New Parent looking for 12U team

[Iluvblue]

was that so hard? competition is tough it appears, so coaches dont want to provide ANY easy link to a team that may attract talent.




Are you kidding? competition and attracting talent? I gave the best advice I could give as I am not all knowing on what all coaches and teams are doing. You had her team's site available, Great. I personally have never looked at it, or knew they even had a site. So how could I give that info? That isnt being Vague? Anyone that knows anything about me, they will know I could care less if the BEST talent comes or doesnt come. I coach who we get. If we stink, we stink, but it wont be because of coaching, that much I can promise. I could care less if this person brings their kid to our tryout. Hell, I am sitting here talking up Henderson and Carda both... does that sound like Im trying to talk her into coming to us.

Our 16u and 18u are pretty damn good, so Id say we are doing ok in the attracting decent talent and coaching them, but thanks for caring.

I gave the info On Granger that I knew. And one person's "Facts" could be another person's bullshit.
There, was that so hard?

[onlooker]

OK, that is very helpful to me answering. 2001's are 10U's playing up in the fall in 12U. She has 2 years of eligibilty in 12U come Jan 1. that being said, you now have a choice to make... IF and I mean IF all things are equal on the coaching and org front....(we will address that later)

A. Do you want to play for an '00 team that possibly competes well, but not be able to move up with them Jan 1 2014? (im not a fan of moving up so assuming that is NOT an option unless we are talking about a stud).
B. Do you want to play for an '01 team that possibly doesnt compete well, but you will be able to stay with the coach for as long as talent allows?
C. Are you looking for premier exposure/down south exposure (because she is worthy)? if so an '01 may be needed.

Catcher's rock has good input, sadly grapes and rr gold are both stockton based teams, albeit worth a drive in comparison to some orgs.

At first year 12's in spring I cant think of one MUST HAVE coach, therefore your org's and finances and gas mileage may dictate. I would find myself at the tournaments looking at coaches once you have researched what the makeup of their team is.

dfsoftball.com - if we are talking about a talented daughter, this is only a place to visit to see Advertisements for tryouts. It is not a goal to play on teams who play here, although all may advertise at one time or another there.

asatournaments.com - lists several tournaments, plenty of info for scores, brackets for what took place this year.

californiabreeze.org
grapettes.com
rosevilleheat.org
mizunoallamerican.com
rrgoldsoftball.com

Grapettes has a tourney coming up next weekend, I would suggest a drive to Stockton for some first hand looks at the teams. click the tournaments link on grapettes website, looks like grapettes, mizuno and OBS are all represented at 12U. foothill gold has had some good talent come through there at one time or another as well, they are there too.

It should be about coaching, if you can find and land on henderson than that would be goal #1, all the rest are pretty equal right now.

[ICMTM]

The real issue or bottom line is you still have to fit with the team. There is the possibility that the kid doesn't fit the makeup of the team. People always want to equate wins and loses to coaching, but that is only part of the equation. We won a lot in 12u, my kids 1st year in ASA ball, but the coach was an idiot (Lawrence Divinagracia).

I still recommend finding out for yourself what you're looking for by watching or having direct contact with the players and coaches in question.

[Iluvblue]

ICMTM is correct, thats why I said win or lose it wont be me, it is those kids. And I dont care if you are Phil Jackson, let Phil Jackson coach the Kings and see how many rings he wins.

Good coaches are good coaches no matter who they coach.... and they dont always win every week. Ultimately, the kids win and the kids lose

[onlooker]

We are talking about 11 year olds at best here, not 13-14 year olds and higher. Fitting in with the "team" is absolutely freaking meaningless at this age unless you are joining a team that is all studs and it is a right to be on the team (I know of zero '01 teams who fit this bill). Now, I wont be a fool and say it has its benefits, but it has NOTHING TO DO WITH COACHING. It's clearly about coaching at this age which the OP requested info on COACHES...if you get "lucky", you wil have a core of 4-6 girls who stay together from start of 12's through 12's and maybe on....6 would be a LOT. this usually has to do with relationship with coach, other parents on team, playing time, money and skill level to name a few. If one's daughter cant be a teammate at age 11, you have one helluva lot more problem then finding a good coach. amazing....

this is the OP's question (its back on page 1):

"I am more worried about good coaching. Can anyone help me? I'm looking for good coaching that can help her elevate her game. She came from a team that won but only on their pure talent and I think it's hurting her now."

what and the hell does getting along with other 11 year old's have to do with good coaching.

Now, ICMTM is right (and like I said), get out to the trny's and get a first hand look. I would keep a suitcase nearby through 12's, don't get too comfortable.

[ICMTM]

Some kids will never see the middle infield, pitch, or catch when playing against kids of their own talent level. Furthermore if you have 3 catchers that are formidable the last thing you want is a parent of a good catcher asking for time behind the plate.

Fit matters! People like to label their kids early as a 1B, a SS, etc. The only position I never let my kid play was 1st base. It's where "Only if she's 5'3" doesn't apply." The days of learn everything and get in where the team needs you aren't there anymore so fit matters.

Families move on if they don't get time at a certain position so fit matters.

[onlooker]

Some kids will never see the middle infield, pitch, or catch when playing against kids of their own talent level. Furthermore if you have 3 catchers that are formidable the last thing you want is a parent of a good catcher asking for time behind the plate.

Fit matters! People like to label their kids early as a 1B, a SS, etc. The only position I never let my kid play was 1st base. It's where "Only if she's 5'3" doesn't apply." The days of learn everything and get in where the team needs you aren't there anymore so fit matters.

Families move on if they don't get time at a certain position so fit matters.

I agree 100%, FIT matters only to playing time, However it has nothing to do with good coaching...let me simplify for all

If Henderson is coaching a team and you preceive your DD as a C....henderson has 2 C's but you are offered a job when all parties involved know that the DD in question is 3rd string C at best. Do you take the job?

If you answer no because FIT is more important than coaching then it is pretty clear that playing time is the parents only belief in a kid geting better. Me personally, id take the coaching and the pine as this game isn't mastered with your 3 hours a week with your teammates daddy.

[ICMTM]

You're not doing anything until you are doing it in a live environment. A test, or practice environment isn't a game. You can make it like a game, but it's not a game.

The norm in today's ASA is specialized coaching (pitching, hitting, catching) and move teams to try to win. If you are sitting the pine you're not able to even measure your improvement.

[Iluvblue]

I often get kids that have parents that say their kid plays this or that position. I dont even listen or ask what position a kid plays, except for pitchers and catchers.

Several years ago I got a 2nd year 14u that only played outfield. I made her a SS, and she was damn good, but she was small. That kid is currently playing ss on her college team. Good coaches look at a kids skill set and use them where they will best help the team.

This year our 16u team has a kid that played OF on her team last year, she is playing 3rd base for us, and doing pretty well, even though she still has much to learn.


Coaching is EVERYTHING at 12u, and a good coach does more than just teach skills. They set the tone for the entire season(positions, organization, tournament choices, travel, controlling parents, collecting fees, basically steering the ship), and getting a group of 11 and 12 year old kids to get along and function is pretty damn easy for a good coach.

[Ovr Weight N Bald]

If Henderson is coaching a team and you preceive your DD as a C....henderson has 2 C's but you are offered a job when all parties involved know that the DD in question is 3rd string C at best. Do you take the job?

If you answer no because FIT is more important than coaching then it is pretty clear that playing time is the parents only belief in a kid geting better. Me personally, id take the coaching and the pine as this game isn't mastered with your 3 hours a week with your teammates daddy.

Please do not take this wrong, I think Henderson and Carda are great coaches. I would hope they would both agree they had some of the best talent in the area playing for them when they ran the Magic Team and a lot of that talent had it early. Great players make good coaches look great. I feel like people are saying these 2 are the only good coaches in 12u??? There are a lot of good coaches in 12u just because they have not coached for Magic 18G and had daughters who went to UCLA and Cal doesn't mean they suck.

If you have a player who will be 3rd string and ride pine behind 1 and 2 I would find a team she will play on. Coaches are important but players learn by playing the game not sitting the bench. I just listened to Steve Sax this last week give advise to parents on lesson's and coaching. He talked about when he and his brother grew up. They didn't go to lessons daily they were not trained to hit or field like a robot... They went out and played the game they learned by doing it and coaches helped refine it along the way. They learned to get faster by chasing down the older kids in the neighborhood. I know things are different now but they have to play to learn. You might learn how to play be watching but you really learn by doing.

Every inning your daughter sits is an inning someone else learns more than she does.