Any suggestions on how to stop team hoppers

[larry111]

I know a lot of coaches and parents read the information on here good and bad. I would like to get some suggestions from the Hey Bucket community. What do you think we could do to stop what I call TEAM HOPPERS. I have had at least 2 different players come to my team in the last month who I found out through other coaches or even by admission of the parent that they have been on 6 to 10 different teams in 2009. As a coach you try to give them the benefit of the doubt but in the end you find out you are just another team in a long line. Sometimes the players are really good but the parents have no commitment or the player gets upset at something and the parent gives in to what ever the daughter wants. The player is never taught the value of commitment to their team mates. There should be some way for coaches to see a list of these players so that a coach knows what he is getting when he decides to offer a spot on the team. If a Team Hopper wants to play and go from team to team the unsuspecting coaches should know the players history. Thanks for all the responses in advance good and bad.

[justawatcher]

You're not going to be able to stop the team hopper. What you can do is either stop taking players you know are team hoppers, or consider them as more of a multiple tournament pick up player than as part of your long term goals.

[DLyle]

How about investigating why they left each team listed? If you do that as a coach as a parent i would want to know how many cuts or "additions" you have made during the season? My point is that most coaches complain about the parents team hopping and most parents complain about coaches adding or flat out cutting players. Both sides need to communicate their philosiphies up front and agree when the "season" ends, ending the contract.
If the coach is open to adding players after playing tournaments he needs to be able to handle a player leaving in the same manner. If the coach plans on tryouts again in Jan. he needs to understand that current players are going to other tryouts as well. Some coaches are wide open willing to take a player at anytime they usually accept a player leaving suddenly better. I have played for both types and prefer one that looks at two seasons, Fall and Spring, and i realize that kids can come and go during that time. Ocassionally their are reasons that may dictate a move during one of these seasons.

[Ifubuildit]

A lot of that would be stopped if coaches would quit going out and getting pick up players then playing them in excess in front of the weaker players on the team. Nothing and I mean Nothing will tick off a parent more than having DD on the bench while a pickup player gets most of the playing time during a weekend tournament.

There are many coaches out there who will do just that to try to win games.

[Phantomz08]

I know a lot of coaches and parents read the information on here good and bad. I would like to get some suggestions from the Hey Bucket community. What do you think we could do to stop what I call TEAM HOPPERS. I have had at least 2 different players come to my team in the last month who I found out through other coaches or even by admission of the parent that they have been on 6 to 10 different teams in 2009. As a coach you try to give them the benefit of the doubt but in the end you find out you are just another team in a long line. Sometimes the players are really good but the parents have no commitment or the player gets upset at something and the parent gives in to what ever the daughter wants. The player is never taught the value of commitment to their team mates. There should be some way for coaches to see a list of these players so that a coach knows what he is getting when he decides to offer a spot on the team. If a Team Hopper wants to play and go from team to team the unsuspecting coaches should know the players history. Thanks for all the responses in advance good and bad.

Larry, I don't mean to sound ugly, but you are one of the reasons this continues to happen. Through your intitial interview with said kids parents, you should have known that they have played for quite a few teams. Right then and there, regardless of how good the kid is, you should have told them that you didn't have room for them. Don't be part of their problem. I know hindsight is 20/20 and we have all been guilty of this once or twice. The only way and I mean the only way to keep people from team hopping is for the manager's to step up and not take kids that have parents like this. Especially the ones that do it in mid-season. If parents decide to move kids in between spring and fall or fall and spring, that is their choice but even those kinds of people could get weeded out if the manager of the next team does not allow them to play. Sure, eventually they will find a manager that will take them, but it may not be the best situation for them and that manager will find out when they leave his team.

Just my thoughts on this Larry and beleive me, I hate it when this happens. The parents have got to be more sincere in their commitment to the teams that they elect to play for.

Mark

[PDad]

What do you think we could do to stop what I call TEAM HOPPERS. I have had at least 2 different players come to my team in the last month who I found out through other coaches or even by admission of the parent that they have been on 6 to 10 different teams in 2009.

Did they ever pay dues on those teams or do they switch teams when pressed for what they owe?

A good indicator of commitment is how much dues they are willing to pay up front. Money talks and BS walks...

[cornerpainter]

Larry,
Did you go looking for girls for the right reasons?
What is your Goal as a Coach? What are you why are you investing your time in your team? What do you hope to accomplish this year or for the next five years. What is your background as a coach? Did you have another team last year or the year before that? How long have the girls on your team played for you? Where did you learn the game?

These are the questions I would ask you if my DD was looking for a team. This is the same thing I would hope the coach was wondering about my DD. The success you have should be measurable based on the goals you set as a Coach and a Team. Ask Cat Osterman when she decided to go to College and play softball. It is a twoway street. Both are responsible for knowing the ins and outs. If you have short sided goals you will get short sided players.

[DLyle]

someone who agrees with me! Better stated than what i typed.

[Ifubuildit]

Larry,
Did you go looking for girls for the right reasons?
What is your Goal as a Coach? What are you why are you investing your time in your team? What do you hope to accomplish this year or for the next five years. What is your background as a coach? Did you have another team last year or the year before that? How long have the girls on your team played for you? Where did you learn the game?

These are the questions I would ask you if my DD was looking for a team. This is the same thing I would hope the coach was wondering about my DD. The success you have should be measurable based on the goals you set as a Coach and a Team. Ask Cat Osterman when she decided to go to College and play softball. It is a twoway street. Both are responsible for knowing the ins and outs. If you have short sided goals you will get short sided players.

Well stated.

[Bleacher Creature]

I know a lot of coaches and parents read the information on here good and bad. I would like to get some suggestions from the Hey Bucket community. What do you think we could do to stop what I call TEAM HOPPERS. I have had at least 2 different players come to my team in the last month who I found out through other coaches or even by admission of the parent that they have been on 6 to 10 different teams in 2009. As a coach you try to give them the benefit of the doubt but in the end you find out you are just another team in a long line. Sometimes the players are really good but the parents have no commitment or the player gets upset at something and the parent gives in to what ever the daughter wants. The player is never taught the value of commitment to their team mates. There should be some way for coaches to see a list of these players so that a coach knows what he is getting when he decides to offer a spot on the team. If a Team Hopper wants to play and go from team to team the unsuspecting coaches should know the players history. Thanks for all the responses in advance good and bad.

Larry, I don't mean to sound ugly, but you are one of the reasons this continues to happen. Through your intitial interview with said kids parents, you should have known that they have played for quite a few teams. Right then and there, regardless of how good the kid is, you should have told them that you didn't have room for them. Don't be part of their problem. I know hindsight is 20/20 and we have all been guilty of this once or twice. The only way and I mean the only way to keep people from team hopping is for the manager's to step up and not take kids that have parents like this. Especially the ones that do it in mid-season. If parents decide to move kids in between spring and fall or fall and spring, that is their choice but even those kinds of people could get weeded out if the manager of the next team does not allow them to play. Sure, eventually they will find a manager that will take them, but it may not be the best situation for them and that manager will find out when they leave his team.

Just my thoughts on this Larry and beleive me, I hate it when this happens. The parents have got to be more sincere in their commitment to the teams that they elect to play for.

Mark

Pot meet kettle .........