Startup travel teams

[Rotatorcuff]

How many first year teams are successful and continue their programs for more than a season?

DD tried out for a new team. I like the coach and he seems to know what he is doing. The team looks fair, but not as strong as some of the established programs in the area. I'm wondering if it is in my DD's (and mine) best interest to stay with this team. First year of 12U travel.

Pros: DD should get alot of playing time as #1 or #2 pitcher.
DD should also get alot of playing time as a positon player when not pitching.
DD likes the coach (alot).
DD will be a core player and if the team accels, she could get alot of recognition.

Cons: New program with lots of uncertainty for the future
Team may not be as strong as the established programs.

Assuming we stick it out, will the exposure help (also assuming DD is a stand out) if we choose to go to another team in the future?

Curious and nervous dad.

[artomatic]

hard to say, but you gotta start somewhere.
how many "core" girls are there?
how do the families get along?
have you played any games to see how your team stacks up against other teams?
does your kid like the coach because he/she is a good coach or because they let the girls do whatever they want?
trust your instincts until they prove you wrong...
and as a new team, if you do experience early success, try to stay humble and don't blow your horn about how good your team is, let your actions speak for the team...that will go a long way towards earning the respect of other teams and also help recruit good players for the future...it's a pretty small world and people remember EVERYTHING...

[Rotatorcuff]

Thanks for you responses. Now to answer your questions:

heretostay - you asked if this is DD's first time to travel - well sort of, she played fall ball on a 12U Rec allstar travel team which did compete against "A" teams. The team was mostly 95 b-days; DD is a 96. DD has been allstar since she began playing - 4 years. We're definitely moving out of rec. B level rec is not bad, but the first three mos of the season is pretty much a waste of time; things don't get interesting until allstar season starts. DD is also a Dec/96 birthday, so she is usually the youngest on the team, however she is a tall, strong girl.

artomatic - you're right, we've got to start somewhere
how many "core" girls? not really sure - most of the girls were recruited from rec leagues in a specific area
not sure how the families will get along as we've only been to 2 tryouts and 2 practices. Most are familiar with each other because of the locale they were recruited from. We're the outsiders but DD was recruited by the head coach from what he'd seen of her during allstar tourneys
No games yet.
DD likes the coach because he is between the hard instructor and the carefree coaches that she had in rec.
Trust my instincts - well they tell me that she will learn from this coach, and I like him. He also teaches very similar to her current hitting coach.

madness - my biggest concern is if the team will take off. I'd hate for the team to fold, for whatever reason, in the middle of the season and then be without a team to play on in June/July. I'm fairly certain DD will be strong enough to make a 12U team in the fall and definitely next season. December b-days are tough for first year players.

Thanks again and I welcome your comments. We will be attending other tryouts this weekend -weather permitting.

[ECSB]

I think if you have never played travel before, a new team may give you more opportunities. When my DD tried out as a young 14U, she had never played travel before. The only team that gave her a chance was a startup, and my DH was asked to be an assistant coach which made him happy. She ended up developing a lot and playing many innings. Did we win every game - no way. We won a few memorable ones though - and will try again this year. If you go on an established team, it may be harder to get playing time. It worked for us.

[coolstuff]

RC, I have been exactly where you are now. DD was a rec all star and our first TB experience was a start up team made up of rec all stars with one or two players with some TB experience. The families were great and the organization fielded 10U, 12U, and 14U B teams (DD was older 12U) and the coaching was great too. DD learned a lot.

Unfortunately this story has a sad ending. Year two started out pretty well but the organization was able to field only a 14U B team. Same good coaching and the level of talent increased. But for a variety of reasons I won't get into, the team folded before the season ended. We found another team for DD and realized she needed to find a higher level of competition and is now playing for a well respected 14U A team.

I agree that this is probably the right place for your daughter at this time. After nationals when the tryout season kicks in, evaluate your options and make a good decision based on what's best for your DD.

[coolstuff]

Sorry I meant to say she is now on a well respected 14 U A team! Can't figure out how to edit posts here.

[jofus]

My daughter is in a similar situation. Her LL coach from a couple years ago started a 14U team last year, and invited her to play, even though she was an "old" 11 year old in 07 (she turns 13 in feb.). By the end of the year, she was batting lead-off and playing first base and some shortstop. The team didn't do great, but they showed progress.

But....this year, most of her team is in the 9th grade and trying out for their high school teams, and my DD is only in 7th, so right now she has no travel team to play with until summer, if then, because the team lost a few players late last year that we will have to try to replace.

There's a travel team about an hour away that played 12U last year that my DD played one tournament with that is moving up to 14U this year, and she could probably play with (she was on fire in the tournament she played with them, making only 2 outs at the plate in 6 games), but she wants to play little league (and all stars) on the side with her friends from school, and little league all stars interfere with the WV State ASA championship, which that team is really focused on this year I would like to forget about little league, especially since she got walked intentionally several times last year, so this year will probably be worse, but it's where her friends are playing, and I want her to have fun.

Trust me, in southern West Virginia, there aren't a lot of options available

It almost is enough to convince me to try to start a team for this spring, but just like there aren't a lot of teams in the area, there also aren't a lot of kids that are travel quality AND have the parents willing and able to make the committment to travel ball.