Any suggestions on how to stop team hoppers

[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

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

Nice BC. Please give me some examples..

[pooterfather]

You people can't be serious! What is the shelf life of a commitment to a 10 or 12 U team? IS it 6 months, 3 months, a year? What if said team isn't the correct fit? Does the player stay there? What if the team fails to meet the projections or expectations stated by the coach when the girls signed up for the team? The kid moves on, looking for the right fit, but yet is called a team hopper. How is a girl and her parents, that are trying to find the right fit, (besides habitually changing teams after one or two tournaments) considered a team hopper? Just consider them as free agents, and treat them as such. Thank goodness they came along and helped your team win that 3rd, or 1st place trophy. Because without her, all of the other girls on that team, may not have, or will ever get to play for one again, or for a long while anyways. I do however think, that once a GOOD, STRONG player, i.e. pitchers...find a good team, that it is incumbent upon those coaches to continue to strive to move the org. or team forward to match that one players talents with surrounding talent that will lead to success, if they don't, however fair or unfair that is, you guys know how the story goes!! Now, my DD was picking up with a pretty good team, and she played in two tournaments with them. Before she played for them, they didn't sniff a trophy or come close to a successful tournament for that team...well, in the two tourneys she played for them, they took 3rd, then 1st...however, after the 2nd tourney, the coach said she was going to bring on an older player , and play her as a younger player....i.e. more room for mistakes, while maybe DD would be on a shorter leash for the older girl to come in and SAVE THE DAY!!...Anyways, peace out, we were gone! Found a great home, put them out of several tourneys, but, they had success as well, just usually not when we were around, only once I think! But, we could have been seen as team hoppers, however, we didn't ever commit to them, DD picked up and played with them in the 2 tourneys I was speaking of, and we were going to commit and join their team, but didin't....So, there are cases.... where it may look like team hopping, but some are cases of trying to find DD a team. We are still with DD's current team after 7 months and couldn't be happier! But, yes, if a girl's parents do this 2 or 3 times in the course of 8 months, then they are team hoppers, but if it is understood that the DD is simply picking up or trying out, vis-a-vis.. playing in a tournament with the team, then people should not call them team hoppers. Peace Love and Barbeque Chicken People!!!

[softball parents suk]

Pooter Head,

You really can't be serious. Whether or not you are a team hopper. You are the problem. This is so typical of many parents today. My daughter is the reason they won. Give me a break. You mentioned that they never sniffed a trophy until your DD played for them. So, the tournaments they placed with your DD, it was all her. There are 8 other players on the team you know.

This is the problem. Too many parents think that their DD is so good that any team would be lucky to have them. It takes 9 to play the game and no one DD makes the team, whether she is the pitcher or not. Get a life, I'm sure they are happy you are somewhere else bragging about your DD.

[FPFEVER]

In response to the original subject of how to stop team hoppers my recommendation is for the associations (ASA, USSSA, VTD, IFA, or whoever) to change the CULTURE of Fastpitch softball. The root of the problem of team hoppers is due to players being allowed to change teams from one day to the next per the rules of the associations. Doesn't happen in boys baseball, you sign on and you are there for the duration of the season. The CULTURE has evolved due to the rules in place allowing the movement of players from one team to another from one day to the next. Change the rules and you change the culture.

[Seven's Mom]

I can understand that you might be offended by Pootersdad's plug for his dd, but I think he has a point. If you have a pretty good team but not enough pitching (i.e. only one solid bracket pitcher), you might make it to Sunday, but you're not going to place (1st-3rd) in many tournaments. I think his main point is that players shouldn't be penalized for shopping around and trying to find a good fit by picking up with different teams. As long as a player hasn't committed to an organization (paid dues, signed contract, etc.) I don't see a problem with it. I especially think pitchers need to be very choosy.

If you really want to avoid taking on a team-hopper, ask a lot of questions of the parents and be very frank about what your expectations are of the prospective player, her parents, and how you intend to run the team. If it's a good fit, they won't hop. If they do, then they weren't a good fit for your team. A financial deterrent might help prevent it during the middle of a season, but if she (her parents) doesn't want to be there, even that won't help.

Pooter Head,

You really can't be serious. Whether or not you are a team hopper. You are the problem. This is so typical of many parents today. My daughter is the reason they won. Give me a break. You mentioned that they never sniffed a trophy until your DD played for them. So, the tournaments they placed with your DD, it was all her. There are 8 other players on the team you know.

This is the problem. Too many parents think that their DD is so good that any team would be lucky to have them. It takes 9 to play the game and no one DD makes the team, whether she is the pitcher or not. Get a life, I'm sure they are happy you are somewhere else bragging about your DD.

[pooterfather]

Maybe Softball's parent's do SUK..but if you think that your situation is the only one in the whole country that this situation may apply, you have some things you may need think about.. I stated no names, teams, or specific age, but if you must know, DD is now 13, does this still apply??......

Back to Seven's point, I think, that if the softball community wants this to cease, then treat it in the same manner that Volleyball does, where you sign a contract with that org. and if you don't fulfill it, then it can literally go against your credit..(and I know that the org.'s would have to be more regulated for this to come to fruition)

I know of several families that have to stick with their volleyball teams, no matter what, until the end of the season because of this... until it gets to that point, enjoy the madness!!

[6th Sense]

There's a revolving door on every team. Coaches have the ability to cut a player, so it's only fair play for the player to be able to cut a team. It's "A" ball!

[sneakysnake]

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.

I agree with D on this. As difficult as it is to be dedicated and loyal, it is made easier by being upfront and honest to start. Parents, ultimately, are responsible for providing their child with the best environment for learning, growing, and achieving their own personal goals. Coaches are responsible for providing a team with an environment that consists of quality instruction and progression to the next level. Everyone has an agenda, good or bad, but a little communication goes a long way.
As far as team hopping goes, I would imagine the reputation that brings alone, would be enough to protect coaches from making poor decisions about players. There are always going to be reasons to make a change, but repeated changes would IMO reflect negatively on the player/parent. While a coaches job is difficult and seldom appreciated, a parents job is harder and appreciated even less. ( sorry coaches ) This might just explain why some of us act the way we do, myself included.

[Underdog]

There's a revolving door on every team. Coaches have the ability to cut a player, so it's only fair play for the player to be able to cut a team. It's "A" ball!

So much for loyalty.

[sneakysnake]

There's a revolving door on every team. Coaches have the ability to cut a player, so it's only fair play for the player to be able to cut a team. It's "A" ball!

So much for loyalty.

Exactly.......if this thread started over a request for a list of team hoppers, then I request a list of terrible coaches/ and or managers too. just sayin'