Firecrackers Have A New Safe N Sane Version????

[onlooker]

Can some one explain to me the benefit of playing for a Furecracker team as opposed to playing for say a Grapettes Team with the same level of coaching?

Short Answer in reality - Absolutely None

Short answer in Rose Colored Glasses- The ignorant, egotistical, chest thumping nature in this sport that our parents exude. aka Name recognition.

Here's the deal ......ALL of these guys 12U/14U are simply dads from other orgs who are coming over in theory with the vision of creating more opportunity for their DD's team, That in itself is not so bad.

Sadly, NONE, and I will repeat NONE, of the current 14U or 12U coaches in this new nor cal group are worth ANY form of a drive. I dont care what your success or lack of success has been in the past or what org you came from........it was due to the 9-13 year old kids, not your coaching (wont say it didnt help "at all") lets leave the credit with the kids when it comes to this group of dads.

ANY dad has this opportunity, its not like these guys were hand selected becasue of their knowledge of the game......... they made a call and said HEY, do you want to make MORE money? LMAO!

[ncsoftball]

rose colored glasses is right! I have been a viewer of this board for several years and here is what I have realized.
Every parent is hoping to get their dd on to the next best thing. They all think that their daughter is the most talented one on the team, they all think that when they go to the BIG NAME team they will get tons of playing time and the coaching must be great.
Most of these teams , the coaches are annoying dads who got their kid kicked off of other teams so they have decieded to make sure they're the coach and surround their dd with the best. Often the dd is a spoiled brat and the coach has no concern for anyone else but getting their kid to college.
Wake up people this is starting to be the walmart of softball just to make a buck. The teams in norcal are so watered down you might have one or two GREAT girls on a team with a few good players and then some bench warmers to make extra money. As long as the coaches kids are playing.
Do your homework! Ask other parents .. How much does the coaches kid play? does the coaches kid ever sit? Go watch a practice and see how its ran. Ask people who have left the team why they left. Does the coach have a bad reputation but wins all the time? Or a good reputation and wins some. Bottom line is if your dd goes to a big name are you going to get playing time? why be the 3rd pitcher on a big name instead of a 1st pitcher on a smaller name. If your on the bench what college is going to see you? Is it so you can go into work and say my dd plays for TEAM X? Be smart dont be fooled by a name. Been there done that. My dd is getting more looks now on a smaller name organization with a GREAT reputation.

[Dozerdog]

I appreciate the input. I wasn't in anyway trying to put down any coach or any Firecracker team I was just curious what the benefit is. Thanks for the honest opinions. My DD plays for a smaller org with what I think is very good coaching and can't understand the much higher fees but we are at the same tournaments. To each there own I guess and if they don't have an issue with paying for a name more power to them.

[truth325]

You goobers just threw every stereotype against the wall and ran with it. Funny stuff. IMO...those that think that they're somehow more righteous because they chose a "smaller org with great reputation" are just as douchey as the "big name chest thumpers".

[POP Time]

Dozer here are my 2 cents on the subject. The Firecrackers name is meaning less and less every season. On a recruiting side College coaches will soon care less that you played for the Firecrackers, with 65 or so Teams calling themselves Firecrackers that just means that everyone is a Cracker now.

Small org Large Org doesn’t matter. If the coaches have contacts and either, A. Understand recruiting or B. are willing to take the time to understand it is what matters.

I looked at the college book for my oldest daughters team a few years back and all players were listed as infield/outfield, all players were listed with a 3.0 GPA. (We had 3 players with 4.2 or higher and nobody even as low as a 3.5) All Majors were listed as undecided. (By the way this was a “Big Name” Org.) When I asked the coach about it he gave me a BS answer about not having time to deal with that crap… Org name means Shit unless the coach gets it!!!!

After making mistakes with my oldest here are a few things I look when picking teams or judging coaches.

#1 Rule - Is the coach honest with you and others - If the coach is honest they will not promise this, that and the other to get you to play for them. Bottom line kids should earn their spot on the field. Stay away from coaches who over promise play time or are willing to make deals, If they made a deal with you how many others on the team have the same deal. In the older age group huge red flags raise to me when coaches claim they can get your kid a scholarship. Your daughters work and your support will get her a scholarship.

Does/Will your kid enjoy herself on the team – If your kid is enjoying herself why leave. If you are looking at a new team, does she have friends on the team? If your answer is no, when watching the team play does it look like a team with good chemistry and positive coaching where she will enjoy herself and learn.

Do YOU think the coach knows what they are doing – Who cares what others say, especially those quitting or being cut, very few quit for any reason other then lack of playing time and kids are cut for 1 of 2 reasons not a strong enough player or the parents are a pain in the ass. Make your own opinion of what coaches are doing in practice and at games. If you are looking at a new team, has this coach shown traits you feel your daughter would learn and develop under.

Does the coach have a plan – The coach should have a plan for this season well in advance and have an idea of what future seasons will hold when it comes to travel, showcases etc… If the team plans to travel are they playing in the right tournaments or just spending money on hotels, gas and meals out. A few questions should be asked when travel starts.
A. Are we competitive locally? If not, stay home and get competitive. I hear coaches all the time say we are traveling to see the better teams so the team knows where we have to be. Well if you can’t compete here your are seeing the better teams every week.
B. Why are we traveling? Teams can have different reasons. Fun, Competition, Showcase etc… If you are happy with the reason then you are in the right spot.

[Bookend]

A little off topic, but while at the Brenda Marsh, I watched one of the numerous FireCracker 12U teams play. The team had 16, I repeat, 16 girls on the roster. They looked like a small army. I'm wondering if the costs decreased due to the expanded roster.......

[Bookend]

You goobers just threw every stereotype against the wall and ran with it. Funny stuff. IMO...those that think that they're somehow more righteous because they chose a "smaller org with great reputation" are just as douchey as the "big name chest thumpers".

I'm not sure what is "douchey" about the fact someone is happy their daughter plays for a small org. with a great reputation.

[Yellow Ballz]

Dozer here are my 2 cents on the subject. The Firecrackers name is meaning less and less every season. On a recruiting side College coaches will soon care less that you played for the Firecrackers, with 65 or so Teams calling themselves Firecrackers that just means that everyone is a Cracker now.

Small org Large Org doesn’t matter. If the coaches have contacts and either, A. Understand recruiting or B. are willing to take the time to understand it is what matters.

I looked at the college book for my oldest daughters team a few years back and all players were listed as infield/outfield, all players were listed with a 3.0 GPA. (We had 3 players with 4.2 or higher and nobody even as low as a 3.5) All Majors were listed as undecided. (By the way this was a “Big Name” Org.) When I asked the coach about it he gave me a BS answer about not having time to deal with that crap… Org name means Shit unless the coach gets it!!!!

After making mistakes with my oldest here are a few things I look when picking teams or judging coaches.

#1 Rule - Is the coach honest with you and others - If the coach is honest they will not promise this, that and the other to get you to play for them. Bottom line kids should earn their spot on the field. Stay away from coaches who over promise play time or are willing to make deals, If they made a deal with you how many others on the team have the same deal. In the older age group huge red flags raise to me when coaches claim they can get your kid a scholarship. Your daughters work and your support will get her a scholarship.

Does/Will your kid enjoy herself on the team – If your kid is enjoying herself why leave. If you are looking at a new team, does she have friends on the team? If your answer is no, when watching the team play does it look like a team with good chemistry and positive coaching where she will enjoy herself and learn.

Do YOU think the coach knows what they are doing – Who cares what others say, especially those quitting or being cut, very few quit for any reason other then lack of playing time and kids are cut for 1 of 2 reasons not a strong enough player or the parents are a pain in the ass. Make your own opinion of what coaches are doing in practice and at games. If you are looking at a new team, has this coach shown traits you feel your daughter would learn and develop under.

Does the coach have a plan – The coach should have a plan for this season well in advance and have an idea of what future seasons will hold when it comes to travel, showcases etc… If the team plans to travel are they playing in the right tournaments or just spending money on hotels, gas and meals out. A few questions should be asked when travel starts.
A. Are we competitive locally? If not, stay home and get competitive. I hear coaches all the time say we are traveling to see the better teams so the team knows where we have to be. Well if you can’t compete here your are seeing the better teams every week.
B. Why are we traveling? Teams can have different reasons. Fun, Competition, Showcase etc… If you are happy with the reason then you are in the right spot.

Amen!! Be Realistic about your DD's ability and take POP's advice!

[CTCBAT]

I do feel that people have the right to create an industry. I think though with the Firecrackers however some of their better teams have moved onto the SoCal A's. FC Blanco is now coming here. It will be interesting to see how many kids from the AFT program go there?

We're three pages into this topic. The reason people are interested is name brand recognition. You pay for the name. If you can accept what you're paying for who am I to judge? With the onslaught of new FC teams though these coaches were starting to lose players at their old orgs. Like I said earlier in this thread it's a way for a coach to reinvent themselves.

Will it work? I can say if those teams don't win right away after paying (from what I heard from one team) $2,200 for summer ball people will bounce, and QUICKLY.

[onlooker]

Maybe it's just me......
I see constant turnover on NCFC teams that are NOT named Baisdon. the 98 team and 00 team seem to chug along with all systems go and are winning and not posting ads for players (we don't hear from them!!!!). 3 of the other 4 (Miller, Sjolie, Stone and Rodriguez) have ads up immediately after a showcase! what gives?

and what about the Blanco team? no more?