Player Development

[rbi]

What do you feel is more important for player development from a PARENTS point of view (with everything else being equal including money, practice time, lessons etc etc...), and give me your reasons why. BTW, we are talking about 14U age group.

#1- Playing on a "avg" travel ball team, playing against "avg" or below opponents, BUT with very solid coaching.

#2- Playing on a very good travel ball team (talent wise), playing against top level teams, BUT with sub par coaching.

Dont try and over analyze the 2 example's, just tell me which you would choose for YOUR DD and why, oh and by the way you would not be the coach of either example, just watching your DD develop from the stands.

[Blind Squirrel]

As with everything else, it depends on the particular kid. Is it a kid who has plenty of self confidence and competitiveness and will fight to get her game to the higher level of her teammates? Is it a kid whose self confidence is a bit fragile and/or will passively sit on the bench? There are few valid generalities when comes to this kind of stuff.

My simplistic view.

John

[rbi]

With all other things being equal, I should have stated that playing time would be non-issue on either team. Where would you want your DD.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Tricky question ... because I have always felt that teams and players, be they good or bad, play up or down to their competition ... but I believe that the best choice would be the better Coaching, especially at 14U ... BTW: I have watched them with bad Coaching and it ain't pretty ...

[Blind Squirrel]

Again, it depends on the kid. Will she play to level of her teammates and competition or will she leverage the the better coaching to become a more skilled player regardless of what is happening around her? What affect does winning/losing have on her? Is it a big deal to her? Who wants to talk about the game on the way home, you or her?

John

[Ace]

Also, is her travel team the ONLY place she is being coached, or does she see a hitting instructor and hit on her own, outside of tb? If all of her training is coming from her TB coach, the question is quite simple.