TC Smash98 to NorCal Firecrackers

[itsforthekids]

I hope it works for them also. It would of been nice to see them get all the recognition for their players as Smash, they were already headed in the right direction. I would like to add that I think Mike is one of the best 14U coaches in Nor Cal. He really knows how to coach the game. Much luck to him as a Firecracker.

[catchers_rock]

Best of Luck to the Girls! But I agree with ILB, They were getting recognition as Smash so why leave? Can’t wait to see how crazy their Summer tryouts will be. LOL

[Iluvblue]

I want to make real clear here that I am not knocking them one bit, Steve is one of my best friends and the decision is theirs to make.

But, I am all for some organization getting good and doing things on their terms, not getting good so one of the established clogs in the softball world can go and woo them into joining them to make their organization look better then they actually are. Oh,.... chachining all the way to the bank in the process. Im not knocking Firecrackers, hell, if I could get you to give me a bunch of cash every month for doing nothing, Id do it too. More power to them.

Business is business.


So, are these organizations really so good? or do they just sit around and wait for the next great team to come around, then they go get them to come on in and join them??? That is a rhetorical question:)

[CheckWriter]

do they just sit around and wait for the next great team to come around

Don't know any of these guys (TR, GH, etc). I'm sure they just did nothing and the players went through their organizations, and the just coincidentally ended up going to elite college programs a lot of the time. Kind of like Brownian motion that defied the laws of entropy and, before you know it, teams are flocking to wear their uniforms.

Came out a little more sarcastic than intended, but you get the idea.

[Iluvblue]

Like I said, I aint blaming them. If I could just sit back and collect checks because people want to wear my colors, .... Id be all over it.

The guys in that position obviously have done things to put them in this position.

[beentheredonethat]

=

[CheckWriter]

Phil M, Bob P, Bob R, Roy T, Don M, Don F,Kelly,Kiko G, and oh yeah Iluvblue

I don't think any of them are anywhere near the realm of making any significant money. I think most get their airfare and hotel paid for.

Last few years of gold / PGF I never got any "accounting" for the money I paid (was always an open offer to review it with any parents that wanted to), but based on the younger days, where teams had parent meetings with spread sheets explaining where all the money went, the gold (or whatever term we use for it now) price tag seemed within a reasonable range.

Younger DDs last two years were definitely more expensive, but we played more, got bats, bags, really nice Victory uniforms (no, no to keep, but we didn't keep the cheap unis previously either). It still seemed "proportional" to what we were getting.

I highly doubt ILB will be buying a new BMW with his organizational proceeds.

JMO

[Iluvblue]

The days of me spending my entire Summer on the road and away from my family for free are over. I make no bones about that. I coached for 12 years and never got a penny, and at some point the costs to my family were to much to get nothing out of what I do. When tourneys are free, pitching instructors and hitting instructors are free, entrance into complexes are free, then I will go back to free.

The difference though is that those that are wearing the uniforms of the teams you mention, those people are actually working for those teams on a daily basis. Whether on the field, administrative, practice, college recruiting... and on and on and on. I know one of the people on your list is probably working 30 or more hours PER WEEK for his organization. Would you work 30 hrs a week for free?

There is not one day that goes by that I am not spending at least 1 hr on my teams, and that is on a slow night. I am not complaining, I knew what i was getting into when I started this 2 years ago, but it is VERY exhausting at times and will beat you down if you dont have thick skin.

I respect everyone of those people on your list for what they do, and without them, many kids would be far worse off.

[lovsofbal]

The days of me spending my entire Summer on the road and away from my family for free are over. I make no bones about that. I coached for 12 years and never got a penny, and at some point the costs to my family were to much to get nothing out of what I do. When tourneys are free, pitching instructors and hitting instructors are free, entrance into complexes are free, then I will go back to free.

The difference though is that those that are wearing the uniforms of the teams you mention, those people are actually working for those teams on a daily basis. Whether on the field, administrative, practice, college recruiting... and on and on and on. I know one of the people on your list is probably working 30 or more hours PER WEEK for his organization. Would you work 30 hrs a week for free?

There is not one day that goes by that I am not spending at least 1 hr on my teams, and that is on a slow night. I am not complaining, I knew what i was getting into when I started this 2 years ago, but it is VERY exhausting at times and will beat you down if you dont have thick skin.

I respect everyone of those people on your list for what they do, and without them, many kids would be far worse off.

Your absolutely right. I've seen coaches who have no interest (DD's on the team) take many hours out of their lives away from family. Didn't get paid a dime. One even threw in money as a donation from his business to help kids out and reach dreams. Coaches should be paid if they are putting in the work. Like you said it Blu it doesn't stop on the field. I've coached but did have a daughter on the team so i never asked for a penny. But if i was to go back to it. It wouldn't be for free. Unless i win the lotto.

[Iluvblue]

Thats funny... because I always say if I were to win the lotto, we would have a big team bus and there would be no fees.