What do the Hey Bucket experts think of "Pick Up" players???? We all know that it is legal to pick up players at this time of the year, so I thought I would put this out there to see what you guys think!!!
Is it fair or unfair??
Is it good for a team or bad for a team??
IN
Bake,
JMO, but I think if you have a complete team it is dead wrong to bring in new/different players to go to the bigger tournaments and nats. When we were at Stingray's I talked to several coaches (including Ice Orange who won the tournament) who had brought in a pitcher or SS to play because "it was a big tournament." I think it shows your current players that 1. you have no real faith in them as a player, 2. have no loyalty to your players, and are all about winning.
Again, IMO at the younger levels 10,12, and 14 it is about delveloping players and keeing them together so they can be successful as a group for years to come. At the 16 and 18 levels winning is much more important, but it is more about getting those who want to play at the next level the opportunity to do so. That being said, coaches are going to look at a successful team more than a team that never wins a game. If you choose a player at the begining of the year and ask them to make a commitment to you, then you owe it to them to make that same commitment. I know toooooooooooo many parents and coaches get toooooooooo caught up in winning at all costs. Everyone, including me, likes to win, but we also have a duty to instill life lessons and confidence in the girls we choose to take on our team. Again, JMO and I may be in the minority on my feelings. However, if you are short players for a tournament you absolutly have the right to P/U a player or two to play that weekend. Although, my feeling is that the P/U players should play the OF and bat at the bottom of the order. Again, you have a responsibility to your current players.
JMO, but I think if you have a complete team it is dead wrong to bring in new/different players to go to the bigger tournaments and nats. When we were at Stingray's I talked to several coaches (including Ice Orange who won the tournament) who had brought in a pitcher or SS to play because "it was a big tournament." I think it shows your current players that 1. you have no real faith in them as a player, 2. have no loyalty to your players, and are all about winning.
Again, IMO at the younger levels 10,12, and 14 it is about delveloping players and keeing them together so they can be successful as a group for years to come. At the 16 and 18 levels winning is much more important, but it is more about getting those who want to play at the next level the opportunity to do so. That being said, coaches are going to look at a successful team more than a team that never wins a game. If you choose a player at the begining of the year and ask them to make a commitment to you, then you owe it to them to make that same commitment. I know toooooooooooo many parents and coaches get toooooooooo caught up in winning at all costs. Everyone, including me, likes to win, but we also have a duty to instill life lessons and confidence in the girls we choose to take on our team. Again, JMO and I may be in the minority on my feelings. However, if you are short players for a tournament you absolutly have the right to P/U a player or two to play that weekend. Although, my feeling is that the P/U players should play the OF and bat at the bottom of the order. Again, you have a responsibility to your current players.
- 10GatorCoach
- Posts: 234
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:58 pm
Gator....I wish more coaches took the responsibility and privilege of being a coach as seriously as you. I watched a family in tears recently because a coaches ego got in the way of a young girl playing the sport she loves. It is sad and I would have walked away but that family chose to stick it out because they made a commitment to a team. I only wish the sentiment was returned. Good for u... You are truly the exception and not the norm.p
- mygirloryourgirl
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:05 pm
At the younger levels I think it is our duty as coaches (remember we are not only coaching them softball but about life at this age) to make them the not only the players that we can but the best young people that we can. I have seen great teams with less than great players beat amazingly talented teams time and time again. Do whats right man. Good Luck.
- TheHittingGuru
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 12:55 pm
I understand the idea that coaches should stay loyal to players and in general they are loyal as long as your DD is performing well.
If you take a look at the Southern California forums you will see that once a team qualifies for Nationals/Regional's/TCS they immediately put up a post requesting PU players. I think this is part of the game and should be expected. College will be competitive, Work will be competitive; Life will be competitive...If that pickup player out performs a current team member then I think they earned the spot based on their playing ability THAT DAY.
I think that often coaches bring on PU players in hopes of recruiting them to their team permanently... if that is the case would it make sense to put them in the OF and bat them last???
Just my 2 cents.
If you take a look at the Southern California forums you will see that once a team qualifies for Nationals/Regional's/TCS they immediately put up a post requesting PU players. I think this is part of the game and should be expected. College will be competitive, Work will be competitive; Life will be competitive...If that pickup player out performs a current team member then I think they earned the spot based on their playing ability THAT DAY.
I think that often coaches bring on PU players in hopes of recruiting them to their team permanently... if that is the case would it make sense to put them in the OF and bat them last???
Just my 2 cents.
- Luther
- Posts: 271
- Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:20 am
Great question and some insightful answers. We have to realize that we here in central Indiana are NOT SoCal and the views/attitudes are not the same. Every year I see many California teams come to ASA Nationals with 18-20 players and watch them play about 12 of them, not counting courtesy runners. After talking to some of these parents, they told me that they felt their kid was learning enough at practice and gaining enough prestige just by being on the team to justify the high team fees, travel, etc and lack of playing time. Well.....here in Indiana most of those parents of the non-starters would have already quit and started their own splinter teams by June 1. Values are just not the same here, so it is not a good comparison. There are always 2 schools of thought at Nationals, 1) How far can I take the team that I have worked with for the past year, or 2) Who can I pick up, regardless of the consequences, that might help me advance 1 or 2 rounds deeper. Obviously, injuries or replacing missing players is a different issue, but we are talking about adding more players to an otherwise full summer team.
I have never taken a pick up player to Nationals and the most players I have ever carried is 12. I personally could never justify in my mind sitting kids that had played for me for a year or more to play another player who had paid no fees and not otherwise been part of the team we had worked all winter to develop. I do believe the right time/situation can exist to use a pick up player at Nationals, but it has to be the right player and the rest of the team has to be on board with the need. Otherwise, you might just add a little talent, kill your team chemistry and go out a round EARLIER.
I have never taken a pick up player to Nationals and the most players I have ever carried is 12. I personally could never justify in my mind sitting kids that had played for me for a year or more to play another player who had paid no fees and not otherwise been part of the team we had worked all winter to develop. I do believe the right time/situation can exist to use a pick up player at Nationals, but it has to be the right player and the rest of the team has to be on board with the need. Otherwise, you might just add a little talent, kill your team chemistry and go out a round EARLIER.
- gunshy
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:17 am
I think it should only be allowed it the pick up players team doesnt qualify for any national.
- T1UP4ME
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:34 am
My dd has been with teams that picked up pick up players and they played over her even though the coach said that the kid with the highest batting averege would play. (HA)
She may also now be a pick up player. The difference is we have talked and she understands that her role is ONLY that of if they need her. It's better to be safe than sorry.
I would hate for my kid to be a pick up player and take anything away from kids that were there and got the team to the show.
She may also now be a pick up player. The difference is we have talked and she understands that her role is ONLY that of if they need her. It's better to be safe than sorry.
I would hate for my kid to be a pick up player and take anything away from kids that were there and got the team to the show.
- Sftbll4ever
- Posts: 1842
- Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:27 am
With regards to the cali teams, here's a couple of schools of thought that I've heard:
1. Carry 15-20 players and make them compete year round for playing time.
2. When it comes to recruiting, it has a lot to do with the name on the front of the shirt.
Taking those two thoughts in mind, I could certainly understand the competition thing. My guess is 4-6 of those players are pitcher/catcher combos on some kind of rotation. I don't have a problem, in fact I would embrace competition. The one thing that bothers me about what we do now is carrying low numbers, rewards bad attitude/play/work ethic, with more playing time at the preferred position, when it should land your ass on the bench. Regardless of whether it's my kid, your kid, or whoever's kid it is. I want my kid to know how to compete, forget Softball, when she gets out in the real world, she's going to be competing the rest of her life, she needs to understand it and know how to do it.
With regards to the recruiting thing, I have no illusions of grandeur. My kid ain't going to the PAC-10 or SEC to play college ball. I understand that, more importantly she understands that. So with that in mind, it doesn't make much sense to me to have a name brand on the front of her shirt, to play maybe 50% of the innings and miss valuable AB's against good pitching. Instead play with a team where you get as many reps as possible hopefully against good competition.
With all that in mind, I "think" my kid is a decent player. I "think" whatever team she plays on, she's going to get on the field. However, even as a parent I find myself "feeling" for those who don't. It's got to be tough for both the parents and the kids. I think at this level, everyone pretty much knows what's what, but it doesn't make it any easier.
To answer the OP, I think it's a tough situation to bring players in at the end of the season. It sends so many wrong signals to both your players and parents. And the kid who sits because a pick-up player is playing, she's getting hosed, there's no getting around that. The pick-up player hasn't been to all the practice, hasn't paid the team fees, etc. Never ever underestimate chemistry. And all it takes is one pissed off parent to really screw up a good experience at nationals.
1. Carry 15-20 players and make them compete year round for playing time.
2. When it comes to recruiting, it has a lot to do with the name on the front of the shirt.
Taking those two thoughts in mind, I could certainly understand the competition thing. My guess is 4-6 of those players are pitcher/catcher combos on some kind of rotation. I don't have a problem, in fact I would embrace competition. The one thing that bothers me about what we do now is carrying low numbers, rewards bad attitude/play/work ethic, with more playing time at the preferred position, when it should land your ass on the bench. Regardless of whether it's my kid, your kid, or whoever's kid it is. I want my kid to know how to compete, forget Softball, when she gets out in the real world, she's going to be competing the rest of her life, she needs to understand it and know how to do it.
With regards to the recruiting thing, I have no illusions of grandeur. My kid ain't going to the PAC-10 or SEC to play college ball. I understand that, more importantly she understands that. So with that in mind, it doesn't make much sense to me to have a name brand on the front of her shirt, to play maybe 50% of the innings and miss valuable AB's against good pitching. Instead play with a team where you get as many reps as possible hopefully against good competition.
With all that in mind, I "think" my kid is a decent player. I "think" whatever team she plays on, she's going to get on the field. However, even as a parent I find myself "feeling" for those who don't. It's got to be tough for both the parents and the kids. I think at this level, everyone pretty much knows what's what, but it doesn't make it any easier.
To answer the OP, I think it's a tough situation to bring players in at the end of the season. It sends so many wrong signals to both your players and parents. And the kid who sits because a pick-up player is playing, she's getting hosed, there's no getting around that. The pick-up player hasn't been to all the practice, hasn't paid the team fees, etc. Never ever underestimate chemistry. And all it takes is one pissed off parent to really screw up a good experience at nationals.
Every man lives by a code:
1.Always look cool
2.Never get lost
3.If you get lost, look cool
1.Always look cool
2.Never get lost
3.If you get lost, look cool
-
slapperdad - Posts: 887
- Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 7:28 pm
If there is a need or a void on your team due to injury or absense then the PU is justified. Otherwise take your kids and play.
- amazing
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:01 am
12 posts
• Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
Main Menu
User Menu
Login
