16's & 18's...does anyone care in NorCal?

[rbi]

My kid had probably one of her best games she ever had on a cold damp Sunday morning in the last game of the last Tourney of the season in January at HB a couple years ago. That game meant as much to her as any other game. If you approach every game like that, it makes those "big" games that much "easier". Human nature is a mind set, a sign of weakness, your switch is either ON or off. If you start letting others influence your level of effort (or in this case lack there of), your in for a rude awakening.

I guess its all about how you approach what you do.

[ICMTM]

The real problem is that in 16 and 18s everyone wants to say well.... we were pitching our Rf for a few innings, and our LF was catching for 3 innings and it was JUST AN EXPOSURE tourney, so we arent really keeping track.

We're finally getting somewhere.

As far as showcase tournaments go the kids take the attitude of the coach. If the coach isn't playing to win then neither is the coach. When you're pitching your best pitcher and playing your best kids in their best spots the team knows what it means. Some teams can actually play mix and match because they have the roster to do so. I'm not talking about them, and there aren't a lot of them in NorCal. If you're on a team where it's not deep and you're rotating everyone you're really only playing to win 1 out of every 3 or 4 games competitively. When kids who shouldn't play MI/CF are all playing there in the same game it's a white flag. The girls aren't stupid.

[NatRx]

I realize you are all probably talking in generalizations, but in what I've seen with my DD in her 1 year @ 16U & thus far in 18G, "showcase, non-competitive mentality" has NEVER been the case with her coaches, her team or for herself... Play to "win," to do your absolute best EVERY at-bat, EVERY put-out, EVERY pitch, is the mindset and the goal.

Just my observation from our little corner of the softball world.

[Iluvblue]

Of course I am speaking in general. Im speaking as a parent who has an older daughter graduated from college already, and a coach who has watched the stuff.

Im not speaking about the players... those girls ALWAYS do their best, but as someone just posted a few posts earlier, the girls arent dumb, and when the look around at some of those lineups, they know what is going on.

[NatRx]

And so I say again:

...the "showcase, non-competitive mentality" has NEVER been the case with her coaches, her team, or for herself...

this is purely based on our own direct experience as this is our 1st time through this length of the journey. Apparently, we've been fortunate to not have this problem... yet. But sounds like it's been more an exception than the rule.

[ICMTM]

I have to disagree with most here. The energy in the park is way down versus tournament style play. My observation it's like that with most teams. If you're not fighting for position there is a let down. Yes your kid may still play well but there is an almost friendly feel to the games.

[rbi]

I will just say this and I am the first to say i HATE Showcase format, I REALLY hate drop dead garbage, with that said and out of the way.

My kid from the time she started playing Gold, it has been a dog fight, your fighting for a spot every damn weekend, im sorry but I dont know where this came from where, once you get to Gold its a Country Club,

I always told my kid, until you sign on the dotted line its ONE BIG TRYOUT, (for your TB coach and the colleges), you start resting and think your "good to go", your in trouble.

Is it rah rah rah, pom poms and such, hell no, its all business baby, you get it done or your in the dugout, at least on my kids team, as there are very talented kids in dugout chomping at the bit waiting for a chance to take your spot. I remember a couple times when my kid got yanked in the middle of the inning of a "meaningless" showcase game because someone did not feel she was into the game (now that is b.s pulling someone in middle of inning IMO but, a discussion for a different thread), just gives you an idea of how intense a "meaningless" game is approached. Then what, your college coach walks up and wanders why your not playing, it doesnt look to good, so you learn real quick, its ballz to the wallz pretty much every game. Can you have fun, hell yes but when its time to go to work, its time to go to work and not "let down", or you will be riding pine!

So when your teammates see that YOU are not letting down, they stop and think, Shit i better get my shit together, and its makes for great team competition and ultimatley the girls get better, the team plays better, and magically more W's!

Finally, So to say its a "let down" for showcases, I sure the hell dont know where that is because its a dog fight week end week out in our neighborhood. Maybe in some cases its that way but please dont put Gold under one umbrella and give people wrong perception of what its like.

Do you think SoCals A's coach (Bruce) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing" it?
Do you think WorthCrackers coach (Tony) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing" it?
Do you think OCBB coach (Gary) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing it"?
Do you think Angels coach (Marty) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing it"?

You are in dugout in a New York second, trust me have seen it for a while now

[ICMTM]

Do you think SoCals A's coach (Bruce) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing" it?
Do you think WorthCrackers coach (Tony) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing" it?
Do you think OCBB coach (Gary) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing it"?
Do you think Angels coach (Marty) is not pulling your ass if he see's your "big leaguing it"?

You are in dugout in a New York second, trust me have seen it for a while now

SoCal Problems. NorCal doesn't have many deep teams like that. Again my observation can be different that yours. I'm not saying I'm right. I am just saying I see a more relaxed playing field is all.

[6to4to3]

d

[ICMTM]

A lot of teams have a similar rotation. Yes people are playing to win, but winning isn't the goal. Exposure is the goal. The two objectives are not complimentary for most teams and it affects play.