Ronald McDonald 12U

[HotBox:)]

Pretty sure Smash will be alive and kicking. Not really a new team though.

Smash I know you have a great team and will be around for quite a while. The same goes for alot of the teams. I was talking about the new teams that form every year that have no idea how tough the competition is until they are in the middle of it having 2 bracket and out every tournment, mainly due to inexperience pitchers, then fold before the year is out.

Most of the time that leaves alot of good athletes, out to dry, with no place to go. I hate to see that happen. That comes back to the same old arguement that has been discussed forever of South Texas being diluted with too many teams and what to do about it.

Very accurate assessment Tex and thanks for the welcome back.
The problem I see is that so many dads see their DD’s threw rose colored glasses that when a respectable Coach benches them or takes them from their set position for error their little feelings get hurt. So what do they do? They tell the Coach to get screwed and start a new team or find a new one (too easy). Now you ended up with your talent so far spread out that at best you will be on an average team. Oh let’s not forget about the team hoppers looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow about every 6-8 weeks. What’s sad is, most team hoppers have talented dd’s but the parents can’t take the CriticisM. Which brings me to my next point, how will your DD develop if she sees 4 different teams in one season? Are you there to win or get plenty of playing time? If you're there to win then stfu, take your Coaches criticism and play ball. if you're looking for plenty of playing time then COACH. Houston could have some POWER HOUSE teams if parents wouldn't get in the way.

[figrnitout]

I will agree that parents attitudes and egos get in the way some time but there are also coaches and organizations out there that don't respect parents enough. You can NOT have teams that have players that were picked by the coaches at the respective tryouts and then later on down the road they are benched or used as fill in positions when in fact they are as much a part of the team as the other 10 or so girls, you coaches must remember that we PAY to play on your teams and there are two things you don't mess with- my money or my daughter.
If we truely had at least 3 or 4 teams/organizations that were in it for the real reason we all play ball- that is to get our DD's trained and taught to be able to move on to the next level of sotfball- then there wouldn't be soooo many teams in the Houston area and all the "good" players would be concentrated with those few good coaches and organizations. However- even the better top tier teams in the area are DADDY ball teams concerned only about the future of the coaches kid and winning the next tournament. This will never change so you just suck it up and deal with it, perhaps moving from team to team in the hopes that you will find that one that services you DD's needs then when it comes time to move to the GOLD level hope your daughter is ready and prepared for it.

[tex]

I will agree that parents attitudes and egos get in the way some time but there are also coaches and organizations out there that don't respect parents enough. You can NOT have teams that have players that were picked by the coaches at the respective tryouts and then later on down the road they are benched or used as fill in positions when in fact they are as much a part of the team as the other 10 or so girls, you coaches must remember that we PAY to play on your teams and there are two things you don't mess with- my money or my daughter.
If we truely had at least 3 or 4 teams/organizations that were in it for the real reason we all play ball- that is to get our DD's trained and taught to be able to move on to the next level of sotfball- then there wouldn't be soooo many teams in the Houston area and all the "good" players would be concentrated with those few good coaches and organizations. However- even the better top tier teams in the area are DADDY ball teams concerned only about the future of the coaches kid and winning the next tournament. This will never change so you just suck it up and deal with it, perhaps moving from team to team in the hopes that you will find that one that services you DD's needs then when it comes time to move to the GOLD level hope your daughter is ready and prepared for it.

In trying to support parents who are team jumpers you made some very good points against them.
A coach selects a dd for their team because they saw something there that they felt could help the team. After she is on the team the coach realizes she does not have the work ethics or the talent he at first thought she had, so he use her as a utilitly player while trying to develope some of the talents he believes she has. The parents feel she is the best short stop or pitcher that ever breathed even though the skills are not there. So they jump from team to team knowing the next one will be the one. When that doesn't work the parent starts a team of his\her own to showcase her, then your back to what you stated earlier as DADDY ball. It seems that after a few teams the parent would realize that there dd is never going to be a short stop or a great pitcher, but they never do realize it.
If you think reaching gold ball is going to make a difference you or probably wrong. If she cannot make it as a short stop are pitcher in 12u or 14 u it is not going to happen in gold.
Parents never stop to think that there dd might be the best outfielder that ever lived if they would give her the chance.
Not everyone in softball is wrong about a dd's talent. The parent wants to believe they are. So they continue to team jump are they start a team of their own.

Last, not all Dads play DADDY ball. There are a few that wants to teach the girls and get them ready to win nationals and then move to the next level. They would bench there dd faster than anyone else on the team if he felt she was hurting the team.

Are you a DADDY ball coach or just a team jumper ???

[tex]

Pretty sure Smash will be alive and kicking. Not really a new team though.

Smash I know you have a great team and will be around for quite a while. The same goes for alot of the teams. I was talking about the new teams that form every year that have no idea how tough the competition is until they are in the middle of it having 2 bracket and out every tournment, mainly due to inexperience pitchers, then fold before the year is out.

Most of the time that leaves alot of good athletes, out to dry, with no place to go. I hate to see that happen. That comes back to the same old arguement that has been discussed forever of South Texas being diluted with too many teams and what to do about it.

Very accurate assessment Tex and thanks for the welcome back.
The problem I see is that so many dads see their DD’s threw rose colored glasses that when a respectable Coach benches them or takes them from their set position for error their little feelings get hurt. So what do they do? They tell the Coach to get screwed and start a new team or find a new one (too easy). Now you ended up with your talent so far spread out that at best you will be on an average team. Oh let’s not forget about the team hoppers looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow about every 6-8 weeks. What’s sad is, most team hoppers have talented dd’s but the parents can’t take the CriticisM. Which brings me to my next point, how will your DD develop if she sees 4 different teams in one season? Are you there to win or get plenty of playing time? If you're there to win then stfu, take your Coaches criticism and play ball. if you're looking for plenty of playing time then COACH. Houston could have some POWER HOUSE teams if parents wouldn't get in the way.

Hotbox I agree totally with your statements. We would have better and stronger teams if all took this approach

[figrnitout]

No TEX I am not a coach or a team hopper. Only left the team we were with when it was made obvious to me and my DD that we were no longer wanted or needed on the team and by the way my daughter is not a short stop or pitcher but a damn good outfielder and middle infielder on one of the top teams in Houston. The coaches refusal to work with her and give her the same opportunities as the other girls on the team is the only reason we left the team and if you want to classify that as team hopping then so be it. My previous post was to only point out that it is not always the parents egos and miss conceptions about their DD's talent as a reason that parents leave teams and go elsewhere. Like I said before- don't mess with my money or my daughter.

[Bring it]

No TEX I am not a coach or a team hopper. Only left the team we were with when it was made obvious to me and my DD that we were no longer wanted or needed on the team and by the way my daughter is not a short stop or pitcher but a damn good outfielder and middle infielder on one of the top teams in Houston. The coaches refusal to work with her and give her the same opportunities as the other girls on the team is the only reason we left the team and if you want to classify that as team hopping then so be it. My previous post was to only point out that it is not always the parents egos and miss conceptions about their DD's talent as a reason that parents leave teams and go elsewhere. Like I said before- don't mess with my money or my daughter.

I guess I am a little lost...if she is, in your words, a "damn good outfielder and middle infielder on one of the top teams in Houston" why was she not utilized on the previous team? "Damn good outfielders and middle infielders" are a premium, and if "she is now on one of the top teams in Houston", then the previous coach must have had some great players (considering your DD is a "damn good player") playing in front of your daughter, or did not know what he/she was doing. Did the coach have twins on the team? If your DD is a damn good outfielder and middle infielder there had to be a position for her otherwise. If I were a guessing person, and this is a pure guess, DD played mostly outfield and you wanted more infield time. If she is a great outfielder, be proud of that fact as they are very hard to find.

If the situation was unbearable for you, your daughter, or the team, then the move to the new team was probably best. However, with your continued use of the phrase "don't mess with my daughter or my money", I am wondering who the real daddy-baller really is?

[softballrocks]

Pretty sure Smash will be alive and kicking. Not really a new team though.

Smash I know you have a great team and will be around for quite a while. The same goes for alot of the teams. I was talking about the new teams that form every year that have no idea how tough the competition is until they are in the middle of it having 2 bracket and out every tournment, mainly due to inexperience pitchers, then fold before the year is out.

Most of the time that leaves alot of good athletes, out to dry, with no place to go. I hate to see that happen. That comes back to the same old arguement that has been discussed forever of South Texas being diluted with too many teams and what to do about it.

Your absolutely right about teams starting and folding in the fall. Some may try to hang around until March but there will be some teams that can't make it, leaving a lot of girls in limbo.

I was only curious about which new teams you were thinking about. I know you have been around a while and most likely have some insight but I bet it is too much to ask to name names. I also have some thoughts about which teams will not be around come spring but also feel a public forum is not the best place to air it out until it happens.

From what I've seen this fall there will be some great games in the spring if the teams will play each other. At least we still have the Christmas Classic to look forward to!

Softball Rocks

[22'sDad]

That sure was a PC way of asking who the heck you are talking about, but you won’t get an answer there. Finally someone figured out that this whole topic is just another attempt to slam certain teams and certain people that just keeps coming up over and over and over.

The whole idea is SG because most of the "established" teams have new faces every season which is not any different than a start up team.

[tex]

That sure was a PC way of asking who the heck you are talking about, but you won’t get an answer there. Finally someone figured out that this whole topic is just another attempt to slam certain teams and certain people that just keeps coming up over and over and over.

The whole idea is SG because most of the "established" teams have new faces every season which is not any different than a start up team.

I don't think anyone was trying to slam any certain teams. It is a matter of fact that alot of the teams will not make it. It happens every year. My statement to figrnitout, if that's who you are referring to as being slammed, was my opinion on what he/she said. I do not even know what team he/she is with and it really doesn't matter.
Parents who are team jumpers are problems with teams, riding thru hard start up times and making it, because they are too impatience and want immediate results. Immediate results do not always happen with new teams and parents have to give them time to mature and not just jump ship.

I will say that if my words were thought to be directed at any certain teams, I am sorry for that. But I am not sorry for my stand on team jumpers. The sport I love and respect, Softball, does not need them, they cause too many problems. Let them do some other sport and leave Softball alone.

[figrnitout]

F.U. T.I.L.B.