That did not mean she got to play. They were welcome to stay with us and I would be thrilled to have her back or I could suggest other teams for them and refer her to other coaches. However, a couple of years ago I was faced with a very unique situation. Joining the softball team gave me a ready-made group of a dozen girls who would have my back at all times. You want to find a team that she will see plenty of playing time, yet be challenged by slightly better competition both on her team versus the teams they play. You cannot play in an age group that is younger than the child’s actual age. A travel team may be the best way for them to My daughter was with a travel team for 2 years with one of her friends. You're getting a Frogg Togg. Unless you want to pass out, you've made a new best friend...a Frogg Togg. As the season went on, it became evident that Mary was not going to beat out one of our top six players this season or the next season for that matter. Softball is even years – 8U, 10U, 12U, etc. So they tried out together for another team and both got offers. By starting small in the early years with just one or two age groups, you can get a better feel on how to best operate your team while keeping your expenses to a minimum. To be honest, go look at ANY star high school … As an example of this, Hutchinson mentions one of his former stars from a New Jersey state championship team, catcher Julie Meyer. For the most part, the best players will play the most, which makes for a highly … 10U teams - will consist of girls who are 10 years of age as the calendar turns for the upcoming year. Unless an entire team is made up of girls born in the same year, some players will move to an older age group come 1 January leaving the coach scrambling to find new players, or having to move the entire group of girls up to a higher age division before some players are ready growth-and-maturity-wise to do so. I would imagine that a good rule of thumb for knowing when to leave you old team behind is when you are by far the best player on the team, and despite your best efforts your team is still coming up consistently short at tournaments. In general, there is no “regular season” with travel softball — it runs all year long, with club practices once or twice per week during the spring and fall season, and a full slate of weekend tournaments during the summer season. Jun 13, 2016. Find a team that is a good fit for your athlete’s talent and competitive level. Top 12 Travel Softball Facts It's more than softball; it's having fun, making friends and becoming a better person. So the question became, what to do about Mary? No one made me feel like I was unwelcome, and I was instantly accepted. I further explained that I thought if Mary played another year with us, she might be in danger of becoming so disenchanted with softball that she may give up before she made it to High School. She had taken the high road and talked to him about three weeks before hoping it would make a difference. We have decided that it's time to make a change, and we won't be continuing with this team. Wesley Bryant . Before a mid-major D-I school (for example) will offer a big-time hitter, the coach needs to see her hit against a legitimate D-I committed pitcher to prove she can hit like that in the coaach’s … While it's tempting to be greedy and keep all of the best players on your team, I believe the Softball Manager has a greater responsibility to look out for the players best interest. That keeps her options open and depending on the situation the other team might be in a tough position losing two girls they were not expecting to lose. Be graceful and thankful in your exit. My youngest daughter started playing at 10 years old and she basically walked onto the first team she tried out for. Remember spring and summer weather can be unpredictable. Understand that Mary was an outstanding ballplayer when compared to most girls that play softball, but on our team she was a small fish in a big pond. Travel teams earn their tournament placements and what fields they will play on over many years of outstanding play. Always keep a spare... we're not talking about tires. I also explained that I thought she could go to almost any other team and immediately become the starter at almost any position she chose. - Tournament Fees - $40 to $100 per tournament depending on travel and level of tournament. Talk to a parent, teacher, or mentor. If the new team can help your kid develop the technical, tactical, physical and emotional side of the game better than the current team the switch. 3.) Mount Prospect Power Softball Team u 16. A typical roster will have 12 players however some may have 11 or as many as 13. Travel teams are expensive. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Figuring out how to start a travel softball team from the ground up may seem like a daunting task at first - but it doesn’t have to be. 51 Wesley Bryant If you're involved with travel softball, you know these 12 things are true. Mary had played for me since she was eight years old and now she was about to turn 12 years old. The spring is … He was creating a division among the team. I started having lunches and dinners with the team… In addition, they … Nothing I had to say came as a shock to him and he knew that I had Mary's best interest in mind. Travel Ball Travel ball softball is the next step up from recreational softball. If the manager detects the player is in danger of facing burn out or leaving the sport, he should have enough respect for the game and the player to make a "for the greater good" decision. And Mary played in every game that she attended. When you made that commitment to the organization, we're you as a parent or player making that commitment to the other parents and players to stick it out until the end of the travel … JMU Softball Associate Head Coach Jennifer Herzig recently shared college softball advice with members of the Lady Titans travel ball teams for their recruitment. She got noticed not at one of Steinert’s games, but at a travel softball … JavaScript is disabled. At the end of the season I decided to have a conversation with Mary's father. If your player chooses to leave the Iowa Angels Organization, or is dismissed from the team due to rule violations; or disciplinary reasons, these fees are non-refundable. Travel ball presents a number of advantages for the college softball coach, including: More legitimate players at one venue in one day means less recruiting days (D-I only). Moved on as sitting on the bench gets you no where and dealing with a coach that plays daddy ball will make your blood boil. Her parents were the kind of parents every coach dreams of having, always supportive, kind, constructive and attentive to their child. It’s not even close. Travel softball tourneys are typically Friday through Sunday, with teams playing anywhere from 5-10 games each. For players not rostered on a travel team, this deposit will be refunded in full. If you are even considering playing as a pick up player for any team. I left the decision with Mary and her dad. That next season, Mary played shortstop and batted fourth in her new team's lineup. Good reasons to leave: 1) To get exposure to a better coaching staff. You must log in or register to reply here. In future seasons you can begin to add more age groups, recruit more … If your team is losing a lot, the other players probably will understand your decision to leave them behind and will be less unhappy with your … For players rostered on any travel team, this deposit is non-refundable, and the entire amount will be credited toward the travel softball fee. The hardest thing is to make it onto a team. A typical season starts in February and ends in December for most girls. On the off-chance that your kid is a freak … For example for this year if a girl was born on January 1, 2003 of the appropriate level she would be 10U eligible for the 2013 season even though she will be 11 for the entire season. As the coach of a tournament level youth fastpitch softball team, at the end of each season I am faced with the tough decisions about roster spots in regard to doing what is best for the team and what is best for the player. It has always been my position to try to retain all of my players from one year to the next. It is difficult to make these teams as a player because they look for the top athletes in their area. Travel Softball Fees: Deposit: A deposit of $250.00 is required in order for players to try out for travel softball. As it turned out, Mary just couldn't quite get it done at 3rd and was beaten out by another player. better to have that conversation at start. If your athlete is overwhelmed her confidence will slide and her … Travel ball is organized by age groups. He had never treated her badly but she was tired of watching 4 or 5 teamates being belittled or blamed for every loss. Contacting coaches is the easy part. Travel teams are together all the time. Travel ball softball is the next step up from recreational girls softball. Thank you, we wish you all much success, and hope to see you out on the fields sometime soon.". If you are having a hard time making a final decision, you … She must have above average skills and understanding of the game. This usually results in 6 players playing the bulk of the time and the other six players splitting time for the remaining three positions. Young athletes can reach a point where they are bored with rec league play. As the coach of a highly competitive softball team, I believe two of my primary responsibilities are to teach the girls the sport and to inspire their passion for the game. Mary was just a great kid that got along with all of the other players and all of the coaches. http://StartATravelTeam.com will give you what you need so you know how to start a travel softball team. It just broke my heart to see her withdrawing from the sport. Which is why we recommend always traveling with an extra pair of softball … As it turned out, I contacted three other teams about Mary and they all said they would take her in a heartbeat. The high-end teams travel to tournaments every weekend and qualify for … 2.) She continues to play fastpitch softball and just recently told me how excited she is to be going out for her High School team this year. "We greatly appreciate all that you have done for us, and we have really enjoyed our time with the team. You might … Her fight to try and be better went unnoticed to this coach. Starting with the 2019-20 softball season, TSI … I was very disappointed Mary couldn't win the position and as the season went on I could tell that her love for fastpitch softball was diminishing. Competitive Softball Team U16 The event was held at the TSI training center and these offerings are made available to players and their parents as part of TSI’s College Development Program.. As with leaving a job like in an exit interview, keep it short, sweet, and positive. Return from Change Teams to Fastpitch Softball Manager Home. First year travel ball. It can be a relatively small step up the competitive ladder -- or it can be a difficult and expensive leap. After all, her friends were on this team, it was a winning team, we were the only coaches she had ever had, and there was the fear of the unknown. I explained that I didn't believe Mary could honestly compete for one of the top positions and that I thought she would spend another year of splitting time. The players are trained, way more developed and compete on such a high level. DD left her last team because she was tired of the way the HC was treating other girls. Without a doubt it was a tough decision for them. We finally found a team and that’s where her journey in travel softball started. Just told her old team - I feel so guilty because they are losing both one of their best pitchers and primary SS :/. Travel softball teams are designed for girls who want to play at a higher, more challenging level. Honestly, if you talk a kid in this situation into staying on the team, it's probably going to be temporary anyway. With travel ball - softball becomes more than just a sport and teammates become family. While it's tempting to be greedy and keep all of the best players on your team, I believe the Softball Manager has a greater responsibility to look out for the players best interest. Her friend wasn't getting enough playing time so she wanted to leave and try out for another team. The getting-to-know-you process was expedited when I joined because we were practicing for several hours every day to get ready for the upcoming season. 1.) Does it matter if leaving your daughter current Fastpitch Softball Team right in the middle of travel season will upset the complexity of the team? Honestly, if you talk a kid in this situation into staying on the team… The younger they start playing travel softball the easier … The low-end travel teams can be local teams going to a few tournaments outside the region. Travel softball teams base age determinations on a January 1 cut off. On almost any other team Mary would have been the big fish. Don't burn any bridges no matter how much they try to get you to say something negative, don't. However, travel after age 12 is confined to Summer and Fall ball play only. Harding University. Travel teams will destroy high school teams all day long. After all, I had invested a considerable amount of time in their development. 31 likes. The girls know the rules and how to play the game. Why do Parents or Softball Players leave they're current organization in the middle of Travel Season? 2) To save money. Fridays and Saturdays … Be wary of rosters above 12 players as playing time can be uneven. When a girl plays with a select team, her teammates all can hit and catch. The low-end "travel" teams can be a local athletic association teams venturing to a few tournaments outside the region. One picks kids out of pool of kids at one school. To the point … Just to be clear, my team will play over 100 softball games each year. There may be a wide range of skill levels, but they all know the basics. Next years team seem to be different as we joined to then be told after 3 months the team … Have that conversation with the new coach now. If you are leaving for this reason, ask the coach if there are financial support options offered by the club … This put Mary back to the outfield and in the rotation of players that split innings. Softball message board with discussions on softball hitting, softball pitching, coaching youth softball and where you can get softball drills and softball tips. Hey everyone, it's that time of year again and TRAVEL BALL is back in session! How important is it to lock the front knee on the stride. When it comes to asking a player to leave the team, it’s best to consistently maintain a polite, professional manner in communicating the team’s intentions. To find his perspective you may find out they want more control over your kid than your comfortable with. It can be a huge change in commitment, skill level, and dedication depending on the type of team and price you go into. So TheGluv team has put together a few travel tips to make this the best season ever! The determining age of the child is based on her age on January 1st of the current year. This is based on ASA age … If your kid does go pro, rec ball is the likelier path. The high-end teams travel to tournaments every weekend (sometimes out-of-state) and qualify for national tournaments. You connect with each girl, each parent, and each coach on levels that are hard to explain. We get it, traveling can be very exhausting and not to mention expensive. Ultra-competitive: On most travel teams, there’s a balance between player development and winning. Your summers are planned around each others and the "whats yours is mine whats mine is yours" phrase is overly applied. 1. Time commitment: Even a moderately competitive travel team can consume an entire summer’s worth of weekends. If you daughter truly enjoyed playing with the team, offer to play as a sub when needed and available as well. So of course she wanted my daughter to come with. Her first little league coach brought the love of softball to her life. I was losing my starting 3rd baseman, due to her age, and I felt Mary had a great opportunity to step into the starting lineup as our 3rd baseman. While it’s good to be firm in your message, at the same time, you should try to soften the blow of getting “kicked off” the team, which can be very tough to handle for the player, the parents and the team alike. If your daughter makes the team, paying the bill is the next issue and if she doesn’t, the pressure is off. Go now, the special report is totally free. So, if the girl is 9 on January 1 then she will play on a 10U team. “(Travel softball) has taken high school softball out of the equation,” Hutchinson says. 1. She was easily the star player on her new team. And you don't need to tell her team, just tell the coach you are leaving. So do the right thing and you just may end up winning a life-long fan and salvaging a little girl's fastpitch softball career. Benched. The start is with initial training and conditioning for high school ball and travel at the same time. Put most of these in a backpack to keep in the car for the Travel Softball Season from spring through fall. (source) Pros: Travel … When your team is playing out of town, each parent is One hand picks studs from everywhere and anywhere and works twice as hard and competes against same caliber. So I gave Mary the list of teams and she chose which one she would most like to play with. What you won’t often find is an “everybody plays” approach. If the manager detects the player is in danger of facing burn out or leaving the sport, he should have enough respect for the game and the player to make a "for the greater good" decision. The field becomes home … She received a scholarship to Pac-10 power Cal — an incredible accomplishment for someone on the East Coast.

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