LARGE organizations - are they involved with all their teams

[play4fun]

Are organizations like Glory, Travelers, Elite, Batbusters, Fusion, etc. involved with the building of all their teams or just the older ones?

It seems that some of these organization are more focused on making their organizations larger that helping to develop the qualitity of their younger teams.

Fusion is just getting started and I will say that I have seen Slade with his older teams; I don't know about the 12U team but they do not seem to be doing that well. Slade loves the game and I am sure things will change.

As far as the other organizations: does Glory, Travelers, Batbusters, or Elite help out the younger teams? When their older girls are playing High School ball, why don't we see them with the 10U,12U,14U teams helping to improve them?

What is the sense in being the head of an organization if you don't assist your younger teams with your knowledge? I say this because many of these organization have younger teams that are struggling and I don't see or hear of improvements

Just a question because I hear alot about "organization" and I am trying to understand the reasoning of have 2-12u teams, 3-14U teams, 4-14U teams, 5-16U teams, etc. (Just examples)

[Brooke's Dad]

I am trying to understand the reasoning of have 2-12u teams, 3-14U teams, 4-14U teams, 5-16U teams, etc. (Just examples)

I will give you one guess - and it rhymes with: "MONEY"

Oh - wait - nevermind.... it is "MONEY"

[someonecares]

Over the years, I have seen good and bad things come out of large organizations. Unfourtunatly, almost all of the good things seem to be in favor of the older girls. The younger players and coaches have to learn the game themselves and hope that they have what it takes to get their players to the top level.

Many of these organizations start out fo rthe right reasons - to help the girls - but the eventually turn into organizations where it is all about bigger is better no matter the cost.

Batbusters are a prime example. How many teams do they need? Glory seems to be heading in the same direction. How many 18U's 14U's and 12U's do you need? Travelers and Elite are spread out and you don't have to face 10 of them in one tournament.

JMO

[Fusion Gold]

Play4Fun - I am not sure who you are, but I am glad that you see what we are trying to do.

My goal is to coach/manage the Gold team, during the off-season, I plan to divide my time up between the other teams and help them as much as possible. That was my plan this past season but it didn't happen this year because one of our coaches was experiencing some personal issues and was unable to coach his team. So Stephanie & I, stepped in to help coach the 14U Fusion (Mork) team and that took up almost all of our time. Moving forward we plan to stay heavily involved in the growth and development of our younger teams, we feel that we have coaches in place that will be here for awhile and that will allow me some more flexibility. Max will also be helping the 10U & 12U ages, since he will be an assistant on the 16U team he should have more time during the HS season as well. We are aligning our coaches to work with each other not against each other. It is hard to be part of an organization that is full of jealousy and animosity; I can speak from experience on that subject. One of the best things about our program right now is that all of the coaches are working together, supporting each other and are instilling similar philosophies. We all share in each others success.

We are also working to get our older girls involved with the younger players, to provide leadership and become the role models that the young players can look up to and learn from. I honestly feel that this is the biggest piece missing from most of the other organizations. We expect the older players to give back to the game, think back to when they where younger and how the felt about older players, it can be very inspirational for the young and older players alike.

Slade Maloney
Texas Fusion

[play4fun]

Slade,
I have watched your 14U's this yeat and have seen more improvement in them than any other 14U teams. Maybe other organizations will follow in your fotsteps and realize that it is about all the teams and just like with a business, the "boss" has to be involved everywhere or the company can look bad. Congratulations on getting it right and I look forward to watching your organizatin grow.

[play4fun]

Unfourtunatly my oldest daughter has decided that she wants to purse ....ugh.... travel volleyball or I would have her try out for your teams.

At least I will be inside. HELP!!!!

[GTS]

I've seen Fusion 14U play against Texas Peppers........very impressed as well!

I also agree that it seems to be more about size. When I started GT Shockers (almost 3 years ago- 2 1/2 yrs), I started with a vision, that vision went like this:

10U - 1 team (started fall '07)
12U - (1st year) 1 team (no team at this age yet)
12U - (2nd year) 1 team (started fall '06)
14U - 1 team (started fall '05)
16U - 1 team (started fall '07)
18U - 1 team (Gold) (started fall '07)

We will NEVER have any more than this!

We decided that having multiple teams in each age division "watered down" the talent leaving the area (or GT Shockers) with many average teams, rather than fewer teams that can actually compete. We are already at a disadvantage, due to being from a smaller market.....why complicate it by contributing to the watering down of teams. Not to mention, you DON'T have time to help develop the younger age teams, if you have that many!

Craig Soignet
GT Shockers

[Fusion Gold]

Our plan is to stay small, manageable.

One team in each age at 14U, 16U, 18 Gold.

Possibly two teams at 10U / 12U since there is such a difference in growth sizes at those ages, but the main thing is to keep it at a size that we can manage and stay involved with the teams.

Slade Maloney
Texas Fusion

[sftballjnkie]

Does Fusion currently have a 12U team? I'm not up on 12U so I don't know.

[Fusion Gold]

Does Fusion currently have a 12U team? I'm not up on 12U so I don't know.

Yes we have a 12U team, this is their first season, we will hold tryouts in August.

Darren Darracq is the Head Coach, Megan Paris (Signed to University of Texas), and Randy Watkins are his coaches. Max Ellyson and Roy Wall will be helping this team as we head into the 2009 season.

Slade Maloney
Texas Fusion