - we are in texas, just so you know. It would be best to have her come to practice to meet the girls - and the parents to meet the parents. I would have her throw a pool game - but then give your own pitcher the first bracket game, then rotate the girls. That being said, I didnt invite kids to play with my team often, when I did, I always was looking at the kid for the future, and I never mentioned it to the other coach. No one I knew, ever mentioned it to the other coaches either.

[lightningcoachem]

Thank you Donnie. I am in Texas too. She is definitely on my list for the future. She knows that, and so do her parents. This won't be a regular thing unless I am looking at a prospective player.

I appreciate the advice.

[DonnieS]

Thank you Donnie. I am in Texas too. She is definitely on my list for the future. She knows that, and so do her parents. This won't be a regular thing unless I am looking at a prospective player.

I appreciate the advice.

I had a group of about 7 that were with me for around 6 years, three that were for 9, (4 if you count my daughter), but doing these invites were to me the best way to find kids. I had tryouts a few times, but you dont learn very much , other than 'hey , she's pretty athletic' - which you should already know by scouting. Seeing how a kid carries themself in a competitve game consistently is the most valuable thing to know, and seeing how her parents behave around the other parents. I didnt like velcro-ed parents, the kind that stay stuck together and didnt mingle with the other parents except when they were joined with their spouse. Usually the guys hang together and brag about how great we are were in high school - the women usually hang together and talk about how handsome all us dads are, something like that I guess, they were always smiling, whatelse could they be thinking?. Dont forget to go hangout around the rec league tryouts, you can sometimes see someone that you want to watch, and it really pisses off the rec league board members.

[lightningcoachem]

I have learned the skill of pissing off Rec League Board members already. That didn't take me long. I am gonna check one league out this weekend.

[Realist]

[quote="DonnieS"]

I didnt like velcro-ed parents, the kind that stay stuck together and didnt mingle with the other parents except when they were joined with their spouse. Usually the guys hang together and brag about how great we are were in high school - the women usually hang together and talk about how handsome all us dads are, something like that I guess, they were always smiling, whatelse could they be thinking?. quote]


Wow, I didn't know it was a bad thing to like to spend time with your spouse...........

[Vess Express]

I had a group of about 7 that were with me for around 6 years, three that were for 9, (4 if you count my daughter), but doing these invites were to me the best way to find kids. I had tryouts a few times, but you dont learn very much , other than 'hey , she's pretty athletic' - which you should already know by scouting. Seeing how a kid carries themself in a competitve game consistently is the most valuable thing to know, and seeing how her parents behave around the other parents. I didnt like velcro-ed parents, the kind that stay stuck together and didnt mingle with the other parents except when they were joined with their spouse. Usually the guys hang together and brag about how great we are were in high school - the women usually hang together and talk about how handsome all us dads are, something like that I guess, they were always smiling, whatelse could they be thinking?. Dont forget to go hangout around the rec league tryouts, you can sometimes see someone that you want to watch, and it really pisses off the rec league board members.[/quote]

I can tell you why the women are smiling when they're together and looking at the men. They're saying, "What the hell was I thinking when I married THAT guy!?" And, "Are the rest of these people actually taking him seriously??"
But, I guess I must like my husband a little bit, because I have been able to stay around him for more than 20 years, and very few people can say that...

When picking up, just be as honest as you can with everyone.You, as coach, don't have to tell the other coach anything, but the girl's parents should let their coach know they are picking up. Everyone will find out anyway. Be honest, try to be fair, and try not to leave a team hanging by leaving mid season when they may not be able to play with a pitcher /catcher gone.