Team Jumping

[starbound]

Loyalty and travel softball should not even be in the same sentence. Someone start a post of the most amazing stories of un-loyal travel ball parents..You see how I said parents and not players, because that is where the lack of loyalty comes from, the parents. Before I have some yahoo barking at me, yes I do believe you have to do what is best for your DD, but their is a way to do it but I want to here about the ways you don't do it.

there is two sides to that coin, one being what you stated, the other being un-loyal teams/coaches, they hook you up front with empty promises then dont follow through, the PLAYER ends up with the crappy end of the stick in most situations, and all they want to do is play ball

Addiction you are 100% correct some coach are the worst offenders for being loyal.

[justagame]

I ran across this post and just had to tell our "team jumping" story.

1st year- 10UA, team 2hrs away, no problems
2nd year- 12UA, same organization, no problems.
3rd year-14UB, team closer to home (30 min away), no problems but coach only wanted to play "B" even tho he had the talent on team to play "A"
4th year-14UA, no problems, 1hr away, but at end of season, DD was only one that didnt HAVE to move up and the new coach wanted her to stay @14U and help his 12's moving up(most only had played one year).
5th year- 14UA, better coaching, professional hitting instructor and former college coaches, again 2hrs away, no problems
6th year- 16UA, old team stayed 14U(only a few had to move up), found new team (3hrs away)w/a coach that thot he knew everything (he didnt) and while at a tournament out west, decided to call a "team meeting" (no parents allowed) and proceeded to give the girls a "sex talk" (only one girl returned the next year and she had to play for him in HS)
7th year-18UA, good team, decent coaches, closer to home; however, DD outplayed the Assistant coach's daughter at both positions she played, so guess what-----
8th year- 18UG, team 3hrs away, started out really well, fell apart first of season, and never got it together. Bright side, daughter got a scholarship to a college we didnt know existed, and is having a ball. Down side, coach decided against using college players anywhere but pitcher or catcher, so she was done.

2008 will be our 9th summer of travel ball and she is playing w/her friends on a closer team (coach has watched her play HS and travel for last 4 yrs, couldnt wait to have her on his team) and is going out having FUN and enjoying her final summer. We would not trade MOST of the experiences for anything.

Not once did DD quit a team before the season was over. We have always told our kids if they start it, they finish it.

We only had one coach ask about the #s of teams, and once I explained it as above, he still asked her to come to tryout, and it was a GOLD coach (and not the one she played for).

There are lots of reasons players change teams, some good and some bad. But coaches, please listen to the reasons before deciding the player isnt for you just because they have been on multiple teams.

[coolstuff]

This discussion is interesting to me because I had a rude awakening during the tryout season prior to my DD's second season in travel ball.

You see, she didn't actually try out for her first travel ball team. We heard from a friend that team was looking for players, and we were looking to move up from rec to travel. We showed up for a practice during the winter season and, just like that, we're on the team!

So we stay with this team throughout the season and show up for the fall tryouts which had a pretty good turnout of current and new players. We didn't go to any other tryout, because we were pretty certain DD would be offered. And everyone who had played on the team was offered. But not everyone accepted the offer. Being the newbie that I was I was disappointed that all the players didn't stick with the team, grow together, and get better.

So that was my education in loyalty in travel softball. I learned that tryout season is open season and you better go to a few tryouts and take the best offer. I've learned there's no shame in going to other team's tryouts and seeing what happens. And I have never heard, witnessed, or felt any bad feelings toward any player including DD who chooses a new team following tryouts.

But during the season, I tend to agree that players who jump teams might be looked at differently based on what I have heard different coaches say and do. The feeling is that if a player had a problem with a team bad enough to leave in the middle of the season, no matter who's at fault, there is an assumption that maybe the issue is with the player or parent, not the team they are leaving, and that this player may not be any happier on a new team. Not to say that is true in every case, but there is a suspicion.

Of course if you're a #1 pitcher or catcher, no one cares why you left your old team.

[qwikvr6]

I had to deal with this situation this winterball season. I decided on doing what is best for my kid. I want her to continue to love Softball. I want her to feel proud to be a part of her team. She wants to play with girls that have real skill, as she does. We waited to see if the team was going to come around for a few months. However there comes a time where you have to cut ties with a team that is not improving. This is travel ball, and we don't travel to loose. My kid works way to hard to be held back by kids that are not true Travelball Players..

[addiction]

looks like we will be hitting some tryouts in the next few weeks

[heybucket]

Perfect timing for this post (team jumping). No try outs yet and I already heard a couple of players moved to new teams lol.

[addiction]

Perfect timing for this post (team jumping). No try outs yet and I already heard a couple of players moved to new teams lol.

we have a few offers to jump ship but we want to check out the teams in person

[PatriotsManager]

I agree to some degree with the Blind Squirrel. Girls that are not getting enough playing time may want to seek a different fit, that should be allowed. I do not make my team sign "contracts". I explain to them that they should honor their committment, just like I need to as the manager. However if it is not a great fit and she is not getting the PT, I would encourage her to join a team that would allow her more PT. I never lose sight that these are children, not adults and some make rash decisions, why punish them by contributing to a reputation. One of the mantras that I preach to my parents and kids is that I want girls on this team that WANT to be on the team.

Coach Hammar

[katjoebenmom]

I see this topic often on different sites I visit, and it never ceases to amaze me how bent out of shape people get when players/parents/coaches decide to move on.

I figure after the season ends, everyone is a free agent.

There doesn't have to be some criminal coach, whiny team mates, or miserable parents. It could just be the desire for something different. Wanting a "better fit" or, heaven forbid---more playing time, doesn't make anyone a "bad guy".

I think you should try to stick it out at least for the season, but I would never hold it against a player/parent/coach who found themselves at critical mass, and had to leave or else implode.